FROM NEW YORK TO AMSTERDAM

It all started with a little math I did in my head on the train ride to Long Island. I had been a part of corporate "enterprise" America for quite a while and gotten myself in a 90 minute each way reverse commute from Manhattan. The numbers computed as, the time I spent on the train equaled 2 months a year. At that point I felt the rush you would feel when you just passed the state police on the highway while doing over 80. I could have taken that two months to build a startup from scratch, which in my mind is the optimal time needed to build a MVP (minimum viable product) in four two week sprints.

I had read Tim Ferriss' 4 Hour Workweek before and thought it sounded great but but maybe a bit too utopian. This "2 month a year commute" made me pick it up again and I read it once more. This second time it felt more realistic. Really, what was stopping me from picking up and leaving New York and joining the digital nomads who could work from wherever they wanted. Being a software engineer turned product manager, I totally could pull this off.

It was the time around Winter Music Conference in Miami which we go to every year for a dose of electronic music bliss. Coupled with some other events, I had come across an opportunity in Amsterdam with a new startup. They wanted to meet in person and wanted to fly me there. I cut my Miami vacation short and flew to Amsterdam to check it out. It was my first time there and I was quite taken aback by what I saw. I'd heard a lot of good things about Amsterdam but being there really put things in perspective. The bikes, canals, cobblestone sidewalks, trams, boats, smell of freedom and just the general energy on the streets made it very compelling.

When I came back to New York it was an easy decision for me to pick up my things and come to Amsterdam. I had a lot of stuff that I needed to get rid of. I sold my library full of books to Powell Books (http://www.powells.com/sellonline/) and gave away a lot of them to my friends who would get use out of them. Hello Kindle. In true digital nomad fashion, I had to limit my belongings. I decided to fill two suitcases, little more than the 50 things (http://mnmlist.com/50-things/) target digital nomads have, and whatever didn't fit in those had to be donated. I gave all the clothes, shoes etc that didn't fit, to the doorman of my building. He sent them to his brother in Brazil and that made some people happy. Karma points.

It took about 2 weeks to get a work permit and there I was, in the city of cheese. It didn't take too long before I settled in a furnished one bedroom apartment and started my new life.

I've been here for exactly one year now and have enjoyed every minute of being here. There are many things I love about Amsterdam. I love that it's a music city. You have many alternatives to see great bands on any night of the week. I frequent the two top live music venues, Paradiso and Melkweg multiple times a week each. I love that I don't have to spend hours on the road to get to work. Jump on a bike or tram and you're at the office in 5-10 minutes. I love that I don't have to have a car and deal with the stress of driving, parking, traffic and of course deduct all your monthly payments + insurance and spend it on new things. I love that I'm within two hours away from many European countries I never had a chance to visit before. Let's face it, it's a hassle for Americans to come to Europe on a whim. Here, I can make a decision to go to another country a few days before the weekend, jump on a plane or train Friday after work and come back Sunday night. It's cheap and quick. I love that I don't have to cab it for an hour to the airport. Public transportation is so widely used here and it's great. One 5 minute bus, and 20 minute train ride and I'm inside the airport. I love that my friends love to come and visit me here. Just mention Amsterdam and they are booking their flights before you finish your sentence. My couch is almost never empty. I love that I don't have to pay ridiculous rents and pay $13 for vodka on the rocks like I had to do in New York. More concerts and traveling for me. I love the summer festivals. Almost every other weekend there is a festival around here with tens of thousands of people attending. What a great way to enjoy the summer. I love that people are always sitting outside at cafes by the canals watching the boats go by while sipping their coffee/beers and eating bitterballs (it's a Dutch thing that created addiction among many expats). I love that I didn't have to learn the language (even though I would have liked to) as everyone speaks perfect English. You can just start talking in English as if you're in the US and people don't mind. I love the Dutch people who are generally friendly and happy in nature. They exude such a positive vibe. I love that it feels like the national music in Holland is house music. There is nothing like four to the floor beats blasting out of boats passing by on canals, and watching people dance in them. I love my Pathe card I bought for 18 euros a month that allows me to see unlimited movies. I love riding my bike home on canal roads after leaving a club wasted, while watching the sun rise. I love the creative atmosphere where you constantly see cultural events being promoted all the time. I love how people here choose to enjoy life and value experiences rather than slaving away to accumulate things.

I loved living in New York but I'm happier in Amsterdam.

If you're a creator of things, if you like to build stuff, you already know that finding inspiration is one of the most important things to your livelihood. Amsterdam is a great place for you to be, to live, to find your personal white space and to be inspired.

Hit me up on the twitters (@xbora) if you have any questions.

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