Goodbye Mexico
"How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." - Winnie the Pooh
Oh friends, I am so very sad. It is the day after we made the decision to head home early. I just finished teaching my sweet kiddos in China and I am sitting here crying. I am mourning the time that we have lost on our adventure. It is hitting me slowly, in waves, all of the things that I meant to do or thought I still had time to accomplish or see or explore. I am not ready to go back. I will miss the sunshine and the ocean and the sand and the unique opportunity to take a look at our lives from a different perspective.
I am sad that the kids were just starting to form some friendships and we have to say "good-bye". I am mourning the blog entries I meant to write. I am sad that I didn't arrive at an idea for the perfect career move for myself. I am frustrated that we didn't get to do our "one last times" here. I wanted to have a plan for going back and keeping our slower pace. I know once we are safe to see friends and be social again that our Solvei Joy will be off doing her thing with all of her people and we will have to let her go off to her last year at home and then off into the world on her own. I wanted these months. I am sad to say goodbye to this culture that we were just getting to know and a language we were all getting better at. And, what are we going to eat now...? The food, oh how we will miss the food.
Please understand that I KNOW that this is true for everyone around the globe. It is not just us. In fact this morning I was talking to my favorite student, who is 12 years old, from Wuhan, and wise beyond his years. He is an only child and doesn't get to go outside and he said this morning, "I am SO MAD at this virus. I don't get to go to school and I am alone and don't get to see my friends." I know that it is affecting so many people and we know that we are lucky. We know that people are without jobs, that people have kids that are now home that they have no child care for, that it is affecting people's relationships, their wedding plans, their food insecurities, people are losing loved ones, retirement funds are dwindling. It affects everyone.
Please also know that we are GRATEFUL and so THANKFUL to have had this experience. We explored, we made friends, we found favorite places, we ate amazing food, we saw strange animals, we navigated new places, we entertained friends and family, we swam in the ocean, we witnessed the awe inspiring beauty of this earth, we spent quality time together, we watched all the Marvel movies and pulled them apart during dinner conversations, we rode buses, taxis, ferries, airplanes, we took naps, we missed our friends and family. We have no regrets. We did all we could.
I have been asked the same few questions many times, so I thought I would answer them all here. First of all, thank you for all your messages and all of your support. The thing that makes this tolerable are all the loving arms that will welcome us home (I mean that figuratively, not literally because we know we won't be actually hugging anyone.)
This decision came on really fast. A week ago we were just starting to see the effects this virus was having on all of our friends in the USA. It turned a corner for you all and it started creeping in that this was coming fast and that it was imminent. We took that trip to Mexico City, where we would hear more and more from the States about what was going on and fear started to creep in. By the time we were at the airport coming home on Monday, we had decided to start asking questions about the possibility of getting out of our rental contract, getting the kids paperwork from school etc....you know, just in case. Tuesday we went to the grocery store and loaded up for the week. But by yesterday, things started to get real and the talk in Mexico changed.
We have used the health system down here a few times for the kids and even had one emergency visit to the ER with Odin one night for a kidney scare. It is just so different than what we are used to at home. We have had excellent care and for the most part, we have loved the doctors we have seen and have been really impressed and have felt well taken care of. With that said, everything is done in a different way. Doctor visits are different. If you need blood work, you take that to a completely separate office, where you are schedule your draw, then come back later to get the results. Then you can Whatsapp those results to the other doctor and they tell you what to do from there. The point is, navigating this system that is so different from ours is difficult and there are so many unknowns.
Kevin has 3 autoimmune disorders along with many other intricate health issues. He is still new to his Type 1 diabetes and although he has come so far in understanding this condition and being able to manage it, he still has frustrations and is still learning to navigate his meds. Even when we are in the states and he is in the system for one of his issues, it is tricky for his doctors to communicate with all of his providers to figure out his situation. It is scary when we are home, in our own system speaking our own language. I just cannot try to navigate the system here and take care of our four kids alone here. We have some new friendships here that are precious but we don't have family here or the support it takes if we were really in trouble during this pandemic.
So, we just looked at our situation in the last two days. We talked to doctors here and there and in the end, when Mexico called a State of Emergency starting Saturday, it made it clear. We looked at it as "If Kevin gets COVid19" where do we want to be? Or if one of our family at home got sick, where would we want to be? And there you have it. It comes down to logic. We go home. Even if we were to stay and there were no health issues to consider, we have no idea how long we would be confined to our little 3 bedroom apartment. We just don't know if we would get stuck here and what that would look like.
We will fly into Minneapolis on a direct flight on Sunday. We plan to stay at Kevin's parent's home in Northfield for the time being. Being from a small town is great because there are no secrets. I was chatting with a dear friend back in Northfield who is also a neighbor yesterday. She said, "Hey, your renters are looking for a house. I talked to a realtor that just signed them on. Maybe they found something." So, I reached out to our renters and they have found a house. They are going to see if they can move the closing date up. So, we may be able to get back into our house sooner than we had thought.
Goodbye Mexico. You have been amazing. Our time here has been the hardest thing we have ever done but with the greatest reward. We have made memories that will last a lifetime. Our family is stronger. We, as individuals, have grown exponentially. Our lives are richer. Our bank account is smaller. Our world view has opened by leaps and bounds. We will never be able to measure how this adventure has changed our lives but we are so grateful. There will always be an enormous place in our hearts that belongs to this time and place.
With so much love,
Tricia, Kevin, Solvei, Greta, Odin and Soren
Oh friends, I am so very sad. It is the day after we made the decision to head home early. I just finished teaching my sweet kiddos in China and I am sitting here crying. I am mourning the time that we have lost on our adventure. It is hitting me slowly, in waves, all of the things that I meant to do or thought I still had time to accomplish or see or explore. I am not ready to go back. I will miss the sunshine and the ocean and the sand and the unique opportunity to take a look at our lives from a different perspective.
I am sad that the kids were just starting to form some friendships and we have to say "good-bye". I am mourning the blog entries I meant to write. I am sad that I didn't arrive at an idea for the perfect career move for myself. I am frustrated that we didn't get to do our "one last times" here. I wanted to have a plan for going back and keeping our slower pace. I know once we are safe to see friends and be social again that our Solvei Joy will be off doing her thing with all of her people and we will have to let her go off to her last year at home and then off into the world on her own. I wanted these months. I am sad to say goodbye to this culture that we were just getting to know and a language we were all getting better at. And, what are we going to eat now...? The food, oh how we will miss the food.
Please understand that I KNOW that this is true for everyone around the globe. It is not just us. In fact this morning I was talking to my favorite student, who is 12 years old, from Wuhan, and wise beyond his years. He is an only child and doesn't get to go outside and he said this morning, "I am SO MAD at this virus. I don't get to go to school and I am alone and don't get to see my friends." I know that it is affecting so many people and we know that we are lucky. We know that people are without jobs, that people have kids that are now home that they have no child care for, that it is affecting people's relationships, their wedding plans, their food insecurities, people are losing loved ones, retirement funds are dwindling. It affects everyone.
Please also know that we are GRATEFUL and so THANKFUL to have had this experience. We explored, we made friends, we found favorite places, we ate amazing food, we saw strange animals, we navigated new places, we entertained friends and family, we swam in the ocean, we witnessed the awe inspiring beauty of this earth, we spent quality time together, we watched all the Marvel movies and pulled them apart during dinner conversations, we rode buses, taxis, ferries, airplanes, we took naps, we missed our friends and family. We have no regrets. We did all we could.
I have been asked the same few questions many times, so I thought I would answer them all here. First of all, thank you for all your messages and all of your support. The thing that makes this tolerable are all the loving arms that will welcome us home (I mean that figuratively, not literally because we know we won't be actually hugging anyone.)
This decision came on really fast. A week ago we were just starting to see the effects this virus was having on all of our friends in the USA. It turned a corner for you all and it started creeping in that this was coming fast and that it was imminent. We took that trip to Mexico City, where we would hear more and more from the States about what was going on and fear started to creep in. By the time we were at the airport coming home on Monday, we had decided to start asking questions about the possibility of getting out of our rental contract, getting the kids paperwork from school etc....you know, just in case. Tuesday we went to the grocery store and loaded up for the week. But by yesterday, things started to get real and the talk in Mexico changed.
We have used the health system down here a few times for the kids and even had one emergency visit to the ER with Odin one night for a kidney scare. It is just so different than what we are used to at home. We have had excellent care and for the most part, we have loved the doctors we have seen and have been really impressed and have felt well taken care of. With that said, everything is done in a different way. Doctor visits are different. If you need blood work, you take that to a completely separate office, where you are schedule your draw, then come back later to get the results. Then you can Whatsapp those results to the other doctor and they tell you what to do from there. The point is, navigating this system that is so different from ours is difficult and there are so many unknowns.
Kevin has 3 autoimmune disorders along with many other intricate health issues. He is still new to his Type 1 diabetes and although he has come so far in understanding this condition and being able to manage it, he still has frustrations and is still learning to navigate his meds. Even when we are in the states and he is in the system for one of his issues, it is tricky for his doctors to communicate with all of his providers to figure out his situation. It is scary when we are home, in our own system speaking our own language. I just cannot try to navigate the system here and take care of our four kids alone here. We have some new friendships here that are precious but we don't have family here or the support it takes if we were really in trouble during this pandemic.
So, we just looked at our situation in the last two days. We talked to doctors here and there and in the end, when Mexico called a State of Emergency starting Saturday, it made it clear. We looked at it as "If Kevin gets COVid19" where do we want to be? Or if one of our family at home got sick, where would we want to be? And there you have it. It comes down to logic. We go home. Even if we were to stay and there were no health issues to consider, we have no idea how long we would be confined to our little 3 bedroom apartment. We just don't know if we would get stuck here and what that would look like.
We will fly into Minneapolis on a direct flight on Sunday. We plan to stay at Kevin's parent's home in Northfield for the time being. Being from a small town is great because there are no secrets. I was chatting with a dear friend back in Northfield who is also a neighbor yesterday. She said, "Hey, your renters are looking for a house. I talked to a realtor that just signed them on. Maybe they found something." So, I reached out to our renters and they have found a house. They are going to see if they can move the closing date up. So, we may be able to get back into our house sooner than we had thought.
Goodbye Mexico. You have been amazing. Our time here has been the hardest thing we have ever done but with the greatest reward. We have made memories that will last a lifetime. Our family is stronger. We, as individuals, have grown exponentially. Our lives are richer. Our bank account is smaller. Our world view has opened by leaps and bounds. We will never be able to measure how this adventure has changed our lives but we are so grateful. There will always be an enormous place in our hearts that belongs to this time and place.
With so much love,
Tricia, Kevin, Solvei, Greta, Odin and Soren
Oh goodness Tricia, this post went straight to my heart, and then my eyes with the waterworks. What a blessing this experience has been, in all of its forms. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!
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