Leaving Everything Behind to Start Over in the Netherlands

I’m crazy. It’s not hyperbolic. I believe the journey I am about to embark on is genuinely going to require me to be a little crazy and a little brave.

Let’s start at the beginning. I’m a first-generation Mexican American in her late twenties with a Bachelor’s degree from USC. I’ve been working as a freelance media creator and graphic designer for over six years. I’m child-free, live in a multi-generational home, and spend every waking hour working – client requests, personal projects, entrepreneurial endeavors, and some dream chasing sprinkled in between. I am exhausted.

Now, life is always harder for someone out there. I’m not here to debate on what constitutes hard work or otherwise. But it’s no great secret that people are burning out, reaching their limits, and breaking under the sheer pressure of it all. Rising expenses, lowering quality of life, heightening financial anxiety, worsening job instability… I don’t think either of us wants me to continue. Life is hard. People are tired. I am people.

I, your resident sleep-deprived Black Cat, am in the same boat of realization as many 20 and 30 year old somethings: working ourselves to the bone isn’t getting us very far. A house? A retirement plan? Groceries?! Is nothing sacred?

All that’s to say, it’s hard to survive let alone to live and thrive. So, why wait?

The world isn’t getting any closer to settling down (quite the opposite), and relief never even pretends it’ll pop in for a visit. I’m not old, but neither am I getting any younger. I’ve never left the country. I’ve never dated. I don’t have any “real-life” friends. I have nothing to lose, and, thankfully, I lost my sanity long ago so I’m ready to do something crazy.

I’m moving to the Netherlands.

Why the Netherlands?

Great question. As much of an ADHD over-thinker as I am, shockingly, all of my best ideas have a tendency to happen on impulse.

I was readily considering moving to my family’s motherland, the beautiful and colorful Mexico. However, considering my fervent desire to leave the United States, the city of Holland was also mentioned to me in passing as a possibility. My brain held onto that idea and set me on a multi-hour hyper-fixation session of Google searching and map prodding.

It was love at first sight.

I’m not one to look at the world through rose-tinted glasses. In truth, I consider myself a positive nihilist with a cynical outlook on life. That being said, I’ve never given up. I’ve worked without pause, lived with my parents, maintained frugal habits, and woken up even on the days I’d rather have not.

My tired, neglected heart deserves to be heard for once before regret takes root.

So, what’s next?

It’s time … to do paperwork.

Before the fun can even begin, the nitty-gritty work must be done, and done perfectly.

To Do List:

• Apply for Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) Visa.
• Get a quote from a moving company and research customs regulations and requirements.
• Finalize city of choice and determine relevant airport, local travel, and rent logistics.
• Open a Netherlands bank account and transfer necessary funds (visa dependent).
• Create system to organize all invoices and expense documents for future tax purposes.

This is a vastly oversimplified list, but it’s a good place to start. That’s the point of all this – to do something I’ve never done before, and to be more curious than afraid. I haven’t reached my destination yet, but I’m on my way.