In Dan Franch’s last column for Wort.lu/en, he talks about the new life awaiting him abroad and how it will be hard to top little old Luxembourg.
“As the time draws nigh,” wrote Whitman. And indeed it does for my sons and I.
Things are quickly wrapping up here in the lovely land of Luxembourg. Both boys have finished school and now there’s just one more week till we fly away.
We’ve been counting the days for quite some time, and all that remains is the packing… always the packing.
I never find that part stressful, but apparently a lot of people do. Really, what’s there to it? Put everything in boxes, load them all up, and ship them out.
Sure it helps that I’m a minimalist, and it also help that I’ve moved a few times. But still. What’s the hassle? If it doesn’t fit into the car or into a suitcase for each person, then you probably don’t need it.
And if you’re hauling furniture, movers will most likely be involved. Just call ’em up and have ’em come. Come to think of it, in many ways moving is like Christmas. You make your list; you check it twice. Wrap things up and a few days later they’re taken away.
Some time after that, they and you arrive in a new place where you tear them open and put them in a proper place. And just like that, in a week or so, you’ve settled in and life resumes anew with all the hope and promise of a new year.
But these moves are never to some place worse nor even to some place better. Quite frankly, it would be difficult to get much better than the Grand Duchy.
And perhaps that’s why I get itchy feet to go. I don’t want to get too comfortable here. Last time it was for two years. This time I intend for it to be nine.
During that time, I’ll be there and sometimes here. After all, we’ve still got our house here (in Luxembourg) and my wife still has her job.
So, we’re not really leaving Luxembourg for good. Nonetheless, at the end of the month the boys and I “shall go forth” to quote Whitman once again.
But we’ll be back at least one more time before Christmas. And again and again after that.