Five FAQs on Our Move to Spain

Well, the secret is out; We got our Spanish visas, we booked our international flights, and Charlie and I are moving to Madrid this fall!

Charlie and I have traveled quite a bit ourselves throughout Africa, Central America, and Europe. However, our trips to these continents have always been short lived and we return home wishing for more time in each place. These travels stirred us to begin dreaming and planning to actually live abroad. As details slowly come together, it’s incredible to see our dream become reality right before our eyes. It’s really happening; We’re doing this!

Since our announcement, we’ve gotten a lot of questions about our adventure. In fact, there are exactly five that we are asked most often. I decided that maybe it would be helpful to any of you who are thinking these same questions, I just answer them for you. Right here. Right now. So let’s begin, shall we?

Q1: How long will you be there?

We smile at this question, because it reminds us how foreign the concept of moving to another country truly is. Our logistical answer to this question is about a year, because that’s what I committed to with my new job.

We aren’t committing to anything other than what we know this next year will bring. We realize that we may get over to Spain and by spring of 2017, decide that living in Europe is not the right fit for us and it’s time to return to the States. On the other hand, the opposite could happen and we stay for several years. We are practicing living in the present and just taking what life brings us one day at a time.

Q2: Why are you going to Madrid?

As I briefly mentioned in the first questions, I got a job teaching English at a secondary school (comparable to high school) called IES Avenida de Los Toreros, located near the city center by the famous bull fighting arena in Madrid.

For my fellow word travelers and wander lusters craving to know how I landed this gig, I’ll give you more details. I applied through an organization called CIEE and they secured my placement at the school where I’ll be an “auxiliar de conversación” (teaching assistant). The basis of my responsibilities is to provide my students an immersion opportunity to practice English through language application and engaging learning activities. From my own experiences abroad, I can attest that language immersion is the best way to learn another language and I am excited to help these students do just that.

Q3: What is Charlie going to do?

If you don’t already know, Charlie works for an amazing company, Formstack, which is a fully remote organization. In other words, with a computer and access to internet, Charlie can work from pretty much anywhere.

Now, what does Charlie do exactly? Something with numbers. I don’t really know. If you’re that curious, ask him.

Q4: What are you doing with all your stuff?

Most apartments in Madrid are already furnished and equipped. Even more, we can find almost everything we need there at an affordable price. We plan to take clothes, important documents, electronics and some other miscellaneous items that we’ll need so long as it fits in suitcases that we can carry ourselves.

We’ve sold or donated most everything else: furniture, appliances, and clothes. Some of our most prized possessions and valuable keepsakes have been packed in about 20 boxes and are safely stored at my parents’ home in Orlando, as you see in the picture below. They’ll stay there until further notice. (Thanks mom and dad!)

Q5: Do you have a place where you’ll live already?

Not yet and here’s why. I’m going to Madrid for my orientation at the end of this month; CIEE will pick me up at the airport and provide hotel accommodations for my first week in the country. That will give me time to look for an apartment suitable for us, meet the landlord, and handle other logistics that are best done in person. CIEE has been great with providing information and resources that have allowed me to look at neighborhoods, cost of living, and potential accommodations. I feel confident in finding a place for us to live and I’ll be sure to post pictures or give a video tour of our piso once we’ve settled in!

So there you have it!

Your questions have been answered all thanks to yours truly! I’m looking forward to sharing more of our adventure with this year. For now, I’m going to enjoy some quality time with our family before our departure. Chao!

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” Saint Augustine