There are no words to describe the kinds of emotions we had
as we soaked in our last few months living in Barcelona. There was an
ever-growing list of things, places, and people we were going to miss when we
got on that one-way flight to the U.S. Deciding
to leave Barcelona was never an easy choice, and even once we made it, we
questioned if it was right. We never felt like we were “ready” to move on or
“done” with what Spain or living abroad in general had to offer us. But it came
down to a few factors that tipped the scale and made it evident that in some
important ways, it was time for us to move onto the next chapter of our lives.
We tried our hardest to not allow ourselves to wallow in
sadness as we went through our last few weeks, but to simply continue what we
have been doing for the last four years, which is taking in every bit of our
surroundings with gratitude while being fully present. There was not a single
day that we lived in Spain that we took for granted. Every time we went outside
we took notice of the beauty of our city, the details of Spanish culture and cuisine,
the aromas, the sounds, the amazing opportunity we had to live in such a dreamy
place. Our dinner conversations frequently revolved around new things we
discovered we loved about Spain, what we were grateful for that day, or what
small thing evoked awe.
Our last few weeks were jam-packed! When we weren’t
packing up our apartment, we were socializing, revisiting our favorite places,
continuing to uncover new corners, and
soaking up the Barcelona sun. Here are some pictures that highlight our last
adventures, meals, and memories in our city.
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We took advantage of perfect Summer weather with many picnics in Parc Ciutadella our last week. |
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We celebrated the holiday St. Joan in the small town of Creixell with our Catalan friends. It included fireworks on the beach and throughout the region all night long! |
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Our final dip in the Mediteranean. |
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Will always be obsessed with the streets in Barcelona. |
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This corner was steps away from our apartment, but every single time we passed it, we stopped to admire the view. |
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Our final meal of tapas in Barceloneta |
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Pimientos, Bravas, Berenjena, Pan con Tomate...No, it wasn't healthy. Yes, it was delicious. |
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We strolled through Ciutadella on our final evening and enjoyed time with this amazing friend who just so happened to be re-visiting the city at the perfect time! |
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Our final ride on our beloved Bicing bikes. We loved having city bikes and used them to get around the city (mostly to the beach!) multiple times a week! |
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This is truly how we found the Arc as we walked home from the Parc. |
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Our bags were packed and ready to load out in the morning. |
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Our final toast of Cava with pomegranate seeds. |
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After lowering our bags through our window down to the street for an hour, we said goodbye to our wonderful home. |
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Managing our bags at the airport was a bit of a challenge. |
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Pretty surreal walking down this jetway. |
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Unbelievable sights from the skies over Switzerland. |
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And arriving to a beautiful sunset in Iowa. |
Trying to wrap our
minds around what all we had done and experienced since moving abroad is an
impossible task. Although we had traveled a good amount before, and maybe would
have considered ourselves somewhat “cultured”, nothing compares to building
a home, navigating through the challenges of expat living, forming
relationships of all different kinds, and adjusting to an entirely new normal. For us, we felt particularly fortunate, because our marriage began in
Spain! We left from our wedding and transitioned right into living abroad,
traveling to far away lands, taking in such strong and unique experiences,
which provided a unique foundation for our marriage. The things we saw and experienced, the
people we got to know and learned from, the unbelievable sights we stood in
front of…it was more than a nice experience, a pretty picture or an interesting
story. It all shaped us, broadened our worldview in ways we did not previously
know to be possible. It is hard to put into words, but the truth is that we are
not the same people that first stepped onto that Spanish soil. And we hope that
even though we will now be living in the U.S., we will not default back to the
people that we were when we last lived here, but will carry with us the changed
mindsets, and live out the values that we have built after the experiences we
have had. The next chapter of our lives has a lot of unknowns, but we are in it
together, and can’t wait to see what adventures lie around the corner!