Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing

For as long as I can remember I had one special dream, I wanted to live abroad. Not that I had a specific country in mind, as long as it was away from the Netherlands and close to nature.

In November 2021 I visited America for the first time. I went to Portland – Oregon to visit a friend. The place where I fell head over heels in love. With nature. The mountains, the forest, trees so high, they seemed to touch the sky. I never wanted to leave. Unfortunately, after a week of pure happiness, I had to go home. The day I left, the sky was crying and I shed a tiny little tear.

Once back in little Holland, I felt out of place. I missed the mountains, the smell of the forest, and the misty clouds. When I told my uncle in Australia via Skype about my trip, he gave me that final push. “Why don’t you just go?” he said via Skype. For a second, I let the idea run through my mind. “Yes, but…” a thousand reasons why not to bubbled up. My uncle just looked at me. He saw I was giving myself a hundred thousand solutions for every ‘but’.  Why don’t I just go. I looked at him. “I guess  I am going!”

From that moment on, my childhood dream became a goal. I started looking for information about my visa, residence, studio, car, my work, tickets, and networking. After months of preparation and an interview at the Embassy in Munich, I flew from Schiphol to America on the busiest day of all. My adventure had begun.

I’ve been in America for four months now. The first weeks were exciting, sometimes scary but also great. The first trails I ran were breathtaking. The road trips to Seattle, Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, and Mexico were all special. So many stories. So many beautiful places. So many people.

But every time I drive back to Portland and see the famous three mountains, the high trees, and the foggy clouds over the mountains, my heart skips a beat because it feels like home.

Of course, I miss my home in Holland, my children, my cat, and my stuff. Living out of a suitcase can also be challenging at times. As much space as I have here in nature, so little space I have in my appartment because my room is small. I learned that having a social life, as small as it may be, is also important. Someone you can ask for advice, someone you can call if you just want to have a chat. 

Two months from now, I will be flying home. My six month stay will be expired. But my wanderlust won’t so I hope to go back soon again.

Before I left, I could never have imagined how this move would change my life. How it changed me. I experienced, seen, and learned so much. Although there were also rough days and it wasnt all sunshine and happiness, I wouldnt want to have missed it for the world.

That’s why my New Year’s wish is to you, whatever your dream is. . . don’t wait any longer. Take that leap. Believe in yourself, take that leap of faith and enjoy the ride.

Happy New Year!