​Weathering the Storm with the WP #170

Moving is a series of fits and starts, a matter of craziness and hecticness, times of total boredom and then times where you feel like time is running out on you, once again. I have had all those feelings the past several weeks and the constant is knowing that in the end, I will be where I want to be. It is funny to think that next week will be my last full week in the states until who knows when, at least that is the plan. I have moved many times in my life, from city to city, from neighborhood to neighborhood within a city, from one country to another, all temporary as they turned out. This time, it is permanent if anything can be called permanent as life is in constant flux. ​

I have gotten to the point where the focus is making sure my clients are ready for their trips, which gives continuity, as I really, except for some paperwork, errands to run, am to the point where all I do next week is take everything packed put into the vehicle and the U-Haul trailer, which happens next Wednesday. On Tuesday, moving what is in my hovel, into the vehicle itself and distributing it accordingly for the right balance and making the drive south to the port for storage in the short term. It will happen and I will get there. I don’t want to load down the vehicle yet, as I still have places to be and things to be done, but essentially, this is the routine, and has been the routine over the past week, and will be this week, as well. I know this is not really an interesting topic and I was trying to find something to share besides routine, but maybe, sharing routine is good, as we all have them. ​

While I have done packing and unpacking before, it was for a holiday, a business trip, a move across town or across the country and when I mentioned, I moved from country to country, really, it was half a century ago and that was a yearlong stint in France with the “family”, a subject for another time. But the duration was significant, but there was a return attached to that back stateside. This packing and when I arrive on the 4th of July in Rome and unpack, the intent is not to return to the states unless there is a viable reason. You know I have made some of the rounds to places like Dallas and Birmingham on my arrivederci and saying ciao ciao to people I know. I have called old friends, people even closer than “family” and had long re-connecting conversations and plan to do more until I fly later next week to Europe. The nice thing is that once there, the calling will not really change. If I have Wi-Fi calling and I will, the phone number stays the same, only time difference is in play and the cost, so much less, sorry Verizon. Yes, after 25 years, I disconnected from Verizon.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not disconnecting from the people I care about and certainly not from my clientele. The business is still here stateside and will be just a later time zone, but beneficial as when clients wake up, they can wake up to their updates. I know I have mentioned that before and will look for the glass half full. This change of venue is very different than all the others I have ever done in nearly 55 years of moving and traveling. And it will take a little getting used to, not the first or second month in Europe, not even the third or fourth, but when that time limit, the usual one where a non-EU citizen can’t stay beyond 90 days in a 6-month period, and I am there beyond, it will really set in that I am there to stay. I am not afraid, as I have nothing to really fear.  ​

I know people who have felt homesick being away from “home” for a long time. Even Rosa, after 6 weeks here from the time she arrived, through our wedding and tying up legal loose ends a few months ago, felt homesick or when I came to New Hampshire to housesit and when my brother and came back early, they complained about their life in Germany. I know there were reasons, but I could tell that my nieces and nephew were homesick from the messages sent. It does take getting used to and understandable. For me, however, I am going home and since I have spent much of my life on the road, and much of it, in Europe, it is simply returning home and settling in. Will I miss things here in the states, possibly, but that is to be seen?  I don’t think, like some others who have previously become ex-pats, I will have the culture shock that does come upon others. I have had 3 summers and other stretches of time living in Rome. I have gotten used to or tried to get used to the ways of the old world, sometimes successfully and sometimes with a bit of frustration. As you know, what does not kill you, makes you stronger and I feel stronger. For the record, bureaucratic red tape, and outsourcing, here in the states, and other ways to make life more challenging is good training for returning to a slower way of life. ​

Everything will fall into place in due time, and I will be able to enjoy my life in balance of the business and, more importantly, the personal with my wife and the love of my life. As always, I hope you have enjoyed my offerings each week and appreciate that you have read my blog posts and look forward to continuing with sharing. As always, thank you so much for your support of Rosa’s and my little world now that they have been merged into one and in a few weeks, from the old world. We truly appreciate your support and congratulations. Stay safe, healthy, and most importantly happy, and as always, your shared comments and thoughts are most welcome!!!