What do you when you receive bad news?

My father in law who’s in an excellent shape for his age of 85, working everyday in his garden and also loves to enjoy the bourgondisch lifestyle in Belgium and drinks everyday his favorite vitamins called ‘Duvel’. It’s sad to see that at his age you have a tumor in your stomach. You never wish anyone this terrible disease, not even your worst enemy, and especially not your father in law. The good thing is he doesn’t have any pain, and the day after his operation he left the hospital he enjoyed his glass of prosecco surrounded by the family. Respect!

4 months ago I was still in the US and ; what had I done if I was still in the US? Would I have taken the plane and come over, or would Christophe go alone? I’m always forward thinking and an optimistic person, just sometimes it’s good to reflect and realize everything happens for a reason. It’s again a confirmation that we made the right decision. Of course at any age things can happen, and it didn’t prevent us moving to the US, just now you realize, yes, it’s nice to be closer to your family, especially in this situation.

When I lived in Morocco, locals always asked me how’s your health? It took me some time to understand their question. In the beginning I found it a bit weird. In Europe we ask how are you, but we don’t specifically ask how’s your health. In countries like Morocco (and I can now add the US) if you are not in a good health, it has a huge effect on yourself, your surroundings and also your income and future.

Privileged to be born in the Netherlands where we have a good health system (yes, it’s changed a lot the past years and not always for the better) still it’s a huge difference between paying 600 dollars per month and the first 1500 dollars is for your own costs in the US and here. And now you understand why so many Americans don’t have a health insurance; imagine if you have to pay every month 600 dollars just for an insurance???

Now I’m getting older (yep) I understand more and more the importance of my health. And to see people in my surrounding who are having health issues, or even pass away at any age. Last 2 weeks I had back pain and had issues to put on my socks, I really felt old, very old. I even had to cancel some appointments because I was not able to drive, or to sit for a while. Then you realize, indeed my health is everything! When I look back now, I even have more respect for the Moroccan culture because they do understand from a young age how important your health is and how it affects your entire future.

And the paperwork is still chasing us… As we were so fed up with the leasing options, we followed the advice to buy a second hand car, which we did. We informed at the community if we needed a Dutch drivers’ license, that is not necessary. You are allowed to drive in the Netherlands with a foreign drivers’ license, ok. The day we came to pick up our car, they asked us for our papers and we showed both our Belgian drivers’ license… a problem. Apparently the garage can’t put the car on a foreign drivers’ license, which they didn’t told us.

How should I know? We agreed that we can take the car and that the garage is the ‘owner’ of the car until we have visited of the RDW office in Amsterdam to put officially the car on our name. And they are only open during office hours. And first back to the community to collect the right papers…. Sometimes you feel like a foreigner in your own country. Despite that most people are friendly but they have absolutely no clue what kind of an impact it has on your life, time, energy and motivation.

In the meantime I remain positive because my father in law is not the only one who’s having serious health issues in my close surroundings.

And just received a call that the tax authorities come in for an audit of previous financial years…. another fantastic challenge ;-) Never a dull moment in my life……

Carpe diem