It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new.
But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
Alan Cohen
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

There Is No Place Like Home

 My Interview on the Ex-Pat Blogs
In case you want to read how things began 

When I read various publications regarding "ex-pats", I still see the word and imagine wonderful Other Places.
Faraway places with strange sounding names.
Where one magically knows their way around and speaks the language within days.
Just like the movies .

In Real Life, it was a bit different but in many ways, it was just like the movies.

We came to Buenos Aires on a holiday, vaguely looking for a place to move to and call Home.
We considered Paris and London but finances have a pesky way of interfering in some daydreams.
After reading countless articles and seeing beautiful photos of Buenos Aires in the New York Times and Conde Nast Traveler, we decided to spend an anniversary in Argentina... see what it is like ... would we really like to live there ??

We were here for 10 days , fell in love with the city , I think, on the second day and the Love part has lasted right up to now.
In fact, I think having gotten to know the people and how great they are, I love BA even more .

I was interviewed by the Ex-Pat Blog people and I was happy to answer the questions.
What was really pleasant was the memories that came back, the pictures in my minds eye of people stopping us everywhere we went to pet Tate (Pup) and talk to us about him. ( They don't have Standard Poodles in Buenos Aires.)
The way everyone helped us if we needed directions, phone numbers, a leaky pipe fixed until the plumber could come ( that happened often).. making phone calls for us when it was beyond our abilities.. giving Pup a ride in a shiny new car , the vet coming to the house every day to be sure Pup was managing.. mostly happy memories, some very sad.

The endless trips to various Government buildings with papers awaiting their Stamp.
The fingerprinting and signing of forms.
The sitting for hours in dreary old buildings waiting for someone to call our number.
It took quite a long time but the day we became Permanent Residents was a pretty good day.
Tate was happy too. (No more waiting at home while mom and dad got up too early and came home grumpy after a long day of waiting in lines)


Tate was always happy.
He was not so thrilled with the trip here and I promised him, crossed my heart, that he would not have to do that again.
He came off that plane yodelling and frantic to pee.
How many dogs do you know who take a flight from Portland, Oregon to Texas to Argentina and Hold It ?
Thank God there was a patch of grass outside the airport doors.

We went to parks and walked the city streets and looked at apartments and met lovely people and moved in to the apartment that most fit into my dream home requirements.

100 years old, French style, 2 apartments to a floor with a totally private walled in garden in the back. A big tree outside my bedroom window with doves cooing and little tiny birds tweeting all day.
Our neighbours accepted us as if we were long lost family.
No one has been unkind, everyone has been sweet and helpful.
Why can't they come back to the US with us ???
But time goes by, changes happen and while some of them are heart breaking , some of them are
so exciting and so wonderful that it is not that hard to decide to Go Home.
Go back and start another adventure in another place that will be familiar but not.
Instead of a city, we will live in the country.
Instead of a beautiful apartment with trees and other old buildings out the windows, there will be trees and gardens and hopefully a bit more peace and quiet.
Instead of a 2 bedroom apartment, there will be an old house with rooms galore.
Enough for family and friends and anyone new that comes along.
And a new dog.
Maybe not a Standard Poodle, maybe something else. We will know when we see it.

We will be Ex-pats in our new home.
We have not been there in 6 years.
We still speak the language. That will help.
We will drive a car again. I will get to sit in the front seat again.
If we want to , we can make all the noise we want in our house.
We will explore and visit friends and family and have big gatherings at our home.
We will be Home again.

So while I recommend that everyone try to do something like we did ... I still agree with Dorothy,
There is No Place Like Home ...









6 comments:

  1. Wonderfully written and you will be HOME again... and once you have settled in I hope to share a cup of tea with you and listen to your BA adventures... Hugs and Happy New Year to both of you...Blessings, XO C. (HHL)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great post! I love reading about your life in Buenos Aires. I must look over my photos as I am quite sure I took a picture of your building!!

    Good luck with the transaction of selling your place and being able to get USD out of Argentina; such scary stories on the internet and the press. I sure hope the best for you!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It took a lot of courage to do what you did! :) And i'm glad your experience was (mostly) wonderful. Also happy for you that you're moving back to the US. Changes are good most of the time, especially the ones we make on purpose. I hope you keep your blog. I've loved reading about your experiences so far!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you HHL, I can see it now, you , me , the guys and the pups, it will be glorious. Much love to you all.

    Anonymous, The apartment is sold, we are just waiting for paperwork . Everything is fine .. Thank you !

    Mary, muchas gracias :) We didn't see it as brave, just as another adventure. We feel blessed that it went as well as it did. Change is definitely good. Even those that we don't expect sometimes can have a way of being for the better. There will definitely be a slowing down of blogging for a few months while we are finding a home, moving etc but I think I will continue.. more new adventures to share !
    Thank you very much.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have just found your blog, and enjoyed having a dip into it.
    I gather that you are soon to move back to the States so wish you well.
    Lots of excitement ahead of you for 2013, I shall enjoy following your adventure.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Me too...
    Following your adventure, I mean..hahaha...

    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

    ReplyDelete

Comments are welcome..Thank you.

Living in Argentina

Living in Argentina

Blog Archive

Pages

And Don't Forget To Visit Me Here Too !

See more photos here

sunset in Buenos Aires

Powered By Blogger