About me
born into love
of art
“I believe private guiding can lift the whole experience of traveling up to a higher level. This involves more than ‘just’ sharing my knowledge with you. I believe our interaction is the key. I believe private guiding, especially for families and solo travelers, is personal. So please, let us take our time to get acquainted.”
Born into love for art My name is Hanneke Vroegindeweij. I was born in 1977 and ever since I have lived on the banks of the river Amstel, from which the name Amsterdam was derived. I grew up as the only child of a sculptor and an art-historian. My parents traveled with me all over Europe to visit art historical sites and museums and shared their love and stories with me. In short, I was born into love for art, culture and history.
Amsterdam, global village
Growing up in Amsterdam in its economic low tides I developed a deep love for all its perfect imperfections. We lived in ‘De Pijp’, a neighborhood that was bohemian at best, but at times downright grim. At the end of the 20th century Amsterdam managed to stir itself into a new era of economic and cultural affluence. I watched in awe how my hometown reinvented itself, opening its doors to new ‘Amsterdammers’ from all over the world. Every year the city got more prosperous and attractive. Right now, we are close to 1 million inhabitants, with 180 different nationalities, living safely and happily in one gem of a city. Every day I cycle through my beautiful global village and I feel flushed with gratitude to live here, in this paradise on earth.
Guiding is my vocation
I started working as a guide in 2005, while finishing my Master degree in Art Education at the University of Amsterdam. At first in museums, where I guided hundreds of groups: from kindergarten puppy’s to high school students, from freshly arrived immigrants to history buffs. Since 2016 I have been working as a private guide in Amsterdam. In this capacity I had the chance to guide many families, couples and solo travelers. Off course, the Covid-pandemic had a huge impact, and for a I while I thought I had to bid my vocation as a guide farewell. Fortunately, the world opened up again and Amsterdam surely hasn’t lost its appeal to travelers.
improvisation
Improvisation makes it personal
For me, my city is a layer cake of historical viewpoints and therefore offers a mirage of possible storylines. Decades of learning, reading, listening and looking have given me so many stories that I can always find one that is suitable for just that moment at that exact spot. So, as your private guide, I will improvise all the time. And while improvising, I aim to weave a tapestry that tells a larger story about history and culture. Versatility is one of my strong suits as a guide, so I do not shy away from new subjects or new territories. This also means that I feel confident in placing my clients interests at the center of my tour, where I believe they belong. So each tour will turn out as unique as you are!
Guiding
Guiding to give agency My goal as your private guide is not to shower you with facts and insights. My goal is for you to be able to learn and experience something new. Since being abroad is already a new experience, my job as guide is to help you put these novelties in a perspective that suits you. As long as you are a free agent, this task is pretty straightforward, almost (almost!) negligible. But imagine being a (slightly anxious or rebellious) kid, or a parent that worries about that kid? Or what if traveling alone (for the first time) brings up unexpected emotions? Or what if you feel encumbered by certain physical challenges? Then it makes all the difference to have a guide that sees you and aims to safeguard your physical and emotional wellbeing. My goal as your private guide is just that: to make you feel relaxed enough to enjoy learning something new. This requires empathy, dedication, loyalty, a sense of humor, trust and the will to improvise. So that is what I offer you.
Read more about how my own mother showed me how to be a guide with a heart
