Lessons Learned and Quickly Forgotten

In every language that I know, and in every country where I have lived, moving sucks. I though this one was going to be easy. All I have is what two people brought over on an airplane. Four checked bags weighing in at 50 pounds each and a couple of carry-on bags. I’m only moving about a mile away, if that. How hard could it be?

It turned out to be pretty hard. So much for the easy move, I don’t think there is such a thing. The problem is that I didn’t have enough vessels to hold all of my swag so I couldn’t just throw it all in a cab and be done with it. I ended up making about six trips with the heaviest part of each load in my backpack. Yesterday I made three trips back and forth. I didn’t feel like I needed a work-out after that.

I have only a few things now at the old place. I will miss this apartment. I was just beginning to get to know my way around and become recognized by some of the people in the area. Now I have a new couple of blocks to stake out.

The new place is somehow even more urban and concentrated than the area I’m leaving. Where before I had to walk a couple of blocks to the supermarket, now it is across the street. I have a café across the courtyard from my doorway and a bakery a few steps around the corner. There are at least a half dozen other cafes within one block. There is a metro stop about three blocks away. These are just the things that I know about now. I’m sure that a few short walks in different directions will uncover all kinds of treasures.

I will probably walk the three blocks to take the metro into to the downtown only to find a bus that will take me there that stops a half block from where I live.

There is an electronics shop on the corner of my block. I need a few things: a surge protector, some adaptors for the funky European plugs, and some speakers for my computer. I also need some coat hangars to help me get organized. I have to look that word up in the dictionary because I haven’t been able to find any through casual looking. I also want to pick up a history book about Valencia and a Valenciano grammar book that I was recommended.

I have put off buying anything of substance because I knew that I would be moving and I would have to carry it. Now I have a home base that I can start filling up with all of the junk that I jettisoned when I left Seattle. For my next move I’ll buy a wheelbarrow or a donkey. I’ve always wanted one of those.