I spent decades building a life in the Netherlands. In my late 40s, I sold my house and moved to a tiny French village.

Detailed summary

I spent nearly three decades building a life in the Netherlands, but I always dreamed of moving to France. Finally, my husband and I took the leap.

I was raised in New Jersey, but moved to the Netherlands in October 1997 to start a new life with the man who would eventually become my husband. I was 19 and, aside from my family and education, there wasn't much tying me down to the US. I was young, free, and fearless. Reality hit hard during those first months, though: Even the rosy glow of love couldn't have prepared me for the culture shock and loneliness. I wondered how I would ever learn the language, get an education, find a job, and feel at home. Undeterred, I immediately began learning Dutch. By the following May, I was studying journalism at a local university.

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