Olle Vastbinder: "What’s a holiday for others is just a spontaneous day out for us."
Olle Vastbinder swapped the hustle and bustle of Nijmegen for the peace and quiet of northern Friesland. Together with his partner Karin and their two dogs, he found exactly what he was looking for in Friesland: plenty of nature, an affordable home and a more balanced life. Now he enjoys work that energises him and the great outdoors, which is always close at hand.
From the hustle and bustle of the city to the tranquillity of the mudflats
Swapping the bustling city life of Nijmegen for the tranquil expanses of the Wadden Sea near Moddergat: it sounds like a crazy choice, but for Olle and his partner Karin it felt like a logical step. They had lived in Nijmegen for years and worked in the area, but at a certain point they felt the urge to leave. The city was becoming increasingly crowded, and even the nature reserves they loved were getting busier. But houses in quieter parts of the region were unaffordable, so they felt stuck in Nijmegen. Until Olle was offered a job in Amsterdam. There, remote working was the norm, and that opened up opportunities for Olle and Karin. And so, their wish to live where they wanted became a reality.
The couple were able to leave the hustle and bustle behind and set out in search of that much-coveted spot offering peace and space, as well as affordable housing. They searched the far corners of the Netherlands and even looked across the border in Germany. Yet time and again, they found themselves drawn to properties in the north of the Netherlands. Eventually, they found their dream home in the north of Friesland, right on the Wadden Sea.
Moddergat became their new home. Moving felt like a leap of faith, but one that brought them closer to their ideal life. "We live in a smaller place than we did in Nijmegen, but it feels so much bigger. Nature is literally on our doorstep. And what’s a holiday for others is just a spontaneous day out for us. Fancy a quick trip to Schiermonnikoog or Ameland? Within half an hour’s cycle, we’re already on the boat to one of those two islands."
"I didn't have that freedom in the city. Within a few steps, I'm out on the mudflats."
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Olle Vastbinder Communications Advisor, Economic Board of Fryslân
Putting Friesland on the map
A year later, Olle found a job closer to home, in Leeuwarden. He is now a Communications Advisor at Economic Board Fryslân and WRK.frl/.
“After years in the commercial sector, I wanted to do something that had social significance. I feel that my work makes a difference, without it taking over my whole life. It gives me creative freedom and, at the same time, the chance to contribute to the region’s economic and social development.”
From the hills to the wind
When he’s not working, Olle loves nothing more than hopping on his bike. Whereas in Nijmegen he used to tackle the hills, here he often has to contend with the wind. “That’s nice too,” he begins. “But I do find myself getting on the exercise bike a bit more often these days.” Since moving to Friesland, he’s been getting up extra early. “I love the silence of the early morning. If I feel like it, I can just step out of bed and onto the mudflats with the dogs. There’s nothing better than breathing in that sea air early in the morning. You can really breathe here,” he says. “And if the sea is a bit too rough, I walk the other way, into the polder. I never had that freedom in the city.”
Wherever he went in town, if he took the car, he often found himself stuck in traffic jams and having to follow diversions. But he’s no longer used to traffic jams. “It’s quicker for me to get from the mudflats into town now than it is to drive from one side of Nijmegen to the other. A few weeks ago, I was stuck in a traffic jam near Leeuwarden in the morning for the first time in ages. That felt a bit strange,” he says. “That was the first proper traffic jam since I’ve lived here. And even then, I only arrived at work ten minutes later than usual. Okay, every now and then in Friesland during the boating season you do come to a brief standstill for an open bridge, but that only lasts about five minutes and does have its charm when you see the boats passing by.”
"What’s a holiday for others is just a spontaneous day out for us. We can be on Schiermonnikoog or Ameland in no time."
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Olle Vastbinder Communications Advisor, Economic Board of Fryslân
A community is built together
Daily life in Moddergat is very different from that in Nijmegen, and that means it’s nice and quiet. That made settling in a lot easier. “People look out for one another and greet each other in the street; it feels like a real ‘Mienskip’” (Frisian for ‘community’).
Olle explains how he was asked to take on a special task: hoisting the flag on the church during public holidays, such as King’s Day and Liberation Day. “It’s nice to be able to contribute in this way, and I was pleased they asked me. Now, a few times a year, I get to climb up the spire to hang out that enormous flag through a small hatch. And on top of that, I get a fantastic view of the mudflats and the polder,” he says.
Friesland has also surprised him in other ways. “The practicalities are so much simpler here – it’s just a lot less busy everywhere. In the supermarket, in ‘our’ town of Dokkum, and even if you need to see the GP, for example. You can always get an appointment on the same day or the next.”
Frisian or Dutch, no problem at all
Before he came to Friesland, he wasn’t familiar with the Frisian language, but that turned out not to be a problem. “Some people think that moving to Friesland means you have to learn Frisian, but that really isn’t necessary. You can get by perfectly well in Dutch. And you can understand quite a bit of Frisian if people are a bit considerate.” A few words like ‘Goeiemoarn’ or ‘Oant sjen’ go a long way, but he has nevertheless decided to learn Frisian.
Olle is currently taking a Frisian language course at Afûk in Leeuwarden. “It’s not essential, but it’s useful, especially for my work, where Frisian is spoken at some meetings. And it’s just nice to get stuck into the textbooks and learn a new language. It gives you that extra bit of connection. People here like it when they hear you’re taking a Frisian course.” He doesn’t see himself leaving Friesland any time soon; in fact, he wishes everyone could experience this happiness. “In my current job, I show everyone how wonderful it is to live and work in Fryslân. Because I’m certainly not the only one who’s ready for an environment where you have more peace and space, and where people still look out for one another.”
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