Welkom!

Welkom to the Riksen family blog!  

Hopefully you're visiting this blog because you want to say in the loop on the adventures and experiences that Todd and I (Megan) have in the Netherlands.  If you hadn't heard, Todd was accepted back in June into a global exchange program with his company.  This means that on August 26, 2012 we are heading to Eindhoven, Netherlands to live for 18 or so months.  

We couldn't be more excited about this opportunity. I have to keep pinching myself that we actually get to live in Europe!  Although I may secretly (or not so secretly) have been hoping to live in France again after having such an amazing time there in college, I am pumped about the chance to live in the Netherlands.  The land of the Dutch. The Motherland!

In fact, I have been preparing for this move for the last 15 or so years as evidenced here....

I'm sure this modern look will fit right in.

There's been a lot going on over the past 2 months since we found out we're moving.  Perhaps the piece that stresses me out the most is getting Jackaroo across the pond.  It's been a very fun time figuring that out.  My favorite part is the kennel we need in order to ship her via United:

This girl is going to be flying in style in her doggie apartment!

But, she will make it, and then the hardest part will be fitting the massive kennel into a small European rental car (and our small Dutch apartment). Speaking of our small Dutch apartment, we are living in a great spot for our first 30 days.  I couldn't have picked a better location to help us get acclimated to our new city. Check it out:

Our view of the "Markt".

Our temporary digs.

Today marks exactly one week until we head out to the land of tulips, windmills, and bicycles.  New adventures, here we come - as we go "From Holland to Holland"!