Moving to a new country is both rewarding and challenging. I’ve moved from Canada to England then to the U.A.E. and then to the Netherlands. With every move it takes time to find your way and get your bearings. But it gets easier with every move, right? Well, kind of.
Perhaps one of the hardest things about moving is finding a job. In Canada I was fortunate to work a long time for a start up tour operator and airline and progressed through the ranks. When I moved to the U.K. to follow my soon to be (British) husband, I quickly discovered that finding a job was mainly done through recruitment agencies. By the time we got to the U.A.E., we had a young family and working was not a high priority. But the desire to do something quickly set in and I started a successful baking business to keep me busy while the kids were in school.
We then arrive in the Netherlands and buy a house in Alkmaar. My time is mainly spent on getting the kids to two different schools, remastering riding a bike and renovating said house. One year later the job search begins, but I don’t speak Dutch very well and most of the English jobs are in Amsterdam. I apply for jobs and most of the time I don’t even get a rejection email. I start to feel that my years of being in the Middle East and out of official work is against me.
The ‘a-ha!’ moment came when a friend was over. She said when she was abroad, she went to the tourist areas and asked for jobs with hotels, etc. Tourists - of course! Alkmaar brings in over 100 000 tourists a year to not only see its traditional cheese market, but the historic medieval city itself. I enjoy meeting people, and thoroughly enjoy living in the Netherlands and in Alkmaar…..this sounds like the perfect opportunity!
There has been several months of preparation, but Alkmaar Tours is finally up and running. I offer English speaking guided private and group walking tours of Alkmaar’s traditional cheese market and its historic medieval centre. My aim is to show visitors how lovely this city really is as well as those quirky and unique Dutch ways. I believe that as a foreigner myself, and someone who has lived in several different countries, I can point out the kind of things that visitors will find interesting.
I sincerely hope to see you soon for a fun couple of hours out, a good chat, and (hopefully) some good weather…but bring a rain coat just in case! 😊
Alkmaar Tours offers top rated Private and Small Group Tours of Alkmaar’s medieval centre and the famous Alkmaar Cheese Market! For more information on the different tours, please visit the Alkmaar Tours Website.