A few distant relatives on Austin's Dutch-Indonesian side live in the Brisbane area and we stayed with some them (Jo and her husband, Barry) for a few days and got to know them well! Jo and her family, many years ago, moved from Indonesia to Australia so her sisters also live in the Brisbane area. Some of them live in a neighborhood in Brisbane known as the Dutch Village, which has many Dutch homes, apartments, and assisted living for those who need it. There’s also a Dutch cafe and Jo volunteers there on Wednesdays. There is also a Dutch shop and Jo’s mother actually started the shop many years ago. 

When we were with Jo and Barry, they gave us a tour of their town and the coast including where many of their relatives live. They have four (adult) kids who all have kids ranging from 6-25 years old. One evening, Jo hosted a big get together to celebrate two of their grandson’s birthdays. It was a blast to be part of their family celebration! 

Throughout our few days there, Jo also properly spoiled us with baked goods (including Dutch Spekkoek!) and also sent us with many goodies as we hit the road. It was so much fun getting to know them and spend time with them!