Blogs by Ella Fisher

What a bunch of updates 😊 Wonderful, special, and fun updates. I can honestly say that 2026 is already shaping up to be a great year, and we're not even halfway through it yet. I'm already curious to see what the second half of 2026 has in store for me. I'm looking forward to it with the biggest smile on my face.

I've been working at a new company for three weeks now, and I can tell you that things are going well. What makes it even better is that I only have a five minute bike ride to work. I'm an Office and Administrative Assistant at this company, and I'll be completely honest with you: I found the first two weeks pretty tough and overwhelming. Personally, I think that also has something to do with the fact that I had been out of work since February. When you've been at home for that long, it definitely takes some time to get back into a normal routine.

Now that week three is behind me, I can confidently say that I'm very happy I decided to join my current employer. The biggest difference is figuring things out on my own and getting my energy back. The administrative side of the job is new to me in the sense that I deal with it much more than I did in previous positions. I enjoy the challenge and I'm learning a lot from it.

I'm actually pretty proud of myself for learning how to work with several new systems in such a short amount of time. One thing I'm especially proud of is that I can now prepare employee payroll in the system. The biggest challenge was really asking myself: can I handle this?

And trust me, you're capable of much more than you think.

I'll admit that at the beginning I often thought, "This is so much information. Maybe I'll never remember all of it." But I let that thought exist without giving it too much attention. Because once you start focusing on those negative thoughts, you can easily end up in a downward spiral where you convince yourself that you can't do something. And who knows, maybe then you actually won't.

I have some really great coworkers. They're friendly, social, and hardworking. I can honestly say I get along with everyone, and that's such a nice feeling. Not everyone is lucky enough to have that, and I realize that.

Every week I learn something new, and I don't stress about going to work. I actually enjoy hopping on my bike every morning 😉. Another thing I think is really cool is that I've already had a progress review. They told me they have complete confidence in me, that they see opportunities for me to take on new responsibilities in the future, and that they're happy to have me on the team. Thankfully, the feeling is mutual.

What I appreciate most is how relaxed and friendly everyone is. The skill I'm developing the most right now is managing projects and successfully closing them after completing all the necessary steps.

Nelly sang it years ago: "It's getting hot in here..." haha. You know the rest. Not that I'm walking around like that, but when I'm at home, I'll admit that the thought crosses my mind sometimes.

I absolutely love that it's finally summer, but the humidity is brutal. Earlier this year, when I was in Mallorca, it was incredibly hot there too, but at least you could still go out and do things. Am I turning into a typical complaining Dutch person? Maybe. But if you're reading or listening to this blog, you know I'm right.

Summer in the Netherlands, especially with the temperatures we've been having lately, isn't always pleasant. When it's this hot, I make sure to drink plenty of water and get things done early in the day. The longer you wait to do household chores, the more miserable they become. It's much better to get things done while it's still relatively cool than to wait until the temperature reaches its peak.

I do notice that I feel more positive during summer, and I'm happy that I can finally wear all my favorite summer dresses and tops again. As far as work is concerned, I don't really care how hot it is outside because we have air conditioning. Still, I can understand why some people prefer working during winter rather than summer. When the sun is shining outside and you're stuck indoors all day, it's easy to think, "I wish I were sitting on a patio with a glass of rosé or a cold beer."

One thing that absolutely amazed me last week was the thunderstorm. What a light show! When I was younger, I used to be scared of thunderstorms, but now I see them as one of nature's most beautiful spectacles.

I've definitely spent more time outside, but not dramatically more. I honestly don't enjoy baking in the sun all day, and it's not exactly great for your skin either.

My favorite drinks during this heat are Aperol Spritz, Limoncello Spritz, a Rocket Popsicle, Desperados with a slice of lemon, rosé, or pretty much any cocktail I haven't already mentioned. Is it healthy? No. Do I care? Also no.

The hot weather has affected my sleep a little, but not too much. I sleep with a fan running and still keep my comforter on. Maybe it's just me, but I absolutely cannot fall asleep with only a sheet. I need something heavier on top of me. Maybe some of you can relate?

My advice: take good care of yourself during the heat, schedule a swimming session, and if that's not possible, enjoy a nice refreshing shower.

And then there was the Doe Maar musical.

My best friend asked if I wanted to go with her, and I'm probably the last person who would say no to something like that. Do I have a connection with Doe Maar? Absolutely. I can sing along to many of their songs. I basically grew up listening to them because of my family.

The Doe Maar musical was performed at the AFAS Theater in Leusden. What a beautiful venue. And what made it even better was that we received drinks before the show, during intermission, and after the performance. You could definitely do worse when attending a theater production.

Normally, musicals aren't really my thing, but this one immediately caught my attention, and I can honestly say I don't regret going at all. The theater was packed, and we were sitting in the very first row. Amazing! The view was incredible. It was so much fun seeing the actors up close.

The set design was breathtaking. They used rotating living room sets that continuously transported you into different moments of the story.

For the first forty five minutes, I kept wondering whether Daniel de Boissevain was ever going to appear, but thankfully he finally did. Amazing. That's the only word for it.

An old hippie character with long hair walked onto the stage, and honestly, that role fits him perfectly. And he can sing too, which I never knew.

The scene that impacted me the most was when Rits' father, played by Daniel, was in the hospital and eventually passed away. But then, near the end, Daniel suddenly rose up from beneath the stage like some kind of singing angel, and we laughed so hard. That completely made up for the emotional scene before it.

The song "Smoorverliefd" stayed stuck in my head for days afterward, and now that I'm back home, I've been listening to Doe Maar every day again. Love it.

Wolter Weulink, who played Rits, made a huge impression on me. Just like Daniel, he seemed born for that role. The combination of music and storytelling flowed effortlessly. It didn't feel like a typical musical. I genuinely felt immersed in the story without constantly being distracted by the songs.

At the end, the entire audience stood up. People were cheering, applauding, and singing along to "Smoorverliefd."

I can honestly say that, alongside Tarzan, this is the best musical I've ever attended.

And now for what might be every woman's dream...

Jay Park!

I'll admit it: Korean dramas played a huge role in sparking my interest in Korea. Years ago, it wasn't a country I ever thought much about, and I certainly never imagined wanting to travel there or wear a hanbok just because I could.

I started listening to Korean music and eventually discovered Korean rap. And wow, what a whole new world opened up for me.

That's how I discovered Jay Park.

So yes, I'm definitely a late bloomer.

Would I call myself a hardcore fan? Probably not. Do I enjoy his music? Absolutely. His songs always put me in a good mood, even though I obviously don't understand most of the Korean lyrics. One big advantage is that Jay Park also sings a lot in English.

Since last year, I've been checking Instagram and other websites to see if he had any plans to come to Europe. Unfortunately, I never found anything.

Until last week.

I nearly jumped through the roof.

Jay Park is coming to the Netherlands with the K Pop group Long Shot, and there was no way I was going to miss that.

I immediately texted my best friend because I didn't want to go alone. After that, everything happened very quickly. We weren't particularly interested in standing during the concert, but there were only five seated tickets left.

I literally bought those tickets at exactly the right moment, and I am soooooooooooooooooo happy!

October still feels far away, but when it finally arrives, you'll know exactly where I'll be.

What am I looking forward to the most? Hearing his voice live and finally seeing him in person. Thankfully, AFAS Live in Amsterdam has huge screens, so that should make the experience even better.

What a wonderful period of life this is. A new job that already feels like home, an amazing musical, beautiful summer days, and a Jay Park concert to look forward to.

Bring on the second half of 2026. I'm more than ready for it. 😊