Bumming Across Europe
what I'm doing with my life
Well, here I am in Switzerland.
How did I get here? By following a connection—a spark of human interest.
That’s the only way things happen in this world, isn’t it?
Earlier this month, I was in the Netherlands. I had family visiting.
I was also setting up a new legal presence: starting a business, visiting Dutch immigration, and registering with the municipality.
Now I have a residency permit that allows me to stay in Europe for two full years.1
The Netherlands also holds a spark, another seed of human interest—as does Belgium, Austria, and Germany.
What am I doing with my life? It seems to be this: nurturing relationships of all kinds. Friendships, romances, creative, professional. I am migrating from one excellent conversation to another, from one sparkling eye to the next.
Partner dance communities are essential to this journey. They’re filled with curious minds who are eager to connect, all of whom are high on openness to experience: the personality trait I value most.
Last month I tried some unfamiliar and intimidating dances: salsa, balfolk, contact improv, and ecstatic dance. It was refreshing to leave the warm bubble of competency and become a beginner again, nameless among a sea of strangers, struggling quietly to fit in.
I continue to pay little or no rent. Food and transport are my biggest expenses—and they are not that big.
Am I a parasite? I don’t believe so. Could society work if everyone did what I do? Of course not. Nor do I consider that a useful critique.
I operate within the cracks and edges of the world we have created. I look for unused spaces and untapped resources. I make trades and exploit my strengths, above-board, with full consent. No tricking, duping, cajoling, or manipulating.
If you want me to come visit you, share my stories, ask questions about your life, and make you tacos—I will do that. I’ll probably clean your kitchen, too.
Otherwise, I’ll find my own way.
I continue writing, publicly and secretly. I continue reading, near-constantly. I continue biking, hiking, running, and devouring obscene quantities of cookies and chocolate and ice cream. I continue fumbling toward economic security and purpose and belonging, year after year, without much of a plan.
Now, I will go swim in a river.
Tschüssi!
What an inspiring journey you are on Blake! I love that a most highly valued character trait for you is openness to exploration. First of all it's fun to witness your experience, and especially amazing to watch you really LIVE that value. You've certainly inspired me on my journey, I am just back from a 10 day book tour and exploration up and down the East Coast of the United States from Massachusetts to Washington DC and back. There is something truly joyful in getting out of my bubble, and being open to the exploration and the experience has been essential. I couldn't have any expectations about what I would find – instead the fun has been in being open to the present moment. I'm excited to see and hear about where you go next! Cheers friend.
Come visit and make tacos! Glad you'll be able to stay for the next two years full time in Europe, sad it means I may not see you in person for quite a while!