I'm sitting comfortably in my living room, flanked on either side by what can only be described as two very lazy felines, sipping a glass of crisp white wine on a cool evening in late June. Like so many summer nights before, I'm feeling purely and utterly content in my downtown Barcelona abode. The swallows are gracefully dive-bombing through the air catching their evening meal as the sun sets the sky ablaze with fabulous hues of pinks, oranges, and reds. The low hum of passersby, now mostly jovial tourists, wafts from the street below as their grumbling bellies and dog-eared guidebooks send them hurriedly on their quest of a dining experience not-to-be-missed while in this city by the sea. A plucky sound from an acoustic guitar is interrupted by the occasional explosion of a "petardo", or firework that is leftover from Monday's San Joan festival, sending myself and the cats into a moment of panic and dangerously high blood pressure. These are all the usual goings-on of a life in a bohemian barrio, one that I have embraced for four years in this very piso, but yet nothing about this night is usual.

My Great Gatsby themed surprise thirtieth birthday party!

It's after midnight on a cool Sunday night in May. All is quiet in the streets (a rarity!) and I'm snuggled on the sofa with my two furry kitties. I'm not tired in the least, and even if I were it would be strange to go to bed alone. Jeff has been in Madrid for a week now, but I'm still getting used to the silence that hangs in the evening hours. The month of May rolled in like a freight train with celebrations and parties and new beginnings. It's only now that I've had a moment to sit in silence, to think, to reflect, to absorb what has taken place over the last two weeks.

Living life in limbo for the last eighteen months has been anything but easy. Having no answers to life's big questions pushed my patience to its limits. For me, lack of foresight, the inability to make any kind of long range plans, and the seemingly eternal wait left me feeling powerless and filled with hopeless optimism. I was reduced to asking questions there were no answers to, and questions were asked of me that I couldn't answer. Life was at a crossroads as Jeff's graduation date drew nearer and the future was just as uncertain as ever. And then Spring arrived, bringing with it opportunities in our next adopted city...

February 9, 2013 in a nutshell

"Do not throw me a party. I don't want a party!"

In the months leading up to Jeff's birthday, I had tossed around a handful of ideas to celebrate the big 3-0. It is, after all, a milestone year and a milestone birthday can't be treated like just any other day.

Anyone who has attempted to solve a Rubik's Cube is familiar with that feeling of rising excitement when you've aligned all nine squares of one color on one face. "I'm going to do it this time!" you think when the next colors fall into their fateful position. You're overwhelmed with confidence when nine greens, nine blues, nine reds all fall into place. You may even take a step back to admire your brilliant handiwork. Nine whites, nine...."Nooo!" Now you're at a crossroads.

Looking out over the Bay of Biscayne, waiting in excited anticipation for hurricane Isaac to make his fateful mark in Southeast Florida, I find myself coming to the inevitable realization that summer vacation will come to a screeching halt in a week's time.

I caught myself referring to Miami as home just the other day which surprised me. I haven't spent more than two weeks in this city and already it's reached home status? A place where I have roots? This isn't right. Home is a label all too sentimental and personal for Miami to tout just yet. Even more confusing is that in the same conversation I had labeled both Atlanta and Barcelona as home. This I can feel comfortable with. I have spent significant portions of my life in these two cities and they have had a lasting impact on my life. I certainly can't say the same for Miami. So how did it reach such a privileged status so quickly?

Happy Hour

Lounging poolside on the bay

I'm sitting on the balcony at my temporary home in South Beach, drinking a Corona and watching a subtle sunset over the bay. The sky is painted in hues of soft pinks and oranges, and each time I look up from my computer screen I find them slipping away to dull greys.

Leaving Barcelona behind for the summer is a strange feeling. As I packed my bags to prepare for the first of many flights this summer, I couldn't help but feel as though I had to almost explain my departure to my city. Will she know how much I'm going to miss her?

In the words of Tom Petty, "Don't it feel like heaven right now. Don't it feel like something from a dream." These are exactly the lyrics that sum up the sweeping relief that finally, at long last, Jeff has landed an internship. To say that his first year of the MBA program has been difficult would be an understatement, but not in the sense of academics. Though Jeff might beg to differ, for me the most stressful part of the last nine months has been the waiting. Waiting for grades, waiting for finals, waiting for interviews, waiting for acceptance or rejection. Living in a world of sustained uncertainty is enough to make even the most solid rock begin to crack. But just as I was about to crumble, the good news arrived. There would be no putting Humpty Dumpty back together again!

As Jeff and I approach our fourth wedding anniversary, I find myself thinking about the songs that have defined us throughout our relationship; a narrative soundtrack composed of over twelve years of lyrical memories or defining moments in our relationship. We may have been married for four years, but our story far exceeds the day we said, "I do."

Jeff in one of his thin places, the Swiss Alps.

In all the places I've found myself in moments of pure happiness and balance, "thin" is not a word I have ever used to label such a place in time and space. Peaceful, inspiring, or serene come to mind when I picture my spaces of refuge or when I reflect on those places that have had a profound effect on the way I see the world. But thin?

We've all been "there". That place where nothing else matters. Where everything seems perfectly in balance. Where you suddenly feel so insignificant that you're pressed to ask those questions that ultimately have no clear answers without help from the divine. Eric Weiner, author of Where Heaven and Earth Come Closer, an article recently published in the New York Times, describes these places that move us as thin places. I've often referred to such a place as my "happy place", a place where I can be alone and simply be. I can think of a list of these places in a matter of seconds, but Weiner takes the idea to another level, quite literally. A thin place is not necessarily your favorite coffee shop (although it can be) or that feeling I get when I walk into Target (long sigh). No, a thin place is where heaven and Earth seemingly come closer together. A thin place rocks you to your inner core and changes you in some way. When you're in a thin place, you may lose yourself there, or find your real self. Either way, does this happen in a Target? Maybe. Am I changed by the experience? Doubtful, unless I find an amazing bargain and strut to my car feeling like a champion.

No, the truth is I have come across many places, near and far, that I can now call a thin place. These places move me in a way that no other can, or have as the case may be. Some of my thin places are in my neighborhood, in my city. Some I will probably never see again. Regardless of how often I frequent them, my thin places have deeply affected me and have nudged me ever closer to finding my true self.

Where have you found your thin places?

Where Heaven and Earth Come Closer

Inspired by Re, the Egyptian Sun god. Traveling to Egypt and seeing the pyramids for the first time was a moment of absolute wonder in my life. I'll probably never visit this thin place again.

The new year has brought about an unexpected, yet very much welcomed, calm in my life. Yes, I realize we are well into 2012, but I can't shake this feeling that great things are going to happen this year. It's not a result of feeling empowered by successful commitment to a resolution (I never made one to begin with). It has nothing to do with signs or coincidences. It's not even related to the ever elusive ideal of finding a good work-life balance (already have it!). It's as simple as this...ever since the clock struck midnight on January 1, I have lived my life shrouded by a sense of calm spiked with a dash of an adventurous spirit.

I might attribute my sense of ease to the fact that according to Chinese astrology, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon. Traditionally, dragons are a symbol of power and strength, and those lucky enough to be born under this sign are said to excel and achieve great success. They are "do-ers" and stand out in a crowd. Despite the fact that my zodiac is that of the boar, perhaps there is enough dragon power for everyone this year? Whatever the case, something has taken hold of me and I'm not letting go. I have taken charge of what's ahead...friends, family, work, travel...and I've decided to make things happen.

Honestly, this is not a new outlook on life that I have suddenly embraced. It's not an epiphone. Instead, it's like a renaissance, a rebirth, a reawakening to all of things that are good, even great, in my life. Don't get me wrong...I hadn't forgotten my good fortune. My perspective had become only slightly dulled. With this new year, however, I have decided to "grab the bull by the horns" and unleash this enthusiasm within me.

The truth is, the ride has been a blast so far! I have met my new nephew and have spent quality time at home with family and friends for Christmas. Life in Barcelona, in short, has been a myriad of late nights and late-late nights with the girls and great friends, Barça games, beach picnics, weekend getaways, and discovering a host of favorite new restaurants and bars. School is, well, school but the students are amazing and I'm happy to be back with my middle school family. :)

As for the months ahead, who knows!? What I am certain of is that 2012, the Year of the Dragon, has lit a fire and my candle is burning from both ends!

My wish to you:
¡Que aproveche al máximo!

Came across this campsite by pure chance, and the view was unbeatable.

It's no mystery that I do enjoy the comfort of knowing what to expect when traveling, but there's something exhilarating about pulling out a map, picking a destination, turning up the tunes, and punching the gas. On both our American and European road trips, our "plan" consisted entirely of a starting point and a final destination. Everything else in between was a blank slate, and the pages of my travel journal were thirsty for the tales yet to be told. Jeff and I have been on our fair share of adventures on the road, and some of our most vivid travel memories have been born from our least calculated itineraries. In fact, we might even argue that getting lost - truly finding yourself so far off the map, at dusk, when there's seemingly no sign of life for miles around - is the best way to discover what you never knew was right in front of you.

While careful planning and structured schedules are good when you want to hit the "must-see" attractions, a little dose of spontaneity can go a long way. This article from National Geographic Traveler speaks to the rhythm of travel. If you have been bitten by the travel bug, chances are you have a laundry list of destinations you must check-off before the close of 2012. At some point along the way, why not leave your map at home? Take a wrong turn. Get lost in the crowd and see where you end up. What you find might surprise you and inspire you, and you'll have no choice but to tell one of your most memorable stories to a captivated audience.

"The Jazz of Travel" by Daisann McLane

This month's issue of the Metropolitan, Barcelona's magazine for English speakers, featured an article that struck a chord with me. Entitled "Saying adéu for good", five former Barcelona residents talk openly about their reasons for leaving. For a moment I thought I'd find this article to be helpful seeing as though Jeff and I are struggling with making the same decision. However, the more I read the more I realized that none of the five people interviewed had lives that mirrored my own.

It's true that Spain is not well positioned economically, and in saying so this is potentially a good argument for relocating. The job market is grim, especially for young professionals, and the future is bleak for now. One family spoke of leaving because of the job market, but only because he had become redundant at his job. It's very difficult to "move up the ladder" based on merit as promotions tend to be based on experience and seniority. Nonetheless, Jeff is currently applying for internships, and he has submitted applications to companies far and wide, but in our heart of hearts we're hoping he'll secure something more local. Speaking Spanish fluently certainly works out to his advantage, as well as having a valid work permit, and landing an internship in Spain, or even Europe, will more than likely secure an international career path. Needless to say we are anxious to see how this will unfold.

Other complaints about living in Barcelona included a faltering education system, lack of community and a sense of belonging, and the ever present language barrier. Again I found it difficult to identify with any of these arguments. Education is certainly a real concern, and there's no doubt that the Catalan public schools leave much to be desired. But being connected to the network of international schools gives me a different perspective altogether. There are in fact many great schools in the city offering a top-notch education, and I happen to know some of the most fantastic teachers any child would be lucky to have. The reality is, however, that quality comes with a price making some of the best schools in Barcelona out of reach for many families. As for language and community, they go hand in hand in some regard. There are many internationals who simply do not make the effort to learn Spanish. As a result, interaction with the local community is greatly limited and the potential for building a meaningful life here is next to impossible. It came with a lot of work and effort, but Jeff and I both feel a sense of community and belonging which we are both grateful for.

What I ultimately took away from the article was a common thread among all five former residents: an unbeatable lifestyle. It turns out that almost all of them truly miss Barcelona and what it has to offer, and this is my greatest fear. I suppose it's a sacrifice either way, but where else are we going to find beautiful weather, proximity to the beach, mountains, and everything in between, a fascinating culture, and a high regard for embracing life to the fullest? The answer is, well, we don't really know! What we do know is that since living here we have been genuinely happy and that's not something easy to let go of.

Didn't we learn anything from Jack, Kate, Hurley and all the others? Once they left, all they wanted was to get back to the island.

*You can read more about Barcelona at the Metropolitan to keep informed about life and culture in the Catalan capitol.

As you well know by now, moving abroad has brought about many "firsts" and new experiences over the last three years. Though time has brought comfort and familiarity, at no other time is it more evident that "we're not in Kansas anymore" than during the holiday season. When a holiday like Thanksgiving simply doesn't exist, there's great deal of planning and improvising that has to happen. The one thing that doesn't change, however, is the anticipation of great food and great company to share these experiences with.

At some point during my carefully coordinated dance in the kitchen yesterday, I realized that it was, well, easy! The turkey had been brining all night, the cornbread was made, the side dishes and hors d'oeuvres were prepped, skype was my kitchen companion along with Michael Buble's Christmas serenade in the background. This was a turning point. Relatively speaking, preparing a Thanksgiving feast abroad had finally become a no-brainer! I stopped to reflect on our various turkey feasts over the years and I came to one conclusion...this year wasn't just seemingly easy. It WAS easy!

2008: Our first Thanksgiving was celebrated only about 6 weeks after moving to Spain. Being away from family for our first major holiday was yanking on our heart strings, so we planned to spend the holiday in Munich with Nathan, Shonda, and little Brianna-to-be. The universe had a special surprise for all of us, though, when baby Brianna decided to make her grand entrance a few weeks early! While Mommy and Daddy spent their first hours with their baby girl in the hospital, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Lauren prepared a Thanksgiving feast at the house. Reading labels in Spanish was challenging enough, but German?? Seriously?? In the end we pulled it off, packed everything to go, and brought Thanksgiving to the hospital. This takes the cake for the most chaotic yet memorable Turkey Day experience!

2009: This year we had just moved into our new apartment and we had only just begun to unpack. No big deal! Not even a partially furnished apartment could keep us from sharing one of our favorite holidays with friends. This would be our first Spanish Thanksgiving, so there was a lot of kitchen and cooking vocabulary building while searching the city far and wide for the right ingredients.This holiday was spent with Raúl and Marta, our Scottish friends Rob and Cat, their newborn Aurora, and even their parents who were in town to help with the wee one. I was stressed this time around, not being familiar with my kitchen and lacking essential gadgets, but in the end it was another success.

Thanksgiving 2010 and what's left of the turkey

2010: This year Thanksgiving was BIG. Enormous turkey (I couldn't lift it by myself), side dishes in massive quantities, and a crowd of 16...whoa! Prep started early in the morning, but luckily we had our dear friends Alex and Kelly in town to help us get organized for the impending feast. Our friends came from all over: Spain, Italy, Scotland, Venezuela, France, and the US. We asked our guests to contribute something to the dinner, and the dishes that were brought were very interesting! Even a typical Spanish tortilla found its place on the table. There was still a lot to be learned over the course of preparing this meal, but with the company of great friends and delicious food, the clean-up could wait until morning.

2011: A very successful Turkey Day! We had a much more manageable guest list this year which I think helped in easing my anxiety of entertaining a bit. In fact, not a single doubt crossed my mind this year that everything would turn out perfectly...not even when the water was turned off in our neighborhood for most of the day! We spent this year's Thanksgiving with our good friends Deby and Armando, Dawn and Francesc with their little boy Zach, and our new friend Dave. But the best part of this year's feast? Everyone helped with the clean-up and we woke up to a spotless apartment this morning. We've finally figured this thing out!

Our Thanksgiving family 2011

*A special thank-you to my Mom and Kirk. Thanksgiving wouldn't have been the same without your enormous care packages!

Thinking about the first day of school brings back memories for all of us: the good, the bad, and the ugly. We've suffered through the jitters, a sleepless night, and the sad goodbye to another unforgettable summer. What will the first day be like? Will my best friend be in my class? What will I wear? What will my teacher be like? God forbid I do or say anything embarrassing that first day. After all, those first 7 hours set the tone for the rest of the year - first impressions are everything.

What's funny is that you're probably reading this and thinking about your childhood, but I happen to be referring to a teacher's first day! Maybe I don't necessarily lose sleep over friends, but the same anxiety rules my life for a good week before the first student walks through the door. Do I have everything prepared in my classroom to ensure that every student will be successful? Perhaps, but beyond the colorful posters and the neatly organized bookshelves there lies an anxious teacher who realizes that she is responsible for the next 10 months of her students' lives...am I really prepared for them? This is still my worry as I prepare to greet my seventh group of students!

What's the lesson here? Is it that I still haven't hit my stride after six years of teaching? Will I feel settled if I put in a few extra hours of planning? The truth is, a teacher who still worries about the first day of school is a teacher who still cares. No amount of planning will ease the nerves of a teacher who wants what's best for her students.

I thought about all of this today while I created colorful bulletin boards and organized bookshelves. Sure the classroom is coming together and it's looking warm and inviting. But here's the breakdown of what really matters: Am I ready? NO. Am I excited? Getting there. Am I nervous? YES. Do I care? Without a doubt.

Jeff on the day before his first day at IESE. Was he nervous to be a student again? "No need to be."

Standing on top of the waterfall at Pantana de Sau.

I've always been known as Snow White; someone who seems to have a sixth sense for communicating with animals. A recent moto adventure, however, proved that even the fairytale princess has her limits.

Having recently earned his moto license and a month of vacation, Jeff is not willing to let a single moment go wasted. So, an impromptu camping trip was in order with our friends Melissa and Carlos. After a day of offroading and gazing at waterfalls, we decided we'd set up camp for the night. The guys had a perfect spot in mind right on the edge of the lake, but access to this area required moving the electric fence that stood in our path. We noticed a herd of cows grazing just on the other side, but we proceeded anyway because afterall, what's a cow going to do??

We crossed the fence, feeling one step closer to some R and R, when we saw him, his horns like radar, sensing danger right in our direction. It was a bull, a monstrous beast programmed to protect his herd from any threat. In these situations we're cautioned to remain calm, make no sudden movements. Our reaction? RUNNNN!! The bull bucked and snorted after us as we wrecklessly sped from the pasture. We reached a tree lined clearing where we felt safe enough to dismount and breathe for the first time in what felt like minutes. We were terrified - shaken from the face-to-face encounter with a BULL.

A priority for setting up camp was to create a bull baracade. The guys positioned their bikes between trees in order to keep the herd at bay should they decide to wander in our direction overnight. We were safe, right? We couldn't have been more WRONG! We were woken by the sound of cowbells, not in the distance but right in our campsite!! Hearts pounding, we kept as quiet and calm as possible knowing the bull was somewhere nearby. Carlos and Melissa had the courage to unzip their front door just enough to find the bull literally standing right in front of them!! He was staring right into their tent sensing movement and smelling the air to assess any potential danger to his herd. He must have decided we weren't worth messing with and moved his herd beyond our campsite and over the hill.

This was our opportunity and we seized it. The herd had moved away from the pasture and we had clear access to the electric fence for what we knew would be a very limited time. Sure enough, just as soon as we were suiting up, the herd came back, the bull following up the rear and trapping us yet again. What were we going to do?! The fear set in again as the giant animal decided to stop in the middle of the road as if to say "just try me." He even took a few steps towards us just to make sure we got his message and then followed after the herd. We were trapped.

A fruitless attempt to find another way out left us with only one option - ask the fisherman who happened to be nearby to rescue us! Rescue us he did, giving us a ride in his luxurious Porsche Cayan right past the bull. He didn't even bat an eye! One problem still remained; we were out of harm's way, but how are we to spring the bikes from danger?? After a coffee and a discussion about strategy, the guys decided they would go back in on foot - on FOOT!? It was a scene straight out of a fairytale - the valiant heroes facing their doom to save their damsels in distress. Woe is me!

I've learned not to doubt Jeff's ideas, as crazy as they may be, because walking into the lion's den turned out to be the best strategy. The bikes were rescued and the road to safety was free...we live to see another adventure!

I thought I had hit the point in my life where birthdays are no longer a day to look forward to. As I inch closer and closer to the big 3-0, each passing birthday feels like a chapter closing in a book. To me it's become just another day, but to kids your birthday is worth celebrating in a BIG way!

I knew my students were up to something. They were becoming more giggly, they were disappearing to the library during breaks, they were asking questions like, "Do you eat breakfast Mrs. K?" and "What's your favorite breakfast food?" It became even more telling the week of my birthday when they suddenly had a huge project for another teacher and needed to spend their recesses in the library. One morning, the bell rang while I was still in the library when my kids came barreling down the stairs. They stopped dead in their tracks, wide eyed and completely startled to see me. Julia, who happens to shine under pressure, stepped up to the plate saying, "Oh, Mrs. K! I'm so glad you're here! I need your help in the classroom. Can you give me some feedback on my realistic fiction story?" The looks on their faces were priceless, and the coast was clear for them to proceed with their top secret mission. 

The big day had arrived, and oh what a day it would turn out to be! Soon after I sat down to prepare for the day, I heard some busy little bees in the hallway. Just as I was about to ask them leave, a group of my kids entered my room singing happy birthday and carrying a tray of something I couldn't see just yet. One student was the designated photographer assigned to document the entire event on film. Another student was tasked with clearing off my desk while three others presented me with my Birthday Breakfast: a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, a glass of peach juice, a bouqet of beautiful paper roses all swimming in a pool of fresh rose petals. I was completely surprised and so touched by their attention to detail. My favorite moment was this comment: "Mrs. K, we made you croissants last night, but we got distracted and we burned them. We know chocolate chip cookies aren't a breakfast food, but we know they're your favorite cookie so we made you these instead." How sweet!

But this was only the beginning. The first break bell rang and my class was nowhere to be found. Courtney, our librarian, found me to say that one of my students needed my help in the hallway. She had injured her leg and needed my help to get to the nurse. Hmmmm, suspsicious. I enter the hallway to find an injured Julia being helped off the floor and saying she should probably just sit down. Right on cue, one of my students opens the classroom door and I'm greeted with the most enthusiastic "Surprise!!!!" I've ever heard! I stood in shock for a moment to take it all in. These kids had planned this party completely on their own with NO adult involvement. They had a birthday cake, balloons, drinks, cups, cutlery, napkins, snacks, music, and a handmade booklet with birthday wishes straight from the heart. Our resident DJ had prepared the perfect mix of party tunes to get the party started. Needless to say, there would be no winding down from the excitement of it all, and they came prepared! They had altered our schedule so that third period was party time and they brought Harry Potter to watch fourth period, knowing all too well they would be too energized to "learn". 

"How did I get to be so lucky to have such an amazing group of fifth graders?" I asked them the next day. Their response - "How did we get to be so lucky to have you for a teacher, Mrs. K? We don't know what we would do without you!".  And you know the best part of all? They cleaned the entire classroom without me having to prompt them. It was all part of the plan.

Our first year abroad brought many expected and unexpected changes. Maintaining our blog was one source of stability that not only helped to keep us grounded, but it also kept us connected to home. Moving here had caused us to latch onto the apron strings and we held on tight! But over time, as we've made a life for ourselves here, we've gradually loosened our grip on our tether to familiarity and our blog has been neglected as a result. We simply can't keep up with our own adventures! Sadly, most of our experiences in 2009 and all of 2010 regrettably are not documented in writing. Below is a list of all the places we traveled since our last post about Mallorca...oh, the places we've been!

Italy> Milan, Lake Como, Venice, and Cinque Terre

Switzerland> The German Oberland: Interlachen, the Jungfrau, Lucerne, Bern

Austria> Vienna, Innsbruck

Hungary> Budapest

Germany> Munich many times! (Oktoberfest!)

Croatia> Plitvich National Park, Rijeka

The Netherlands> Amsterdam

Portugal> Porto

Spain> Granada, Formentera, Valencia, Madrid

The UK> London

Egypt> Cairo, Aswan, Luxor, and the Red Sea

Tunisia> Tunis, Sidi Bou Said

It's no secret we're addicted to travel. The only question is, where's the next stop on this adventure!?