Banksy Inspo

PRIDE in Amsterdam

What a beautiful life this is!

Ready, set, Dutch!

READY, SET, DUTCH!

I arrived in Amsterdam nine days ago. This will be my fourth time being in the city, and I come with a mission of obtaining a visa through the Dutch American Friendship Treaty. The treaty will allow me to begin a sole proprietorship and stay in the Netherlands for at least two years with the possibility of a visa renewal.

I've always been extremely self-motivated, but the concept of self-employment did not stick on me until this opportunity became known. I'm excited to have a kick in the rear to move in me in the direction of working for myself. For the next several weeks I will conceptualize and plan the business I will build to support myself while living in the Netherlands. Step one will be listing out my passions, talents, and existing experience.

Here's a start on my strengths and interests:

• Health & Wellness
• Sales & Marketing
• Strategic Planning
• Art & Design
• Influencing/Motivating 
• Writing

Building out my network will also be key. I met a few really amazing characters at the New Dutch Wave at South By Southwest who have already opened doors to new contacts in Amsterdam, including an American named Ashlee who has a very similar background to me. 

I am living with an American named Matt, who was introduced to me via my running partner in Austin, Texas. Matt is walking me through the Dutch American Friendship Treaty and has also offered to introduce me to his colleagues at a dental product manufacturing facility. His company needs help with sales, so I am excited for an opportunity to apply my knowledge and skill-set as needed. 

VISA ROADBLOCKS 

While I am very optimistic about my new Dutch life, I acknowledge that the transition will be filled with roadblocks and let-downs. Pivots may be needed at times, but I am determined never to be discouraged beyond the point of being able to forge forward.

One slight bump in the road so far has been putting together the documentation I need to start the visa and company registration process. Apparently an "apostilled" birth certificate is required to apply for a BSN, or Dutch citizen service number required for tax and residency purposes. For any Americans reading who plans to immigrate to the Netherlands, I highly recommend researching how to request an apostille for your birth certificate from the state it was issued prior to leaving the US. 

BIKES, BIKES, BIKES

I was an avid bicycle commuter back in Austin, and I've told many people I am extending my lifespan potential by moving to a place where cycling is the norm, as road cycling can be quite dangerous in America. 

A defining moment of my settlement here in Amsterdam was purchasing a bike. You can buy a basic new bike for around 350 Euro, but it is advised to purchased a used bike for riding in Amsterdam since they are stolen often. After doing research online, I learned about several Facebook groups where used bikes can be found. I also found out about the Flea Market at Waterlooplein in Amsterdam, where used bikes can be purchased for between 70 and 90 Euro.

Not my bike above, but it's worth of sharing!

I'm loving the Dutch's appreciation of flowers.

(Nearly) all aboard for acting on dreams of Dutch life...

The travel bug continues to bite. I've been toying with the idea of establishing a sole proprietorship under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty and taking the leap into living my dream of spending a few years in The Netherlands. A plane ticket is purchased, but I'm not yet "all in" until I spend a little more time in one of my favorite cities... Amsterdam.

Some people ask me, "Why Amsterdam?" I tell them that as an avid commuter cyclist, I'm increasing my lifespan potential exponentially. I've also learned that the Dutch really value work-life balance, and my general encounters in the country and with the Dutch people I've met have felt very warm. My gut tells me I'll be able to make friends and connections quickly simply by being my quirky self.

Right now I'm dealing with the very real fear of starting anew and figuring out where my true market potential is. I've done very well working in sales for companies in growth mode, but I've also experienced hardships of the business risks that can result from being in an environment full of pressure to perform in a market that is saturated.

So... what's next for Emily? Stay tuned! For the meantime, I'll leave you with this article by a really cool firm called Winning By Design - Hiring Start Salespeople Isn't The Best Way To Grow.

My Morning Mission Statement

You're Golden

Catherine Calia shared the Japanese concept of Kintsugi with me yesterday. Take something broken, repair it with gold, and suddenly it becomes more beautiful, valuable, and stronger than it was before its breaking point.

For anyone hitting a rough spot in their personal or professional lives, the art of Kintsugi can be a metaphor to help you seek out the golden knowledge  and actions needed to forge forward into your strongest self.

Give yourself the courage to create the work of art you wish to be.

A Traveler's Perspective

After spending one month in Thailand, one week in Malaysia, and one week in Japan, I am reinforcing a very simple realization about myself: I am an incredibly lucky person.

Many of my days were spent in temples contemplating peace and my own spirituality. Concepts of collectivism drew me in like a child who never experienced a hug before.

Good deeds -- sharing flowers from the local market, bestowing self-esteem through conversation, and simply listening to and acknowledging others' perspectives -- kept me thriving during the unplanned journey.

Since I've also been training for the San Diego Marathon, I'd merge the chore of long runs with longings for adventure taking off in a direction of my choosing for up to 12 miles at a time. You can see so much of the world with just yourself and a pair of running shoes.

Experiencing the longboat village off of one white sand beach in Southern Thailand renewed my sense of appreciation for voluntary simplicity. All we really need is a roof over our head when the weather is bad and food in our bellies, plus a few other critical staples for life. Water and love are high on this list.

I'm reminded of Pauli, who I met while traveling in Iceland many years ago.
I'm also reminded of Lisa Saeboe, who shared my passion for the color purple.
Most importantly, I had a reminder of the me outside of constant stress.