In the ten years since arriving to the United States, many people have asked why I moved here. Most times it’s a question of genuine curiosity — to hear how someone from a place such as the Netherlands came to choose migration to the U.S.. More so recently, the question often comes with a raised eyebrow, as if to say, “What are you, an idiot?”, reflective of the person‘s own feelings about current issues this country faces. My standard response over the years has become — and still is — that I love it here. And that no place is perfect. 

Avoiding specifics on politics or socioeconomic issues, I emphasize that I derive deep happiness from spending time alone in nature and pitching a tent. I cannot specifically say when this need for being alone in vast wilderness arose, but it’s been with me for as long as I can remember. I pestered my father to go wild camping when I was about eight. He promised that we would go when I was ten, perhaps hoping that I might forget. But the day of my tenth birthday I began to remind him of his promise. I came to understand that what I considered to be ‘wild camping’ was hardly available in a place as densely populated and industrially developed as the Netherlands. But dad found some sort of summer camp where we canoed to a floating A-frame shelter to spend the night in quiet wetlands. My best memory is of how hard we laughed when brushing our teeth, something I hadn’t seen him do at home.

As I grew older, I wasn’t sure how to chase this dream of wild camping, and simply began poking around different places in the world as soon as I finished high school. It’s been 28 years since I went wild camping with my father, and I have visited more than 50 countries in the meantime. 

So my emphasis when I answer the query into the reasons behind my migrating across the ocean instead of staying at home or picking any of the other 50+ countries, is that I freaking love wild camping.

The North American continent offers enormous areas of stunning natural beauty that have seen little human impact. Crowded with wildlife, vulnerable to natural events such as wildfires, floods, hurricanes. Places where the weather is your primary concern, followed by terrain, and then wildlife.

Both the U.S. and Canada possess a vast network of campgrounds on forest service land, national parks, provincial or state parks, and wildlife refuges that serve as jump board to explore mountains, forest, lakes, rivers, and designated wilderness. All of this is supported with a network of maintained trails, backcountry campgrounds, and outhouses. Their standardized fee system and absolute reliability make it easy to plan and feel comfortable. I have even come to enjoy the standardized rest stops along highways.

I’ve made a point to explain that none of the countries I have been to has anything remotely like this. Campgrounds are often private. National parks and forests are small, and in developing countries there is a lack of camping options. Additionally, public lands are mostly inaccessible because there are no funds to maintain trails and few people would use them. In developing countries, priorities are different and walking around the woods with a fancy backpack is low on the list. And, crucially to me, North American public lands are comparatively safe to explore for a woman alone.

So please remember when you feel disheartened or hyper-focussed on all that you consider to be negative elements to your country, that there are many, many reasons to love this place we call home. And when you ponder on the things you think are worth improving, try to imagine the slice of pie that issue truly takes up in your life. Remember to give a fair share of your emotional energy to the ‘good’ part of the pie.

And when you’re out there, try to talk to the camper next to you and find your common ground. You’re already doing the same thing in the same place. I don’t claim to be the best at this lately, but I’ve been reminding myself of the importance a healthier distribution of my brain cells. I continue to enjoy the great outdoors because it makes me very happy, and that is something I can still control.