The house, that is, is up for sale.
After a week of final work (painting) and a day of frantic cleaning, our house is cleaner and looks nicer, than it probably has... EVER.
I was a little unhappy this week with the probable sale price the realtor gave us. I thought or hoped it would be a little more and the reality has been hard to adjust to. The way it is now, we'll walk away with just enough for plane tickets to Chile and enough to ship what little we are shipping.
This means starting over from scratch, with almost nothing. We don't have fine furnishings anyway, but we are very fortunate to have everything we need. Selling it all for a few hundred bucks isn't going to help much on the other end. There are things that are just more complicated in Chile, like doing laundry. When I lived there by myself, it didn't matter, I'd take the subway with my big bag of dirty clothes to a laundromat (expensive). That doesn't sound very fun with a family of four.
Am I sweating the small stuff? Perhaps, but in some ways that is much easier than sweating the big stuff... I don't dare start with the big stuff. I have had this pit in my stomach and knot in my throat, hoping and wishing that this is the right decision. Well, I know it is the right decision in many ways: it is the decision that will give my kids a sense of family, and many more people to love; it is the decision that will balance the nearly 10 years my husband has spent far from friends and family; it is the decision that will quench that wanderlust I have always had.
The timing is perfect in so many ways (despite my sister's belief that the massive earthquake in Chile in February was a sign that I should't move ;-)
I guess the bright side is that I know we'll be taken care of; my husband's family is so generous and supportive. My father-in-law is more than thrilled that we'll be staying him for a bit, even though I am less than thrilled about not having my own space.
So, it is terrifying in some ways and exciting in others. This is almost the last step... this and finishing consulate paperwork and shipping boxes. I almost can't believe it is getting so close.
13 comments:
It is the right decision if you make it the right decision. It took me two years in Chile to make it the right decision but I did. And now I'm happy. I have full confidence that you're coming in much more prepared than I ever was and that this is the right decision for your family from the get go :)
i think everything will be more than fine.
but uggghh those thing like laundry DO suck. i just finally gave in a bought a brand new machine (260$us -ish). of course it came with its troubles like everything else i've ever bought in chile. and then the hot water heater exploded. but hey... interesting memories!
i think you'll ease into life here quite easily.
Annje. those jitters are absolutely normal! But you're going to do great here! (And you'll even have a washing machine--no need to live like a student now that you're all grown up with a family!) YES you can have a great life here in Chile-- and you WILL!
At least you know you have a fan club here anxiously awaiting your arrival! Go for it sister!
They do say that moving house is the best cleaning and purging opportunity. I want to move just to force me to do it.
And I think your approach of sweating the small stuff is a good plan for staying sane while you embark on this new amazing phase of your life.
I'm excited for you. (really I am, even though I'll miss you, even though we've never met in person, and even though you KNOW I'm comin' to visit)
Fan club, indeed! We will smooth your transitions and help you out however you can. And there's tons of groups and people here to help. We take care of each other, come to birthday parties, step in to help with this and that.
I washed my clothes by hand for the longest time in Chile. It was gross, my clothing was never clean. Then I spent the same amount that Lydia spent and never looked back. It's one of my favorite purchases ever.
You'll do great. I can get behind the nerves, but you are making the right decision.
Fan club might be a stretch, wait until you see how socially awkward I am... but you guys are all so sweet. Yes it is just nerves, and I know it is the best decision right now and I am sure I'll have a washing machine, but my real question is what about a dryer?... I can't live without one of those.. haha... no, seriously...
Yay! And so the adventure begins! When are you guys planning on leaving?
Sounds like a big and scary change in life...but those seem to always clarify priorities and make life a little simpler.
Safe travels, Annje.
I'm beginning to seriously consider a dryer. I have some stuff that stretches out and never shrinks again when I hang it dry, and with winter coming it would be nice not to have to wait 3 days for the laundry to stop being damp. But up til now, I just like to look at things that compared to my life in the US are "hardships" (no dryer, no dishwasher, only recently a car but I still commute by bus) as environmentally friendly things I'm glad to do now that a different culture made me realize those things are necessary.
Good luck with the move!
Wow. I completely understand and I think you are brave for doing this with a family. I wish you all the best of luck with selling your house, and packing everything into boxes/suitcases and taking that long flight:)
Hey, good luck getting a good offer on your house. That can be frustrating.
It is great that you are moving into a situation were you already have a network. We lived in 3 different countries and moved back and forth for a the last 10 years (husbands job)and every time we moved I had a culture shock and a period of adjustment...even when I knew what to expect, but it did get better with time. Best of luck!
Wow, it's really almost time! Go ahead and sweat the small stuff if you need to, just make sure you let yourself feel the excitement as well. So few people get to do what you're doing, unloading all the accumulated detritus and heading to parts unknown. It will be such an adventure, yet neatly cushioned by intimacy in the form of loved ones. It will be wonderful.
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