Expat Life: Is Home Really Where the Heart Is?

Edd:  I just realized something. We rented this apartment in Cuenca a little over three months ago. That’s the longest we’ve been in one place for over 2½ years!

Cynthia:  You’re right, and most of our readers will probably find that revelation shocking. It was a bit strange at first to be reunited with our own things. When the movers started bringing the furniture in you asked, “Has our stuff grown? I feel like we’re seeing the grandchildren after we’ve been away for a while!”

E:  Our new home is smaller than where we previously lived, and at first we were concerned we had made a mistake. But we’ve managed to make it work.

C:  And you’ve been busy with your recent side hustle—selling a lot of things online that we either don’t have room for or no longer need.

E:  Indeed I have, and what an adventure it’s been. I went through a similar experience with Craigslist when we were moving here from Las Vegas years ago. Now there’s Facebook Marketplace as well as our local GringoPost community bulletin board, but the routine apparently never changes. You post something, lots of people ask if it’s still available, then most of the time—crickets.

C:  There is a difference between expat and local buyers though. Expats rarely question the price. Locals always want to negotiate. It’s just part of the culture here. We’ve had to say goodbye to a few pieces of furniture we really didn’t want to sell. It has been comforting to meet the new owners who are excited about their purchase and know it’s going to a good home.

E:  I’ve often said that the easiest journey is the one with the least baggage. We definitely demonstrated that philosophy by living out of a carry-on and backpack during our travels. Along those same lines I think regularly downsizing is beneficial.

C:  Our sister-in-law, who in preparation for selling her home recently cleared out decades of you-name-it following the recent death of my brother, empathically says people should move every 10 years.

E:  That makes a lot of sense. You’re forced to think about and purge all the clutter periodically instead of letting it pile up. Plus changing locations, even if it’s in your same city or town, can give you a fresh perspective on life.

C:  Our situation is a good example. We lived in the same area here in Cuenca for 11 years before putting everything in storage so we could travel. Now we’re in another part of town having fun getting familiar with an entirely different neighborhood.

E:  In the midst of this season of gratitude, we are extremely thankful to once again have a permanent home. Our full-time traveling was fabulous, but we grew weary of constantly moving from one place to the next. When we’re off on new adventures next year, it will be comforting to know we’ll always return to somewhere familiar.

C:  Also, we are very grateful for lots of writing assignments with Next Avenue and TravelAwaits. Eventually, the downsizing, sorting, and unpacking will get finished. Then we can think about where those “new adventures” in 2024 will take us. If our followers have suggestions from their own travels, we would love for you to comment below or to write us.

E:  We do know we’re off to the States soon for our annual family Christmas visit. And we may have a week or two after New Year’s to explore an interesting U.S. destination, so send us your stateside recommendations too.

Note ~ Thank you for continuing to follow our expat adventures as they unfold. We very much appreciate your interest, welcome your feedback, and your willingness to share our website. Wishing all of you a happy holiday season. Cheers!