So, here's the deal – I'm diving into this whole blogging thing for the first time. New Year's Resolution: check, start a blog. Let's roll!
I'm Juan, 33, from a tiny spot in the globe called Barbosa in Colombia. Brace yourself, though – my story ain't a downer. Back home, we never skipped a meal, and I had a comfy bed, but it was never luxury trips or fancy meals. Nope, going abroad was just too expensive.
Picture this: I'm a software developer, surrounded by folks who've globe-trotted like it's a casual weekend getaway. Kinda intimidating when they're swapping stories about far-off places, and I'm just nodding along, thinking, "Yeah, that must be cool."
Fast forward to 29, and my job throws me a curveball – a work trip to a client in Canada. Off we go, me and a couple of buddies, landing in Vancouver in November 2019. First time ever jetting off like that. English chatter everywhere, mountains stealing my heart, and oh, snow! I still remember chatting with my friends, and daydreaming about coming back to live in Vancouver.
Seed planted, right? Now, my wife, she's been dreaming about living abroad since forever. Lived in Brazil even before she met me.
We jabbered about this whole moving-to-another-country thing, especially after my Vancouver stint. We saw countless YouTube videos, blogs, budget tables, and prayer sessions to God. We were all in!
Little did we know, the real challenge wasn't flying into Canada but sticking around. Colombians are all about family, and while we've got friends in Vancouver, it ain't the same. Case in point: my wife had COVID. She was lying on the bed sick, and I was taking care of her. The next day I was also lying down on the bed sick with COVID as well. I remember my wife and I in the kitchen trying to cook a hot soup for us while cooking as well for our dog (he can't eat dry food). That day, homesickness slapped us in the face.
Newcomer life means wrestling with a new culture, language, place, and people. A year in, and the excitement rollercoasters into questioning everything. One day, you're feeling on top of the world, and the next, you're pondering if moving back to your country is admitting defeat. Me? I've sat at my desk, coffee in hand, torn between saving for a dream Euro trip or hopping on a plane to visit family back in Colombia.
Yet, amid the chaos, the new country's been a game-changer. We discovered a love for mountain hikes and snowboarding, dabbled in all sorts of cuisines, and checked off dream places from our bucket list. We're head over heels for this place, the people, and every second of it. Sad story? Nope. It's about the grind of moving to a new country – tough but oh-so-rewarding. I'm all about God, my wife, and nature, and this country's amped up my connection with them.
Who knows where I'll be tomorrow – Canada, Colombia, who cares? It's not about the place defining me or making me rich. I might be sipping a latte at a resort, watching snow fall, and missing my mom's living room with a "tintico." Don't get me wrong – if I'm chilling in my mom's living room, I'm secretly wishing I was on a snowy mountain, ready to do snowboarding with my wife.
Life's a blast when you soak in the beauty of the simple stuff.