This is Happening.
Written on December 3rd , 2025 by Pearl Ryder
We are moving!
On January 2nd, in just ONE MONTH, Craig, Toddler C, and I will board a one-way flight and begin our life as American immigrants in Spain. I’ve lived in Atlanta for 18 years and there’s a deeply rooted part of me that understands taking trips but not the idea of actually resettling in a different place. But we’re doing it! I’ll be sharing our experiences through this blog for those who want to follow along.
A few details
We will live in Girona, a small city (~150,000) on the high speed rail line 45 minutes outside of Barcelona. Girona is the heart of Catalonia, which means we’ll have the opportunity to learn Spanish and Catalan if we stay long enough. Paris will be six hours away by train. We’ll be inland, at the foothills of the Pyrenees, the confluence of four rivers, and forty minutes driving distance from the Mediterranean. There are a ton of unknowns (we’ve only spent four hours in Girona, a compromise spot with access to the big city for Craig but a bit smaller in scale for me). Some moments I’m completely overwhelmed and certain we’ll get lost amidst all this newness and other moments I feel confident that we’ll figure it all out.
We’ll stay in an Airbnb for the first month while we look for a long-term spot. Toddler C will go to a Montessori school starting about a week after we arrive. Our visa allows us to stay until April 2028 (two years and a bit), so we’re planning on being there at least that long (and hope that we’re allowed to stay if we like it).
Duh, moving is emotional!
For months, we’ve been circling around how to relocate our lives to Girona (full shipping container? partial? air freight? only suitcases?). By now, I’ve thought through every possible way we might move our stuff. I’ve gotten a lot of practice at feeling overwhelmed, spiraling up, and then spiraling back down. At one point, I thought we would get rid of almost all of our stuff, keeping only the sentimental, irreplaceable things, and then buy fresh once we arrive. But, that approach never felt right – we’ve got so many things we like that work well for us and it felt overwhelming to get rid of things only to re-buy them in a foreign land. Today is one month to our flight and I just ordered a big crate for us to fill up with small furniture and boxes. I’m thrilled to bring along the coffee table and bookcase that my dad built for me, the furniture I lovingly picked out for C’s room, my fabric collection, some of our art, etc, etc, etc. It also feels so good to have a plan!
OK friends, stay tuned on this space for future moving updates. xoxo
