Hello Meltingpot Readers,
Pardon my absence on Monday, but I was 135,000 feet up in the air for most of the day and am still getting readjusted to staggering levels of humidity, Eastern Standard Time, not having all of my meals prepared by hired help, and a seriously neglected house overrun by spiderwebs and dust. Oh the joys of returning to reality.
Thanks for all of the great comments on my last post about the Virgen de Regla, I will get back to you all, but right now I must plead overwhelming-ness. But of course I will not leave you without something to ponder.
A friend of mine, who is a wonderful poet, writer and mom, has up and left her regular life in the suburbs of Philadelphia to move to Brazil...with a newborn son, a toddler and a 5-year old! And she's decided to blog about her adventures at The Golden Papaya. Please check it out and give her lots of support as she's in for a wild ride.
I'm looking forward to see how things turn out for her as I still fantasize about doing something like that. But I doubt. Do I have the cojones to just try on another culture, language and country? With my family in tow? Would you? I guess there's still time.
Until Friday.
Peace!
7 comments:
I have been thinking about doing that ever since I came to America, from Austria.
Me, my partner or just a single parent in a place that is not in America.
Nothing is wrong with America, it has made me into the young woman I am RIGHT NOW and I LOVE ME.
All that and more, I still would like to go somewhere that is all sorts of beautiful+.
It is only a dream for now. Until it comes true I will be here in VA loving/disliking school.
I've always dreamed of living in a renovated villa in Italy or a renovated castle in France. For some reason I want to feel more at home in the quiet countryside, not the busy highways of noise, pollution and industry. For me, Europe has always been associated with romance and serenity and I strongly believe that I won't find that in America. Sad but true.
Guess what else? This girl from my anthropology class is originally from Portugal and plans to go back sometime next year to visit her ailing grandfather. She suggested that if I should happen to go there for study abroad or some other purpose, to give her a ring. She's friendly--and an English major like myself. One time even brought her younger sister with her to class!
I await the day I find the man of my dreams across the pond (or he finds me), I can only hope and pray that the day I leave the country isn't too far off! Who knows I might have dual citizenship in the U.S. and my husband's country.
Let me propose a toast: Here's to Lori for keeping us alert with her lively and informative blog in this dreadful summer heat. Let autumn come quickly and let us FINALLY cool off.
To El Esposo: Consider yourself blessed to have a wife like Lori.
In the meantime, I'll make myself a nice bowl of gazpacho to transport me to another place...
Living abroad with little one is definitely a TRIP (no pun intended). Both my kids were born in Japan - and we lived there until my oldest was 6 (youngest was 4)...so having young kids in a "foreign land" is never boring!
My friend, her husband and two girls (I think they were 6 and 3) sold their home and moved to Japan for two years on a program similar to the JET program (Japan English Teaching). Too bad she didn't blog - but I was sent a TON of emails.
Selfishly speaking, I would not want you to relocate:-) but speaking from a life journey's perspective...GO FOR IT!
Hi Lori,
Well, we have finally taken the plunge and are moving to Belgium after an absence of almost 20 years. It should be fun, but I'm sure I'll be in shock. Our son, who knows English and French will now go to school in Flemish so that should be interesting...
I'll keep you posted, but in the meanwhile think of us as we fill out forms and cleanse our lives of unneccessary clutter.
PS My husband wanted to move to Barcelona, but we figured we would try somewhere with family first. Who knows what will happen, though?
SweetKinks,
I didn't know you were from Austria. How cool. You must tell us more about your journey.
Dee,
I hope all of your wonderful dreams come true:)
JBH, I can't wait to hear more about your fascinating life. And thanks for the advice.
Olivia,
Really?! You're leaving. I'm excited for you but we must say goodbye in person.
I'm really so green with envy when I hear of all those seeking greener pastures (and I think you should go for it and move to Spain...or anywhere in Western Europe). I've spent the better part of this year researching how I can possibly move to Belgium or France and alas, unless I married a European, it seems practically impossible to do so (in my career field, and also as an american). I'd love to hear suggestions or referrals to blogs by women who have done this successfully. And I'm looking forward to checking out the Golden Papaya.
And welcome back to East Coast humidity and sudden thunderstorms.
Hey Lori,
Thanks for the plug!
Good luck with reentry. Sounds like you guys had a wonderful trip.
I know what you mean about the hired help. It's only been a month, and I'm already thinking, how did I ever cook three meals a day, keep the house (somewhat) clean, and keep up with all the laundry? (Terrible, isn't it?)
No doubt you could do it if and when the right opportunity arises.
The question remains, will it live up the fantasy? Or (as Elizabeth Bishop wonders), should we have stayed at home, / wherever that may be?
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