Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Living the dream - 2 years today


On this day, two years ago, I moved to Utrecht.
It was a bright Sunday morning, calm and full of hope. I arrived just about when the movers had piled up my boxes by the front door, ready to bring them in. The rest, as they say, is history...and what a wonderful journey it has been!

Back in September 2007 I first set foot in Utrecht - to meet old friends and to visit the Rietveld house. I had a great time, so upon leaving I looked at the top of Dom and thought 'How nice it would be if one day I could live here...'

So I've been living my dream for two years now.
The first year was simply extraordinary! I have never thought I could have so much fun, make so many friends, experience so many new things. I was happily in love and loved back! My life was so rich, so colorful, so incredible. It was paradise!

But then things went awry - a robbery, job loss, love life got shaky...you name it! Total chaos!
For a very long while I was lost and scared, very scared indeed. I would hate waking up, and when I do so I would sit and stare at the wall, my brain drawing a blank. I wanted to disappear altogether.

At that same time a friend asked me - 'Why don't you go back home? You have nothing here - no job, no man, you don't even speak the language...'
Yes, she was right...why???
Because I was living my dream!!! And that's what makes ALL the difference. Wanting something and getting it, and loving it...and then losing it - what a royal pain that was! But I KNEW that's what I wanted.

It will take another 100 blogs to tell you why and how much exactly I love my life in the Netherlands. And it still won't be enough, because how do you describe the vibrant energy, the liveliness of every single moment, the happiness...

Another expat questioned me - 'While living your dream, don't you miss your real life passing by?'
NO, I wanted to scream at her - this IS my real life! It may be freaking scary and tough at the moment ... but that's the only life I have. What else do I have to go to?
It took some serious adjustment - attitude, budgeting, lifestyle ... but I AM so happy to be still here. I learned to live in a new way, but it's still MY way - my chosen place, my wonderful friends, my kind of parties! And my life is real - genuine and worth living it!

Who knows when the winds of change will blow, and my sailboat will have to leave the harbor, who knows which direction I'd head...but for now, I am blessed to be living my dream! Two years today!