"On paper, it looked like a step up. In reality, it was the first sign that the way I was structuring my life no longer fit. I helped lead the company's move - setting up the office, hiring staff, and building operations from scratch. Malta had what I thought I wanted: sun, ocean, and easy access to the outdoors. Socially, something was missing."
"Nine months in, I quit. There was no dramatic blow-up - just a steady realization that the life I was building wasn't right. Soon after, I went to Cape Town for a university reunion. There, I slipped into a different rhythm: sunrise beach runs, surfing, padel at night, and constant social energy. When the trip ended, my friends went back to their jobs. I didn't."
In 2023 Hidde van Vliet relocated with his logistics firm from Amsterdam to Malta and became general manager. He led the office setup, hiring, and operations but felt the life he was building no longer fit. Socially he kept flying back to Amsterdam and quit after nine months. He traveled to Cape Town, adopted an active outdoor rhythm, extended his stay, and encountered digital nomads whose days blended work, wellness, and connection. The nomad lifestyle revealed that a traditional corporate path would not deliver the life he wanted. Back in Amsterdam he freelanced to rebuild savings as his friend Joost also left his job.
Read at Business Insider
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