-
Visas approved!
Today, we officially picked up our passports with the visas that will allow us to live in Spain for one year! To say this process has been confusing and anxiety inducing would be an understatement. BUT… we are officially allowed to embark on this adventure. I can’t wait to continue on this journey after enduring quite the side quest of a summer.
-
An Unfortunate Turn of Events
We knew there was a small possibility this could happen. We even joked that this whole move could end up being a very expensive 90-day vacation with no home to return to. We told ourselves that if it happened, we’d figure it out. Unfortunately, it happened. Chris’s business plan—the pathway to our visa—was not approved. We trusted our lawyers, who were very confident it would be approved. We knew we were taking a bit of a gamble…
-
My (almost) Win of the Week
A few days ago, I wanted to make appointments with a pediatrician for each of the boys—just an initial visit to bring their vaccine records and get to know one doctor before we have a real medical issue. To apply for Chris’s visa, we had to purchase private health insurance for our whole family. In the U.S., I know how to compare policies, understand the difference between HMOs and PPOs, and find good pediatricians. Here? I had…
-
Meeting the Neighbors
I am absolutely convinced that we could not have landed in a better community. We have met the most welcoming group of people. On night ONE of arriving here, we were invited to a potluck the following week for a local holiday. Starting on day two, the boys were being invited to play with the other kids. Now that we have been here almost a week, we have watched Spain play a World Cup match in someone’s…
-
Settling in, one errand at a time
One thing I miss right now is simply knowing where to go to find the things I need. I don’t miss Target itself, but I miss knowing what the equivalent is—or whether there even is one. In the U.S., most household basics can be found at Target or Walmart. I don’t need fancy hand towels, but I’d also rather not use the Dollar Tree equivalent. I’m still trying to figure out where that middle ground exists here.…
-
Estamos aqui!
What a whirlwind the past week has been! We had a million things to finish at our house in Colorado. My brother made a stop to pick up our grandfather’s dresser and take it to NM, along with a few other things, including a Harry Potter pot my mom made me years ago that I was sad to leave behind. The boys and I flew to VA, where my mom picked us up and took us to…
-
On Getting Cold Feet Fingers My body gave me an interesting lesson this week. I was grocery shopping, grabbing some items from the refrigerated section, when eight of my fingers lost circulation. I had a difficult time getting my credit card out to pay. I have a little bit of Raynaud’s (an autoimmune thing) so I’m used to a finger or toe losing circulation when I’m out in the cold for too long, or if the temperature…
-
the countdown begins
We are leaving Colorado on June 11th, and the U.S. on June 15th. Sixteen days from now. This last stretch is trying me. Other times we’ve moved, the kids were much younger. They were affected, of course, but this will be their hardest move yet. Chris and I are fielding daily questions and doing our best to share coping techniques, but recently I found myself literally paralyzed on my bedroom floor for a solid thirty minutes. I…
-
This Being Human
I don’t know how to say goodbye to my life here. I am frozen while we wait for our visa to be finalized. It feels like we are waiting for the whistle to blow and signal the start of the game. In the meantime, we are busy, busy, busy on the sidelines—gathering documents, translating health records, and deciding whether to bring, keep, or donate more and more items as each new closet is opened. I wake up…
-
Exciting update: We have a place to live!
We’ve been searching with the help of a relocation specialist in Sant Cugat (the town we’ll be living in—more on that later). She’s been visiting properties for us and sending walkthrough videos. Through her we’ve learned what’s realistic here in terms of size, air conditioning (not always a given), full-size fridges, parking spots, and all the little details. It’s been especially helpful to have guidance from someone who lives there and also immigrated herself not too long…
formerly in the city, in the suburbs, by the lake, and by the mountains
Maggie by the Mediterranean 