Lessons From the Land of Stroopwafels
I spent the last 10 days in The Netherlands outside of Amsterdam. And can I say it was a near perfect week. I really have no complaints. And I’m not just saying this because I know my friends read my blogs (hello friends).
What made it so well rounded was for one, The Netherlands' weather cooperating which provided more days of sunshine than rain (a rarity), and having “tour guides” in the city.
While I love navigating my own way around a new place, the ability to do simple tasks, and get to places faster is extremely true when someone already understands how the systems work - where to park your bike at the train station, where the market is and the best stall to get stroopwafels is, how to book a padel court to try the sport for the first time! These little decision making moments really add up and enhance one’s experience.
A favour I intend to repay when the day comes of me “settling” somewhere for many international friends (or if any of them make it to Canada)!
The other component is friends who understand the freelance, choose your own adventure working routine.
When I told them I had a meeting at 7pm and that our run needed to be under 38 minutes, the message was received. When I chose to work at home vs. the coworking space they understood workflow fluctuates. This I didn’t take for granted. I left The Netherlands feeling socially fulfilled while on the other hand, for possibly the first time ever after visiting friends, I felt on top of my work flow and to-do list.
What can you take away from this moment? Communication is key. No matter where you’re staying, or who your host is. Ensure you’re talking through your expectations, what time to leave, do they have plans in mind for the morning, daytime, evenings or weekend and communicate when you need to reserve time to focus on the tasks and life you had before arriving in that destination.
On a side tangent, my Pop-Up Coliving begins this weekend. AH! What a whirlwind the last 6 months have been marketing and planning this project and now I will see it come to fruition. I can’t wait to meet my guests and create wonderful memories together.
Ciao for now,
Anna
P.s. if you’d be interested in a Pop-Up Coliving experience late Spring 2026 in Canada send me an email so I know there’s curiosity!
COMMUNITY CALL
Monday's Community Call with the YTF Community was a lively discussion spanning continents, with participants joining from Canada, the Netherlands, and South Africa.
FAVOURITES
✈️ Travel Tip
Use Wise to manage your money internationally, pay friends for dinner and get the best exchange rates.
🎒 Travel Fav
THE black pants have been replaced by something even better. Lululemon, belt friendly “dress pants” that sure don’t feel like it
🤓 Reading
Finally finished Born A Crime by Trevor Noah. A great insight into a boy’s journey growing up in the apartheid through humour and curiosity.
WHERE SHE BUILDS | EP. 13
Laughs, Lessons and Behind the Scenes on Making Season One
Anna and Shandi reflect on the journey of creating Season One of the Where She Builds podcast. We dive into the working relationship, what the workload actually is to produce an episode (include anna-lytics) and the joy in creating something together. We dive into what we’ve gained from our guests, and the importance of community and feedback. Plus what’s to come in season 2!
TRAVEL RESOURCES
Where to rest:
booking.com | find local apartments and rooms with a great rewards system
HostelWorld | most affordable accommodations with an awesome chat feature
IHG Hotels and Resorts | first chain of hotels I inquire with staying
Worldpackers | exchanged your skills for experiences
Trusted Housesitters | find a furry companion along with a place to rest
What to do:
GetYourGuide | one stop shop to find activities with trusted reviews
GuruWalk | the only platform I use to explore a city with a local
How to get around:
FlixBus | searches their own buses and local companies for solutions
Kiwi | Great to play the “let’s look up flights” research game
Tools to for a better trip:
Airalo | Go to e-sim provider for over 3 years
Safety Wing | International travel health and nomad insurance with great start and stop option
Holafly | Fav e-sim for unlimited data when remote working
Creative Lunch Club | match monthly with new creators around the world
Wise | Favourite way to handle money internationally
LARQ | the indestructible water bottle that actually keeps water cold
What I use as a creator:
Kit | fantastic newsletter marketing platform with great automation options
Epidemic Sound | the only royalty-free music library I trust
Squarespace | website and email host and online store
Travel Payouts | earn money while people book travel
KraftGeek | magnetic tripod for easy phone mounting