Ask an Expat: Letting go and moving forward (or I’ve moved past senioritis, thank goodness!)
japra | May 06, 2010 | Comments 13
Roxi and I enjoyed coffee and this view from La Place’s balcony yesterday.
V&D, Den Haag Centrum.
Yesterday was Liberation Day in the Netherlands. It used to be celebrated every year, but in 2000 someone decided that it only would be celebrated every five years. Hmm. Anyway, I thought that city workers would be on holiday (they weren’t–at least the garbage collectors and street sweepers weren’t) and that the stores would be closed (some of them were, some of them weren’t, some had “special hours”).Well, Roxi had the day off from school at least, so she and I did a few errands and ended up in the Centrum for coffee and shopping — probably our last “Girl Day” here in The Hague.
Lately, as I’ve made my way around Den Haag, I’ve experienced a kind of a letting go. I’ve started to say goodbye to our adopted city a little bit at a time. The days go by in a blink, and I’ve realized that all the things I intended to do, all the places I wanted to visit, I probably won’t get around to this time. But now I’m thinking maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Maybe that will leave us with an excuse to return one day.
We are down to just under two months before the removal company comes to pack our things for our trip back to England. I think I’m over my panicked thinking: where are we going to live next, oh no we haven’t found a house yet, look at all this junk we’ve collected this year… I guess I’ve reached the “acceptance and hope for the future” stage of moving ;-) I’ve cleaned out three closets so far–and things aren’t quite as bad as I thought they’d be.
Next week we’re going to England to look for a house. I know we will all feel better once we have that small detail ironed out. Ha!
Spring has been so beautiful this year. Riding my bicycle under the falling petals of the cherry trees this week, my heart sent a message to the Netherlands…
Tot ziens and dank u wel (good bye and thank you)!
**
As usual, if anyone has ever wondered anything about living/travelling in Europe, please do leave a question in the comments and I’ll try to answer next week!
Filed Under: Ask an Expat • Blog • Expat Life • Featured
About the Author: JaPRA is an expat Texan living in England with her husband (Mr. DJ), their 17-year old daughter (Roxi), and their dog Trudy.
You should write about the different emotional stages of moving! (so panic is one and then acceptance?)
Do you think you’ll go on a Last Bike Ride? I think that’s what I’d do if I ever left this place.
LOL, Julia! Considering this is our fourth move in 3.5 years… for me it would be:
Excitement
Dread
Dread
Excitement
Dread
Dread
Dread
Acceptance
Excitement
Action
;-)
The dread is mainly around packing/unpacking/organizing. That gets really old fast. I am hoping we won’t have to move again anytime soon!
I probably will do one last loop on the bike before we move… I hate goodbyes, though, which is one of the reasons I’m starting now. Letting go a little at a time.
I love your list! Okay, maybe you don’t like it so much…it’s seems like dread is a recurring theme :)
Maybe you should sing “So long, farewell, I needn’t say good-bye…” from the Sound of Music when you go on your last ride.
Good luck with the house hunting, no ‘small detail’ lol. Love your spring blossoms under the blue sky.
I will feel so much better after we find a place to live, Christine. It’ll give me something to look forward to while I sort through all our junk.
I feel your pain, I have started going through crap it’s amazing the amount that adds up. We have been looking for houses via internet and currently are without a place to live. My hubs is going back on two weeks I hope he finds something. Good luck….england sounds wonderful!
Kathy, don’t you think not knowing where you’re going to land is stressful? I’m sure your husband will find a wonderful place for you all to live. Are you moving back to your hometown?
And I’m sure you’ve been asked this a million times but… will you keep your blog when you move? I hope so. :-)
Goodness, that year has flown by worryingly fast. But I’m pleased to have you back in England . . . and maybe one day we can visit Den Haag together and compare memories?
We were in London on Monday (for the Bank Holiday) and we went to Daunt Books (thought of you!) and Regent’s Park. My god-daughter, who is Roxi’s age and at Roxi’s old school, was with us. Is Roxi going back to school there? I think it might be time for a good catch-up email.
Oh, yes; and aren’t the cherry blossoms just divine?
Bee, will send you a PM soon. I’ve been carrying my Daunt Book bag and thinking of you too :-) XOXO
Moving back?! I am behind! Must get to reading… England, though, means that we could meet someday.
Best of luck finding the perfect house. I know how hard (lifelong) that can be, but you will find a very weak market here, I think…
Bee, I’m glad you were at Daunt! but we must arrange our get-together…
Kristen, yes! We’ll be back a the end of June. Thanks for the well wishes :-)
Oh how fast the time goes doesn’t it. I used to have dreams and would wake thinking “oh I have to go to xxx today and get xxx.” Then I would remember that I didn’t live in that country, that city any more. Sometimes the dreams were about places 2 or more countries ‘ago’.
My advice? Don’t mentally live in England… yet. Cherish each day in DH and make new memories that could be your best.
Maureen, one day when you’re on this side of the pond again, we’re going to have to sit down for a nice long tea and have a chat.
That is good advice, by the way. I try to live in the moment most of the time, but I’ll be a lot more relaxed when I know for sure where we will be living. Limboland can be a bit stressful…