Emigrated!

Here it is: my first blog from my new homeland Tunisia!

This is a way for me to share my experiences with those who are interested. Whether it's because we have a personal relationship, because you're interested in the country or maybe because you're also thinking about emigration.

What preceded...

Saturday 3 September I will be at Düsseldorf airport. Two suitcases and hand luggage.

I leave a lot behind... I sold my nice house. The same goes for almost all of my possessions. A lot of my stuff went to friends (the Open House Sales Day was pleasantly busy), drove back and forth to the clothing container, put stuff on Marktplaats. Traded in my iMac for a MacBook, kitchen equipment to whoever could use it, furniture on FaceBook and Marktplaats, my books, CDs and games in the driveway for whoever wanted it...

I quit my oh so nice permanent job with nice colleagues, had to tell my mother that her only daughter would join her only daughter, canceled memberships, but luckily I was able to give my tennis rackets to Femke who came to help with the emptying for a week in the meantime from her house.

Twinkle

And Twinkle? Twinkle left me... I would have loved to take her with me. Living on the beach, what dog wouldn't want that? However, her recently purchased travel cage remained empty in the Netherlands. Twink suddenly deteriorated sharply prior to my departure. My ever so vital four-legged friend was walking worse and worse. The stairs in my split-level home did not help. I had to lift her. In addition, she was visibly in pain and seeing that hurt me again. Her bad days overshadowed the good ones. After a conversation with the sweetest vet Twink and I could wish for (Maud van Dierenkliniek De Lingewaard) I knew what to do... After I put Twinkle to sleep, my house felt empty and lifeless. Carrying the last stuff out of the house didn't do much for me then either.

Two days before departure I also said goodbye to my super Mini (thank you Martin for your help!). I really considered taking the Mini with me. On the boat from Genoa to Tunis. It would also have been nicer for Twink... together with me in the car instead of in the hold of an airplane. However, it is quite a hassle in Tunisia to import a car. I was strongly advised against it, so the Mini also went on sale.

(her belt hangs on the coat rack in my new home... and her picture is on my desk and next to my bed)

Last appointments with beautiful people

Once it was clear to everyone around me that I would not stop dreaming, but that I would actually leave, there were a lot of nice 'goodbye appointments'.

Concert in open-air theater, listening to French chansons in a vineyard, dinners, lunches and drinks on sunny terraces, a wonderful evening with the team of De Potstal (full of nice gifts and a special Spotify Playlist made especially for me), an evening with music at campfire, a lazy Sunday afternoon with a live band, walking some holes on the golf course, a treasure hunt in Kasteel Haarzuilen, a day in Amsterdam with brother rabbit...

They were exciting and special days. Heartwarming, beautiful and fond memories. For me it didn't feel like a goodbye, for me everything is energy and what's in my heart I always carry with me. It will always be... till we meet again!

Why emigrate?

There I am... with those two suitcases and my hand luggage. I don't like flying from Germany. Since the Corona time, I don't find the staff there that friendly anymore. Luckily I'm not alone. Vincent and Bernie brought me and will stay by my side until we really have to say goodbye. We have only known each other for barely a year, but Corona brought us together because we share the same ideas. That same world view has made our connection very deep at a rapid pace. That's the beauty of this time...

After my relationship with Arnoud ended, I ended up in a kind of transition period. My consciousness grew during the years of being 'alone'. In the silence I found myself again and learned to steer better and better on my intuition. Listening to my gut brought me a lot of good. Things came naturally to me and friendships became more authentic.

When the first lockdown was announced I thought that was an extremely drastic measure, although I also enjoyed the peace of not having to 'have to' so much. Sven's mother died suddenly and was reported as Corona dead while she had not seen anyone for two weeks. An autopsy was not possible. In my eyes, the MainStream Media fueled enormous fear and panic.

My whole 'gut feeling' told me that things were not right. For me, inner turmoil indicates a lack of information and then I go 'on'. I have an analytical brain and from that moment on I started to deepen my knowledge. Follow podcasts, read books, expand my LinkedIn network, go to meetings and, last but not least, have conversations with people.

The Truth has several faces for me and I want to look from all sides. I didn't get that idea while watching TV or reading the newspaper. There I heard only one sound. In the meantime I had become a lot wiser and also a lot more socially critical. Also worried about what's to come. And maybe disappointed? That the world doesn't work the way I thought for a long time? I foresee years of great chaos worldwide, starting in the Western world. Enough reasons for me not to want to stay in Europe any longer and also to want to be with Femke. In January 2022 I made the decision: I'm going!

And here I am, that third September of this momentous year. With tears in my eyes I wave to Vin and Bernie one more time and walk through customs... on my way to another life... on my way to Femke and Nizar.

And what am I going to do in Tunisia?

Of course I'm going to do something in Tunisia! Sitting still is not my strong suit.

I bought a piece of land in Hergla. Hergla is an idyllic seaside village, a fifteen minute drive from Sousse and half an hour from Hammamet. Hergla is located in a bay and is very authentic. Think of white houses and cottages, narrow streets with abundantly flowering bougainvillea everywhere, olive trees, lots of olive trees! and a beautiful coastline in which sandy beaches alternate with rugged beaches with immense boulders.

Our land is near the sea with only one house in front of us and the land is positioned so that we have a nice view of the sea. Here we will build our house. Femke and Nizar on one side their own house and I on the other side. On top of two apartments that we want to rent out as an AirBnB to be able to provide for our living.

I designed the house myself (it was always a dream that will now come true) and an architect from Sousse will build it for us. We expect to be able to start this in the middle of next year. You can already view the inspiration page for the construction of the house at Casa di Hergla.

How are things now?

That's what my next blog posts will be about. I have so much to tell! And I also find it incredibly fun to be able to share this. Fortunately, I traded in my iMac for a MacBook and now I can take it with me everywhere. Writing with your feet in the sand... how nice is that?

To be continued!

P.S.

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