We are in Rotterdam now.
Hello everyone. I'm Naomi.
Currently, we are back at our Rotterdam home, which is also our studio.
The other day, we visited a newly built house. In the Netherlands, it seems that you must pay the full amount in advance when you build a new home. The house will still take two years to finish after payment.
Having said that, "finishing" only refers to exterior work, not the interior.
Most people here seem to prefer DIY and making their own homes. I was surprised that the newly built house we visited had no lighting and some parts were still unpainted.
A contractor does not always show up on the scheduled date. It is common to wait more than two weeks!
When I try to compare Japan to the Netherlands," Japan is great, but isn't it depressing because they always demand perfection?" This feedback impressed me very much.
Freedom is granted here, but it comes with responsibility, for better or for worse.
There is a way of thinking that, for example, if a pickpocket stole your belongings, it was your responsibility!
Instead of saying, "That was wrong", people here would say, "It was my fault that I chose it and didn't speak up. I can always choose something else if I don't like it."
This "cold" yet straightforward way of thinking greatly influences me.
It is entirely up to us whether we start a day with depression and unhappiness, or with joy and laughter! Then why not switch our thinking to consciously choose happiness every single day?
Instead of blaming others or the environment, as of now, I would like to take full responsibility for my own life.

こんにちは。
Naomiです。
現在Rotterdamの自宅兼事務所に居ております。

先日、新築住宅を建てられたばかりのお家に伺いました。
オランダで新築住宅を建てようとすると、全額先払いしたあと2年後に完成だそうです。

完成と言っても外装のみで、内装は未完成。

ほとんどの方がDIY等で自分好みに仕上げていくそうで、私たちがお邪魔した新築住宅も、照明もなければ塗装も一部がまだの状態で驚きました。

工事業者も約束の日程に来ないのは当たり前で、2週間以上待つのは良くある事！との事。

日本との違いをお話しすると、『日本は素晴らしいけど、いつも完璧を求められすぎていて気が滅入るんじゃない？』と言われた事はとても印象的でした。



こちらでは自由が与えられている分、良くも悪くも『自分次第』『自己責任』。

例えばスリにあっても「盗られるあなたが悪い」という考え方だそうで。

「それが悪い」のではなくて「それを選んだ自分のせい。声をあげない自分が悪い。嫌なら他を選べば良い。」という、ドライだけどシンプルな物事の考え方にとても良い影響を受けています。

同じ１日を暗く苦しく過ごすのか、明るく楽しく過ごすのかも自分次第。
どうせ同じ１日なら明るく楽しく、
相手に求めすぎず“全て自己責任”思考でわたし自身、楽しく過ごしたいと思いました。