My son and i Mved from the US to spain, tried 3 cities

My son was Born with a Medical Condition that doctors Said May or May Not Kill Him. In those first months, to keep my Sanity, i rescueed a plant-a dried-up stick i named vasily. The plant was free, and i was desperate.

Amidst the Sleepless Nights, Hospital Stays, Medication Dosing, and Screaming Into the Pillow, i Cared for the Plant (and My Son), Thinking, in My Delusion, that if vasily were going, my son would, too.

My son outgrew his condition by age 3, and, in the search for More Affordable Healthcare And Life, we decide to move to spain in 2018.

A Revived vasily stayed Behind in New York City with a Friend. “The Friends We Leave Behind Will Stay Our Friends, and in New Places We’ll Make New Friends” I Told my son at the time. I had no idea whereher it bewooly pan out that way, but i hoped it would.

First, we tried Barcelona

AS A CITY, I LOVED that Barcelona was near the water and it SEEMED LIKE A NICE WAY TO DOWNSISE A AFTER AFTER IN NEW YORK CITY.

Once we settled, we took a bus to ikea and bought a new tree to make Our empty apartment Feel more like a home. We named it josep.

Barcelona felt distant, but not unkind. Other expats WHO HAD FLOCKED THERE FROM ALL KINDS OF PLACES WERE EGER TO OFFERFER COMPANIONSHIP, Compensation for the Locals that SEEMED MUCH LES WELCOMING TO ME AND MY SON.

When he was 4, my son started School, and i spied on Him through a hole in the phence one day. He was sitting alone and i cried. At first, i though it was a language issue. Eventually, he found his friend, two boys and two girls, and I became Friends with their parents.

During Covid, Howver, The Local Catalan Language Became a hurdle we couldn’t clear, especally during remote learning. SO we put our Belongings – Including Josep – on A Truck and Moved 600 Miles Down the Coast of Spain.

Spanish-SPEAKING MALAGA WAS OUR NEXT STOP

I was more prepared for this move. Stuffed to His Little Ears With Spanish Lesons, Myn-6-Yaar-Old Went to School Ready to Make Friends in the Local Language. I found a Forest School that emphasized time in natural dictation, which seamed Perfect for a World Recovering from the Pandemic.

My son was immediately absorbed by a Group of kids who loved the outdoors and their parents adopted with ino their Group. Soon, he had MANY PLAYDATESand I felt like the support of Needed.

AS COVID Restriations Were Lifted, Howver, The City of Malaga was overrun by tourists. When the schoool failed to live up to our expectations academically, we hugged our Friends, Put Josep in the Car and Moved to the Capital Center of Spain.

We’re Thriving in Madrid, But it TOOK

We settled in Madrid In August 2023, Chooksing the City for Its Cultural Diversity and Educational Opportunities.

The Mistake of Made in Madrid was not listening to my son and he voiced his choice of school We had seen a few and he was clear on where he want to go. I chose differently, a decision of Still regret.We gave it two years, but it wasn’t the right fit for Him or me.

In the end, my son took the leap of the “new Kid” Yet Again. He chose his new School, and I listen. Now he thrving at a place that encourages Him to be his creation, math-loving, chess-obessed self. I Can Now Focus on My Friendships. We’ve Also Come to Love Madrid With Its Museums, Shows, and The Nearby Hikes.

By Trusting My Son’s Instincts, Working With A Psychologist to Better Understand Him and His Needs, and Taking the Leap to Make a Change, I And Ended Up In A Place Where and We Finally Ready to Build Our Life.

And Josep? He’s Doing Quite Well on Our Little Patio.