Well we are finally doing it, making the move from Amsterdam to the US. We have been planning for quite sometime for this, but with 2 weeks to go its starting to feel real. It’s tough to know that some of the people I have been having one last dinner or drinks with might be the last time I see them for a really long time. I know some I will be keeping in contact with, but many are not such close friends and there is a chance we will drift apart. At the same time there is the excitement of the move and our upcoming trip mixed with the rushed panic of arranging the move and packing up the house. It leaves me bouncing between moods a few times a day, though in general the excitement wins out.
I often get the question why to the US now. Amsterdam is indeed a great city and and high quality of life, I will miss it dearly, I think there may not be a better city in the world. Commuting via bike to work turns the daily grind into a pleasurable experience. And the relaxed nature of people in the city makes living here so easy. And the US right now with the political climate is a bit scary, and with us being a mixed race couple, it is a real concern to know how we will be treated. I usually tell people the reasons for moving are twofold, one moving closer mountains and nature, secondly moving closer to family. Knowing I will be able to jump in my car and 30 minutes to an hour later I can be in nature or the mountains is such a huge driver for me. Hiking that trail or just watching the wildlife as the sun rises is the ultimate medicine for my soul, no matter what is bothering me that day, by the time I walk out of the woods I have forgotten all of that and feel amazing. Secondly living in Amsterdam for the past 10 years meant that I would only make it back about once a year for a week. I am hoping that with this move I will be able to fly over for weekends or so and meet up with family much more. So we put aside our fears of racism and expensive healthcare and hope our experience is nothing like some of the horror stories we hear. We hope the tradeoff of being closer to my family and friends pays off, but it really remains to be seen, this experiment could fail and we could move back after a short time.
But the main driver for the move is one I don’t usually bring up in casual discussion. I have this wanderlust that always drives me to seek out the new, its been building for quite some time now. While Amsterdam and the Netherlands are great, I feel I have explored it fairly in depth, the idea of having a new city and region to explore is what really gets me excited. So this is the real reason for the move, but the destination was chosen because of family and nature. The same feeling that drove me to make the move to Amsterdam 10 years ago is now driving me to take the next step. So this is what prompts me to leave, to leave this really comfortable life with a good job and good friends. Stepping into the unknown is immensely exciting.
