Learning

It's officially been a year since I packed up my apartment in Minneapolis, Minnesota and packed two suitcases to start a life in the Netherlands. Here's a list of things I've learned while living in a new country and starting a new life.

Things I've learned while living abroad, (in no particular order):

1. You can be completely happy with the person you love (this being my husband) but you still need to work on yourself to feel inner peace and satisfaction.

2. Laundry can be done without a dryer, and warm summer days are a quick way to get it done. Beware: winters take patience since it will be a few days before everything is dry and you may be using all your chairs, furniture and radiators to hang wet laundry on (get used to crispy towels and socks).

3. Don't waste the day on the computer with nothing to show from it.

4. Walk/bike to new places in your city and take photos.

5. Cook using new ingredients (last night I used kohlrabi for the first time)

6. Write down ideas. Being creative and making things is important to me. Walking through Amsterdam, or looking through design blogs makes my wheels turn and I'm filling a little black book with all my ideas I want to create.

7. Pets are great, even little hamsters.

8. Learning the Dutch language is difficult but possible.

9. Get used to new food; I still miss cottage cheese and wheat thins every once in a while, but I do love the cheese here. Jong Belegen please!

10. Just because you can drink beer on the train, doesn't mean you should.

11. Those women who seemingly walk in high heels all day carry a pair of flats with them.

12. Actually do something with your creative ideas.

13. Get rid of your ego: do a job that you are overqualified for, don't worry about mistakes you make.

14. It is possible to get on the train so that when you exit you are lined up exactly with the stairs at the station, thus avoiding the crowds.

15. Stay in touch with those you love—you may find by changing your lifestyle some people will no longer be in touch.

16. Ask questions.

17. Do something small for yourself that makes you smile. For me it's arranging our books by color, drinking out of my favorite mug, or finding a kitschy trinket at the second-hand store.

18. Exercise. I've found I love doing yoga in the morning, with podcasts from yogamazing.

19. Being home a lot and not having a television is great. And thanks to the interweb you can always catch up on a show or two in the evenings.

20. Writing down things you covet can be just as satisfactory as buying them. Really it can!

21. I can ride a bike in the rain holding an umbrella. I can ride a bike home from the grocery store/market holding bags and strapping food onto my bike, I can ride a bike in a dress and heels—I cannot ride a bike with no hands...yet.