Henk's journey thru life

Where are you and where are you going?
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rube
Posts: 883
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:54 pm
Location: Europe (NL)

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by rube »

lol, I am not sure how many people here get the full picture, but for the (Dutch) insiders it is a funny one!

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

It was not a good game of the Dutch, but lucky in the end ...
Anyway, back to reality, also in my life, still preparing for the move to the new Country. I have now created a fixed deadline for ER, end of 2015, so still 1.5 years to go. For this period, I have made the following plans:
(a) Optimize my Financials for the ER period
(b) Prepare for "homebase" during ER (most likely outside Europe)
(c) Increase my fitness and lose weight (10 kilos) --> every week in the gym or other sports
(d) Cook more often, and learn to cook new meals (more healthy)
(e) Focus on positive parts of life, like every 4 Months "a mini-retirement", like a week's trip to a nice destination

Of course, this is all besides the "normal" activities in a new Country, like creating social network, etc..

rube
Posts: 883
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:54 pm
Location: Europe (NL)

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by rube »

Sounds all good Henk! I am pretty sure you will be well prepared at the end of 2015 and meanwhile being able to enjoy life.

sky
Posts: 1726
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 2:20 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by sky »

Henk ... come to America ... you know it is right for you... from one immigrant to another

DutchGirl
Posts: 1646
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:49 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by DutchGirl »

Sounds good, Henk. I think for the both of you having this 1.5 years to prepare for a change in your lives is a good thing. (Also that it isn't too far into the future, so that you really need to get going with those goals...).

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Thanks all, and @sky, I already have lived in America (if you mean USA), basically I have done all regions, so this last 1.5 years is just for the icing on the cake !

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Hi all, not sure if you can help or have suggestions, but I have this idea in the back of my mind to go on "expeditions" when I hit ER in 1-2 years time. It is this drive for adventure, and at the same time an exciting goal, to work with a team to reach something unique, and for which the road to reach the goal is already half the fun. It is not easy to describe but some ideas that come to mind are:
(a) Explore something in nature (either at sea, or at land) -- and make a movie from it
(b) Create a non-profit solar-based Energy company for a big community
(c) Excavation -- something historical

Basically anything that is exciting to do, with a group of people, and that might deliver something unique. It has to be a challenge, so requires preparation, planning, sponsoring, etc..

I have no idea where to start, but this is something that I would love to find.

Any ideas that come to your mind, like a starting point for the search?

cheers Henk

DutchGirl
Posts: 1646
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:49 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by DutchGirl »

Hi Hank,

You can find a few starting solar companies and other environment-friendly projects through kiva, maybe it helps to be able to ask them about challenges / pitfalls? For example: Sistema Biobolsa and Solar Sister .

Local wind energy initiatives in the Netherlands are collaborating through ODE.

Then the ASN bank is currently finding environment-friendly projects in a competition (note: also some other kinds of projects). Perhaps there also some projects will be mentioned that you like, so that you could copy them or join them. (Some currently presented there are quite lame, by the way). I also think ASN bank might be interested in talking to you when you are developing your own plan later on.

I don't know anything about excavations...

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Thanks DutchGirl, already more hints that I would have wished for :-)

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Arrived in the new Country... busy with getting settled, and already busy with work... In the meantime, financially speaking, things look a bit too rosy, every Month, net Worth is growing with 20k Euro, okay, including Salary (minus living), and the majority of the 20k coming from investments, but how long will this go on ... it feels like end of 90's, when everyone thought, it only goes up .. the new Economy ... You know that the correction will come, you almost feel it, but it is strange, in your mind you like to suppress it, because it all feels like a drug ... till the morning-after ....

DutchGirl
Posts: 1646
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:49 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by DutchGirl »

You should have an asset allocation that you're comfortable with, Henk, and rebalance now and then. Mine is 50% bonds, 50% stocks. Currently it's really at 49% bonds and 51% stocks, so I'll just let it ride for a while longer. If yours is 'off-balance', it's time to do a rebalance...

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Stepping out of the real world: Some moments/feedback when discussing ERE and the Transformations that are ongoing in the world:

Problem I face in the "real world" is that people do not really like to hear about these topics, including my wife, especially if you discuss transforming events like "peak-oil". "climate change" or the "growing Debt burden", etc.... My wife said "stop with these negative documentaries and books". She is a bright and intelligent lady but she does not want to look too much in the future, she says "we only have NOW and we should make the best of it, you cannot predict future and I cannot live with all these negative views" (side-note: she is happy how I control our financials, as long as I do not talk too much about it). And she is not alone in this, actually the majority of people do not want to hear this (when I try to discuss), and even if they understand, then they think "we trust on human capability to come with solutions", so they do not want to bother with it. To give a recent example: "a friend of mine bought with her hard-earned money, the latest and greatest SUV, and I told her that this is a consumer mentality and she could have done better with her money, and she was heart-broken, she told me that I was negative while she worked hard to reach this moment of joy". Anyway .... So it seems, it has to become much worse, for people willing to face it and change.

I have become now more careful discussing these topics, only sometimes and trying to be really positive about it ... but partially I have given up, people just want some small happiness everyday, and are not interested in the bigger topics that are controlling them...

I think that the ERE forum and related forums elsewhere will remain relative small until a real crash happens that impact more people (beyond the 2008-2009 crash, and not only related to money)

Alright, now back to the real world again :-)

McTrex
Posts: 180
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2010 9:35 am
Location: NL

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by McTrex »

Hank,

Sound like you're describing my wife :) Also very intelligent, but for example when I try to get her to reduce car use for shopping she says she feels I'm locking her up in the house :(

I want nothing more than for her to see what I'm seeing and to collaborate as a team, but I'm pushing too much, which only creates resentment. Very difficult to deal with and hold back from talking about these issues all the time.

McTrex

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

@McTrex: thanks for sharing the pain :-) Basically, the direct social environment forces you to shut up because the majority is focusing on the little pleasures (or pains) of every day, nobody cares about the real underlying issues (even if this drives the lives of them). I am not saying anything bad about this, for many it is just a matter of survival, and it is not easy to face the real issues, it might be depressive, so better to "dance on the volcano"! I see actually similarities with religious people, they also do not want to see realities, but rather believe in a nice old story of hell and heaven, so much easier, makes life more simple. Anyway, hope nobody feels offended, that was not the intention.

DutchGirl
Posts: 1646
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:49 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by DutchGirl »

I'm very aware of all the things that could go wrong in the future. I also base decisions on it (for example, eating vegetarian, traveling by public transport, banking at an ethical bank, funding solar and wind electricity).

At the same time, I'm not discussing these things every second of every day. I'm also not contemplating them every second of every day. It's not a nice subject to dwell on. It'll just depress you and make you neglect to enjoy the good things that you have right here right now.

My dad's a hypochondriac and my mother is an everything-chondriac. She especially can tell you about every possible thing you could ever try what the dire consequences could be. (Example: me, 10 years ago: "I'm moving to England for a few months to do a placement!" She: "Good for you. Here, here's 500 pounds I took out of the bank for you in case you need to come back suddenly because something happened to me or to your dad. We are only 55 and we are healthy, but you never know what can happen."). It takes some training to be able to have a conversation with them without talking about the gloom and doom stuff too much.

So I'm with your wife on this one...

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Hi Dutchgirl, thanks for the nice story, I had some laughs of recognition, it is a bit grained in the DNA of Dutch people to be overly concerned (of course not everyone). Luckily I do not have these moods about world issues everyday (and the urge to research it), it only happens once in a while (if I need to guess, like 3-4 times a year), and when I have satisfied the hunger for more info on it, I put it away and focus on daily life. I am actually happy that my wife is helping me even more to enjoy the "now".
Looks like you have found a good balance in this !

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Dark days: 154 Dutch dead in MH17 flight, of course, it is bad for all 295 dead persons and I feel sorry for their family and friends. I truly hope this will not further escalate into a broader war, but I am afraid that Russia knows more about this ...

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Keeping my goals updated:

(a) Optimize my Financials for the ER period
* July: after long research, moved part of my Cash to a low-cost balanced fund in Netherlands, focused on wealth protection and long-term target of 6% annually in results
(b) Prepare for "homebase" during ER (most likely outside Europe)
* July: exploring options for permanent base in Turkey
(c) Increase my fitness and lose weight (10 kilos) --> every week in the gym or other sports
* July: started with 3 times Gym per week / 550 calories per action
(d) Cook more often, and learn to cook new meals (more healthy)
* July: not yet started
(e) Focus on positive parts of life, like every 4 Months "a mini-retirement", like a week's trip to a nice destina
* planning for 1st trip (expecting in 2 months max to travel)

Hankaroundtheworld
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:50 am

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by Hankaroundtheworld »

Hi everyone!
Lots of travel lately, hectic, but regarding ER(M), also progress. We have been thinking a lot on how ER(M) might look like for us by end of next year (current deadline), and we like to combine this with more self-organized lifestyle, meaning, growing your own food, producing your own energy, having animals like chicken (for eggs) and goats, making your own spirits, etc... Sooooo, we have stopped thinking of using Turkey as homebase, but we are now going to check Portugal and Hungary for buying a small farm and enough land. Especially in Hungary, you can do this for around 30k-40k Euro, for that you get a renovated Farm-house with up to 1 Ha of land!! Take into account that this country is already cheap in living costs, you can drop your Monthly spending to below 1000 Euro, "Jacob" level :-) We are excited with this new idea and a (more active) lifestyle. And if you want culture, meeting people and going out, Hungary has many nice cities, including of course Budapest. Of course, traveling remains part of the ER(M) lifestyle as well, but in this way, we feel we found an active lifestyle, we can learn a lot from it (be less depended on society, broaden your skills), and it is relative cheap to buy yourself into it. Actually, if you learn how to renovate a house, you can already get a farm with 1 Ha of land for 14k Euro in Hungary !!

We will be soon visiting this Hungary Country and also compare with Portugal.

Positive progress to ER(M)

rube
Posts: 883
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:54 pm
Location: Europe (NL)

Re: Henk's journey thru life

Post by rube »

I am actually reading this right now while in Budapest! the city is great and I think the country is (from just a short experience) well suitable for ERE. But be aware that there is a big difference in the rural areas and the larger cities. However, I know you have traveled a lot and considered Turkey, so I am pretty sure Hungary could be a good place for the ER(M).

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