It’s about seven and a half years ago now since we sold our house. The little three bedroom cottage perched on the edge of a cliff in Windy Wellington, with a daily climb of 83 stairs up to the garage, the car, the large freezer, and the mailbox. The little cottage we called home for 11 years. We became husband and wife in the large private garden out the back. The place where we birthed two of our four children into the world. Where, in the stillness of the night I miscarried one. The place where I held my husband tightly when his father died. A lot of history and emotions were in that house.
(the view of Wellington harbour from our old house)
Yet seven and a half years ago we sold it. Packed up our belongings and embarked on a journey to move across the globe, to the other side of the world. We were going to sell the house anyway. Our family didn’t live close by, and our friends were slowing moving away - following their own adventures. So when this opportunity came up, we said why not. Ok. Perhaps more of a hell yeah! Opportunities to explore and discover other ways of living and create brand new adventures and memories don’t come around often. I didn’t want to be that old couple that complained about the opportunities they let go, all the open doors they ignored. I want to be able to say that I grabbed life by the balls, jumped on the train, walked through that open door, and gave it my best shot!
But sometimes I dream of the old house and walk through the hallway, sit in the rooms and remember. Remember all the wonderful life moments we made. The laughter. The tears. And that’s ok. I’m ok with that.
So when people ask me why we moved to Canada, I sometimes pause and remember our old life. It was a good life. But we came here to explore and experience a different way of living that you can’t get by simply being a tourist. And amongst the challenges and tears of relocating your family across the globe, and integrating into a completely different way of living, we have new adventures and made brand new memories. I have also learnt a lot about myself, stepping out of my comfort zone many many times. And it’s brought us closer together as a family unit. Closer as husband and wife. Has all the drama, the immense stress, and the tears been worth it? Hell yeah! Would I do it over again? Absolutely!
Have you moved across state? Across the globe? What have been your experiences, your fears and challenges? I would love to hear them.
Viv xxx