A Farewell to Spain: on to the Next Chapter

As I write this, I’m sitting in my childhood bedroom in northeast Massachusetts. I’m not in Spain, and I don’t have plans to go back at any point the foreseeable future.

I’d be lying through my teeth if I told you I was completely psyched to return to my hometown at the very beginning of a long New England winter and start 2019 off by selling my soul to the rat race (kidding! sort of). In a way, however, I’m at peace with the fact that things did not go as planned and I’m ready to move onto the next chapter.

As I usher in the new year and another phase of life, I’m leaving Spain, as well as this blog, behind.

You might have all but forgotten about this little old thing, and I myself hate goodbyes, so I thought I could make a quiet exit, but if living in Spain and working with children has taught me anything it’s that sometimes you’ve got to do things you really don’t like to do. While the second time around I was much less active on here, I still think I need to finish what I started.

This blog might not look like much and it didn’t generate a second source of income, but it did help me work through some struggles of my own. What it really became was my therapy, and it also helped me reignite my childhood dreams of becoming a published writer someday. You might not be able to see it, but I’ve got twenty-something unpublished drafts on here and a whole journal filled from cover to cover to prove it.

Starting this blog led me to write more in my free time, which ultimately helped me through every part of this journey. It’s allowed me to process difficult emotions, reach conclusions, get to know myself on another level, and eventually realize that now is the time to move on.

I’ll miss the life I had on the other side of the Atlantic – in fact, I already do. Spain is not an easy place to leave and it has a way of seeping into your veins, leaving its mark on the soul, but for now, it’s time to get back to my roots.

Here’s to hoping that this year around the sun brings some positive changes, good lessons, and fulfillment to each and every one of us. Thanks to those of you who stuck around, both on the blog and in real life, and goodbye for now!