Kees Van Haasteren
Willkommen, welcome, bienvenu, welkom, bienvenido!!
Hello, I am Kees van Haasteren (call me "Case"), thank you for "clicking" on my site.
If this was accidental, thanks for popping in, but if you wish to know more about me: go ahead.
My page might enable you to know me a bit better, reminisce on our mutual past or provide you with some small talk or gossip content. In any "Case", you're welcome!
Dreams and goals:
Live with a passport in my hands or that of others.
It's no secret that I am excited (some call it obsessed) with multi-national, multi-cultural, multi-lingual issues. And when related to agriculture, even more so.
As long as opportunities in these areas present themselves I do not want to die or stop working.
I love swimming in international waters.
What lives in my brain:
Reading for knowledge rather than pleasure and having an inquisitive mind has provided me with more knowledge than official qualifications.
However I have been educated in International Relations & Trading and five languages: English, Dutch, Spanish, German and French. In the first four of these languages I can match people with a degree. I have also dabbled in Italian and Portuguese but I don't want to be challenged in them.
Regularly am reading international newspapers and magazines in five languages on the net and I enjoy engaging in challenging conversations on a great variety of subjects.
In Australia obtained an advanced Diploma in Farm Management and I am a few units short of a degree in Agriculture.
Doing what I love and know best
Since 1997 I'm employed full-time with AGTOUR AUSTRALIA which is a specialized, agricultural travel company in which I work as an interpreter, guide, itinerary / tour program coordinator and agriculture technical expert with overseas delegations. The tours I am involved with are conducted all over Australia and at times overseas.
I have been able to apply my multi-interests and skills and recently received a valued Rotary “Pride of Workmanship” award for "going the extra mile" for the company and its clients.
Going bush
I prefer the bush over the urban environment.
For many years I managed a large and well-known Merino wool, prime lambs, beef breeding/fattening and cropping property in the Central West of NSW (“Millamolong” owned by the Ashton Family). It also included a holiday farm and polo facilities.
My experiences in the Dutch army and extensive travelling on four continents in the world (backpack or suitcase) has provided me with improvisation, map reading, survival techniques and make-do skills and knowledge.
I am who I am
Pretending is not a strength: I feel comfortable about myself and others whoever they might be: a minister in parliament, a multi-millionaire or people who work on the floor in an organisation. Friends tell me though to improve my dress-sense, so help in this area is needed at times.
People don't have to push me. I push myself hard and long enough and with a well-developed sense of responsibility and attention for detail the results are in general well above satisfaction. At times my "fussiness" can "clash" with a laissez-faire approach by others.
For this world I might be too honest, but I have chosen not to adapt in this area as it is a core-value I live by.
My biggest fear in life is to be bored one day, so everything is done to prevent this happening. For relaxation I cycle and am avid follower of Rugby Union and also of cycling.
Connected with the world
Above all I feel loyal and connected with family, friends, current and past employers and co-workers. However I'm free to go anywhere, at any time.
Strong interests in environmental issues have been present for many years and are channeled with a longstanding involvement in Landcare.
For a couple of decades I have been actively involved with Lions International as well as with Plan International.
A philosophy of "live and let live" has influenced my opinions regarding local, global, environmental, market and human resources issues.
If you wish to contact me for lunch, a chat or to send me a note, please use my email address [email protected]:
or phone + (61) 0412 337 930.
The suburb I live in at the moment is called Clayfield and lies just north of the centre of the City of Brisbane and is easy assessable by public transport and car .The airport is only ten minutes down the road.
So, let's have coffee one day soon!
