When in Europe, you have to visit Amsterdam! This place was such a trip! Shops openly advertising and selling drugs, the booming streets filled with nightclubs, and the entirety of the red light district. Just bizarre! While everything that Amsterdam is infamous for isn’t entirely my vibe, it was still wonderful to observe that type of liberal culture out front and center.

Besides the famous art museums, canals, and food, what I was most interested in seeing in Amsterdam was what life might be like if I were to move here. I have two close friends Tiffy & Chris who are in the process of immigrating to the Netherlands so before I arrived was of course asking myself “What am I missing here?”

The biggest upsides I see are how much the Dutch seem to prioritize everyday life. Something as simple as making cars in one of their biggest cities a second-class mode of transportation is foreign to the US (sans NYC). Just from sitting and talking to some locals in Voldenpark, the people here seemed genuinely happy and laid back. I’ve also been told the Dutch are extremely level-headed too so that is always a plus. Kids are also able to walk to school on their own without fear and have a lot of independence. A bit different to how children are raised in the States. Maybe I should consider moving to the Netherlands as well 🤔 Something to consider during my next job hunt, whenever that is..