Last Post as an Expat

When I left NYC to come here, the plan was to stay for one school year.  I loved it immediately.  I won’t say that it wasn’t hard – making friends in a new place, adjusting to everything different about a new culture, learning the ropes of a different job, daring to try scary looking foods and seeing new places (ok, that wasn’t so taxing); but I adored it!  I spent my first months wandering without a destination, just exploring and soaking up this new place. 

 I liked it so much here, I couldn’t actually convince myself to go back to the US except for a summer visit.  Then, it was back here for another one year stint.  We all know how that worked out though – one more year turned into three and here I am, four years later! 

I had always wanted to live abroad – travel around, meet new people and experience different cultures.  I never dreamed that my 9 month ‘working vacation’ would turn into a real life step.  I can’t begin to describe how much I delight in living here.  It’s like part of my soul was originally European or something – I adore buying fresh bread, I love looking out over the rooftops and seeing towering church spires, I relish sitting on a terrace sipping a wine or café con leche and listening to a street performer, I enjoy the challenge of trying to master a new language and I appreciate the respect that people have for customs that are older than my country.  Living in the Basque Country opened my eyes much more than I could have ever imagined.  The funny thing is, is that after being here so long, I actually know I will be ‘home-sick’ from Donostia when I go back ‘home’ to the States.  How did that happen?!

It has been an amazing four years but I am so thrilled for the next step in this adventure of life.  I couldn’t have guessed in a million years that I would come back to my country with a husband in tow but alas, I am, and am more excited than ever.   I will continue writing in the blog, but it will no longer be me sharing my expat ideas and experiences, but instead will trail our new journey in Portland, OR – a place we both have never lived.  It will be new for both of us, in different ways of course.  I hope to share some upcoming blogs with you about what Joseba finds particularly weird about the USA and our culture.  The past two years he has heard me remark ‘what are they DOING?’ and ‘why are they doing it like THAT?’ and now the tables will turn and things that I find mundane or don’t even notice will catch his attention.  It will be something that makes each day entertaining and new. 

Thank you for having read my chronologies of the past four years; I have loved sharing them.  I hope that the next phase of this journey is equally as interesting and fun to share and hopefully let you see our home through new eyes.

My last muxu,

Amanda