Why I decided to move back to Europe
2 min read
What North America gave me
For a while, North America was exactly where I needed to be.
Toronto gave me something Europe couldn't at the time. A blank canvas. Less history. Less culture. Fewer rules about how things "should" be.
That absence was power.
It made it easier to move fast, take space, and shape my work on my own terms.
Over the last two years, it helped me build momentum, trust, and leverage through meaningful work.
That chapter worked.
The shift
But leverage has a half-life.
What starts as freedom eventually becomes noise. What once felt open begins to feel thin.
Somewhere along the way, the center moved.
Marriage was part of it. Experience was part of it. Time was part of it.
I didn't lose ambition. I became more precise about where it belongs.
What Europe offers
Europe offers something I no longer want to outsource.
- Everyday beauty. Architecture. Density of taste.
- Museums you can walk into on a Tuesday.
- A culture where standards are felt, not explained.
Even when Lisbon was still a base and Toronto a second home, this was missing. Not occasionally. Structurally.
Why London
I'm choosing London for its speed and its gravity.
- For the quality of work.
- For the proximity to art, exhibitions, and people who sharpen the eye.
- Closer to family. Closer to culture. Closer to the craft.
This isn't about going back.
It's about moving forward into a phase where work, life, and standards converge.
North America gave me leverage. Europe is where I want to compound it.