Looking for some community living in/around Amsterdam but maybe further - Dylan (28, he/they)
Mannen
1
Vrouwen
0
Kinderen
0
Leeftijd
28
Provincie
Noord-Holland
Stad
Amsterdam
Wensen ligging
I currently live and work in Amsterdam, but I'm pretty flexible and if it's a good fit I'm happy to relocate
Wensen pand
Pretty flexible, just some sunlight would be nice
Wensen groep
I'm a big fan of communal cooking and cleaning, doesn't have to balance perfectly, but I think cooking for each other is so much more fun that just cooking for yourself every day.
Beschrijf jezelf
Hey there! I’m Dylan (he/they), I’m 28 almost 29 years old, and I am very interested in joining a woongroep!
I moved to Amsterdam in September 2019 for a job with a renewable energy startup and have been here, and at the job, since. Back then it seemed job could really make a difference and they had some really interesting ideas about doing things differently. Unfortunately, a lot of that failed to materialise, and now we have investors, we are just another green tech company in a system of capital. It has taught me a lot about the compromises that companies make in order to stay afloat (if not for investment we might have gone bankrupt), but it taught me more about how trying to solve the current crises with “ethical” companies is not going to work. Two years ago I went to a talk at the Food Autonomy Festival where the speaker declared “there is no ethical work under capitalism, so try find the least compromising job.” I believe this is one of the least questionable companies in the tech sector. After organising within the company to try achieve change, I’ve switched roles to learn more about batteries and off-grid technology (so I can apply this knowledge beyond my job) and now work just 3.5 days a week, freeing up time to focus on other pursuits. My company is still filled with lovely people from literally all over the world and constantly teaches me about working with people from various backgrounds, so I am grateful for what is brings me and the privilige of working part-time.
Speaking of other pursuits, with the boring bits out the way, now the fun stuff! I have spent the last two years volunteering at the community kitchen De Sering every Tuesday and sometimes a bit extra. I help cook, which is a big love of mine (meaning yes, I would love to cook some slow-cooked dishes for house - lasagna, pies, stews - tell me your favourite!), and also have been involved in the core circle intermittently helping set up De Sering as an association. Non-hierarchical ways of organising is also a big interest of mine and in this vein I have just joined post-office, a co-working space which practices transparency, common conflict resolution, and continuous direct democracy. Some dear friends and I also organised a party last November at De Sering, creating a party with which is also accessible to people who can get overwhelmed by typical club spaces. We set up a participatory art installation, a low-stimuli ambient room/ safe space, and games that facilitated people meeting each other. It was a lovely first event and we got lots of positive feedback from everyone involved and the attendees. In the last 6 months I took a break from music, focusing on my mental health. Now that I am doing a lot better, I am excited to keep going with it, setting up non-hierarchical, inclusive music spaces with the eventual goal of them being owned and ran by something akin to an association.
Outside of De Sering I have also started volunteering at OCCII, a really nice volunteer-run music venue, and recently joined a book club where we meet monthly and alternate between reading queer and Palestinian books. In the last couple of years I have been in therapy, which has been very rewarding, finally working through some old difficulties; the last arc of which was getting diagnosed with ADHD last September. With my ADHD therapy ending in a couple of weeks and my other therapy hours reducing, I am finally making changes in my life I have been striving to do for years. I am reading more, going to more talks, getting involved in more community-centred projects, meeting people, and practicing slowing down. This work has had the additional benefit of improving my communication and conflict resolution skills, which is very useful for these interests. I am also very organised in my life, as, with my ADHD, this was the only way to stay on top of things. I have a very good overview of my finances and came up with quite a comprehensive system of organising the finances in my current household which I (and my housemates) are very happy with. Finally my other big interests are being outdoors – I love cycling, sleeping outside, going on adventures! (My current focus is trying to improve my winter bivvying setup so no matter the season I can get outdoors.) Then also open-source tech alternatives. I run Linux on my laptop, have a de-googled phone, and I’m generally very curious in how we can have less-exploitative more-equal tech. In the last few years I’ve also gotten into building and fixing things, including bike maintenance which I’m pretty good at these days — I even built my current bike! — so I’m more than happy to help around the house and with any bike troubles.
I hope this gives you an idea of who I am, the skills and passions I can bring to this group, and that you’re interested in having me live with you at your woongroep! I love prefiguration (practising alternative forms of living and organising now to prepare for the future) and this seems like a great opportunity to really invest in and practice these useful (crucial) skills, as well as meet some interesting and lovely people along the way. Speak soon, Dylan :)
Contact informatie
You can reach out to for my number if you want a call!