Just over ten years ago we moved out to Spain. Like many people we had seen lots of TV programs extolling the the virtues of a place to live in the sunshine.
Of course it can be very appealing when it is a cold December day and it is dark already half way through the afternoon. Many in Britain are said to suffer from SAD, and my husband was sure that he was one of them.
For those of you who don't know what SAD stands for it is Seasonal Affective Disorder. Now I don't think that he really had this disorder, it was just that the early dark nights depressed my husband.
Let's face it most people can find the British winter somewhat depressing at times. Why? Because it is cold grey and dark outside in winter and it is depressing sometimes. However, those that suffer in reality with SAD are affected much more severely than just feeling a bit down.
But, it was enough for us to know that he didn't like the long dark nights and and short dismal days of an average winter. We talked a lot about the places we saw on TV and the people who had sold up everything and moved to their place in the sun.
Seeing how they got on, and where they lived, made moving to a warmer climate very appealing. So, after watching lots of TV shows which followed people finding a place in the sun, whetted our appetites. We decided that if we were going to do this then now was the time in our lives to do it.
We came out to Spain looking for the sunshine and found so much more than we ever dreamed we would. Some of the things we thought we wanted would turn out to be not how we thought they would be, but other things were unexpected bonuses.
We came out looking to pursue one dream but found another instead. I am not trying to tell people to move to Spain, what I am trying to tell you is that it is good to have a dream, and it is good to follow that dream.
Even when life turns out not to be how you expected it to be, all is not lost. You will find many new things and experiences along the way, that will make the pursuit of that dream worthwhile.
You may think that I am writing this from a place that has been plain sailing, but nothing could be further from the truth.
We encountered the perfect storm. In this storm three or four things, came together and adversely affected our business. One of these was the current economic crisis.
We lost our home and our business and for the first time in forty odd years we are living in rented accommodation.
Do I regret moving to Spain, not a bit of it, would I do it again if I could go back, yes I would in a heart beat. Would I do things differently, you bet I would.
Do I wish I had stayed back in the UK with a house that we had paid for, no I do not. I love my life out here, I love the way of life out here, and I am glad that we dared to follow our dream.