Kieran Mulvaney

Twenty years ago, almost to the day, I moved to this city. I lived here from 1989 to 1994, when I worked for Greenpeace International, and then I left for the United States, where I have lived since. For the next month or so, I'm again living in Amsterdam, again working for Greenpeace International; on Sunday, jet-lagged and weary, I wandered around the center of town, re-acquainting myself with old haunts, reminding myself of the many times I had walked various streets, sat in different restaurants and bars, shopped in assorted stores. I'll admit, I had forgotten what a great city this is, how easy it is to get into the swing of things, how livable and enjoyable it is. I hadn't been particularly looking forward to being here; at times, I've found myself wondering how I ever left.