Thursday 10 November 2022

MSF Holland colleagues

Tonight, Annedien and Marc hosted a nice reunion dinner with Joke and Simon. I met Annedien and Marc during my two years with MSF in Mozambique (1988-1990), where Marc worked at the Dutch Embassy. Annedien started working in our logistics and administrative team of MSF in Maputo and when I started setting up MSF Canada in 1991, Annedien was my liaison in the Amsterdam office of MSF Holland (Marc had returned to work at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Den Haag by then). A few years later (1993 - 1994) I joined Annedien (Director Communications) and Joke (Director Finance) in the Management Team of MSF Holland (my portfolio was HR & Training). Simon looked full-time after their two young daughters (he was a professor till then on Middle East studies) and trained to be an opera singer. They were two amazing couples to work and socialize with. 


On the way to Annedien, I passed the "Bloemen market" (flower market) along one of the "grachten" (city canals). I lived along that canal from 1985 to 1988 during my years at Fokker Aircraft. One of the city's landmarks there is this old clock tower of 1620...


People have permission to live in the so-called "house boats" along some of the city canals. 


One of the two "party places" in downtown Amsterdam is the "Rembrandtplein", where watching soccer games on large screens during World Cup games is always lots of fun. The Aussies seem to have established their own brand here: "Lousy Food and Warm Beer"....

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