Effect of lockdown
It had been our intention for our one year in Spain to travel and see as much of the country as we could. The plan was to go away for a few days each month to explore – but so far we have only managed to go to Cadiz, Sevilla, Cordoba and Madrid. Great places, all four, but it certainly doesn’t add up to a big explore once a month, due mainly to Covid 19.
Just before the lockdown, we’d planned on a two-day trip to Extramadura province, with beautiful castles, whitewashed towns and wonderful nature, but that had to be postponed. And there’s still a lot more we want to see and we simply haven’t got round to because of the lockdown. We need more time …
Visitors
We always love having people stay with us in Spain, as it is so very beautiful, and so very different from the UK and Holland where most of our friends and family are from. It’s such a relaxing experience, because the pace of life is slower, the scenery is awesome, and there’s just something very laid back about it all.
The big difference is that people stay for a few days, so you have more time together to explore, cook, eat, drink, talk, listen to music, play games, and simply to be. There’s nothing like cooking a meal together and eating it late at night when the weather is a bit cooler on the terrace, accompanied by a very nice (though not expensive) bottle of Rioja. But most of our visitors this year have had to cancel – or postpone I should say – and that means next year will be the year for having lots of lovely people staying. And so we need more time …
Creating a home and garden
The garden we inherited on arrival is slowing being transformed by Hilary, the green fingered man of the house. It’s all still work in progress though, and needs more attention, more watering, more re-planting, more rabbit-protecting, more nurturing. And we’re also doing a lot of painting and decorating in the house, so it’s shaping up nicely. But there’s much more to do, and so we need more time ….
Another big factor in creating a home has been the arrival of two lovely kittens, Maya and Miguel. Aptly named after a TV series in the US about a Spanish speaking US family, where the girl Maya is adventurous and risk-taking and the boy Miguel is more timid and cautious – the character of our two kittens to a tee. Though there has been a name change since then, as Miguel turned out to be a Miguela when we visited the vet!
The kittens have made our lovely house much more into a home – despite the inevitable climbing of curtains and scratching of chairs. If we go back to the UK, of course we would take them with us. But we have such a great garden and lots of olive groves here for them to enjoy, so we feel they need more time …
Working from home
Both Hilary and I are freelancers, and wanted to continue to work, although we were concerned about the ability to work from the middle of Andalucia. This has turned out not to be an issue, partially thanks to the increase in and acceptance of remote working. And the technology works well. We have great wifi here, and even though there is sometimes a short electricity wobble, it’s pretty good on the whole.
The increased opportunities to provide and attend training courses with Zoom, Skype or Teams have also created an environment that is conducive to work. Because if COVID 19 has made one thing clear, it’s that working is so much more enjoyable in beautiful Andalucia. And we’re having air-conditioning installed in our sitting room that’s also my study, as the summers are so very hot. To get the most out of this lovely cool air, we will need more time …
Friendships
Since our arrival in September, we’ve slowly started to build connections, and we now have some really good friends here – Spanish and non-Spanish – we are beginning to feel part of the community. I continue to struggle with Spanish, and I still worry about picking up the phone and going to the doctor or dentist in a language that I’m very far from fluent in. But to continue to learn is important, and one year simply isn’t enough. We need more time …
And the decision is …
No question, we are staying. We don’t know how long for, but at least another year – to enjoy this beautiful country, the friendships, the climate, the garden, the house, and the cats! And in any case, it would have been foolish to go back now, because the registration admin to move to a different country has been a Herculean task. To go through all of that, and then to reverse the process just after a few months would seem crazy. And now, we have the time!
