Moving Abroad

I thought today was a good time to share some exciting news and of course, take the opportunity to wish all of you a belated New Year!

As I mentioned in my previous post, the last few months have led to decision-overloading and planning for the future.

And one of the most fun parts of having a blog is to use it in order to excessively romanticise your life. You can write articles of 2,000 words about anything that’s happening in your life, from buying a second-hand Rolex during your last trip to Istambul to deciding to sell your second-hand Tesla.

Let’s go, blogger-style:

Part 1: Storytelling

Everything started during the pandemic.

Actually, no. It started in my teenage years, an era starred by my obsession with water sports and exotic beaches. I was intrigued by the wide, half-empty coasts of the Pacific Ocean barely occupied by a few surfers, and the lifestyle. I would watch movies about surfers almost every week (most of them were terrible by the way). I did have some shores nearby. Living in the Mediterranean, the sea was calm and solely occupied by sunbathers and families.

I did swim, though. A lot.

I collected plenty of magazines with articles and photos of professional surfers. Years later and established in London, I started worrying about missed opportunities. I enjoyed living in London, but I missed nature and I was aware that certain Visas to stay overseas had an expiring date.

The idea of applying for a 1-year visa to the furthest-away country for me in the planet would occasionally reach my mind, making me rethink my life choices and possibilities. Despite enjoying my life and job in the big city, there was a part of me that craved something more.

The pandemic confirmed how important it was for me to have the freedom to move and visit other countries, and I considered the possibility of moving abroad one more time. Starting all over again in a foreign country is always scary. But it didn’t feel as terrifying as it was the first time when I moved to London. I felt more confident because I had done it before, and I knew that I could do it again.

By the end of the second COVID wave, I applied for a one-year visa to Australia. The open seats for this type of visa are very limited, so sending my application over felt like playing some sort of lottery. My partner was extremely supportive and applied for the same visa. I am not going to lie, having his support makes everything easier.

After almost a year of waiting for an answer, we got a notification stating the approval of our visas.

Part 2: Overdramatizing

All of a sudden everything was real. I had knocked on a door, and the door had opened for us. Getting through that door would mean so many things: leaving our jobs, getting away from Europe and our families and saying goodbye to the friends we had made during our time in London.

We decided to go ahead. I don’t remember the last time I felt this excited.
Flights to Australia are some of the longest ones from the UK, which always made us step back when it came to visiting the country for holidays. And now we are going to visit for the first time in our lives, with a one-way ticked.

It’s bizarre to think about moving to a place I have never visited before. And the preparations make me feel nostalgic. For the last couple of weeks, our entire living room has been occupied by empty boxes. Boxes full of stuff to throw away, boxes full of things to sell, and a few more boxes with items we will send back to our parent’s homes.

Despite renting a place, we accumulated valuable items that have served us for years, from quality winter clothes to new kitchen appliances. Now we are saying goodbye to everything.

As it’s common in a big city, a long time passed before we meet our good friends, and it also took us some time to get established amongst some good companies.

Accepting that I will be leaving those parts of my life feels a little bit like grieving.

And because we are in the dramatic part, I will be as dramatic as I can.

I am leaving a small part of myself in this city. London has been harsh and cold, then soft and warm. It has been filled with change, movement, opportunities, evolution and growth. Who knows, maybe I will come back in the future. But right now, at this moment, I am waving goodbye to the girl that I was when I landed in this place for the first time. I may leave, but she stays. I leave as a completely different person. An improved one, that’s what I like to think. At least a more aware version of myself.

Part 3: Romanticizing

Why Leave if I Am Happy?

The shortest answer would be simple: Because I felt I had to do it.

And that’s the truth. I feel in my heart that I have to move to Australia. I wanted to give myself another opportunity to discover a different country and allow that place to highlight another side of myself.

On top of that, I have a firm belief that novelty is extremely important for the human specie. Our brains need the novelty, the challenges and even the difficulties. And now that society makes it easier for us to get our biological needs met, we can continue pushing ourselves a bit further to prove our capabilities.

I know that I will miss London, the same way I missed the comfort of my hometown when I arrived to this city. But I know that I will be fine as long as I am true to myself. Saying yes to this opportunity is the way to communicate wholeheartedly with my inner self.

The uncertainty of the future brings a lot of new feelings: I feel excited, but also a bit scared. I don’t want to create false expectations. Instead, I rather accept the upcoming months of uncertainty with positivity and gratitude.

A new, empty journal is in my hands, the white pages are ready for one more chapter in the story of my life.