Wow. One year ago we were still recovering from our jetlag, overwhelmed by the prospect of starting at a new school, and had positively no Portuguese skills to speak of. A year later, and we're jetlag-recovery experts, we can certainly hold our own in any Portuguese grocery or restaurant, and starting the school year seems relatively exciting (as much it can...).
Living in Cascais, Portugal has been a very enriching experience, and I'm absolutely grateful for the opportunity. Getting some distance from the USA seems like taking time to get from space from one of your best frenemies... I feel like I have a better appreciation for some of the things that we really have going for us, like hoppy ales, Mexican food (even if we've commandeered that), and a general outgoing, optimistic go-get-em' attitude. I also have had time to realize some of the things that America is missing out on, including a relaxed pace of life, roundabouts, and truly socialized healthcare. Taking this time has allowed me to travel to a host of fascinating and beautiful places in Spain, Andorra, Morocco, France, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Lichtenstein, & Italy, in addition to exploring all that Portugal has to offer. We have a fantastic day to day living experience; example numero uno: right now the musical sounds of the "Festa do Mar" are floating in the window from next to the beach, just 200 yards away, in one of the many fun activities that our city hosts throughout the year. If we go 200 yards in the other direction any Saturday, we can buy cheap delicious organic produce any Saturday of the year at a farmers market. We can easily walk to a diverse array of restaurants, cafes, clubs, beaches, or parks. How could someone not appreciate all this?
As we cross this threshold and start to roll into our second, it's hard not to think about what things will be like one year hence. If all goes well, it looks like it'll be the beginning of a completely different part of our lives. In February, if/when the tiny person growing in Jyl's womb decides to come out and rock our world, it's safe to say that we will never be the same. Will we be able to resist the urge to nest closer to the family we love so much? Will baby me mad if she/he finds out that we blew his/her chance at EU citizenship? Could this lovely place pull us to stay and settle in where the ocean air whispers softly through our windows and the sun kisses terracotta tile roofs and white-washed walls? It's hard to say. For now, we will just enjoy the blessed lives we live, and let that be enough.
