Not Settling For . . . but Settling In - to a New Direction.

Well, I do not have cancer! YAY!!!

I have had half my thyroid removed with a very larg nodule (4+cm). My neck is healing amazingly well, they used glue instead of stitches! I got my results just 2 weeks before my first reservation in Mexico, so was able to buy an overpriced one way ticket to Puerto Vallarta. And I am now in Mexico for 2.5 months. Aaahhh.

A curious thing happened among all the medical appointments, surgery, unpacking, working, etc. I found myself finally feeling ‘home’, and I love it. I am back on the island, in a city of the right size for me (12,000), with a new friend already and a great newcomers club where I am meeting even more people, and with good access to culture, shopping and other amenities. I actually found myself feeling a little disappointed that I would not be here for the Christmas activities and that I would be away for more than 2 months. I think I’m nesting.

I do still plan to travel because I love exploring new places, cultures and foods, but I am thrilled to have found a community that fits me as well as Parksville does. I have family and a long time friend nearby.  I have learned to play Mahjong and do so on Mondays evenings when I’m in town.  I have joined the Newcomers Club and am participating in a solos group, a book club and a wine appreciation group. And I am thinking of starting a Spanish language practice group.

These first 3 weeks in Nuevo Vallarta have been just what I needed to relax and recuperate after all the upheaval of the last 3 months. It must show, because a man asked me in the elevator the other day, if I am Canadian. I responded yes, and he said that I looked “pleasant and satisfied”. I will take that compliment. I am satisfied – with where my life is right now.

At the end of this week I move to Mazatlan for 6 weeks, my good friend Linda will be joining me the week after for 5 weeks and a couple that she has been friends with for a long time will also be joining us for our last week. I will then go to Mexico City & Toluca to visit my Mexican friend for about 10 days before returning home at hte end of January.

I am, of course, also planning my next trips.

1. May – June in Europe.  
• Possibly volunteering at Vaughan Town again for a week at the end of April (as an English language speaking partner for Spaniards).
• Amsterdam and then nearby for the 75^th anniversary of Liberation Day with Linda and her sister & brother-in-law.
• A Baltic cruise, then a week or so in Berlin,
• Followed by a month in Greece
2. September – October in Africa, likely Kenya & South Africa for a month each. This planning is still in the early stages.

But I plan on staying home for the holidays next year and spending some time with family.

The Best Laid Plans . . .

Well, I had to cancel the first 3 months of my 1-2 year plan to travel the world without the responsibility of maintaining a residence in Canada.  I was all ready to go, when a repeat biopsy of my thyroid nodule did not confirm the negative result of the first one because this test also did not gather enough cells in the sample taken. With less than a week's notice before my flight, I was told that I needed to stay for further evaluation.

I will have to redevelop my plan, yet again, and create World Travel 3.0.  I really hope that the saying "third time is a charm", is true.  This is where things stand now:

• I have a 3rd biopsy scheduled for next week and my Doc has arranged for the most experienced radiologist to do the fine needle aspiration, and for the most experienced pathologist to analyze the results. I guess we will have to wait and then go from there.

• I am looking for a place to live back on Vancouver Island, anywhere between Duncan and Comox.

• I am hopeful that the second leg of my trip - mid November to the end of January in Mexico, will still be a go.

• I will not be continuing on to South America as previously intended, but will return to the Island for a few months. I will maintain a home base here and travel for a few months at a time moving forward.

• I have firm plans to be near Amsterdam for the 75th anniversary of Liberation Day with my friend, Linda, as she has a family connection to events in Hoevelaken.  We then have an 11 day Balkan cruise booked in May, so I will plan to spend 8-10 weeks in Europe at that time, and then come home for a wonderful summer near the beach. 

Update on the apartment hunt - I have found one in Parksville! It is a lovely town and I can't wait to become involved in their active community. I am finally home again! I have missed being an island girl.

Homeless?

Well, my landlord gave me notice in the fall and I had to move before Christmas. He said his daughter wanted to live in the suite after her marriage. This may be partially true and they might live there for a while, but he really wanted to jack up my rent. He had tried to raise it by $200 per month at the beginning of the year and I told him that he could not do that as it is against the law. So, I began to plan my next steps.

I have always wanted to do some extended travel and now seems like a great time to do so. I was going away for 6 weeks over Christmas and New Year anyway, so I put all my things in storage. I am finally able to sell my Grande Prairie townhouse. (It went on the market yesterday!) I don't have to maintain an apartment here in BC (so I won't have any ongoing housing expenses, just a much smaller amount for storage rental). I do have some personal and professional commitments in Canada until the end of June but after that I can be anywhere.

My work is now at the point that I can be completely location independent. I can work from anywhere that I have WiFi or other data services. My assistants are in the home with the clients, I do assessments, supervise a percentage of their sessions and see my own clients all over Skype, FaceTime, or WhatsApp. All three have end to end encryption and so meet the FOIP and other professional requirements for client confidentiality & security.

At the end of November there was an AMAZING seat sale with Qantas for flights to Australia so I bought a round trip ticket to Brisbane for only $700 CAD!!! I will spend 2 1/2 months there from August to October. When I came back from Mexico at the end of February, I found a room to rent in a house with a woman who knows some of the people at my church and I can stay here until I leave. I am now in the process of setting up insurance (health/travel, storage, etc.), permission to maintain residency in BC while away (can do so for up to 2 yrs less a day), in country transportation for Australia & accommodations, a travel sim card that can be used worldwide, as well as an outline of where I want to go after that.

The general plan is:

1. August - October in Australia: Brisbane, Cairns, down the coast with various stops to Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Coober Pedy, & back to Brisbane.
2. October - February (March?) in Latin America (north part): Dominican Republic, Panama, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia
3. March - April: not sure
4. May - October in northern & eastern Europe 

It's exciting, scary, wonderful, and terrifying, all rolled up in one. SO much to do . . . and so little time. Just 4 months away!