On October 5th we’ll trade our flip flops, ocean views and baklava for Spain.
We’ve been talking about visiting Spain for about three years and now we get to live there! Sunny Seville will be our new home and we are already dreaming of…
tapas,
Flamenco dancers,
amazing art, and
weekend trips to Portugal and Morocco.
Wait, what happened to Albania?
The short story is while they are flirting with the idea of joining the 21st century, they aren’t there yet. The long story is that we absolutely MUST have reliable internet and they cannot supply that at this time. The main company here in Saranda, AlbTelecom, has been unwilling to run a line up to our apartment for the last 5 months. We’ve explored all the other options, but they either are only for laptops, PCs or they just plain don’t work most of the time.
When your business is internet based, internet is important.
We had grand plans of starting a restaurant here and enjoying the best beaches in the Balkans, but we realized that it was time to accept the limitations and make a move. We considered Montenegro, Czech Republic, Russia and Thailand, but in the end, we couldn’t resist the idea of living in Europe’s warmest city.
We’re aking it one step at a time.
I’m planning on becoming CELTA certified (Certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages) in November. I’d love to teach private English classes to children and maybe business people. I’m also looking forward to making friends at school and finding the expat community. (We were the only two Americans living in Saranda.)
It will be an easy move.
We’ve done a good job of not accumulating “stuff” and after seven months we’ve figured out that we can live with less than we originally came with. We’ve already cleaned out the closets and bookshelf and I’ll be boarding the plane with just two suitcases. I have to tell you, I’m loving how simple it makes things when I can pack up my entire life into just two bags!
The adventure continues, when you coming to visit? :)
Hungry for More, Monique Alvarez“In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead of any other country in the world.”
-Federico García Lorca
About Monique Alvarez
Monique and Derek…I am so excited for you guys. I know that this will also be an incredible journey in your next chapter of your life. Monique I know you are a lover of travel and you are once again living your passion and your dream. Never made it to Albania, but I can see myself visiting Spain. You know I have some roots..my mom’s family.
So happy for you. Carpe Diem
It surely will Marty. Looking forward to it all and I hope we get to see you in Spain!
Ahh, good for you guys. I wish I was your age again with no “baggage” and could just up and move. That would be so awesome. Maybe in my next life, haha.
Wishing you two only the very best!
Ilka
Thanks Ilka. We had lots of baggage, owned a house, three cars, and a whole lotta stuff, but it leaves pretty quickly when placed on Craigslist. :)
Can’t wait for our next adventure!
The countdown is on…we are one day closer! (Is it wrong that I’m dreaming of churros?;)
This is so awesome that you guys are doing it once again.
I have been in this home for 4 years now.
A few more moves are definitely in the picture.
Enjoy
Thanks Don! It’s great to hear from someone else who can’t stay in one place for too long. :)