The Full Collection
Freedom Isn’t Free: Reflections on a Visit to Normandy, France
In July, we visited Normandy in France. It was a trip I had wanted to make for a long time — a chance to visit the beaches where the D-Day landings took place during the Second World War. Over several…
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48 hours in Berlin: celebrating 75 years of democracy
I don’t think any European city conjures up so much imagery and emotion as that of Berlin. Our visit, although brief, did not disappoint. Our arrival coincided with the hosting of the Euro football final between England and Spain, so…
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An Epic Night at the Odeon of Herodus Atticus: A Sprint to the Opera in Athens
In a sprint to rival the original marathon run, my husband and I weaved our way through the busy streets of central Athens in the sticky Saturday evening air. We slid over the smooth stones, trying to work out whether…
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Video: How I self-published my book – for print and via Amazon!
The steps I went through to self-publish my book for print and via Amazon KDP
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Video: Meet the author – a Zoom conversation with Rachel Arts
A Zoom Q&A where I talk about what I’ve learnt over the last four years writing a biography about my late father.
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Historic reasons to visit Delft (and it’s not just the pottery)…
Delft is well known among Brits for its beautiful blue-and-white pottery, with its intricate Delftware designs. But this charming city has far more to offer than ceramics alone. It’s a wonderful place to explore on foot in a day —…
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Becoming a citizen of the Netherlands Pt.2: Passing the Inburgering exam
The process my son and I went through to pass our Inburgering exam and receive our Dutch citizenship.
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Becoming a citizen of the Netherlands, Pt. 1: Benefits & options
Four years ago, my son and I moved to the Netherlands from the UK after I married a Dutch gentleman. This was the year before Brexit, with Great Britain leaving the European Union, and all the freedom of being part…
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What I learnt writing a family memoir
Four years ago I announced to the world I was going to write a memoir about my late father. Why? Was the question I was asked (by those who didn’t know my father). Well, let me begin. My father was…
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Our Swedish summer adventure
This was our third summer road-trip together, and it felt different. This time we wanted an escape. We planned our venture north, heading to Sweden, unchartered territory for both of us.
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‘It’s a Challenge: The life and adventures of Alan Carter’ My book goal for 2023
An update on my goal to write a memoir about my late father, Alan Carter.
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Getting comfortable at the High Tech Campus
Not long after I had arrived in Eindhoven in the Netherlands, I heard about a place called the High Tech Campus. It sounded cool, a single location with over 260 companies, including start-ups, scale-ups in the tech space, and HQ…
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Why I started a Facebook group for English speaking theatre in The Netherlands
I grew up wanting to be an actress. I loved films and theatre. My parents had the vinyl LP’s for West Side Story, and My Fair Lady and I would play them both over and over. I knew every word…
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Tuscany or bust: tales from a summer road-trip
My family has a tradition of a summer family holiday altogether. And when I say my family, I mean my four brothers, two sisters, their families, my mum, and my children. Last year there were around 40 of us. This…
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Sorry, I’m English
My most repeated phrase of the last 18 months since living in the Netherlands, often felt like an apology rather than a statement to indicate my Dutch language skills were not quite up to the mark. Despite my best intentions,…
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Flags and ‘feestdagen’ – how the Dutch celebrate life
Every country has its calendar of celebrations, as well as its own customs to mark birthdays and other life events. The Dutch are no different. Having been here for over a full-year I have witnessed the full calendar cycle, as…
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My book project – 1 year in
A year ago I decided to write a biography on my late Father. I had no idea how to do this. Here’s an update of the journey so far.
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The BBC and other things I miss about British culture
BBC Radio 2, new music, the West End and other things I miss from British popular culture…
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Banking, Brexit and Oliebollen
Round-up of banking issues faced when British banks decided to close accounts to expats due to Brexit
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A Year of Gratitude
1 year in, I reflect back on how things have been since I arrived in the Netherlands from the UK
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Rachel's Round-up 