Taking Stock

[Dave]

Sometimes it is good to take stock of your life and what you are doing with it. Myself and K ( Mrs D ) did just that nearly 4 years ago when we took the plunge to move abroad. A big decision believe you me.

We were both 26, lived close to our families who we are very close to and the idea of living and working in a foreign land seemed alien ( no pun intended :) ) in the least. But we took the plunge and haven't looked back.

I remember being taken up to Gatwick London by my parents for my flight over here. K was still in Bristol for a few weeks to tidy up all the loose ends and deal with the house. September 30th 2000.

There was no tearful farewell or goodbye with my parents. It seemed surreal. I got on the plane oblivious to the reasoning for my impending flight. In mid flight however I looked out the window, the sky was clear of clouds and I could see the spanish coast approaching from our path over the Bay of Biscay. It suddenly dawned on me - " I've done some things in my time, but this really tops everything, no turning back now ".

I suppose for us it was good that Gibraltar being a British Colony has many English traits. This helped certainly. But the first year was hard to a certain degree. K had to find work, we both had pangs of homesickness. But all in all looking back retrospectively we made the right decision.

Yes we still have jobs that we'd rather not do. But there is no longer a 2 hours round trip to work every day to endure. For 6 months of the year we have fantastic weather and Spain is really a beautiful country to explore. I'm still in IT and the pressures remain, but away from work our quality of life more than makes up for it.

I guess what I am trying to say is, that instead of being hungry for success at work and moving up the career ladder, I'm far more happier to enjoy the short time I have on this planet. I work to enjoy life, I no longer live to work.

[Dave]

Sometimes it is good to take stock of your life and what you are doing with it. Myself and K ( Mrs D ) did just that nearly 4 years ago when we took the plunge to move abroad. A big decision believe you me.

We were both 26, lived close to our families who we are very close to and the idea of living and working in a foreign land seemed alien ( no pun intended :) ) in the least. But we took the plunge and haven't looked back.

I remember being taken up to Gatwick London by my parents for my flight over here. K was still in Bristol for a few weeks to tidy up all the loose ends and deal with the house. September 30th 2000.

There was no tearful farewell or goodbye with my parents. It seemed surreal. I got on the plane oblivious to the reasoning for my impending flight. In mid flight however I looked out the window, the sky was clear of clouds and I could see the spanish coast approaching from our path over the Bay of Biscay. It suddenly dawned on me - " I've done some things in my time, but this really tops everything, no turning back now ".

I suppose for us it was good that Gibraltar being a British Colony has many English traits. This helped certainly. But the first year was hard to a certain degree. K had to find work, we both had pangs of homesickness. But all in all looking back retrospectively we made the right decision.

Yes we still have jobs that we'd rather not do. But there is no longer a 2 hours round trip to work every day to endure. For 6 months of the year we have fantastic weather and Spain is really a beautiful country to explore. I'm still in IT and the pressures remain, but away from work our quality of life more than makes up for it.

I guess what I am trying to say is, that instead of being hungry for success at work and moving up the career ladder, I'm far more happier to enjoy the short time I have on this planet. I work to enjoy life, I no longer live to work.

[Dave]

Sometimes it is good to take stock of your life and what you are doing with it. Myself and K ( Mrs D ) did just that nearly 4 years ago when we took the plunge to move abroad. A big decision believe you me.

We were both 26, lived close to our families who we are very close to and the idea of living and working in a foreign land seemed alien ( no pun intended :) ) in the least. But we took the plunge and haven't looked back.

I remember being taken up to Gatwick London by my parents for my flight over here. K was still in Bristol for a few weeks to tidy up all the loose ends and deal with the house. September 30th 2000.

There was no tearful farewell or goodbye with my parents. It seemed surreal. I got on the plane oblivious to the reasoning for my impending flight. In mid flight however I looked out the window, the sky was clear of clouds and I could see the spanish coast approaching from our path over the Bay of Biscay. It suddenly dawned on me - " I've done some things in my time, but this really tops everything, no turning back now ".

I suppose for us it was good that Gibraltar being a British Colony has many English traits. This helped certainly. But the first year was hard to a certain degree. K had to find work, we both had pangs of homesickness. But all in all looking back retrospectively we made the right decision.

Yes we still have jobs that we'd rather not do. But there is no longer a 2 hours round trip to work every day to endure. For 6 months of the year we have fantastic weather and Spain is really a beautiful country to explore. I'm still in IT and the pressures remain, but away from work our quality of life more than makes up for it.

I guess what I am trying to say is, that instead of being hungry for success at work and moving up the career ladder, I'm far more happier to enjoy the short time I have on this planet. I work to enjoy life, I no longer live to work.

[toolman846]

Good for you, Daav! Now, at least TWO people have figured it out....

[toolman846]

Good for you, Daav! Now, at least TWO people have figured it out....

[toolman846]

Good for you, Daav! Now, at least TWO people have figured it out....

[Xenchantresse]

I guess what I am trying to say is, that instead of being hungry for success at work and moving up the career ladder, I'm far more happier to enjoy the short time I have on this planet. I work to enjoy life, I no longer live to work.That's our policy... Life is experience... not just existing...

I'd much rather spend my time DOING something interesting than working hard so that someone else can...

I agree...taking stock is a good thing to do.

When I first moved to Arizona, I was still with my ex. I had never been here, before the day we drove into town with the car the moving truck and all of our ambitions.

Leaving Colorado was difficult for me. My whole life was there, my friends, all of my activities, and most of the family I had contact with... It was deffinately a big move... I did the same thing... as soon as we lef the house and started driving... I didn't look back... I almost didn't even use my rear view mirror more than absolutely necessary for safety reasons, until I was well on the highway.

When I got here, things were really tough... my ex was one of those "be happy to sit in front of the TV" types, while I live for experience... I'll try new things and go to different places, just to be able to say "I did that"
We did NOT agree on things once we got here. I wanted to go to work, and he said I should make friends... but he didn't like ANY of the friends I made. So needless to say we had a lot of conflict... BUT... that conflict and the end of my marriage was really a stepping stone. He was the one who wanted to move here for school, which he didn't finish...and HE is the one who went back to Colorado... I was not very happy with things here the first 2 years... yet I am the one who ended up staying... It's so funny... I found all the things I wanted in my life, be moving somewhere I didn't really want to go, inthe beginning... I found the real love of my life... I got jobs performing (which my ex couldn't handle me doing when we were together) I met some amazing people and have made LIVING my priority... all te while he is back in Colorado, NOT using his education, working one part time job or another, and still borrowing money from his parents to pay bills (at 36 years old)

The point of my story is exactly yours... life is too short and too long to spend it working for things that don't matter and not enjoying the things that do.

Sure we all have to pay the bills somehow... but there are spiritual and emotional bills to pay as well... and at the end of this life... I don't want to say "what if" or "if only" I want to know I did what I meant to do in this life...

[Petra]

good for you, Dav!!

We're about to take the plunge. Moving time is set for fall. For me, it's finally moving back home, dh is moving into way unknown territory, incl the language.

He's very apprehensive about it. Totally understandable. We're also working on keeping our family front and center, work should be around that.

[Dave]

All the best Petra and if you continually work at it you won't regret it :D