Amsterdam
I am getting really (Amster)damn excited about Amsterdam. The more I talk to Anca, the more committed to it I'm getting, and the more it sounds like it will be one hell of an adventure. I have some concerns, which I outlined to her just recently (lightly edited for content):
...There are some things I should make really clear, though. I inherited a fair amount of paranoia from my dad (for example, he keeps backup copies of everything on CD in cabinets, just in case). However, I am starting to see this as a good thing, as it has saved my ass (and some of my friends, too, several times. Frances really needed toilet paper, for example... who was paranoid and had some packed? Me. :) ). Anyway, why am I mentioning all of this? Because I want to promise you everything; I want to commit to you right now, and promise you to be there forever... but there are lots of things I'm worrying about, in the near future, that are keeping me from doing that:
- What if we can't find work? We talked about this a bit, but the unemployment situation is really making things difficult for people without work permits. I'll try really hard for a few months at least, and it sounds like you will, too. By the way, I love you for working as a waitress. That you are that committed to moving out from Mr. Credit Card's house is awesome. *hugs and kisses!*
- What if I hate winter in a city? I hated winter in the countryside, but I think mainly for two reasons that might not be a problem in the city. 1)The only way to get anywhere was to drive, and driving/having a car is really annoying in the winter. Scraping ice, shoveling snow, giving friends rides because their cars are stuck, etc. 2) There was nowhere other than the dining hall at college for large numbers of people to get together and hang out when it was snowing. So I think these will both be better in Ams, because I won't have a car (public transit is easy in the winter, right? hopefully we're close enough to a bus or tram that I won't have to bike in the snow...) and it seems like cities have lots more inside places for people to get together. I don't really know. I have never lived in a city in the winter.
- What if we stop liking each other after a month or two? This doesn't seem super-likely; it seems like we both really like each other and will probably figure it out. But if either of us stopped liking the other one, or if we had a fight that we couldn't fix, I would not want to be fully enrolled in a city that I might not like without you there.
So here is what I need. Give me a month or two with you to make sure we don't have any huge fights or fundamental lifestyle conflicts. (for example, maybe you don't like that I'm a mass murderer ;-) ). In that month or two, I want very much to live with you, but would totally understand if you'd prefer to live apart. How close we are is totaly up to you, just like in Rimini, but I need that month or two to be sure.
Then, before I enroll in school or take out a 2-year lease or do anything else that ties me to Amsterdam for more than a year, I need to experience winter in the city. Hell, I need to experience the city at all. I have been there for 2 or 3 days total, and have only really seen the touristy parts. From everything you and Adina say, I think I will love it, and I think I will be totally fine with winter, but I am not sure, so I don't want to make any super-long-term commitments until I have seen the place.
I hope all of that is ok with you...
And a segment of our subsequent conversation is rather relavent, too, explaining my hesitation:
George: hmm, here is a different example that might help explain my thinking, would you move to cairo with me next month?
So yeah. Life is exciting. :)
...There are some things I should make really clear, though. I inherited a fair amount of paranoia from my dad (for example, he keeps backup copies of everything on CD in cabinets, just in case). However, I am starting to see this as a good thing, as it has saved my ass (and some of my friends, too, several times. Frances really needed toilet paper, for example... who was paranoid and had some packed? Me. :) ). Anyway, why am I mentioning all of this? Because I want to promise you everything; I want to commit to you right now, and promise you to be there forever... but there are lots of things I'm worrying about, in the near future, that are keeping me from doing that:
- What if we can't find work? We talked about this a bit, but the unemployment situation is really making things difficult for people without work permits. I'll try really hard for a few months at least, and it sounds like you will, too. By the way, I love you for working as a waitress. That you are that committed to moving out from Mr. Credit Card's house is awesome. *hugs and kisses!*
- What if I hate winter in a city? I hated winter in the countryside, but I think mainly for two reasons that might not be a problem in the city. 1)The only way to get anywhere was to drive, and driving/having a car is really annoying in the winter. Scraping ice, shoveling snow, giving friends rides because their cars are stuck, etc. 2) There was nowhere other than the dining hall at college for large numbers of people to get together and hang out when it was snowing. So I think these will both be better in Ams, because I won't have a car (public transit is easy in the winter, right? hopefully we're close enough to a bus or tram that I won't have to bike in the snow...) and it seems like cities have lots more inside places for people to get together. I don't really know. I have never lived in a city in the winter.
- What if we stop liking each other after a month or two? This doesn't seem super-likely; it seems like we both really like each other and will probably figure it out. But if either of us stopped liking the other one, or if we had a fight that we couldn't fix, I would not want to be fully enrolled in a city that I might not like without you there.
So here is what I need. Give me a month or two with you to make sure we don't have any huge fights or fundamental lifestyle conflicts. (for example, maybe you don't like that I'm a mass murderer ;-) ). In that month or two, I want very much to live with you, but would totally understand if you'd prefer to live apart. How close we are is totaly up to you, just like in Rimini, but I need that month or two to be sure.
Then, before I enroll in school or take out a 2-year lease or do anything else that ties me to Amsterdam for more than a year, I need to experience winter in the city. Hell, I need to experience the city at all. I have been there for 2 or 3 days total, and have only really seen the touristy parts. From everything you and Adina say, I think I will love it, and I think I will be totally fine with winter, but I am not sure, so I don't want to make any super-long-term commitments until I have seen the place.
I hope all of that is ok with you...
And a segment of our subsequent conversation is rather relavent, too, explaining my hesitation:
George: hmm, here is a different example that might help explain my thinking, would you move to cairo with me next month?
11:44 AM you don't speak the primary language, but most people in downtown speak english. I'll bet you could find work. I did... maybe I still could? though funding has been cut, so I'm not sure. The weather is nice... unless you hate ridiculously hot summers.
anyway, you don't need to answer, because i don't actually want to move back there. but yeah, as an example, maybe you'd want to try it out for a while? see how bad a summer is before signing up for a degree program, etc.
anyway, you don't need to answer, because i don't actually want to move back there. but yeah, as an example, maybe you'd want to try it out for a while? see how bad a summer is before signing up for a degree program, etc.
Anca: hahahaha
good one
11:45 AM well at least you ve been to amsterdam for a few days
11:46 AM me:heheh, i saw the van gogh museum, the red light district, some canals, and ... I don't know, I probably saw some other stuff.
11:47 AM though i have to say, even in the touristy places, the local people were super nice :)
11:48 AM Anca: yeah they are
So yeah. Life is exciting. :)
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