A Work in Progress

The train pulls up at the station, and passengers scramble to dislodge their luggages from the racks. A huge red luggage stands in the way of the entrance; people waiting to disembark start to cluck their tongues in impatience, looking for the owner of that bag. A girl, whose hands were already filled, apologetically squeezes through to claim ownership of the offending article; she hoists it down the stairs and disappears into the throngs of people without further ado.

That girl was me.

Three months ago, I shoved my life into a suitcase, took a 14 hour long flight into Amsterdam and began a six month adventure in a country I have never once stepped foot into. Once life administrative issues were out of the way, it was time to explore this city.

But I didn't only enter a new city; I entered a new lifestyle. I traded the car for a bicycle. I left the shopping malls behind in Singapore, opting to amble through the quaint streets and stores. I threw away my fear of strangers, and embraced the equality and respect that people treated each other with.

I have grown so comfortable and in love with the city. Everything is so accessible; nothing is more than a twenty minute (slow) cycle away. Food? Yeah, hop across the canal for some great apple pie. Sunshine? Head over to Westerpark! Market? Cycle ten minutes to Ten Katestraat. Want some good live music? The number of bars you can hop into are endless! The list of things to do and experience goes on…

Interestingly, for one who loves to travel and experience new sights, I have become so at ease in Amsterdam that a sense of pride swells up within whenever I speak of the city. Sure, there are still the stereotypes and misconceptions of drugs and sex, but beyond that, there is the beauty of the flowers, sunshine and endless canals. A city I was once afraid of, now one I proudly call my home.

How did I end up here, finding home away from home?