Photo from Monty Taylor’s Project Amsterdam Snow.

Soon Kahlil, soon. After 3 months the struggle is over. I have finally chanced upon an incredible apartment, and chance has been most kind. I will be living in a corner of the world I considered impossible. A wonderland of old Amsterdam, canals and cafe’s, lying between the Jordaan and the Grachtengordel (the canal ring). Wars have been fought for less.

I’m bursting with happiness and the anticipation of the months ahead of writing and reflecting, learning and living in this place and time. “Not an anchor, but a mast”.

Take a walk around my place, or what will be as of this Wednesday.

In Alexandria the value of a cafe was measured in the number of flamingos in residence, in Amsterdam it’s all about the number of bridges. Brothers and sisters, its Grachten time.

Unspeakable thanks go out to Reuben, Ilona, Emily, Amelia and any other people and forces who conspired to make this possible.

“And though of magnificence and splendor, your house shall not hold your secret nor shelter your longing. For that which is boundless in you abides in the mansion of the sky, whose door is the morning mist, and whose windows are the songs and the silences of night.”

“Out of the debt of the most wild, the most poor
Came a just arm struggle for democracy, justice, and liberty”

Some interpret these words as a rallying call against the incumbent Partido Revolucionario Institucional by the modern Zapatista’s of southern Mexico and a promise of sweeping agrarian and social reform. And without undermining or devaluing what are the very real currents of systemic change in Mesoamerica, it is clear that Zack de la Rocha’s words actually refer to my struggle: the struggle to find housing in central Amsterdam.

Amsterdam; 742,951 inhabitants lining the banks of the IJ bay and the Amstel River. The focal point of the 17th century Golden Age of the Netherlands. One of the largest historic city centres in Europe, a modern day “Bohemia” of culture, diversity and individuality. Living there on a trainee salary? Almost impossible.

But it tempts you. Tempts you with the rare Kamer (room) in een luxe appartement in het centrum (in a nice apartment in the centre), not too mention the gezellige huisgenoten. You chance upon such a pearl, send the notifications, call the landlords.. and in for a few brief hours you dream, what if it should be the One? What if I should number part of the select few who call this Centrum home?

And then you find out that the room has a ladder in it to a dutch student who is trying to use his corridor (your room) to subsidize his rent, or the landlord wants a thousand euro in cash then and there for a tiny closet at the back of her shop and off the bat refuses to put anything in writing.

Dreams are dashed upon the very cobblestones that line this sellers market, but once again I have lit the candle of hope. Once again I drift away for a few hours believing that tonight, it will be the One. For at least 50 more minutes I shall believe that tonight I shall find my place in the sun.

“Satellites and, pair of mirrors and, and a man without a home”
- Zack de la Roch, RATM