Friday, July 16, 2010

Our move

Dear friends and family:

It is with somewhat mixed feelings that we announce our upcoming move to the Netherlands--something many of you already know. We have been talking about this in various forms since before Mom came to the US over eight years ago. But the prospect takes a whole new shape now that the date is unexpectedly coming faster than we anticipated. Furthermore, our lives' circumstances are much different than they were in 2002, to say the least.

The short-term justification is that Dad will return to school, on track to get his Ph.D. in what Americans would call technology or environmental policy. This will initially be as a Fulbright Fellow, at the University of Tilburg.

However, the overwhelming reason to move is for Loki. No matter how we balance other potential advantages and disadvantages, our belief that he will be better off in the Netherlands than in California outweighs everything else.

In the realm of details: we will leave at the end of August, and will live in the city of Nijmegen, where Mom's mother, step-father, and sister are. There are many details to arrange between now and then.

Californians: Ideally, we'd spend quality time with you all before we leave. Realistically, we have little free time after taking care of Loki and going to work, much less after arranging a move. We plan to host a going-away poolside party in our building on the afternoon of Sunday, August 15. We'll send more details later. We hope you can make it.

Nederlanders: Thank you for your patience. We realize that we originally said that we would be back sooner. And thank you for maintaining close ties with us, for so long, while we were so far away. It is reassuring to know that, after traveling thousands of miles, we will be surrounded by familiar faces.

We will miss the US. We will miss California. We will miss the Bay Area. We will miss our friends here. But we are very much looking forward to new experiences and opportunities, and seeing more of our Dutch friends and family.

This is not an easy decision or step, but it certainly is exciting.

Dad has decided to write a public journal of his experience as an American living abroad. This will be at http://jrabroad.wordpress.com/ . Loki's blog has been quite a success. But this will be a different topic, in a different location.

Onward,

Mom, Dad, Loki

2 comments:

Andrei Soroker said...

This actually sounds pretty exciting! Plus the increased bilingualness for Loki, which is cool.

Let us know if you need any help, we have a big truck.

Andrei (A, H, B)
415-290-3979

Unknown said...

Sad to see you go, but I certainly understand. We wish you all the best, and hope our paths cross again. Insterestingly enough, there's a U.S. Coast Guard base in Rotterdam, and I've thought a lot about putting in for the assignment.

About Loki Sky

Loki Sky is a special little man. He was a very early micropreemie, weighing only 610 grams (1 lb, 5 oz) after 24 weeks, 3 days gestation, born to an American Father and a Dutch Mother in Berkeley, California on October 18, 2008.

On January 11, 2009, while still in the hospital NICU, his one kidney stopped working. It was repaired after three surgeries. After spending time in three hospitals in three cities, Loki came home on February 17. He struggled with eating, and then stopped in July, leading to 8 days in the hospital, a failure-to-thrive diagnosis, and a NG feeding tube. On October 10, a minor surgery installed a G feeding tube. Another procedure replaced it with a new one, and then again with a Mic-Key button in Jan. 2010.

In August 2010, he and his parents moved to the Netherlands.

Read about his first name.
Read & hear about his middle name.
See photos.
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