Doubt Kills More Dreams Than Failure Ever Will

Yes, Suzy Kassem! You can’t let your dreams die just because you feel insecure! 

Who hasn’t been in a position of wondering if they are making the right, detrimental decision? It was a persistent thought I had every day before we left the United States, and even for a little while after arriving in Valencia. Hear me out…

The decision was made, and there was no turning back. We had less than 8 weeks to put everything together to leave as a family, and nobody was getting left behind, including our THREE cats! Immediate problems? How to: pay for everything, tell my very appreciated boss, get all the pertinent documents, get the certificates for the cats on time, find a reliable place to live, buy decent-price plane tickets, sell the car, etc., etc. THERE WAS SO MUCH TO DO, but most importantly, we were doing everything with the mindset that we would be out on time no matter what. If anything went wrong, would we still be able to go back on our plans? What would that mean? NO, I did not have a plan B. The main reason? My kids’ safety. Sadly, being part of the LGBTQ+ community and being Latino became an extremely dangerous mix under the new treacherous administration. I was in survival mode until the moment we left, but little did I know that even safely in Valencia, I would still find myself a little sad. I dedicated an entire post to this subject because it’s essential for thriving abroad to come to terms with certain feelings, and if you are a foreigner like we are, it might help you out.

First orders before leaving the USA: start selling everything, and find a reputable real estate company in Valencia that can help us find a decent apartment. When I moved to Roatan, I hired Remax, and they were great. I was hoping for the same in Spain, and after a lot of web browsing, I found two companies that seemed reliable and settled for one of them. One thing that struck me as odd was that I would be the one paying their commission (the value of one rent). I had never heard about something like that before because it’s usually the property owners who pay the commission, but when you are on another continent, you assume things are just different. I eventually found out they had lied to me (and everybody else); you will learn how I figured it out when I post on how to manage real estate when moving to Valencia. 

It was probably finding plane tickets on sale that determined when we would fly out in May. Six weeks left, and ambiguity was still in me, but I kept moving forward.

It was the day I said goodbye to my plants that hit me very hard, and I cried inconsolably. Even though they went to a great home (Eric's mother-in-law), it hurt deeply to separate from them, because you love them too. You care for them daily, and they are so grateful when you invest so much in them. I read they can feel you when you are around, and if that is true, they will notice my absence! It was heartbreaking.

I guess they also triggered my first taste of leaving everybody else behind. I told myself I would offer a home for new flora in Valencia, but I had no idea what a great plan was waiting for me. It is a dream come true.

By the way, if you are leaving the USA, and you need to give things away, don't do it to the Salvation Army. We donated many things to Goodwill since they don't discriminate against the LGBTQIA+ community.

Our purpose.

Talk to us.

My coneflowers growing in my balcony.

Growing our own tomatoes during summertime in North Carolina.

The main purpose of the flowers on my balcony is to provide bees with a source of food.