This felt nostalgic for me. All the feelings you felt and the act of taking it all in. This line: "becoming an expat felt like an impossibly enormous experience, huge and unknowable and terrifying," is exactly how I felt the first time I landed in Jamaica without a return date back to Canada. It's surreal, exhilarating, and yes...terrifying. But so worth the adventure!
Thank you for reading! It’s been wild and humbling and there are definitely days I miss our old apartment, and our old life, so intensely that I’ve considered whether we should pack it all up and go back to NY. But I think adventures are supposed to be hard, and what we’re gaining is ultimately worth the sadness and occasional cultural disorientation.
I’m so enjoying reading this Jacob and looking forward to your next chapters. I travelled to Oaxaca in 1974 and stayed a couple of months on a commune set up by the poet Margarita Dalton in the village of El Vergel a few kms from the city. A most memorable time. Didn’t want to leave. Completely understand your move there!
Moving to another country makes you question your sanity, and yes, not everyone can do it! Both of those statements resonated with me and there are some/few of us that can do it, even if we question our sanity-but it's worth it! Pura Vida!
Great article. Reminded me of when my wife and I visited Morelia for the first time with her parents, rainy night, the colonial downtown all lit up, and we turned to each other and said “we could live here.” A year later, a work opportunity opened up, we moved from Portland, Oregon to Morelia and have been here ever since, 33 years. During that time, I have observed many foreigners who come here with the idea of making it their home, but get frustrated by certain aspects of the culture. Your observation is right on that a person must be a little romantic (and Iaid-back also helps) to feel comfortable in Mexico.
Jacob I live in Mexico City and I will always remember the month I spent with my wife in Orizaba, Veracruz. It was such a stunning city. What you said about imagining yourself possibly living in the places you visit rang so true for me. I knew the first day I arrived in Orizaba that I wanted to live there. I would love to live there. Maybe one day we will make it happen. Great newsletter.
This felt nostalgic for me. All the feelings you felt and the act of taking it all in. This line: "becoming an expat felt like an impossibly enormous experience, huge and unknowable and terrifying," is exactly how I felt the first time I landed in Jamaica without a return date back to Canada. It's surreal, exhilarating, and yes...terrifying. But so worth the adventure!
Thank you for reading! It’s been wild and humbling and there are definitely days I miss our old apartment, and our old life, so intensely that I’ve considered whether we should pack it all up and go back to NY. But I think adventures are supposed to be hard, and what we’re gaining is ultimately worth the sadness and occasional cultural disorientation.
Yes!!! If adventures were easy they wouldn't be much of an adventure.
I’m so enjoying reading this Jacob and looking forward to your next chapters. I travelled to Oaxaca in 1974 and stayed a couple of months on a commune set up by the poet Margarita Dalton in the village of El Vergel a few kms from the city. A most memorable time. Didn’t want to leave. Completely understand your move there!
Moving to another country makes you question your sanity, and yes, not everyone can do it! Both of those statements resonated with me and there are some/few of us that can do it, even if we question our sanity-but it's worth it! Pura Vida!
Great article. Reminded me of when my wife and I visited Morelia for the first time with her parents, rainy night, the colonial downtown all lit up, and we turned to each other and said “we could live here.” A year later, a work opportunity opened up, we moved from Portland, Oregon to Morelia and have been here ever since, 33 years. During that time, I have observed many foreigners who come here with the idea of making it their home, but get frustrated by certain aspects of the culture. Your observation is right on that a person must be a little romantic (and Iaid-back also helps) to feel comfortable in Mexico.
Jacob I live in Mexico City and I will always remember the month I spent with my wife in Orizaba, Veracruz. It was such a stunning city. What you said about imagining yourself possibly living in the places you visit rang so true for me. I knew the first day I arrived in Orizaba that I wanted to live there. I would love to live there. Maybe one day we will make it happen. Great newsletter.