I worked on my family’s farm all through high school, but when I graduated, it was time for me to go off to a university to get my degree. I was excited about the future I had planned out for myself. I went to study mechanical engineering at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. However, after only a year into my studies, things were becoming increasingly difficult for me. I was getting fre
quent headaches, having trouble staying focused, and falling behind in my classes because of it. I was devastated. What was I going to do with my life without a degree? How could I get my degree with the struggles I was facing? Unsure of the road ahead, I joined the Dutch Military for one year. It was a requirement, back then, that all able-bodied men had to serve at least one year in the military. There, I learned to drive big rigs transporting munitions. Living and working on a farm my whole life, I was accustomed to such large machinery, so I quickly learned the trade. I enjoyed my time in the service, but after the year was up, I was again faced with the question of what I would do next. I had always wanted to travel to America. I thought, “what better time to go on an adventure?” I went off and travelled first to Canada, where I found a seasonal job at a local potato farm. At the end of the season, I bought a car with the money I had saved. Seeking my next excursion, I decided to see the States. I had family down in Florida, so I set off down the east coast, stopping wherever my heart desired along the way. I was having the time of my life and truly venturing farther than ever before. After visiting relatives in Florida, I was eager for my next adventure - so I headed west. My father happened to sit next to somebody on an airplane who told him about a dairy farm in southern California. I went straight there, asked for a job, and was hired as the calf feeder. After working there for a few weeks, my wife, Carolien, and I started dating. As that year was coming to an end, I knew I needed to go back to school. I still wanted to get my degree in engineering, and now it was time to go “home.” Carolien and I continued a long-distance relationship through written letters, but it was difficult to be so far away from each other. As our feelings grew stronger, the distance felt greater. I wanted to be closer to my love, so I moved back across the ocean to be with her. I was soon accepted into the University of California, Berkeley where I received a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Engineering. After several years in the corporate engineering world, I realized my heart wasn’t in it and desired a change; a change that would give me the opportunity to really help people and experience more flexibility for my family. I went into real estate in 2007 and have never looked back. With engineering, I liked what I did, but now I love what I do! There was once a time in my life when my path seemed uncertain; when I didn’t know what I would do next or where life would take me. At times, I was terrified, stressed, and anxious that my plans didn’t work out. But the wonderful life that came from that uncertainty was so much better than one I could’ve planned for myself. As a real estate agent, I love being able to help my clients figure out their next move. Whether you’re a first-time home buyer, an investor, or looking to sell, I am the agent that will do it right with your needs in mind. Buying or selling a home is one of the most important financial decisions one can make in their life, and I am here to help you navigate through every step of it. You can trust me to get you to where you want to be.
