Dreams of a Decade
BUITENVERWACHTING
Beyond expectations
We’ve ushered in two decades together. This will be our third.
Our first was the Millenium. It was a big deal in UK. Almost everyone we knew was booked up to go to big, over-priced events to welcome in the year 2000.
Remember Y 2 K mania, the rumours that all the computer systems around the world were going to crash at the stroke of midnight? Supermarkets were flooded with customers panic buying supplies, ‘just in case’. Of course nothing happened, people just partied. There was a lot of hype.
We side-stepped it all.
Instead we sat in our damp, rented flat, by our cheap Christmas tree, which was shedding pine needles all over the threadbare carpet. We sipped on supermarket champagne.
And we were happy.
We didn’t know then, what the new year had in store for us. In 2000 we were offered jobs training teachers in Zambia, and we made plans to move to Southern Africa. It changed the course of our life.
One decade on we were working in the Middle East. 2010 was welcomed in Dubai, on the rooftop of our apartment building, at a poolside party with friends and pizza. At midnight we watched the most impressive firework display you could imagine. It was like ‘super stereo’ or ‘pyrotechnics tennis’; multicoloured explosions from both the Burj Al Arab and the Atlantis hotels simultaneously.
Dubai helped to re-affirm what we were thinking. We were not motivated by materialism, not looking for a position in a corporation, not defined by a job. We knew that we didn’t want to be borrowing money for homes and cars, then bigger homes and bigger cars. Our only thoughts at the time were, “how do you we get free sooner?” We had simple, shared goals; live debt free, work for ourselves, keep travelling.
We dared to dream. We worked together to make it all happen. You can too.
In the last decade there have been huge highs and lows. It couldn’t all be wonderful, could it? Life’s not like that. We’ve lost family members and friends and that’s super hard. But we conclude that the lessons learned from loss are these; live life richly, live life now and enjoy every day.
There’s been change. We’ve moved ‘home’ nine times. Five of those moves were international ones. And the experiences shared together and with others in this last decade, have been beyond expectations.
Buitenverwachting
And so another decade has passed. We say farewell to 2019 and we’re ready to embrace 2020. We have almost no plans, which feels weirdly wonderful. After many years of working fixed term contracts, with huge chunks of time mapped out in front of you, we have achieved the freedom to work out what we want to do when. Opportunities may come along. And that’s exciting.
Goals now are simply to continue to find ways to live life richly; learning a language, experiencing new things, spending time with those who matter. We hope for continued health and happiness. Nothing more. Nothing material.
So, before we dine into the decade and toast with this fine Buitenverwachting Maximus, wishing you dear reader a great 2020 and an incredible decade ahead.
What are your dreams for the next decade?
© Maggie M / Mother City Time
@mother_city_time
I was so fortunate to meet you two in this decade! We shared some crazy times in Jakarta, and lived through some crazy health issues, but have thrived in spite of everything–continuing to live and learn! I hope the next decade continues to teach us well and gives us many more opportunities to have fun times together!!
Hi Doug. It was really good to meet you too. We have met so many like minded people, during our time working in international schools. I think we all shared some great experiences there but we’re glad that we left when we did. Each chapter has a shelf life, and new adventures await. Wishing you further adventures, more travel and great experiences in the decade ahead.
Those heady decadent years in Dubai opened many eyes to the uselessness of stuff. We saw all too clearly that money cannot and never will buy happiness. Those princesses in their gilded cages I imagine are still being controlled and kept locked up today. As for the next decade, what will be will be, we hope to have our own little retreat, continue to owe nothing and spend as much of it together as we can. Hopefully seeing more of the friends we have met along the way too. Happy New decade to you both and hope we see you soon.
Hi Amanda. Yes, those decadent days in Dubai were definitely an eye opener. I recall a colleague saying to me in the first few months “you’ve seen through the smoke and mirrors sooner than most”. Of course consumerism is rife everywhere. Maybe we would have reached the same conclusions, wherever we were. Amanda, we connected because we always had fun, but we were clearly thinking along the same lines too; owe nothing, travel, be time rich. You have an exciting new chapter ahead. We will meet. Wishing you great travels and a very happy year.