Standing out Newsletter
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Newsletter #1
It was a few weeks into my first job after university. On the train home, I looked out at endless rows of identical houses and thought to myself: “Is this it? A house like everyone else’s, and a few vacations each year?” That was the moment I started asking questions. I already had the standard things except for a girl but I began to wonder if there might be a different kind of life. For a moment I dreamed, and then I slipped back into NPC mode.Fast forward about 18 months, and I decided to move to Barcelona, Spain a city I had heard good things about, though I had never visited. I wanted to change my life and do something most people don’t. When I was offered a job in Barcelona, I accepted. My landlord wasn’t too happy that I left after just a few months, and neither was my manager, but if you wait for the “right” moment, you’ll never make a change.The paperwork was quite a hassle, but I managed to complete everything within two weeks in Spain. That might sound long, but I’ve heard far worse stories. For the NIE (the ID for EU citizens), I had to travel to a small town outside Barcelona, but the rest I could handle in the city itself. In the Netherlands, things were simpler only deregistration had to be done at the municipal center; the rest could be arranged by phone, mail, or online.The main reason I moved was that I felt stuck in my job. I wanted an adventure, and I thought this would be good for me. If it failed, it would simply be a waste of money. Still, in the back of my mind, a voice kept saying that I’d regret it if I didn’t go. A few days into 2018, I moved from the Netherlands to Spain. At the time, I told myself I did it for the weather; summer is, after all, the nicest day of the year, but much later I realized there were deeper reasons, more on that in a later newsletter.The start in Barcelona was great. I made friends within a week, and I’m still in touch with some of them today. At work, I had to start a week later than planned because of Spanish bureaucracy, but that gave me an extra week off to explore Barcelona. I still remember saying: “Yeah, I’m unemployed during the first seconds of 2018.” Once I started working, everything went smoothly.Lesson of the week: If you wait for the right moment, you’ll never make a change.Until next week,PepijnI’m still figuring out the format of these newsletters. Over time, both the style and length will improve. I appreciate any constructive feedback to help me make them better. Thank you!
