Homeleave: the usual round

Every 2-3 years we take home leave, which is mandatory time off between overseas assignments. They typically last 4-6 weeks and require a lot of planning. Home leave is exhausting and expensive, but it’s also a great opportunity to catch up with friends and family in the United States. We have a lot of those—mostly in the northwest.

So, every time we have a big break between tours we spend a few weeks in Idaho (Boise, Idaho City), Oregon (Wallowa County), and California (San Jose, Livermore, Lake Tahoe).

I feel incredibly lucky that my husband’s family lives in such a beautiful part of the country and that they chose to spread out just far enough to give us a variety of experiences, yet not so far that we have to traverse the entire country to see everyone. We typically fly into Boise and drive to Oregon, and then either drive or fly to California based on how much time we have.

I’ve done this “circuit” nine times by now and I have to say, I love it a little bit more each time. In 2009, I went on my first US reconnaissance tour (stops also included Miami, Vegas and New Orleans). I went again in 2011 (to get married), 2013 (pregnant and just returned from a year in Pakistan), 2014 (to my Dutch mom around), 2016, 2021 (a very COVID Christmas), 2022 (big road trip that included Montana), 2023, and 2025 (we bought a house in Joseph!).

Idaho—the booming red state

Boise is our family’s gathering point because of critical mass. Also, my sister in law has a thriving chiropractor business there and an ever expanding empire of properties, which includes a giant cabin in the woods near Idaho city. Campfires, hot tubs, four wheelers—we do all the good Americana stuff. This time we even drove up 6+ hours to Coeur d’Alene, to visit Silverwood theme park, the beautiful waterfront, and the pine-forested mountains.

Idaho can be a little intimidating at first. It’s huge and feels like a different universe from the coastal, big-city life we’re used to. Politics are decidedly red—don’t touch my property or tell me what to do. But Boise itself is becoming more diverse and dynamic. Americans flock to Boise because you can live there comfortably and never get bored. My sister in law, who is in a same sex marriage, has a wide circle of friends and is living her best life there. There’s always something new and fun to do, and there is always the rugged outdoors.

Oregon—nature and brewery paradise

The state I personally call home—and I finally own a gorgeous house there now—is Oregon. The first time I set eyes on Wallowa Lake, and drove around the adorable towns Joseph and Enterprise, I couldn’t believe the place was even real. The mountains, the fields, its like a postcard. Or a setting for a TV show like Northern Exposure or Twin Peaks. The nature is majestic yet friendly and accessible. It changed me. Now, my favorite thing in the world is to hike up to a mountain lake and celebrate the 40,000 steps I took afterwards with a craft beer.

Oregon is a big state, of course, so I can’t speak for all of it. There are dull, desert-y parts as well. I have mixed feelings about Portland and The Dalles, with their many social issues (particularly drug use and homelessness). But I really love the bohemian vibes of Portland and Bend—the atmosphere feels unique yet familiar given that I grew up in a liberal, extremely health-conscious commune in the Netherlands.

California—Silicon Valley meets wine country

And then there is welcoming North California. I have friends and family around the Bay Area, where you can be whoever you want to be. You don’t have to wear a flannel to fit in or drive a big truck. I love that I can set the girly, beachy side of myself free here. I’ve spent most of my time in San Jose, where the sushi and tacos are unbelievably fresh and the people are nice and sophisticated in a modern, carefree way. I also have a friend with a resort in Livermore’s wine country where we’re always welcome. The area is a chill, kids paradise we’ll never get tired of, especially when the wine keeps flowing!

When we stay in San Jose we often make the trip to Santa Cruz to play spike ball on the beach and gaze at the ocean. It’s lovely, but ultimately I’m more of a lake girl. So imagine my joy when we started to receive regular invitations to a luxurious cabin at Lake Tahoe, boat and tubing included! There is nothing more relaxing to me than that. Though my tubing days might be coming to an end…I heard my joints crack several times when I got thrown around along with my 15-year old step-nephew (who was probably the target of the wild driving) and felt once again lucky that I have a renowned chiropractor in my family…

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Wallowa Lake