Destination Paradise

So maybe I exaggerated when I said the blog re-design was just about ready to be rolled out.  Sometimes I think I'm more capable of awesomeness than I truly am.  And sometimes I wonder why I insist on doing things myself, and having them come out *JUST PERFECT*, and waiting until that elusive standard of perfection is achieved before I release my project to the world.  This statement applies to my approach to our immigration battle, by the way, and I think it's unfortunate. I'm not sure where things changed.  I remember a time when I was a lot less concerned about things.  Let's start with Barcelona, where Carlos and I discovered that our original goal was not going to be attainable.  So we said, "Hey, let's explore Europe and then move to Mexico."  I actually remember the moment when we had that conversation, sitting on an ancient Roman wall in the Barri Gòtic, watching some backpacker slink by, shoeless and slouchy-shouldered.  "Could we end u...

We're a little bit exhausted and frazzled, but doing just fine. We are staying in our hostel/apartment, which is actually the very same room they show on their website, so we got the best deal. Currently, we're in the process of getting settled here - our phones are activated, we're getting closer in our search for an apartment, and then we begin the job search. We left Cancun a few hours ahead of the hurricane, so that was a relief. Nine and a half hours on a German transatlantic airliner was a different story. I find it extremely disconcerting to be spoken to and have NO CLUE what is being said. After this there were 6 hours in the Dusseldorf and then 2 more hours on another German aircraft into Barcelona. The German immigration officials in Dusseldorf made a big deal and tried to give us a scare upon seeing Carlos' Mexican passport - we were aware that lately the EU has been making it harder for Mexicans to enter, so we experienced this firsthand. However, we were ...

OK, for those who were concerned about the idea of Carlos & me landing in Barcelona and wandering around looking for a place to stay, we are now officially booked into a hostel/apartment type deal where we get our own bedroom in a 4-bedroom apartment shared with other travelers. Some pictures from the place (obviously, these are their best rooms & shots, but still...)

For all of you wondering about this whole thing we're doing, here are some of the things we're asked most often: 1. When are you leaving? I'm out of here on August 17th (next Friday!!!). That's when I go to Cancun to meet up with Carlos and then from there to Barcelona on August 20-21st (overnight flight). 2. Are you ready? Not even close. Seriously. Panic hasn't set in yet, but it could. I'm trying to deal with one thing at a time, but there are SO MANY DETAILS! I'm grateful to have friends and family around to help me keep my head together and get everything done. Thanks, guys! 3. So do you have an apartment there? No. We could have secured one through the internet, but I'm old fashioned, and I need to see the place in real life and I can't stomach the concept of sending someone 950 € through the internet. In other words, we'll probably do the hostel or cheap hotel thing until we lock down a place, once we're actually IN Ba...

Carlos is now in his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico where it is frequently 100° Fahrenheit with 100% humidity. So for those of you wondering why I'm not with him, there is a big part of your answer. I was not born in the desert, and I have no desire to live in a steaming, dusty, mountain-enclosed bowl of smog and pure heat. Anyway, Carlos is living with his brother and his mom, who is currently spending some time in Mexico as well. He's been assembling paperwork, preparing for Barcelona, and generally getting shocked at how fast money drains away in Monterrey. Meanwhile I've been working as a "Personal Assistant" to my aunt & uncle, helping take care of loose ends so they can focus on running the medical office. So I pretty much get to spend my days doing what I love: driving around the Chicagoland area in my Mazda3 and shopping! Things are going OK considering that we're separated by a whole country only two months after our wedding. It'll...

The tickets have been purchased, the plans have been made, and it all gets underway in a few weeks! Here is our summer itinerary: July 6 Carlos and Amy go to Michigan to attend Dan Godoy's wedding to Meagan Cammenga! July 10 Carlos flies to his hometown Monterrey, Mexico to assemble documents for Barcelona. Amy remains in the U.S. for logistical purposes. August 17 Amy leaves Chicago and flies to Cancun, Mexico! Carlos fies from Monterrey to join her there. August 17-19 Carlos and Amy enjoy a brief honeymoon in Cancun! August 19-20 Carlos and Amy fly overnight to Dusseldorf, Germany and spend the better part of a day there. August 20 Carlos and Amy fly to Barcelona and settle in for a wild adventure!