Leaving and Remembering

Wow! It’s hard to live somewhere for three years, leave, and then get on with a new life.

I keep thinking about hopping on a train and being in a new place in just an hour or so. I remember fondly my walks with Rebecca to the city center on market day, warming up with a fresh stroopwafel. I miss “koffie of thee afspraaks” with friends: Coffee sometimes, tea other times. It’s nearly tulip time in Holland, and I can’t help but get misty-eyed knowing I won’t be there this year.

Oh, there’s plenty to love about life in the U.S., yet there are those pieces of Holland I grew to love. Now, those experiences…that life…are across an ocean. It’s a fissure in my life like I haven’t felt before. Leaving my hometown for college, saying good-bye to friends upon graduation from university, even leaving the U.S. for Europe…nothing compares to this.

So, take heed! Don’t move to Holland for three years, move back home, and then expect not to miss it!

Must Watch More TV

I love the question, "Have you seen the commercial where...?" Umm, no, I haven't actually. I've been living overseas, sillies. Dutch commercials aren't as memorable as American ones, I guess, since I rarely have the urge to share about the latest commercial on RTL or CNN International.

But, hey, I'm using that question as my excuse to watch as much TV as I possibly can. Must make small talk.

Found: The Nomadic Ex-expats

In a robotic way, Dan and I spent Saturday packing. We don't even need to think about packing, and we certainly don't get those pre-traveling excitement butterflies anymore. I hope someday they come back - one of the best things about traveling is the anticipation, you know?

Anyway, Saturday was packing. Sunday was traveling. Monday we arrived in Colorado, and Rebecca is happily charming her grandma and grandpa and exploring their house. We are here until April, just a few days before we close on a house! Whoa - homeowners?! Us?! I guess so!

De-expatriatize-ing is tiresome, if I may be completely honest with you. I suppose if we had a house to move into right away or our company was transferring us, it would be easier. That's not us, though, so we have been plugging away at the move: receiving our shipment, finding a house, meeting with future employers, earning some money, entertaining a one-year old, trying to make small living spaces livable, catching up with old friends, and fetching our belongings from various places.

For as strange as the last several weeks has been, it's been great. Our parents and friends' have been gracious hosts. Rebecca has the perfect temperment for all this moving, and she is doing really well with it. And we see much potential with our projects, confirming the reason for moving back to begin with. We're in the home stretch! Pretty soon all my clothes will be in one place again!