I knew as soon as I made the decision to leave my job in Aurora and move to Spain in hopes of finding a job, that I wasn't really making the wisest of financial choices. I had bought a semi-new car only a year before, had about $17,000 in grad school loans, and still had to pay off a significant amount of money towards a credit card. Although it would have been much wiser financially to stay in Denver, I knew that personally it was the right time to move abroad.
Thank goodness most things have turned out even better than I could have hoped! I found a great job working for a director who really respects her teachers and the job they do. I'm living in Spain - a country with beautiful weather, fascinating history, and some of the best tapas and drinks I've ever tasted. Most importantly, I'm experiencing a culture that values social time with friends and family more than anything else. The majority of people here work in order to live, not live in order to work. Overall, I feel the most relaxed I have in about 8 years!
But, there is one stress that I have never experienced to this extent before - lack of money. Although I've made many poor choices with how I've managed my money over the years, this past week has been the only time where I have actually felt panicked due to not knowing if I would be able to pay my bills from the US, my rent, and actually have enough money to eat. Wow! What a different perspective it is when you only get paid for the hours you work (cancelled classes, holidays, etc. = no money). This means my income is never consistent, even though the majority of my expenses are.
After an hour or two of self-pity followed by much more self-reflection yesterday, I realized that I'm so lucky to have only just now felt this kind of panic, especially in a time where people around the world are feeling it daily. In addition, I'm so lucky to have an amazing network of family and friends who would help me out with no questions asked (thanks, mom and dad!). I'm so grateful that I do have a job and feel that I am being taught a serious lesson about what is actually important in life. I would much rather spend the few extra euros I have on a trip to an undiscovered place or a drink with a friend than a new shirt or pair of jeans (although I desperately want a pair of boots at the moment!).
Needless to say, I'm learning many life lessons at the ripe old age of 29. As I walked around town today, all I could think was how amazing things actually are; I'm living a life that has truly changed my priorities. So, I'll most likely wear my clothes until they have holes in them, not get my hair cut for six months, and consume pasta once a day, but at least I'll be loving my life and learning many lessons along the way . . .
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