Amsterdam with family!

Ahhhh... gosh I needed this break. Being around family, having my own room with a clean comfy bed, having nothing to do each day was just what I needed! Although I still feel a bit tired (which bothers me because I love having energy), I realized how essential this down time was for me before going off to the next country - Israel!


I leave later today and looking forward to my next adventure, but wanted to finally take the time to reflect on these last 3 weeks.


This wasn’t my first time visiting Amsterdam, so I didn’t feel a need to see all the sights and sign up for every activity that presented itself to me. Rather, I came to visit with family and rest up and that is all I did! Well, ok, there was a bit more…

I want to first take some time to talk about the many incredible outdoor markets here in Amsterdam! Right away I felt a huge shift in my perspective. Coming from Asia, I automatically realized how CLEAN these markets were. No flies all over the meats, foods were in glass cases when refrigeration was needed, no one was sitting on the floor with their goods sprawled out! It was an amazing new feeling that I was really able to appreciate the western world and was grateful for this newfound perspective.

With so many great ingredients to choose from, I right away filled up a shopping bag and excitedly found my way into the kitchen. Oh, how fun was it to have a beautiful kitchen to cook in, practice my cooking, and best of all share with my family. I found out during these last 3 weeks that I can cook! I can really cook!! Yay! Goal accomplished. I created delicious meals and couldn’t believe I actually cooked them :) I no longer feel as intimidated using various spices and working with complex recipes. It is absolutely worth the effort as the process is fun, the product very satisfying, the practice of sharing is very fulfilling, and watching others enjoy your food is very rewarding.

So in between cooking, sleeping a lot, taking walks all around town, I also filled my time going to a meditation fair in the park (but left early because it was all in Dutch – go figure), spent time with my friend from Switzerland, Sam, who came to Amsterdam for a visit – we biked through the countryside together, went to the Troponmuseum (was probably the best museum I have ever been to!), drove to Maastricht with my family to hear my cousin give a lecture and to enjoy exploring a new city, and also enjoyed good conversation together. I also got a chance to visit with my friend Mike, who was one of the first people I met, for a nice lunch on a rainy day in Amsterdam. And best of all, I got to enjoy time with one of the cutest little people I know, Ezra, his mom Amy, and my cousin Steven. Spending time with family becomes more and more meaningful the older I get. Overall, I am really grateful for this time.

Along with spending time with family, visiting with friends, and enjoying Amsterdam, during these relaxing 3 weeks I have had the opportunity to really experience the culture shock of now coming back to the Western world. Boy do we have a luxuries in life! How did I ever complain before?!!!

I am finding my perspective shift and finding myself being grateful for so many more small things in life that I was blind to before my trip. It first started at the outdoor markets with the cleanliness, but I took it as far as simple things like appreciating organized roadways, air conditioned stores, weather I can enjoy without sweating all the time, and by far my favorite thing is no longer having masses of people begging for money and food. That just never got easier to witness. Without a doubt we have luxuries in the western world. We have more than we need, we always want more and more, and we too often get so wrapped up in our bubble we are unable to realize how much we really have. Now after experiencing life in some third world countries, I have the privilege of being able to step outside my bubble and appreciate all I have within it. I hope this feeling never fades. I hope this perspective remains as fresh as it is now. The ability to appreciate what we have day in and day out and especially notice the small things in life, I believe, will ultimately provide me with a life filled with happiness and gratitude. Please Elana, don’t ever forget this!

I want to keep on writing, but I have to get going now to catch my plane to Israel.  I hope this next part of my journey will help me to continue to grow, learn, and be inspired! How fortunate am I!

Miss you all very much.

Click on this album below for tons of pictures of Ezra, some of the yummy dishes I cooked, and some fun pics of Amsterdam.