4 years abroad
Today marks four years since I packed a couple of suitcases with everything I owned, went to the airport, and boarded the flight that completely changed my life. It has not been easy, but looking back now, it was the best decision I ever made.
Jan 15, 2022 - 8:00 am
Sitting in the airport waiting lounge, there was a 1€ coin in my hand, along with ¢750 (the same value in two different currencies). It reflected the change that was about to happen. That local coin was spent on a coffee, and the wait for the flight continued. The decision to leave had been made 6 months earlier, and the excitement was real.
Six hours later came a layover in Newark. A 5 hour stop that felt endless. One hour delay seemed like a sign that maybe this was not the right thing to do at that moment. Fear showed up, but it was ignored. A comfort zone built over more than 30 years was being left behind, and the jump into the unknown was happening alone.
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Jan 16, 2022 - 8:00 am
Seated on a plane that had just landed, it was done. Arrival. No mobile signal, no Wi-Fi, and broken English, but someone was waiting outside the airport to introduce the adventure that had just been signed up for and was about to begin.
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Jan 16, 2026 - 8:00 am
Dawn breaks in a Mediterranean coastal city. Four years have passed since arriving in the old continent, which feels more like a “new continent.” During this time, countless lessons about life have been learned, and mistakes have been made more times than can be counted. Every decision, though, has led to this exact moment.
There is a phrase often seen on SNS: “One year abroad equals four years at home”. Right now, with time perception still distorted after the pandemic, it feels more like 10 years or more since arriving.
Things that have happened:
- Living in 3 countries, and visiting 12 more
- The breakdown that made me leave (and come back)
- Facing immigration bureaucracy firsthand… 3 times
- Months without a Visa
Each of these deserves a post of its own. That will come later.