Tag Archives: new start

Lifestyle

This autumn everything will change again

Leave a comment

This summer hasn’t gone like I planned. I didn’t spend a relaxing and easy-going summer – no I surely didn’t. To be honest this summer has been heavy in a mentally and physically way. Mentally because I have been processing a lot about our future and where would be that ideal place to be right now, physically because I am pregnant. This was surprise to us. Of course we were thinking about the second one, but not in this moment. Then this “surprise” pregnancy leaded us to think our life all over again.

And oh boy those hormones! Every other day I have been crying because I wanted to stay in Catalonia, in the other days I wanted to move back to Finland. All the decisions making made us tired. I mean that was the only thing that we were talking about as a couple. It ate all our energy.

Thought, the final decision was kind of clear and evident. We knew what we have to do. We realized that the 400 square metre house and its renovation, baby coming, to take care our daughter and my husband running two companies – well, all together it would be too much. We needed to make our life simple again.

We decided to try to sell the house and see what happen. And in a month we did sell the house. We took it as a sign, that this was the right decision. And in the end we get our investments back, so in a way we can think that we were living for free in Catalonia all the months that we were there.

Some might think that we were a bit fool and ask: was it really worth it?

Yes it definitely was, because we got to realize our dream. If we haven’t moved to this little wine village we haven’t got to know the actual village life, learn more about new culture and most of all to get to know all this lovely people around us. We experienced so much, and in the end I learned a lot about myself.

Also, I learned the downsides when you realize a dream.

I learned that we need to return to Finland so that we can start dream again of moving back to Catalonia.

So, on the road again.

Stay tuned,

Xx

Satu

Read more:

Plan B

5 things that are differently

Lifestyle

5 things that are differently

Leave a comment

Ok, I have been living in Catalonia now about a month and already I have noticed that some things have changed.

Here is what I have noticed:

Before: I rushed around Paris to go from place A to B and then C…After when I got back home I was feeling tired. I used a lot of my time to just to get in different places – that takes time and energy.

Now: We mostly pass our time in our village. Things are simple. We take our daughter to the nursery, do some grocery shopping and get back to our house; we work and then pick up our child around five. We only go to Barcelona like once in the week, and we plan beforehand what we are going to do. I do love to walk around in the city when I am on a weekend holiday, but everyday life I prefer to keep things simple and efficient. To put in other way: Big cities makes me tired these days.

Before: The time passed fast.

Now: I feel like I have earned some extra hours in my day. Before picking up our daughter I have finished my to do -list and I still got time to sit down on our terrace and look at the view. And nope, I don’t take any extra hours from my sleeping time.

Before: We went to an expensive and badly filled organic grocery shop in Paris, and I hated it to go there every time. People where in the bad mood, the lines where long and there where hardy place to move with trams and the shopping cart.

Now: Our local grocery shop is literally full of local and fresh fruits and vegetables. It makes me smile every time I go there.

Before: I used to stay inside most of the day.

Now: Even when it is wintertime in here, I have spent more time outdoors than never before. It is so good for my mind and body to spend more and more time outside, to take care of our garden or just to work at our terrace. Naturally I sleep well.

Before: I was planning our next trip all the time. (Afterwards I have realized that it was because I wasn’t happy to live in Paris.)

Now: I don’t miss to be anywhere else or I don’t need to be planning our next trip. I am absolutely happy to be here.

So I guess I have to admit that we have found our ideal destination, and I have started to become a real senora.

 

Read more:

Why did we move to Catalonia?

New start

Lifestyle

Why did we move to Catalonia?

Leave a comment

So, I have written about our new start here in Catalonia, but I haven’t really opened up, why we wanted to give up our life in Paris and move to a new country and to a place where we don’t know anyone.

So this blog text is about that.

Firstly, we wanted to give our daughter the best possible place to grow up. Secondly, we wanted to move somewhere in Europe where the climate is warm and most of the time nice. Also, we wanted to give up the hectic life in the big city and slow down.

Shortly, we wanted to find that ideal place where we could be on countryside and have our own garden, but still be next to a big city.

Also, we wanted to live more to our values and in more ecological way: to recycle better, buy local food, doing things by ourselves, and just enjoy everyday life in a natural and healthy environment.

We were thinking about South of France, Italy and then Spain. The final decision was made when we had visited Barcelona region a couple of times. And when we found this little wine village near Barcelona, we were absolutely sure, that this could be ideal place for us. Also, we learned that the village is really international: there is an international school near by, and lot of people speaks English. These things made the decision-making easy.

Before, I remember, that I used to make plans for our next trip to this and that location. Afterwards I have realized, that it was, because we weren’t happy living in where we were. We were always looking for some excuses to get away. Now, I love the idea that I can just be here. I can diminish my ecological footprint when it comes to travels, because, in general, I don’t need to go anywhere. I am happy here! The weather is nice, the sun is shining, I can be in my garden, and the rhythm of the life is slower than in a big city. Even original everyday stuff, like doing laundry, makes me happy, especially when I can put the laundry to dry outside.

The only thing that is presenting less ecological values is, that we needed to buy a car. Yep, not proud of it, but it was kind of mandatory here. Thought, we do use the car wisely and basically only on weekends. We walk to the nursery and the village (this is so good sport when we need to climb back to our house!) When it gets warmer, we will do daytrips by our bikes. Anyway, we found it better to do road trips in South of Europa by car than taking a plane to somewhere far.

So that’s about it. Now you know why we are here:)

Between the lines what I try to say is, that if it possible, it is better to live by your values and make the choices that make your everyday life happier. It is better to find the actual moment and the environment pleasant than hastaging #throwbacks or just living in the future and waiting for the next summer holiday. That is what I think.

Read more:

Plan B

New Start

Next Stop: Badalona

Uncategorized

The story of four eggs

Leave a comment

First I thought I was going to feel so lonely here in Barcelona region, in a small village where I don’t know anyone, but oh boy how wrong I was. It hasn’t been a day that I haven’t been talking to someone who I don’t know, and often we don’t even share the same language.

These last weeks we have been invited spontaneysly to a Sunday lunch to our neighbours’ house when they saw as walking near they house. They even give us some eggs from their chicken ( yes, this is how countryside we are living now). And while we were going to our neighbours’ place we end up talking to other neighbours next door, and they invited us too for a lunch. This kind of thing never happened to us in Paris or in Finland. I really am amazed how friendly people are here. I never seen anything like this.

I have to share another story, too. I was washing dishes in the kitchen when I saw our neighbour shaking hands to try to get my attention. I went outside to see what he wanted, and then he reach for the barrier and gave me two bags. In the other there were eggs and in the other lemons.

Not only people are friendly, helpful and open-minded, but they want to share things.

In the other day, when we were leaving from the lunch date from our neighbour’s place, our lovely hostess said: “welcome again, my house is your house, too”.

Okey, I still got lot to do with my Finnish attitude where we mostly leave our neighbours alone, to start to be as open as our neighbours are. I can already feel that the wind is changing.

I will continue my exploration here, in Catalonia.

Read more:

5 things that are differently

Why did we move to Catalonia?

New Start

Lifestyle

New Start

Leave a comment

Ok, so we have moved from Helsinki to Barcelona region. To be honest it was a bit shock at first. We were living in Helsinki and Paris and now we are about to install in a small village near Barcelona.

In the first a couple of days I was sure I am never going to adapt this, but then in the forth morning my prejudices were gone. I was feeling happy and the hostess of the house who has always lived here. My husband couldn’t help wondering: What the hell happened? Few days ago you wanted to go and now you are happy to be here. Yep, I am. Ok, there a million thinks to do in the house, but the garden and the view are something that I am going to be happy every day. I am going to write more about our life changing project and the reasons why we decided to move from a big city to a small village.

Stay tuned!