I have traveled in Europe to find the best European city to live

As I was 18 years old, I had lived in four different countries – England, Kuwait, China and the United Arab Emirates.

Stimulated by my desire to live in the same place – and the print of reasonable university costs – I moved to my “country of origin” from the Netherlands, where my parents came from but I had never lived before.

For almost 10 years, I lived there and I ignored the growing feeling of agitation in me. However, I couldn’t say that I was really happy.

Knowing that it was time to change, I decided to start thinking about moving elsewhere.

So, at the end of 2023, I abandoned my apartment, I stored my personal effects in my mother’s basement and I decided to travel the world to find my new house.

I started my trip to Spain

My first stop was Xàbia, Spain, a coastal city where I spent five weeks caress a red laboratory in a superb house overlooking the ocean.

Here, I saw what it would be to live somewhere where I could spend my weekends at the beach or when hiking.

I loved being in a place with an abundance of sun, but ultimately, it didn’t look like the house. So I decided to go to my next destination.

Then I spent two weeks in Belfast

I had never visited Northern Ireland before and I immediately fell in love with the country’s dynamic energy. I loved comedy clubs, comfortable pubs and the story that line the streets.

However, I had the impression that something was missing and I did not find enough variety in the restaurant scene to satisfy my desires. So I continued my research.

I went to Kythira, an island in Greece

Each year, my friends and I have a two -week vacation in a different Greek island.

So when we traveled to Kythira, I was curious to see if it was a place that I would like to call at home.

I imagined spending a year on the sandy beaches with the sun shining on me. After a long day of work, I could even dive into the ocean.

However, after talking to the inhabitants, I learned that the island was quite empty outside the summer season. So, I realized that I would always continue this feeling of summer vacation.

After having trouble finding a place that seemed to me, I decided to go back to the country in which I was born

After several failures, I decided to try England, the place where I was born and lived until the age of three. However, I had only visited a few times in the years.

I spent three weeks in dogsing in a small village in Bedfordshire, north of London. The idyllic campaign signaled to me, with long walks in the forest, Sunday roasts in the same advertisement and evenings spent reading in the garden.

I sucked in this quiet existence, but I recognized that it was not yet time for me to live this type of lifestyle. With my insulating work and my unique status, finding my people in such a small village would be difficult.

So I decided to try two weeks in Cambridge, a city I had heard so much about. I loved working in various cafes, visiting museums on weekends and meeting people my age.

However, Cambridge is a student city in its heart, which did not feel well where I was during this part of my life.

I finally ended up setting up in the perfect city

Finally, I spent a month in London when my sister asked me to look at her Pomsky.

I assumed that the dear, busy and extremely gray city was not for me on the basis of short previous visits. However, during this trip, I could see another side of London.

I loved the big parks that made me forget that I was in a city, the dazzling theatrical scene and the comfortable cafes where I could type without feeling alone.

I had coffee with journalist colleagues that I met online and I recognized a potential community. Because London is a very populated city, I felt like I was the best chance of finding my tribe – something I have been missing for a few years.

After a few months in London, I could not be happier

I have been in London for a few months now and I always feel like I am trying to find my feet. However, I slowly build a community and I even contacted high school friends who found themselves in London after university.

I always visit the same local coffee, where I sit with my laptop and a dirty cellar at least twice a week. I avoid crowded areas like Soho and Liverpool Street and pushes myself to visit a large park every weekend.

Sometimes I feel like Carrie of “Sex and the City” and other times, I feel much less glamorous and much colder.

I did not think that I could be happy in such an occupied and urban setting, but I loved the size of my piece of the city, and I plan to continue doing it.