This move to the Netherlands has been a whirlwind! One minute I was unpacking from college in my home on Long Island and the next I was stuffing two suitcases for my move across the ocean. I have had a roller coaster of emotions from extreme excitement to nervousness. When I arrived in this new country, I knew no one and had to find my own way for a few days before orientation. Over the first month, I had to open a bank account, get a Dutch residence permit, confirm my apartment and more!
During my experience so far, I have felt happy, stressed, energetic, and sleepy. When you travel, you experience the whole range of human emotions. If you ever embark on a similar adventure, always remember that feelings of homesickness, discomfort, or frustration are only temporary! You will problem solve, adapt and grow. The person you become will be well worth any struggles faced along the way.
If you are looking for motivation to travel, consider the following outlook. The way I see it, humans have two forms of wealth: life experience and meaningful relationships. With that in mind, you become filthy rich when you travel! You accumulate fascinating stories and trade tales with new people that you meet along the way.
Before I say doei (goodbye), I want to paint one last picture of our home away from home. It is a beautiful time of the year here in the Netherlands. Christmas lights line the streets and canal bridges. My roommates and I created a makeshift christmas tree (tied fake tree branches together with string!). We plan to bake christmas cookies and listen to christmas music this upcoming weekend. I already tried two types of authentic German holiday cookies!
