Today is marks the 30th anniversary of the day I moved to America. I was almost 2 years old and my brother Dave was 6 months old in 1978 when my parents decided to move to the San Francisco Bay Area from Holland. This occasion is an especially important one to my Dutch father who always reminds us each year of why we moved. He said it best in his annual heart-felt email today:

November 8th is again the day to remember that the three of us came to the USA 30 years ago. As long as I am able I will remind you of that because you should not take for granted what this simple move 30 years ago has come to mean in our lives.

I have come to the USA not just to follow your mother home to California but to leave my country and culture. It was too easy for me to have stayed and the adventures to be found in Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA were more of my likings. Open countries with lots of opportunities. Opportunities to make these young countries better, while at the same time creating opportunities to grow and explore yourself.

In countries like to USA the opportunity to make a different is still here. I am sure that you agree or at least I hope you see that the USA, as bad as it may be sometimes, is still the country to be. I hope to have shown through my endeavors that we can make a difference. Making the world a better place, not for ourselves but for all people, this is what the USA needs, people who know that it is great to live and be here. I am glad that we not just came here for your mother, going to her home town, but that we are here to contribute and to be challenged by what this country has to offer. I hope and pray that you will never forget this last sentence because it is not only that we have come to the USA for this opportunity but that GOD placed us on this earth in this time frame to serve Him. Being in the USA only highlights this even more.

Again, happy anniversary and with many more prosperous years to follow.

I am proud to live in America. And even now, with my dual citizenship, I continue to live on this side of the Atlantic. Given the recent political events, I can confidently say I will be happy to continue to work to take advantage of my opportunities here and work hard to make this world a better place. Always. And I hope my father’s words will be an inspiration to you, too.