Big things small things

My blogging has become rather intermittent in the past few weeks. Since I got back from my trip my focus has been torn between small and big things. The small things included getting a new boiler installed - and then finding it still leaks so having to ring the company back again to fix it - getting into a regular rhythm of doing some Dutch language work every day, trying to find a way to upload photos (If I could explain why it was not working smoothly then I could do it) - and watching as much football as I can squeeze in. I went though withdrawal symptoms on the days when there was a brief haitus in proceedings - but now have another couch-potato fix, watching the Tour de France. That'll take me through to my summer holiday!

And the big things. My trip bought about lots of existential issues - which I haven't really wanted to share publicly. My trip involved both revisiting the place I grew up in (and sorting out family relics and photo albums etc) - and spending some time in a place that for a while has been on my list of potentially desirable relocation spots. There's a bit of me that thinks that moving to the multi-cultural, multi-linguistic capital of Europe, where there's ample access to culture, good food, work (probably) and more singles could only be a good move. Oh and did I mention the rents are cheap? I saw adverts for several apartments for rent in the heart of the city, offering twice the size of the living and working space that I have now, for around the same price. I busted my ass trying to find somewhere stable to live in Wageningen: it proved really difficult and in the end I opted for something that was very much less than optimal. It was a decision that I have never really been happy with (other factors were at play) but learned to live with.

Yet there's another part of me that doesn't want to move away from my friends, networks and familiar and pleasant environs: and that doesn't want to go through the hassle of all the admin. changes that would be involved in shifting my business, residence, tax, social security, health insurance, driving license and insurance and god-knows-what-else to another country. The European Community is supposed to enhance the free movement of goods, services and people. But there are a number of significant transaction costs involved in trying to become a mobile person and transcend national borders (see Dave's blog to realise how significant these can be).

The last three weeks or so I have been trying to keep this mental ping pong game in the background. Its hard - but the football has helped. I am very lucky that I have a friend with a flat in the city centre who's not there at the moment. The next few months I want to spend more time there without any making major decisions and just see if anything grows.