Eyes of an Infant

"Traveling is a process of continuous rebirth. As we travel, our perspective is constantly changing, and we are exposed to new surroundings that we see with the curious eyes of an infant. Foreign words seem like nothing but noise, characters no more than scribbled pictures. Now all that's left to do is stay long enough to find our footing - just in time to depart on a new adventure."

I wrote the above blurb during my six months in China nearly eight years ago. It seems remarkably fitting as Lindsey and I have embarked on our current adventure.

With Lindsey's school taking us to three or four cities (and countries!) over the next two years, we truly are giving ourselves just enough time to find our footing before leaving again.

We are excited and scared. I quit my stable (and mostly fun) job in order to join Lindsey. We have saved in order to do this, but the thought of not having a guaranteed income is nerve-racking. I am applying for jobs but that doesn't exactly pay the bills. For Lindsey, this is not only going to be a great academic challenge, but this is also her first time in Europe... talk about jumping right in the deep end! At the same time, we are having an adventure of a lifetime. How could we not be excited? While I am nervous about quitting my job without something new lined up, I remind myself that this is an opportunity to find something I love; to explore new avenues I might not have ever considered. Lindsey may not have spent any significant time abroad, but she is incredibly smart, strong, and resilient. School will be a challenge, but she has the opportunity to study in schools across Europe, to work with fellow master's degree candidates from across the globe, and to further her professional career! To top it off, she is studying how to save the world from the ongoing climate crisis. Does it get any better?

For now, we are starting to settle in Lisbon, Portugal and loving it. Just don't ask me how the apartment hunt for Delft, Netherlands is coming along. At least not yet.