I Did Not Choose Texel, It Chose Me

Upon my arrival, I was warmly greeted by Inge, my HI Buddy. She showed me around the hostel, informed me about the schedule for the upcoming week and gave me maps and tips for exploring the island. It was not my first time staying on Texel, so I was familiar with the area, but I appreciated the local tips (especially Lokaal 16!). Despite the rainy and windy weather, I was looking forward to acquiring new skills and working in a new environment. It felt like home already!

My first working day started at 10 o'clock in the morning with a coffee meeting with my new colleagues. Inge introduced me to the hostel team, and then showed me all the different tasks the hostel receptionist was responsible for. She informed me about their sustainable activities and their vision for the future of the hostel. I was pleased with the constant exchange of aspiring ideas. In the evening we had a team gathering, known as the Dutch evening, that offered a great opportunity to socialise and to get to know the team better. With fun games, activities and delicious Dutch food, we had a great time!

During the next few days, I travelled to Amsterdam to visit the Stayokay Head Office. Maria from Pousadas de Juventude (Portugal), Marie from HI Canada and I met at the Stayokay Amsterdam Oost with Yvonne Kok and Yvonne Littooij from the Stayokay Head Office. We discussed and shared sustainable practices from our native countries. Later, we biked to the Stayokay Vondelpark and got a tour around the hostel. Immediately, I noticed the difference between a city hostel and an island hostel. The Stayokay Vondelpark has a modern interior with a lively bar. There is even a greenhouse in the middle of the restaurant! On the other hand, the Stayokay Texel has a calmer and a more family-friendly atmosphere, and its interior is made out of natural materials.

During the exchange, I also worked in the kitchen and helped prepare meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I learnt that knowing every aspect of the work in hostel is crucial for understanding how the hostel operates on the whole.

In order to learn about the local activities and the environment on the island, I went shrimp fishing on a boat. I visited Ecomare, where I saw young seals, learned about the Wadden Sea World Heritage, the North Sea and the nature on Texel.

The highlight of my stay there was the island’s annual event – the Texel Blues weekend. Every year, the Dutch people from all over the country come to Texel to listen to the blues music. The whole hostel got into the blues atmosphere with its nice decorations, themed T-shirts and blues concerts every evening. On this occasion, I worked at the bar, practiced the Dutch language and learnt all the many different words the Dutch use for beer.

I would like to thank the Stayokay organisation for giving me this opportunity and sharing with me their best working practices. A big and amazing thank you to Inge, who made the exchange exciting even before my visit, and for the support during my stay. The Stayokay Texel team is a wonderful team, and I am happy that the island chose me. And a big thanks to Anja Žepič, who connected us and made this encounter possible.