Tag Archives: moving on

Oct8

Filling my new apartment

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Late August, 2024


Now that I have a new apartment… what helps turn it into a home?

Well.

A few things happened to help me settle in. I mean, obviously bedsheets and such were the first order of business – this place did come fully furnished, but that didn’t include things like cookware, linens, books or a computer desk… or even a dresser, as interesting as that is.

I started with plants, though. They’re simple, easy, and make an immediate impact on how “homey” a place feels to me – I went to a spot I’d found on my explorations through the city, a store called “Howbert and Mays”, and picked up a few friends to keep me company:



From there, IKEA.

I rented a van for an afternoon, steeled myself to drive on the wrong side of the road, and made the journey North to the nearest IKEA. I picked up what I could, limiting how overwhelmed I got, and was thankfully able to fill in almost all the cracks that had been missing in the furniture department… and, for something like 20% the price of similar furniture when I’d originally moved to Hood River in Oregon.

Now, granted these pieces are IKEA, and not “fancy bespoke Oregon tomfoolery”, but… you know. Still. Pretty proud of that one.



After IKEA… All that was left was to wait for my shipment of things from the States.

I’d already received all the various packages from the Grand Adventure (Seen below), and those had been arranged as a starting point for the decoration of the apartment… but there was quite a bit still incoming. Things like my computer, my bike, and all the photos that I’d had up on the walls in Wilsonville. All had been carefully packed (by a moving company), and would be carefully delivered (again, moving company) in the closing weeks of August.




Of interesting note, though… after unpacking everything, and getting ready to put up all the various interesting things from Oregon…

I stopped.

I didn’t want to put them up. Neither the rocks I’d collected on hikes, nor the photos I’d printed from my adventures, felt right to put up in a place of clear visibility here.

It was an interesting realization: I’m good. I’ve moved on from Oregon, at least for now, and those memories have settled into their well deserved, and dearly earned, rest. I repackaged them, and put them into one of the storage areas of the new apartment. I thanked them for their help, through the years in Wilsonville, and wished them well on their continued slumber… at least until the time when I’m ready to revisit that portion of my life again.

For now, though, I’m happy in my new world. I’m strong in Dublin, and empowered with the memories of my adventure through Europe. I’ll never forget, nor lose, the memories of Oregon… but it’s time to make some new memories on a new continent.

May12

The process of leaving – Part 9

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April, 2024

Closing out the store is almost like a ritual. Shut off the lights, shut down the equipment, sweep the floors and clean the counters, and lock the doors.

Closing out my apartment was a bit less of a ritual, but it felt a bit more somber.


I took it slow and steady, as I’ve done with pretty much everything else in preparation for this trip. I packed my things. I cleaned as I went. The international movers came, and took my most important things with them. My friend and I rented a uHaul, and took everything that I was going to sell out from the apartment. I brought the remaining middle-ground things to the storage unit. Lastly, the disposal folks came by and we threw out everything remaining.

I went through each utility, line by line. I called, cancelled, and told them that I was moving internationally and wouldn’t be able to transfer service. It went smoothly, and kept me busy enough that (for the most part) I was able to focus on the tasks at hand.

It was emotional in between the tasks.

I’ve mentioned, but seeing my home turn into a generic apartment was really tough on me. The photos coming down was the hardest part, and lasted the longest, but that didn’t mean the rest were any easier. I rode the emotions as best I could, keeping my to-do list in mind and making sure to grind through it as best I could… while liberally reaching out to friends and family when I started to sink into deep sadness.

Friends and family helped a lot – when going through emotionally tumultuous times, I absolutely reach out to the life rafts around me.

What else to say about this?

I cancelled the utilities one by one. I worked with the apartment management company to ensure everything went smoothly, thanking everyone profusely for the amazing home they’d helped me maintain for these 3 years and 11 months. I was friendly and grateful, and in turn they helped me make sure everything went smoothly… and even helped me ensure I didn’t get caught in a few common traps that they knew people oft-times would.

I’m sure I missed one or two things, but I’m cautiously optimistic that they won’t be too challenging to fix on the road. Time will tell, but I can cleanly say that I felt a strong wave of closure and loss when I locked that door and gave away the key for the last time… but that sadness was strongly flavored with optimism and hope for the next grand adventure.

May8

The process of leaving – Part 8

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April, 2024

I’ve made comments on the emotions of leaving – how sad I am to be walking away from an amazing life that I’d built in Oregon, and how hard it is to un-anchor myself and float free on the tides of this emotional rollercoaster we call life.

It’s been hard for me, taking the steps to move on, but I would be remiss is I didn’t mention the upcoming mental hurdles that I expect to face… getting on the road is a huge step, but it’s not the end of the story by a long shot.

Years and years back, when I left Massachusetts for Venezuela and the New Zealand, I was giving a great piece of advice by a fellow adventurer, “You’ll get homesick sometime in the first few weeks. It’ll hit you like a ton of bricks, and will break you if you let it. Prepare for it – Have some memorabilia from home, find a way to watch some cartoon, and stay inside for a day. Let the emotions wash over you and pass through you, and you’ll be fine.”


In preparation for that, I have some options that I’ve packed and prepared.


I’ve brought some snacks along for the ride – coffee, snacks, that sort of thing. Keep me fed, keep me happy, even if I can’t get access to the infinite cafes that I’m sure I’ll find.

I’ve uploaded some movies and shows for myself – Adventure Time has been my stalwart companion throughout all my adventures, and I’ve finally found a complete box set. I uploaded it to my laptop, and I’m ready to go.

I have my music – I’ve confirmed that Spotify works abroad, and even if it doesn’t I’ve got some various songs downloaded just in case. I have two pairs of headphones (one big, one small) so I can keep the tunes coming.

I’ve some some workout gear, so I can keep myself moving even when I’m not walking all around a European city. I’ll be away from the heavy weights that I’ve been focusing on for the last few years, so this will be a great chance to keep the muscles fit while embracing a lifestyle away from a desk of a set of weight plates.

Lastly, I have a stuffed puppy. A beanie baby that Bri gave me as a gift when I had my wisdom teeth removed.