I have some very exciting news. So exciting in fact that it is taking all my focus and concentration to write coherent sentences instead of simply resorting to loud cheering noises while fist pumping the air (which I would still do if it was not for the fact that that would look very weird written down).
Basically the exciting news is this; Invading Holland has won. Thanks to your amazing help and support Invading Holland has won the Best European Blog category of the 2013 Bloggies. I owe each and every one of you a huge thank you.
If it was not for the fact that I am already married and a father I would say this is the happiest day of my life but I cannot say such things without getting into a lot of trouble. So instead lets agree that this achievement ranks somewhere below my wedding day and the birth of my daughter but much higher than the time I broke my ankle… And that I am extremely happy and honoured.
I was not the only Holland based expat blog to make it to the finals this year either. Also nominated were Like a Sponge and Nomad Mum. Proof that we are not just taking over Holland but the rest of Europe too.
In closing; if you are a long term reader, a short term reader or even a medium term reader; Thank You.
And if you are finding this blog for the first time… Hello. My name is Stuart, accident prone Englishman and self proclaimed King of Holland. Nice to meet you. Welcome to my strange little corner of the internet.
A few weeks ago I was asked by the people from Expatsblog.com to take part in one of their interviews. Naturally I jumped at the chance (while trying keep my calm British composure).
“Stuart’s transition from Britain to The Netherlands didn’t exactly go to plan. In fact, it wasn’t even part of the plan. That’s what happens when you are a self-declared accident prone Englishman. Originally from London Stuart has spent over the last decade living in the land of clogs and windmills otherwise known as The Netherlands and has even started a family of his own. Language misunderstandings, cultural confusion, bizarre adventures and a few cases of mistaken identity are just a few of the things that have happened to him during his time in the country.”
In the full interview I explain the bizarre events which led to my arrival in Holland, the virtues of having a friend who regularly calls you an idiot, and how a broken ankle can sometimes be a good cure for home sickness… Click here to read the full thing
Great news! Thanks to your help this blog has won an award from expatsblogs.com
I am extremely happy and would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped out by submitting such amazing comments about this blog. I was really touched by them all and I feel very lucky that so many people enjoy my ramblings. I can’t mention all of them but here are a few of my favourites (I might steal some for the about me page):
“A wonderful take on life in the Netherlands through an Englishman’s eyes. I love his self-deprecating humour, fantastic illustrations, and accident-prone ways.” - Alison
“Reading Stuart’s blog make me love being so Dutch :-) Every post is hilarious and make me laugh. If you’ve never read is, let’s get started!” - Dienke
“I’ve been reading Stu’s blog since before I moved to The Netherlands. My (Dutch) girlfriend had heard of it and pointed it out to me whilst I was still in the UK. After reading one or two posts, I was hooked and did a complete catch-up from post number 1! I always loo forward to a new post.” - Gez
“I follow many blogs, but there are only a very slim few that I actually come back to again and again! Stu’s blog about the random encounters and experiences he runs into in the land of cheese and windmills are so incredibly funny, and hit the spot with precision, as to what it is like to be an outsider in Holland.” - Rebekka
“Stu is the voice of all expats in the Netherlands… and he says it in a much more humorous way than the rest of us ever could. I love his deep look at the eccentricities of life here in Holland.” - Tiffany
“Few bloggers can match Stu’s wit and insight as he describes his encounters with the everyday idiosyncrasies of Dutch culture. Often recognizable, frequently hilarious and always entertaining, Invading Holland is by far my favorite. Go Stu!” - Victor
See all of them here
And it would be very rude of me not to wish huge congratulations to all the other brilliant writers who won as well. Well done everyone. Go and check them out.
- Gold: Adventures in Integration
- Bronze: A Flamingo in Utrecht
- Honourary: Dutch Pancake
- Honourary: The European Mama
- Honourary: The Wooden Shoes Diaries
It’s time once again for the annual Invading Holland holiday. What does this mean? I’ll be taking a short break from the blog for just a few weeks while I catch up on a few projects that are keeping me busy at the moment. One or two of these projects even involve some existing developments and improvements for the future of this very blog (remember the t-shirt ideas I showed you a while ago, more on that later).
In the mean time I’ll still be active on Twitter if you still want to hear what I’m up to (what I had for breakfast, what I bought at the super market… stuff like that). Normal blogging service will return soon.
And before I start my blogging holiday; a lot of people requested that the ‘Greeting’s from Holland’ postcard I made in my last post be made into a real post card. Well now with your own printer and some card paper you can make your very own Invading Holland post card to send to your loved ones (or enemies, they need some love sometimes too). Just download the two links below the preview image and follow the instructions included.
Right click and save link as:
- Postcard Front
- Postcard Back
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