Phase 1 of our Great Expatscape is going slower than I’d hoped. Or, rather, it’s going to take more exploring than I’d hoped. I’m calling it the Goldilocks Approach because that’s what it feels like. Testing things to find the right fit.
I think most expats probably do this to some degree. Some friends of ours, who are now living their expat dream in Valencia, Spain, implemented the Goldilocks Approach when they decided to move away. Except, it seemed like it was easier for them. Or maybe “quicker” is the better way.
They knew they wanted to move to Spain, so they spent 12 days touring various Spanish cities. They initially expected they’d like one. I don’t remember which one it was now. Maybe Madrid? Anyway, they ended up feeling the most at home when they got to Valencia.
However, as I’m writing this, I remember Spain wasn’t their first choice. Portugal was. They liked it, but they didn’t fall in love with it like they’d hoped. But during that visit, they also visited somewhere in Spain, and they did get “that feeling” there.
That Goldilocks Feeling
Perhaps you know that feeling I’m speaking of? That “when you know, you know” gut instinct. Like how Goldilocks knew which chair, bowl of porridge, and bed were right for her after testing the others.
I knew there would be some of that as we started exploring places to move. In case you’re new here, I’ve mentioned before that if Canada had a pathway to citizenship for us, that’d be my top choice. My husband would pick Turkey, but as much as I love the people, sights, and food there, the language gives me pause. (As does the politics.)
Instead, we created a compromise list of countries we’re both willing to give a chance. It includes Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, and Panama.
Last December, we visited a few possible contenders in Mexico, including Loreto and La Paz. Both were lovely, but Loreto seemed a little too small for us. I could see us in La Paz, but Wayne wasn’t so sure.
Next, we headed to Argentina. We visited four different cities we thought might work for us: Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Cordoba, and Bariloche.
We both had our sights set on Mendoza, but it was there that I realized, “Uh oh. Glad we’re taking the Goldilocks Approach to moving abroad and didn’t just dump all our eggs in one basket. This place won’t work me.”
I’ll write more in a separate post about why Mendoza wasn’t the fit I’d hoped—and how crushed I was about that. But I will say that while Lisbon, Portugal, and Vigo and Bilbao, Spain, are still on our radar, our travels to Mexico and Argentina added Panama to our list. Specifically, Boquete.
So, the Goldilocks approach to finding the place that feels best to put down our expat roots continues.
Chime In
If you’re an expat, did you go through a Goldilocks phase too when finding wherever you eventually settled? Or did you have an exact city in mind, no searching necessary? Whether or not you’re an expat, have you ever used that approach to make a life decision about something?