Sometimes being an expat overseas leaves you feeling lonely or even outcasted, but one of the biggest highlights is the constant excitement. No matter how long I live here, I don’t think I’ll ever stop taking pictures of the beauty around me. I am a forever tourist in my own town.

Some of my favourite “ordinary days” starts with zero expectations. Just the other day, it was a beautiful sunny day, so Kees and I drove the quad into town to run a few errands and ended up in all kinds of fun situations. By coincidence, there was lots happening in town! The square was packed with cheery summer faces drinking beer and listening to the music being played by the DJ in the main square in Alkmaar. We sat and enjoyed a lovely wine and typical Dutch snack, bitterballen with mustard in the sun.

By pure coincidence and luck, just as we were headed out, the pride boat parade was bouncing through the canals! What fun!! In all these years, I’ve never seen the pride parade. What a thrill of pink, balloons, smoke, drumming, singing and cheering. So many smiles and laughs.

I couldn’t believe when I saw the POLICE float! When we came back later to the square, they announced the winners and the Police float came in third place.

Kees was excited to run into the Karavaan which is basically an artistic, theatre festival. We sat in a tiny homemade caravan and listened to a storyteller. A very special thing to experience as this would’ve been a common form of entertainment back in the day. It was fun to look inside of all the decorated, themed caravans.

We tried the virtual reality experience and were both WOWED! It’s the most bizarre mind twist.

Since we were on such a roll, after visiting the family, we swapped quad for motorcycle and went to the brand new movie theatre which actually won the ICTA Award 2016 for “Best New Cinema in the World”! I can’t help but think, really?! In this tiny town of Alkmaar?! But okay, great for me!

The night ended with Pizza at the new pizzeria next door to the movie theatre then Britain’s Got Talent with the family!

My message for today is to find the excitement in and around your own neighbourhood. It may just seem like your backyard, but to someone else it’s completely exotic, try to look at it with tourist eyes and enjoy what’s on offer near you!

Savannah Grace