[Click to read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3]
I was determined to find my own apartment.
After two years of living with roommates, I wanted for once, just once, to live on my own. And what better place than an island?
Within a day, I found my dream apartment.
Continue reading “6 Years Ago, I Moved to Spain. You Won’t Believe What’s Happened. [Part 4/9 – Year Three: Gran Canaria]”
[Click to read Part 1 and Part 2]
In fact, doing anything that wasn’t staying at home was often illegal.
First, the government restricted movement outside of Madrid due to rising covid cases.
Then, there were curfews and limits of how many people could gather in a group at a time.
Continue reading “6 Years Ago, I Moved to Spain. You Won’t Believe What’s Happened. [Part 3/9 – Year Two: So Lonely My Bones Hurt]”
My plan was to stay in Spain for one year. I thought it was my only opportunity to live in Europe. My goals? Travel. Party. Make a bunch of friends. Fall in love. Try to enjoy teaching again.
It was August 2019, and I had 7 months left of being 29. 7 months left of society still thinking I’m young, beautiful, and a ravishing rebel without a cause. I figured that, once I turned 30, society would deem me overnight old, ugly, and irresponsible. What would I do when I turned 30 and my visa expired? Where would I live? Who cares when you’re in Madrid and the wine is cheap, the men are beautiful, and every day feels like a dream?
Madrid was my oyster, and I was grabbing as much as I could, headfirst and hands full. Every date, every drink, every discoteca, every experience–it was mine for the taking. And oh, my, was Madrid gorgeous.
Continue reading “6 Years Ago, I Moved to Spain. You Won’t Believe What’s Happened. [Part 2/9 – Year One: Feeling So Gatsby]”
The night before I left for Spain in August 2019, I felt furious with myself.
My childhood bedroom looked like a Midwestern tornado had pillaged my closet, bookshelf, and drawers. An overweight suitcase sat at the foot of my bed. I’d find out in a few weeks that I wouldn’t even need half of the shit I packed.
Continue reading “6 Years Ago, I Moved to Spain. You Won’t Believe What’s Happened. [Part 1/9 – Pre-Departure]”
Two years ago, I bought a one-way ticket to Gran Canaria.
I didn’t have any friends there. I didn’t know where I would live. I didn’t know anything about Gran Canaria. In fact, up until a few months prior, I hadn’t had any interest in visiting the Canary Islands at all.
And yet here I was, about to move to one of them.
Inspired Around the World 