In between homes...

Many people accept, as I have, that moving within a country, not to mention to another country, is a stressful event. But what do we do with that stress? Why don't we create environments that would reduce that stress? What I have witnessed is many people not considering taking care of themselves during this moving process and making choices, like living with family, that only add to their stress. We have decided that we are not going to do this but finding the right place to "lay our hat" in between homes is proving a bit of a challenge.

My home in Canada is a loft and it has been my home for about 2 years. I am used to living in buildings that have many people in them.  So I have never lived in a home that didn't have many people co-existing under one roof. 

When we move to the Algarve, it will be the same.  We are going to live in a 2 bedroom apartment that is part of the Resort Complex (pictured).  So again I will live in a home that has many people under one roof.  I am not unhappy for this prospect, because it's something I know.  What has me concerned is that I don't know where I will live from the time that I pack my house in Canada and send it in a container to the time when I step onto a plane to go to my new home.  There is going to be a one or two month period between these two dates and so we are looking at our options right now.

We spoke to our family and our friends about this dilemma and of course everyone offered to take us in but we want this to be a period that is focused on the move, and not a period of added stress.  Family should be the people you can go to for anything but I have found that this is not always the case.  The reasons for this are many, but the most important thing you need to do to figure out if family is the right choice requires you to answer the question: "If I live with my family will this reduce my stress or increase it?" If the answer is, 'It will Increase it', then family might be an option you should rethink.  And that is exactly what we're doing. 

For us there are a number of things about living with family that will only serve to increase our stress.  One of these is location. They are 1 hour from the city and so getting our jobs would require a long commute.  The other issues are the inability to live under a family members roof without some kind of tension.  It's inevitable that our way of life would be incompatible to their way of life.  And even though it is for a short time, it is an added stress that I would rather not inflict on any of us. 

So we are examining other accomodation options.

One of those other options inlcudes living with our friends in the City.  They have offered and this seems our best option at this point. It will allow us to live close to our work so the stress of commuting is not there.  Also it's a living arrangement my partner is familiar with.  He lived with this friend, when they were both single, for a couple of years and so they are similar in their lifestyles and habits, and at the very least tolerant of each others approach to life.  I think living for a short time with these friends is our best option.

Many things need to be attended to when you move from one Country to another, and especially if you are crossing an Ocean. Taking care of your mental, emotional, and physical health during this transition period should be top of your list of things to do, but often it is close to the bottom or not on the list at all.  For us it's now close to the top of the list and I believe we have found, by choosing our friends to live with, a way that will serve to combat our stress and make this period of time more enjoyable.

Now all we have to do is start packing....but that's another story.

The journey begins with just one step.