Why I want to write this blog.

I thought it was important for me to write this blog not only for myself and my family and friends but for anyone out there who has either been in the same situation as me, wants to travel or move to another country.  One of the most frustrating conversations I have with people when I am upset or complaining about something is when they say to me “Ya but you live in Spain so your life is awesome”.  It makes me think my feelings are not important and it hurts because they do not know what it is like for me being here.

I can understand how me moving here is exciting for people and they just want me to have a good time, enjoy myself and the experience, of course, but what they sometimes fail to realize is this is not a vacation.  Every day is not going to be an adventure while I’m here and there will be bad days and things I hate and that’s ok.  This is my life and as much as I would love for everything to be sunshine and rainbows all the time that is not reality.   I would like for people to have a better understanding of my day to experience not just photos from our outings. 

Many of the people I know who have been to Spain have been here on vacation and when that is the case it is amazing and beautiful and they wish they never had to leave! And it absolutely is however a vacation is not every day life.  I am not always on a beach drinking sangria.  In fact I couldn't be further from the beach!  I am not in a vacationers paradise.  I live in a city in the most boring area of the country.  I have to pay bills, do my banking, buy groceries, and just deal with average every day stuff (like the toilet breaking and poor Ross having to fix it again and again and again) that everyone has to deal with. I’m just doing it in a different place than I used to.  It seems that people hear you are moving to Europe and they think it is some magical romantic fairy tale and, to be honest,  I thought it might be that way too, but it turns out this is just a place like any other place.  

I am grateful for this experience, the good and the bad.  It is helping me to grow and become a better person.  It is showing me things about the world I have never experienced before and I am learning about new cultures and ways of life.  It’s wonderful and I wouldn't trade it back, but that does not make it my favourite place or my ideal home.  I couldn't know these things without this journey.  The grass is always greener no matter what side we are on, and sometimes we need a little perspective to understand how good we really have it. 

There are some absolutely amazing things here; Things I would never have seen in Canada.  This is an interesting country and I have met some great people.  I have had perfect beautiful days and days I have spent crying and wishing I was at home.  This is all part of life and experience and no matter what it is good and I am so incredibly thankful to be here.   Do I want to live my life here? No. In the end Canada is my home and eventually that is where I want to settle and have a family but for now I want to keep travelling, keep exploring and learning about the world and myself.