I’m baaaack!!!! (Update)

HBS60 said:

Hello, again, fellow Pilgrims!

Sorry I needed to take a break from these boards, it’s complicated but I have a lot to share.

For the newbies here, I did my Camino Frances between August and September, and chronicled it extensively until I got home to FL right as a hurricane was lashing the other side of the state (but still could be felt). Then we got another hurricane, this time went through Central FL where I live. That was a lot of stress and cleanup to do. But I was also drained and exhausted. It felt like I was having a Camino hangover, for a while I needed to disconnect, stopped following this and other Camino boards as I needed to “detox”. It felt like having gorged on plates and plates of food to the point I couldn’t stand the sight of it.

Finally, it started to get better, and I would scroll over my FB postings with gratitude and joy, then…how do I put this?… things have happened in my country that slammed me back to the ground.

So, I’ve made the decision to move out of my country and relocate to Spain, so I’m applying for a non-lucrative visa. The truth is that I’ve been thinking about making this move for a few years, and I finally got the message that I shouldn’t keep postponing it any more. While I could move to any number of Spanish-speaking countries, having done the Camino gave me the confidence that I can relocate successfully to Spain. Not that it will be easy, as it’s traumatic leaving the country that has been home for 40 years, leaving behind friends and family, but I know I’m not the only person in the world that has dealt with this type of situation.

I’ve met so many delightful people, Spaniards and from elsewhere, that I know that I’ll have no trouble meeting people that would support me through this transition. I met 4 Spaniards at the Camino, one in Madrid, one in Murcia, one in Seville, one in Valencia and have been in touch with them. I do not know yet where I’ll be living, probably southern Spain as I don’t like cold weather.

While I made it a point in my earlier posts that I couldn’t even think of doing other caminos, well…I might do so anyway, as I’m sure it will be therapeutic and give me the opportunity to meet new people. Having so many caminos gives me choices and flexibility. It’s not that I’m thrilled about it, but I also see its value. While I am not allowed to work with a non-lucrative visa, I’m sure I could volunteer at places like albergues. Being that I’ll be in Europe, I can also take the opportunity to travel through Europe, visit places, without having to fly across the ocean. I would also want to find an institution or teacher that can work with me in my piano technique.

I still have lots of decisions to make, like what to do my my house here in FL, what do do with my grand piano, how to figure out the finances, the bureaucratic paperwork, etc. I’m currently working with an agency that’s guiding me through the process. I’m hoping to get everything in order over the next couple of months, but who knows.

Once again, I’m grateful for the incredible support I got during my Camino, and. I look forward for more human connections.

Thanks, everybody!

Hector

Click to expand...

HBS60 said:

(...) Not that it will be easy, as it’s traumatic leaving the country that has been home for 40 years, leaving behind friends and family, but I know I’m not the only person in the world that has dealt with this type of situation. (...)

Click to expand...

HBS60 said:

Hello, again, fellow Pilgrims!

Sorry I needed to take a break from these boards, it’s complicated but I have a lot to share.

For the newbies here, I did my Camino Frances between August and September, and chronicled it extensively until I got home to FL right as a hurricane was lashing the other side of the state (but still could be felt). Then we got another hurricane, this time went through Central FL where I live. That was a lot of stress and cleanup to do. But I was also drained and exhausted. It felt like I was having a Camino hangover, for a while I needed to disconnect, stopped following this and other Camino boards as I needed to “detox”. It felt like having gorged on plates and plates of food to the point I couldn’t stand the sight of it.

Finally, it started to get better, and I would scroll over my FB postings with gratitude and joy, then…how do I put this?… things have happened in my country that slammed me back to the ground.

So, I’ve made the decision to move out of my country and relocate to Spain, so I’m applying for a non-lucrative visa. The truth is that I’ve been thinking about making this move for a few years, and I finally got the message that I shouldn’t keep postponing it any more. While I could move to any number of Spanish-speaking countries, having done the Camino gave me the confidence that I can relocate successfully to Spain. Not that it will be easy, as it’s traumatic leaving the country that has been home for 40 years, leaving behind friends and family, but I know I’m not the only person in the world that has dealt with this type of situation.

I’ve met so many delightful people, Spaniards and from elsewhere, that I know that I’ll have no trouble meeting people that would support me through this transition. I met 4 Spaniards at the Camino, one in Madrid, one in Murcia, one in Seville, one in Valencia and have been in touch with them. I do not know yet where I’ll be living, probably southern Spain as I don’t like cold weather.

While I made it a point in my earlier posts that I couldn’t even think of doing other caminos, well…I might do so anyway, as I’m sure it will be therapeutic and give me the opportunity to meet new people. Having so many caminos gives me choices and flexibility. It’s not that I’m thrilled about it, but I also see its value. While I am not allowed to work with a non-lucrative visa, I’m sure I could volunteer at places like albergues. Being that I’ll be in Europe, I can also take the opportunity to travel through Europe, visit places, without having to fly across the ocean. I would also want to find an institution or teacher that can work with me in my piano technique.

I still have lots of decisions to make, like what to do my my house here in FL, what do do with my grand piano, how to figure out the finances, the bureaucratic paperwork, etc. I’m currently working with an agency that’s guiding me through the process. I’m hoping to get everything in order over the next couple of months, but who knows.

Once again, I’m grateful for the incredible support I got during my Camino, and. I look forward for more human connections.

Thanks, everybody!

Hector

Click to expand...

HBS60 said:

I’ve been getting suggestions in relocation forums that I should consider Granada, because composer Manuel de Falla lived there, it’s strong in arts and culture, and the Camino Mozárabe goes through it. I had this image of my retirement in a quiet house close to the city, playing my piano, serenading pilgrims as they walk by. Close enough to town so I can get whatever I need, or go to a piano lesson, and on difficult days I could also walk along the Camino as a local, meeting pilgrims, without worrying about finding an albergue unless I decide to walk farther than a couple of hours. I could hop on a train to other cities and get on other caminos. It might be far fetched to think that way, but I could dream, can’t I?

There’s a Hospitalero training in California in February but I have no idea of where I’ll be in the visa process, so it’s good to know about HosVol, thanks!

Click to expand...

HBS60 said:

It might be far fetched to think that way, but I could dream, can’t I?

Click to expand...

HBS60 said:

I’ve been getting suggestions in relocation forums that I should consider Granada, because composer Manuel de Falla lived there, it’s strong in arts and culture, and the Camino Mozárabe goes through it.

Click to expand...

HBS60 said:

I’ve been getting suggestions in relocation forums that I should consider Granada, because composer Manuel de Falla lived there, it’s strong in arts and culture, and the Camino Mozárabe goes through it. I had this image of my retirement in a quiet house close to the city, playing my piano, serenading pilgrims as they walk by. Close enough to town so I can get whatever I need, or go to a piano lesson, and on difficult days I could also walk along the Camino as a local, meeting pilgrims, without worrying about finding an albergue unless I decide to walk farther than a couple of hours. I could hop on a train to other cities and get on other caminos. It might be far fetched to think that way, but I could dream, can’t I?

There’s a Hospitalero training in California in February but I have no idea of where I’ll be in the visa process, so it’s good to know about HosVol, thanks!

Click to expand...

HBS60 said:

I’ve been getting suggestions in relocation forums that I should consider Granada, because composer Manuel de Falla lived there, it’s strong in arts and culture, and the Camino Mozárabe goes through it. I had this image of my retirement in a quiet house close to the city, playing my piano, serenading pilgrims as they walk by. Close enough to town so I can get whatever I need, or go to a piano lesson, and on difficult days I could also walk along the Camino as a local, meeting pilgrims, without worrying about finding an albergue unless I decide to walk farther than a couple of hours. I could hop on a train to other cities and get on other caminos. It might be far fetched to think that way, but I could dream, can’t I?

There’s a Hospitalero training in California in February but I have no idea of where I’ll be in the visa process, so it’s good to know about HosVol, thanks!

Click to expand...

HBS60 said:

Hello, again, fellow Pilgrims!

Sorry I needed to take a break from these boards, it’s complicated but I have a lot to share.

For the newbies here, I did my Camino Frances between August and September, and chronicled it extensively until I got home to FL right as a hurricane was lashing the other side of the state (but still could be felt). Then we got another hurricane, this time went through Central FL where I live. That was a lot of stress and cleanup to do. But I was also drained and exhausted. It felt like I was having a Camino hangover, for a while I needed to disconnect, stopped following this and other Camino boards as I needed to “detox”. It felt like having gorged on plates and plates of food to the point I couldn’t stand the sight of it.

Finally, it started to get better, and I would scroll over my FB postings with gratitude and joy, then…how do I put this?… things have happened in my country that slammed me back to the ground.

So, I’ve made the decision to move out of my country and relocate to Spain, so I’m applying for a non-lucrative visa. The truth is that I’ve been thinking about making this move for a few years, and I finally got the message that I shouldn’t keep postponing it any more. While I could move to any number of Spanish-speaking countries, having done the Camino gave me the confidence that I can relocate successfully to Spain. Not that it will be easy, as it’s traumatic leaving the country that has been home for 40 years, leaving behind friends and family, but I know I’m not the only person in the world that has dealt with this type of situation.

I’ve met so many delightful people, Spaniards and from elsewhere, that I know that I’ll have no trouble meeting people that would support me through this transition. I met 4 Spaniards at the Camino, one in Madrid, one in Murcia, one in Seville, one in Valencia and have been in touch with them. I do not know yet where I’ll be living, probably southern Spain as I don’t like cold weather.

While I made it a point in my earlier posts that I couldn’t even think of doing other caminos, well…I might do so anyway, as I’m sure it will be therapeutic and give me the opportunity to meet new people. Having so many caminos gives me choices and flexibility. It’s not that I’m thrilled about it, but I also see its value. While I am not allowed to work with a non-lucrative visa, I’m sure I could volunteer at places like albergues. Being that I’ll be in Europe, I can also take the opportunity to travel through Europe, visit places, without having to fly across the ocean. I would also want to find an institution or teacher that can work with me in my piano technique.

I still have lots of decisions to make, like what to do my my house here in FL, what do do with my grand piano, how to figure out the finances, the bureaucratic paperwork, etc. I’m currently working with an agency that’s guiding me through the process. I’m hoping to get everything in order over the next couple of months, but who knows.

Once again, I’m grateful for the incredible support I got during my Camino, and. I look forward for more human connections.

Thanks, everybody!

Hector

Click to expand...

HBS60 said:

Hello, again, fellow Pilgrims!

Sorry I needed to take a break from these boards, it’s complicated but I have a lot to share.

For the newbies here, I did my Camino Frances between August and September, and chronicled it extensively until I got home to FL right as a hurricane was lashing the other side of the state (but still could be felt). Then we got another hurricane, this time went through Central FL where I live. That was a lot of stress and cleanup to do. But I was also drained and exhausted. It felt like I was having a Camino hangover, for a while I needed to disconnect, stopped following this and other Camino boards as I needed to “detox”. It felt like having gorged on plates and plates of food to the point I couldn’t stand the sight of it.

Finally, it started to get better, and I would scroll over my FB postings with gratitude and joy, then…how do I put this?… things have happened in my country that slammed me back to the ground.

So, I’ve made the decision to move out of my country and relocate to Spain, so I’m applying for a non-lucrative visa. The truth is that I’ve been thinking about making this move for a few years, and I finally got the message that I shouldn’t keep postponing it any more. While I could move to any number of Spanish-speaking countries, having done the Camino gave me the confidence that I can relocate successfully to Spain. Not that it will be easy, as it’s traumatic leaving the country that has been home for 40 years, leaving behind friends and family, but I know I’m not the only person in the world that has dealt with this type of situation.

I’ve met so many delightful people, Spaniards and from elsewhere, that I know that I’ll have no trouble meeting people that would support me through this transition. I met 4 Spaniards at the Camino, one in Madrid, one in Murcia, one in Seville, one in Valencia and have been in touch with them. I do not know yet where I’ll be living, probably southern Spain as I don’t like cold weather.

While I made it a point in my earlier posts that I couldn’t even think of doing other caminos, well…I might do so anyway, as I’m sure it will be therapeutic and give me the opportunity to meet new people. Having so many caminos gives me choices and flexibility. It’s not that I’m thrilled about it, but I also see its value. While I am not allowed to work with a non-lucrative visa, I’m sure I could volunteer at places like albergues. Being that I’ll be in Europe, I can also take the opportunity to travel through Europe, visit places, without having to fly across the ocean. I would also want to find an institution or teacher that can work with me in my piano technique.

I still have lots of decisions to make, like what to do my my house here in FL, what do do with my grand piano, how to figure out the finances, the bureaucratic paperwork, etc. I’m currently working with an agency that’s guiding me through the process. I’m hoping to get everything in order over the next couple of months, but who knows.

Once again, I’m grateful for the incredible support I got during my Camino, and. I look forward for more human connections.

Thanks, everybody!

Hector

Click to expand...