Haroldje
Harold van Oorschot Joined: July 30th 2008
Logged in: October 27th 2011
Logged in: October 27th 2011
After one year working at the office as a trainee engineer for Van Oord I decided to work more outside.
Now I am working for the same company as a superintendent on projects all around the globe. My first project was in Qatar, a large chemo-patrol harbour construction. The harbour is extended and my job was to coordinate and work with two dredge vessels called "Volvox Delta" and "Rotterdam" this was very interesting. And after my study (Integrated Coastal Zone Management) I have the feeling I work directly with coastal zone, everyday I am on the water or working on projects in the coastal area. Now I am asked to participate in a trainee program that lasts for one year (start end of September 2009). The trainee program shows the company and learns about the different departments. This sounds interesting as well, so I will do this!
Who am I:
Well I am Harold van Oorschot born in 1982 in Schijndel, The Netherlands. Most of my time at primary school I spend looking outside to see the nature. When I saw the importance of studying this changed ..well I spend still allot of time to see what happens outside.
After two years of working I bought a house that I rebuild with my dad. Photos are also on this page.
In September I start with a traineeship from Van Oord and for one whole year I will learn and study about the company.
When you’re interested to travel with me or know more about me and my job, just contact me.
Travel Blog Posts
P9080773
:Canadian adventure, September 2011 4th of September after a good party for my brother his B-day early in the morning at 6.00 Ricardo, Marcel and me where brought to Airport Dusseldorf in Germany for a direct flight to Vancouver BC. At the airport we walked trough security and our long haired friend had to go back trough security because he had some fluids in his hand luggage... We where early trough the checks and had a breakfast, during the breakfast Marcel had to make the “funny” comment: you will see that behind us is a whining kid….and in the plane there he was….a terrible kid right behind Marcel…damm. Well ok, I did what I can do best….fall asleep and sleep….after several wakeup brakes we landed in Vancouver. By taxi we went to the Hotel close by ... read more
The first day walk
Active Holliday Slovenia 2011-08-08 During my leave in July 2011 it was bad weather in the Netherlands and most of Northern Europe. Planning to enjoy a small trip to test my new camera my first idea was NORWAY!!!! But bad weather, then I saw on the internet from Labyrinth a nice trip to Slovenia, active, challenging: Canyoning, hiking, rafting, kayaking, climbing and allot of nice and crazy people! Thursday I booked the trip and Monday I was around 1 o’clock I was in the bus on my way. I sat between a group of teens heading to the coast of Croatia. When I prepared for the trip: taking a nice PALM beer, plate of tapas and cashew nuts they looked strange…..hearing them say: did we take beer? Made me smile and remember my first trips. After ... read more
Our apartment
In three days I will meet my parents and my brother in Reykjavik where we will bath in the Blue lagoon and walk on the mountains. They come back from a nice trip (USA and a family visit in Canada) while I have been working in Lagos...hmmm international family :) There I will try my new camera, Olympus stylus tough 8010 and see if it is as tough as described: P After my arrival at Schiphol I had to wait much to long and I saw each shop and bar.... Then I flew to Iceland and the weather there was snow and windy. The Fly bus brought me directly to the Back Packers lodge in downtown Reykjavik in the middle of the shopping street of the main capital of Iceland (containing about 300.000 inhabitants :)) After ... read more
some houses and shops
Project in Nigeria 13th of September 2010 my bag is prepared and I am ready to fly to Nigeria. This is a reclamation project one of 3 phases. The project is close to the branch office and that is also where we operate from. Working in a branch office has big advances because the people are already known with the region and facilities are well organized. In the evening, when it was already dark we landed. But my first impression of Nigeria was busy and disorganized in front of the airport. There are too many cars for the bad roads so for transport a long time has to be calculated. When arriving in the apartment there was some good spaghetti and I meet my college again. Together we will guide this project and prepare all arrangements. ... read more
Me in Brazil on the WID vessel
This is the last project during my traineeship year within Van Oord. I’m send to a river project in Brazil to work as a superintendent on a project with 3 working and one survey vessel. The flight to Brazil went from Schiphol via Paris and Rio de Janeiro and ended in the hotel in Itajai. The travel started on Saturday night 3.00 and arrived 27 hours later in a hotel where I directly went top bed. After 6 hours of sleep I accompanied a colleague with breakfast and we went to the office. The office is on the eighth floor and looks over the city and the river where we work. For lunch we go to a nice restaurant where you pay the food by kilo. You can take what you want and at the end ... read more
The Hotel where we sleep
Turkmenistan On the 19th of October my flight of 17.30 brought me from Amsterdam via Istanbul to Asghabath the main capitol of Turkmenistan. The last flight was terrible, many people with to many stuff! I was surprised the people could carry so much. After landing I had to go for my visa, this took 2 hours of waiting. Than there was a man assisting how to get on my inland flight, this took about 2 hours to Turkmenbashy. When it got light I saw that the entire inland flight was over dessert and rocks. No towns or signs of civilisation. When the plain started its landing I saw some roads and gas pipes crossing the landscape. The small airport had one landing strip and a still under construction flight tower. All foreigners where again placed in ... read more
burning love
Meanings in life Change: April 2011 It is clear that in every phase of life the importance of material and feelings change. When you’re a baby a dirty diaper makes you upset, later it’s the car your older brother has confiscated by force. Sometimes we think we understand the meaning for some feelings and later they changes as rapid as clouds for the sun. Here I am 29 years old, 5346 km away from my family and friends in a strange country of which we never can understand the culture. In a few weeks I will travel to another remote destination for a next adventure. That is my life now but how did this start: This is all due to one of those moments you think you understood. I found out what loving means and I ... read more
het huis in oude stijl
A house in Schijndel A new challenge, I bought a house in my birth town. The house is 60 years old and all needs to be adjusted and renewed. My dad and mom help me together with my friends. We are now already constructing for 3 weeks, the architect is designing the back side. At the end it will be a very nice house. Hope you like my new challange, this old building has manny opertunitys.....you will see Some weeks working, we already see some results. The new solid stairs are placed, the floor is broken and will be moved this saturday. I recieved a a permission to build totally to the back so the two houses will be broken down and a new one will be build at the back. For the extension I have ... read more
Husky Safari maart 2009 011
Husky safari Finland March 2009 Day 1. On the 27th of Februari my Dad and I flew from Amsterdam via Helsinky to Kuusamo. From Kuusamo we had a drive from 1 hour (80km) We arrived in Saija around 22.00 where food stood ready and we saw our house that includes sauna, 2 beds, and all that we need. Day 2. Around 8.00 breakfast was ready, this time we meet Helena Karppinen who runs the Saija hostel. The first two days we have no programm. this day we went for a walk around the Saija location (a 4 km walk) when we came back around 12.00 and lunch stood ready. All food was so good arranged, a warm soup, bread and salad. After lunch we went for langlaufen, this was a new experience and we found out ... read more
Wild camels
for my job at Van Oord i am in Qatar 30th October I flew from Amsterdam via Dubai to Doha in Qatar. After the landing and waiting for my luggage, the Driver picked me up from the airport. After approximately 1 hour we arrived in Ras Lafan. This is an industrial city in the middle of the dessert (impressive to se during the night). Near the project site we have our living camp. Here stay approximately 1300 people that all work on the construction of the breakwater. The first day was a day to get used to the Arabic ways of living and to install in my new home. I would preferred to start working the next morning but it was the weekly day off. The temperatures are during the night around 26 en during ... read more
