We still haven't decided where we'll be in July. I want us to apply to the startup incubator in Santiago, Chile. John loved Amsterdam and wants to accept the job offer, but I thought Amsterdam was far too cold and grey to stay long term. The architecture was cool, but I actually enjoyed the architecture of Guadalajara in Mexico much more. Regardless of where we go next, we have too many toys to take with us. Our F-350, 33 foot 5th wheel, 2 ocean kayaks, about 70% of my clothes and shoes, my sewing machine and violin etc... There are many things that we cannot take with us.
We have been somewhat nomadic for the past year and a half. Since Graham has been born, we've travelled to Atlanta about five times, Jacksonville twice, once to Cincinatti, and then on to Traverse City. We have also been to Amsterdam, are now in San Francisco, and are going to Santiago, Chile this weekend. After living this nomadic life for so long, you learn which of your belongings you truly need. For example, I need one belt, no more and no less. You learn to have multifunctional items. My Keens are awesome for the beach, hiking, boating, or just wearing with jeans. You also learn to not get attached to things. Sometimes things accidentally get left behind or get damaged, but you keep moving.
What is hard to let go of, is unfullfilled dreams. All of the toys we have invested in for the past year and a half have been to accomplish our RVing through Mexico's SCUBA divesites dream. Pull the 5th wheel with our F-350 from Pensacola, follow I-10 across the US, go down the Baja, follow Mexico's Western coast all the way to Guatemala, dive Belize, then travel up the east coast of Mexico, stopping in Isla Mujeres before coming back to Pensacola. I've had a lot of time to plan out this fantasy, but the timing is not ideal to begin that adventure. First, Graham cannot dive with us. We would need a babysitter or another dive couple willing to take turns watching the children. If we wait ten years, Graham can dive with us. Second, we would need a significant amount of money at our disposal. Internet would be unreliable for John to work. I suppose I could get my TESL certification and teach English as we travel, but then the traveling would be incredibly slow and we would struggle to eat, forget about diving. Third, we need to invest more money and time into our toys for them to be boondocking ready. We would want solar panels on the fifth wheel, to repair water damage, to mount bikes and kayaks on the sides, equip extra batteries and fuses for the slide outs and hitching process, and build a bench kitchen table that folds down to a bed. Maybe if we become millionaires some day, we can have that adventure.
What is more realistic is to take advantage of Graham's growth and development. In less than a year, he will become a language SPONGE. I have observed this with my niece. The toddler language absorption is amazing. I want Graham to be hearing English and Spanish at that stage. I joke to people in airports that I am training my best friend to be a world traveller, but it is somewhat true. I know enough Spanish to survive and get around, but he has the potential to learn Spanish well enough to claim a Latin country is his home. He could overcome stereotypes of the "Ugly American" through his language capabilities and become fully emerged in a culture the way only truly speaking the language can provide. Spanish is spoken in many parts of the world, and is similar to Italian and Portugeuse.
I started writing this post because I was regretting the plan to sell our things. After reflecting on the reasons however, I have become determined that postponing the RV dream is the best decision. Wow, I feel like a gigantic boulder is no longer hanging over my head. When we return to Pensacola in 4 months, I will be able to sell everything with confidence that I am making the right decision. We bought everything at such good prices, maybe we'll make a profit overall ( hope for no hurricanes in the next 4 months). We have a few more days in San Fran before I post about the Bay area. Our gypsy kid is off to Santiago, Chile next!
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