Last week was incredibly busy here, entirely dedicated to the Ayora Holiday. We offered a stimulation-free vacation to people with mild intellectual disabilities, and this week was the big test. Three enthusiastic clients had a fantastic week under our professional guidance. We went to the swimming pool, they got haircuts, we enjoyed exploring Zarra, and for the horse lovers among us, we went on an outdoor ride. We definitely want to organize this more often. I am responsible for marketing, while Bastiaan, with his background in social work, is one of the supervisors.
Our entrepreneurial spirit knows no bounds. We are busy integrating into the village and adapting as best as possible to the local community. When we had the opportunity to take over the catering at the village swimming pool, we immediately jumped in. There are seven villages in this valley; Ayora is the largest and Zarra is one of the smallest. What's special about Zarra is that, as one of the few villages in the valley, it has a communal swimming pool. The pool is open for eight weeks, and we, along with Jaap and Jochem, will be running the catering there, including a party every Friday evening. It will be a summer of hard work and little sleep, but we are looking forward to it. The pool opens on July 1st, so we still have a few things to arrange: talking to suppliers, organizing equipment, and promoting.
But we must not forget why we came here: to brew delicious beers. We have found a partner for our crowdfunding, which means we are heading into an exciting and busy period. A professional photographer will take beautiful pictures of us and our beers, and together with friends, we will make a commercial. It's great to be taking such big steps with the brewery. We are working day and night, determined to bring the taste of Spain to the Netherlands with our beers. Our beers should start conversations, evoke memories, and inspire people to follow their dreams. It's not always easy. Many friends sometimes declare us crazy: why leave everything behind in the Netherlands? But here in Zarra, we feel at home. The temperature, the rhythm of life, and the people; everything feels right. As Bastiaan often says: the stars are aligned.
And something else exciting! The municipality of Ayora organizes the honey festivals every year, which attract thousands of people to the valley. Last year, we had the opportunity to have a stall at this event. For four days, from early morning until late at night, we worked with the help of my father. It was a great success. This year, the municipality has invited us again, and the local tourist office has asked if we would like to give a workshop. We are busy making a plan. This year is perfect, as my mother, father, and aunt are also coming to help, which promises to be a top edition.
As you can read: we are happily plodding along in Spain. We work hard, but we also enjoy ourselves. For example, Bastiaan and I went to Madrid to see my favorite band of all time, Green Day! But I also had a lovely trip to Porto with my best friend. We thoroughly enjoyed each other, the city, and, of course, the port wine. We kept saying to each other, "We really deserve this." We've been friends our whole lives, neighbors in Wissenkerke when we were younger, and now we've both found our own paths, but we've never lost sight of each other. I think we've found the right balance between work and leisure.
Written for https://www.quaerismedia.nl/