"You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place, I told him, like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you'll never be this way again."
- Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran
Six months ago, I said farewell to Amsterdam, my home for nearly seven years and a city that I came to know as my own. It's amazing to receive something so unexpected. The Netherlands. Who knew that I would end up feeling at home in that little country in Northern Europe.
I miss it and I miss who I was there, Carly in Amsterdam. Much has changed, but that's what life does. I am thankful for the experience and the fact that Marcus boarded that one-way flight to Portland with me. If I could bundle up my favorite things about Amsterdam, I'd happily pay an extra baggage fee for these:
The people. My friends, colleagues at World Press Photo, the friendly waitress at our favorite restaurant, the neighbors who safeguarded my packages while I was at work, the Turkish grocer and his family, the Dutch in general. Pragmatic and refreshingly, brutally real.
The lifestyle. Biking everywhere. Coffee with a cookie on the side. Customer service without frills. The rhythm, routine, and slow(er) pace of life. The ease with which you could find yourself in Cologne, Brussels, or Paris. Waking up every Saturday morning to a delivery from De Krat. The Kinderboederij.
The social system. I would happily pay much higher taxes to live in a society that takes care of its people and infrastructure. Where people see themselves as a community rather than isolated individuals that need freedom above all else.
The ongoing sense of wonder. Amsterdam is so beautiful and not a week went by where I didn't stop to appreciate it. The canals, the architecture, the history. As I would ride along, sometimes I just couldn't believe that such a place exists and that I knew all the small alleys and bumps in the road.
There could just as well be a list of things I gladly left behind. Or a list of things in Portland I wouldn't want to give up again. But at this six-month milestone, I'm happy to reflect on what it was and why it meant so much.
This weekend, Marcus and I celebrated our first anniversary! One year ago, we exchanged our vows surrounded by friends and family, full of love in beautiful Amsterdam. We thought our first-year celebration in Portland should be at least half as momentous. There were drinks at 
The last post from Amsterdam! It has been an amazing week of meeting with friends, saying farewell to the city, and packing up our lives here in the Netherlands. Seven years. I can't really begin to describe how it feels.
It's official. After nearly seven years in Amsterdam, I am heading home. The move has been in the works for a while now, but the tangible reality of it is really emotional. It hasn't always been easy, but this little country has been good to me.
The last three weeks have been some of the best of my life. My older sister, brother-in-law, and two nieces arrived from Oregon at the end of March and the days flew by. I took my nieces to Nemo while their parents enjoy Spa Zuiver. We celebrated my youngest niece's third birthday with a boat ride through the canals and pink cupcakes. My sister and I had a girls night out and saw The Hunger Games. My parents arrived, then my cousin, friends and my little sister. We ate together, played games, baked cakes, filled jars of honey, and drank a fantastic bottle of Willamette Valley pinot noir.
Dutch people often ask me what the weather is like in Oregon and my response is that it is quite similar to Amsterdam. Four distinct seasons with a good dose of rain. Spring in Oregon tends to be unpredictable, while usually very pleasant in the Netherlands. Our weather here turns chaotic, cool, and rainy in the summer, while Oregon is more consistently warm and summery.
Yesterday was a perfect 'first days of spring' day. Warm in the sun, cool in the shade. Huddled with a book on a terrace wearing a thick scarf and sunglasses. You could almost see the flowers and plants stretching towards the sun. North America already has turned back its clocks, but Europe waits for two more weeks. Fourteen more days of waking up to the half-light of a spring morning.
After almost two weeks with temperatures below freezing, the warm will return next week, thawing the canals and melting away the last drifts of snow. The 
It's the end of the year and time to reflect on what has passed. One of my favorite (small) things of 2011 was discovering 
Colorful geometric shapes spotted on a Thursday morning in Amsterdam.
The tree is up, the ornaments are hung, the first presents are wrapped, and the lights are glowing. This will be our first Christmas in Amsterdam – in past years Marcus and I have always visited family in Oregon or Germany – and therefore our first Dutch Christmas tree! Although I don't think it was grown in the Netherlands, Bavaria more likely. It was strange to not cut the tree down ourselves, but we found a cute one at the flower shop around the corner. And probably the smallest tree I have ever had. It makes me so happy to wake up each morning and plug the lights in, casting a warm glow over the living room.
Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.
A Saturday afternoon bike ride along the Amstel River to the sleepy town of 
Crisp leaves and a lingering warmth in the air. Beginning the weekend with a walk along a canal.
Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.
Cycling is not simply a summer affair in Amsterdam. Yet when I see a week of rain ahead on the weather forecast, it takes extra motivation to hop on my two wheels in the morning. Having my rain gear ready (and always with me) makes it easier to bear a drizzle or downpour. My kit includes rain pants, a waterproof jacket, a hat with a brim to keep the water out of my eyes, and always leather or rubber shoes. Suffering through a spot of rain is worth the freedom and pleasure that comes with riding. Here, are a few tips for gear that make cycling in the autumn a breeze.
Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.
Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.
The other day a colleague remarked that she was surprised I could be so positive about the dreary weather of late. Things tend to look good when you have a sunny holiday on the horizon. (photo above by 