I will miss Peacocks in Campo Grande
As I knew it would, the inevitable has happened,
we have reached the final few days of our life here in Valladolid. As the day of departure grows nearer I am
filled with a mix of emotions. I find
myself smiling and full of excitement about seeing my family but also crying
and sad that this journey is over. There
are moments of trepidation and anxiety because this door is closing behind us and
thrusting us into a world of unknowns and insecurities. However, the emotion that stands out most is
a feeling of gratitude and appreciation for having had such a wonderful
opportunity.
This was my first time overseas and of course I
need to do everything to the extreme so I didn’t just come for a visit but instead
sold everything we owned and moved here. When we got off the plane in Madrid I was
exhilarated and full of wonder.
Everything was new with endless possibility. Then our taxi driver left us on the side of
the street in front of a locked hostel door (I questioned whether it even was a
hostel because it looked abandoned) the panic crept in and I cried. Standing on the side of the road with our
backpacks unsure what to do and unable to speak the language to even ask for
help. This is when I first felt the fear
and wondered if we had made the right decision coming here.
Our first day in Madrid
Of course we eventually figured it out (that was
a frustrating hour) and everything was fine, clearly we are still here two
years later. Throughout our two years we have learned what it is like living in
a foreign land where everything seems way more complicated than necessary. We have certainly not been on a two-year
holiday (as some people like to believe) we have lived our lives here. We do everything we would do back home – pay
rent, deal with bills, fix broken toilets, attempt to interact with the people
of our city in very poor Spanish, go to the doctor, etc. – we just do these
normal life things in Spain instead of Canada.
It is no secret that Valladolid has not been my
favourite place to live, in fact Spain in general is simply not the country I
feel most at home but regardless I have had an incredible time being here
despite the many challenges we faced. We,
for the most part, overcame the issues of being foreign and made a life
here. We have friends, jobs and
favourite cafes. There were of course
moments I hated being here. I felt lost,
alone and embarrassed by my lack of Spanish skills. I questioned myself over and over and had to
face my anxieties head on. But through
it all I learned so much about myself and the world and those are life lessons
and experiences I would never trade.
(Just
as valid today as when I wrote it a year and a half ago – although my Spanish is slightly improved)
One of our favourite patios in the summer
Being here has also of course offered us an
invaluable opportunity to travel and explore Europe together. I have seen places and things that only
existed in books and photos for me and I cannot express the gratitude I feel
for having the chance to not only have these experiences but to be able to share
them with Ross. I know that not everybody
will have the ability to do the things we have done or go to the places we have
and I do not ever take the privilege we have for granted.
London
Amsterdam
Paris
Going back to Canada is something I very much
look forward to. I cannot wait to be
reunited with my family and see their faces in person instead of skype. Im so excited to enjoy all the things I have
missed from home like having an actual selection of deodorant at Shoppers and
adult sized tea to go! (seriously if I
never see roll on or spray deodorant again that would be great)
Aunt Linda and I
But going home also means not knowing what we are
doing or where we are headed in our lives.
In a couple days from now we are both jobless and homeless (thanks for
taking us in Mom and Dad). It is scary
but I know within a few weeks (fingers crossed) we will have a new plan and a
new direction and I very much look forward to starting over – again. The fear
and anxiety is real but I would not change the decisions we made in moving
here.
The best family
We both
feel that what is important in this life is to be happy and to do the things
that bring you the most joy. For us that
means traveling, exploring and experiencing new things. Sure we could have stayed in Vancouver and
been really happy there but we would have missed out on a whole world of
wonders and not met the people who are now such an important part of our lives.
At the end of the day Vancouver is our home and in our opinion the best place
on earth. Lucky for us it will be there when
we get back (Please let us find jobs in Vancouver).
(My
thoughts on Vancouver)
My home
Living abroad wasn’t always easy but that’s life. It doesn’t matter where you are there will
always be challenges, hard times and stress.
Ross and I go for walks and talk about our decision and whether or not
we would do it again knowing what we know now and the answer is always
yes.
(Some
more of my thoughts on travel)
I know we will both miss it here, not so much
Valladolid itself, but what it represents for us. It has been our home for two years and how
can one not miss home at least a little?
Rose garden next to our apartment
I look very forward to sharing our final journey
to Ireland with you in a few weeks once we return from life abroad!
Besos,
Melissa
Venice
Simancas
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