Looking back on April

From last November, I’ve both dreaded and anticipated April. April was going to be the month that Dutch Flower Experience would start and that kick-starts the flowering season of 2025. Now that the month has passed by, I feel like I am left with an exhausted smile, thinking ‘what just happened?’

So how did it go? I had a great month, as all of my new programs have been well received and responded to. I have made 5 visits to Keukenhof, hosted floral baby shower in my garden, led a corporate ‘floral’ retreat in Hilversum, and visited a beautiful organic tulip farm for pick-your-own experience. In the course of this month, I’ve met people from Kuwait, the U.S., Thailand, Dubai and cooked japchae, bulgogi, bindaettok and kimch soup for the guests. It was a whirlwind experience where I got to meet many nice people that I hope to continue to keep in touch with.

So what have I learned? (I am still digesting all the experiences so many more valuable learning will come in the future..)

First, I enjoy this work. While the month of April saw me work tirelessly without much of a weekend, I did not once feel the kind of stress that I would get from corporate work. There is stress in this work of course, but a different kind of stress - one that comes from my desire to do great and satisfy my guests. And this is very different from stress that stems from office politics or stubborn bureaucracy. It was a confirmation that I was right in considering this as my vocation and a kind of work that will nourish my soul.

Second, adding Korean food was a great idea. Quite some people came for the Korean food. In the future, I would try to serve more side dishes and also diversify the main. Now that I know that people really enjoy our food, I can go and introduce different kinds of dish with more confidence. Serving food really adds a different dynamics - it’s more intimate and cultural, but also the program really fulfills the promise of engaging all sense. I also love that my husband has an important role to play, as he is the house chef.

Third, there are more last minute booking requests than I had expected. This is of course great for business but requires a careful scheduling of time for rest and relaxation. But what surprised me the most is how even long-distance or international travelers are planning to visit us really last minute! Somehow I thought people in this part of the world - Dutch, German, Europeans - usual are the early planners with packed schedules and all vacations booked half a year in advance. Well, not everyone operates that way. So it’s critical to keep the flexibility and be a good sport about all the unexpected and last minute plans.

Well, it’s already May. I am excitedly waiting for peonies to open. Lots of seasonal flowers will come. And I am ready for another hectic and adventurous month full of hobby workshops, advanced full day class and more Dutch Flower Experiences!