Moving To Friesland
Every once in a while it is time for a change. It was just such a change that brought me to The Netherlands fifteen years ago and I have enjoyed every moment of it. However, it is time once again for a change, a new location and a new challenge. It is time to move on… to Friesland!
Ok. I know Friesland is technically within The Netherlands but I’m not entirely convinced that it is not its own country. After all it has its own flag. It has its own language. It even has the word ‘land’ in the name. The only thing its missing is its own currency, king and border control.
But yes. I am moving to Friesland. In some ways that bit of news is probably more of a shock than if I had actually been moving to another country. You probably have questions. I’ll try to answer them.
“Wait! What?! Friesland?!”
Yes. Friesland.
“Really?!”
Really but I’m going to continue working in Amsterdam, so I’ll be spending just as much time around the Dutch as I will the Friesians.
“Wait… What?! You’re going to travel back and forth between Amsterdam and Friesland every day! Are you crazy?”
Possibly… but let’s be honest, we already knew I was a little crazy. The good news is I do most my writing on the train so I’ll have more time to spend here.
“Soooo…. does this mean you’ll start writing about Friesian stuff now?”
Probably… but this blog won’t suddenly become 100% Friesian. There are still lots of things to explore about the Dutch and there will always be stories about my own accident proneness to share. So don’t worry about a sudden theme change. It just means that there will be some extra stuff. It also means I’ll finally be able to answer questions like; What is the difference between a Dutch Circle Party and a Friesian Circle Party?
“So why are you moving to Friesland?”
It’s something that’s been in the planning for a while and we’re finally getting an opportunity to do it. My wife and I have always loved the area and we think it will be a great place for our daughter to grow up… I’ve been telling other people that we are moving there to raise cows but that is a lie.
“That sounds reasonable. Is there anything else we should know?”
Oh yeah… our new house has not been built yet so we’ll be spending the next few months living with my parents-in-law (in Friesland) but I’m sure that won’t lead to any crazy or amusing stories… Nop. Not at all.
“WHAT?!”
Congrats and good luck with the move!
You should seriously investigate the cow angle; milk it for all it’s worth.
Moo-ving along now …
I’ve ‘herd’ enough of your cow puns.
Good luck with the move! It will be interesting to see if you recognise some English in the Frisian language, as both languages come from the same Germanic>Anglo-Frisian roots. It’s one of the closest living languages to English, outside of the UK.
Good luck on your adventure!
I’ve not noticed it yet but you’ve just given me an idea for a future post. Thanks :)
Come on! Things like Cheese (Tsiis), Green (Grien), etc…its so obvious! :). Whereabout you moved to? Sneek (Snake)? Agree the distance is not that bad and otherwise there’s always the opportunity to drive to Hoorn and take the train there: 1.5 hrs, which is equal from London Highgate to Kingston on Thames.
aaaahhh, finally Friesland is going to get a new koning , king Stu, go for i Stu, you can do it :) , you will like it surely, as a naked traveller, i love to promote Friesland and Limburg to all the nomads of the world i met during my travels, but dont try to speak the language please :)….
Thanks. I have to learn Dutch before I can learn Friesian. At least that’s what I keep on telling people who tell me I have to learn Friesian.
Great news! I know you’ve been looking to move for some time and now it’s finally going to happen. Just take into account that chances are that the actual date on which the new house will be ready will probably be later than planned (I saw this process from close by when my brother bought a house in Lelystad that still had to be built) so you are prepared for that :)
Thanks. Oh yes. I’m already expecting that we’ll have to live with my parents-in-law for a while.
Congratulations, but I wouldn’t recommend mentioning the fact that you consider Friesland a part of Holland straight to Frisians. They might drag you to Warns to show you the spot where the Frisians defeated the Hollanders (1345), when they tried to invade Friesland. Or they might drag you to the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden and give you a close encounter with Grutte Pier’s sword (Grutte Pier (1480 – 1520) fought mainly against Hollanders, he is also the one who (allegedly) came up with the shibboleth “Bûter, brea en griene tsiis, wa’t dat net sizze kin is gjin oprjochte Fries”.(Butter, bread, and green cheese: if you can’t say that, you’re not a real Frisian.) to distinguish Frisians from Hollanders and Lower German infiltrators:
So calling Friesland part of the Netherlands no trouble.
Calling Friesland a part Holland might spell trouble.
You know a lot about Friesland. You’re not going to be the one doing this to me are you?
Nope, no worries, I just happen to live in Friesland, but I am not a Frisian. I studied history in Leeuwarden hence some knowledge of Frisian History.
Hey, gratz on the news! Does this mean you’ll be closer to Almere now? (hint hint :))
My train to work passes through Almere so I’ll technically be spending more time in Almere then I was previously.
Good luck on the move, yes, it is a time to change. Wonder where I’ve heard that before…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKEQm10-n84
I was afraid for a moment that I was about to get Rick Rolled.
Good luck with your move!
We’re not entirely sure whether it is a part of the Netherlands either… It’s so different! Beautiful, but different!
But with the -land ending, Zeeland also has -land in it and that definately is a part of the Netherlands.
Or is it?!
You do know that’s not where Fries come from don’t you? They make normal chips just like everyone else!
Damn it! That was the whole reason for the move.
Enjoy Friesland (It’s still below sealevel, unlike Limburg and Twente). Do you have a boat already? And is your new house next to a canal or another form of water?
Eep. It’s next to a small stream. I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep now.
So we finally have a King? I bow down to you, your majesty. Any chance you’ll be making Heerenveen the capital?
I am considering it.
Surely Friesian circle parties involve sitting round a large table to eat a large tasty meal with lots of other people, then clearing the table and getting the games out.(Accompanied but sundry small snacks and drinks)
As Minister of Transport, I demand my own cow, speed skating rink and a year’s supply of smulkoeken.
And good luck with the move/the new rhythm of travelling around the country via NS. I’ll get straight to work to ensure that your journeys go without a hitch. :)
Ah Stu, I think it’s just wonderful. We haven’t seen you much even though we were almost neighbours, but I guess we can’t get much further apart now, with us spending so much time in Zeeuws Vlaanderen and you in Friesland, but I still have the feeling we will see each other again….before too long!
I live in a small town in friesland. I moved here from California almost a year ago, still adapting, it’s been difficult.