Here I sit, on my last night in NL, with bags packed and garbage bags of things to give away. I'm hoping that all of the things I want to take back don't add up to me being over my airline's allowed limit of 20kg checked and 7kg hand luggage. It really hasn't sunk in that I'm leaving the Netherlands for good tomorrow, and there's a couple of reasons for that.
Firstly, my plans have chanced drastically and suddenly. I was due to stay in NL until the 4th of September, but with the discovery of my Poppa's cancer and his current hospitalisation, I've decided to go back to Australia now. I changed my flights on Monday, so I've only had the past 4 days to pack up my life here and attempt to say goodbye to as many people as possible. This means that instead of having another two months, I had a week. That's a big change and hard to get used to.
Secondly, it usually takes a while to get used to leaving a place that's been your home for the past year. I can't imagine not being here and walking the streets of Den Haag and visiting the beach at Scheveningen. I can't imagine not living in my appartment with Mara and hearing Dutch all around me. It's surreal that on the weekend I'll be back in Australia!
So as I sit here thinking, I'm both happy and sad that I'm leaving. I'm sad that it has to be under the circumstance of my Poppa having cancer and having the possibility that I won't see him again before he dies. I'm sad that I've had to cancel travels and time with friends. I'm sad that I can't say a proper goodbye to so many people. I'm sad that I'm heading into another winter. I'm happy that I'll be seeing my parents in a few days. I'm happy that I can be starting a new stage in my life. I'm happy that I get to catch up with dear friends again.
So basically I'm a mixed up person at the moment and I think I will be for a while as I try to process all that's happening and as I try to settle back down in Australia. I'll let you know how things go.
Firstly, my plans have chanced drastically and suddenly. I was due to stay in NL until the 4th of September, but with the discovery of my Poppa's cancer and his current hospitalisation, I've decided to go back to Australia now. I changed my flights on Monday, so I've only had the past 4 days to pack up my life here and attempt to say goodbye to as many people as possible. This means that instead of having another two months, I had a week. That's a big change and hard to get used to.
Secondly, it usually takes a while to get used to leaving a place that's been your home for the past year. I can't imagine not being here and walking the streets of Den Haag and visiting the beach at Scheveningen. I can't imagine not living in my appartment with Mara and hearing Dutch all around me. It's surreal that on the weekend I'll be back in Australia!
So as I sit here thinking, I'm both happy and sad that I'm leaving. I'm sad that it has to be under the circumstance of my Poppa having cancer and having the possibility that I won't see him again before he dies. I'm sad that I've had to cancel travels and time with friends. I'm sad that I can't say a proper goodbye to so many people. I'm sad that I'm heading into another winter. I'm happy that I'll be seeing my parents in a few days. I'm happy that I can be starting a new stage in my life. I'm happy that I get to catch up with dear friends again.
So basically I'm a mixed up person at the moment and I think I will be for a while as I try to process all that's happening and as I try to settle back down in Australia. I'll let you know how things go.
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