It has been a while since I wrote - things have been ‘busy’ - yeah I know I hate that word …. Derek Sivers always said ‘if your life is ‘busy’ then it is out of control’. So, maybe it’s not been busy … but full. Full by choice! Lots going on since I wrote last on May 11th…visitors visitors visitors. A blessing to have people that want to see us, but it is a lot of work….
Quickly!
I had a buddy from KC come for a few days - Kris came to check out the Euro life. He had been to Europe before but not to Spain (ps its a good excuse for YOU to travel since we are here). He enjoyed a beach day, the sun, and the chill time he had in Madrid. I’m sure he needs some good fresh food after being back in KC for a few weeks now! However we didn’t really get any pics …
Ashley hit New York City for the 5 boroughs bike tour….I don’t think I wrote on this last time. She met some friends from KC there and a few of the gals here went as well …. they loved the BIG city in USA! (but goddamn shit is expensive!!)….
We had my close friend and colleague Jan here in Barna. She brought her amazing son and wonderful husband - Leon and Jan’s first time to Europe (Alex had been to Italy)! They had a great time getting out of the midwest. They saw much of Barcelona and hit Girona, Tarragona then flew to Italy to see Florence and Lucca (one of our most fav places in the entire world). I know they had a blast, had their eyes open to our ‘life’ here, and will be back! I bet they were ready to sleep in their own beds though and eat some familiar foods! It warned my heart to see her here in Spain and I’m confident she will be back in 2024 (maybe Paris/London/Germany?)!!
Ashley’s Auntie and Cousin from Texas joined for a few days. We had dinner and Ashley took them around our area in Barna and showed them around the city for a bit. Damn you Ken for not coming!!
We then had my long-time buddy Jesse (since I was 15?) and his family here. Their kids line up with ours on age so it was amazing for our kids! We had tons of good food, wine, and showed them how we roll here in Spain (our kids were still in school, theirs are out). They have a very similarly awesome life to what we had in Kansas City (they live in South Dakota) so it was I’m sure interesting for them to see how our life has changed in a BIG way. We went to Paris with them and did a little history lesson with the kids (art, architecture, cuisine!). They had a great time as well and Owen (their 10-year-old) on day two asked ‘when are we moving here mom?’ - while that may not be in the cards (maybe?!?!?!?!) I do hope they return to Europe! There is just so much to see and do! I hope they got ‘bit’ by the Europe travel bug….
We hit the Coldplay concert - if anyone has the opportunity to do this they put on a world-class show. Thanks to Alex and Marta for the nudge on going …. what an amazing night!
I did a work retreat back in March. I don’t work much during the week but I do get away for ‘deep work’ every 3-4 months. I go to the mountains alone and work like crazy - 16-18 hour days (vs 12-16 hour weeks here!). Ideas, strategy, projects, etc. This bucketing of work is how I do best but when the ideas come … more work comes! I’m super proud of what we are doing this year for my ‘work’ and some of the downstream of the effort the team is putting forth.
My shoulder is 100% healed and has been for a while. I had a fully fused collar bone in 7.5 weeks - 40% faster than they expected (he said 12-14 weeks). All that hippy shit and dedication (I worked it like a job yo!) paid off. I am back to the gym doing shoulder presses with 26kg dumbbells per arm, playing padel (I still suck), yoga, bikes, football tossing, and everything in between. I can’t WAIT to get back to El Tartar in Andorra to show it who the boss is. I have already booked a trip for Hayes and I in December!
That’s a good transition into the health system here. It’s so amazing. My surgery cost €0 (I added optional treatments and biologics which were more out of pocket) - all the healthcare is free. If you are like me and ‘demand’ services that are ‘not needed or doctor orders’ you can easily get them for a fee. An X-Ray is €45 (300$ in USA) and an MRI €260 (3500$ or more in USA) and both include radiology reports (in Spanish! Thank you, google translator!). Medicines are €2-9 usually and most don’t require a prescription (unless it could be abused). A cleaning and X-ray at the dentist is €50 (350$ in USA) and my bloodwork is 45€ (225$ in USA last time I had it done). Yes, the surgeons and physicians are great. Yes, the facilities are nice and clean. Yes, the technology is world-class and the latest and greatest. I’m pretty sure that no matter where we end up, we will spend a large amount of our older years here just for the healthcare system (the latest stats on a 65-year-old is to have $315k for healthcare saved (or $630k for you and spouse! F that!!!). I’ll take the cash and the universal system any day (and I’ve worked in healthcare for 25 years). The family ‘insurance’ we have to buy for our visas costs 200€ per month (we were paying thousands per month in the USA for a crap plan) and this allows us to ‘jump in line’ and not use the ‘free’ system (which is still great). It is not perfect - they dont’ really have EHR systems so it’s not as efficient in some areas (but the doctor also pays attention to you vs a screen and they don’t ask stupid ass questions to click a box to get paid more). They have amazing coffee shops of course in the hospitals!
The kids just finished school on the 23rd and went to camps …. I’ll write about them soon (Hayes to a mountain bike camp in Andorra and Ellory was in the Costa Brava!). Camps are BIG here. People really don’t do summer sports and run their kids around nonstop. They get them in camps (day camps or sleep away camps) and the parents travel or they just travel all summer with the kids. More to come on this….summers are for TRAVEL and EXPERIENCES here!
I’ll also write next time not much about our visitors (even though my POPS is coming back and my BRO is in Barcelona!) but about some of the nuances I’m appreciating here in Spain. I’ll also write on some of the factors that inspired us to do the move, and why I’m nervous to return for 3 weeks to the states in August. If you are around and want to connect let us know! We will be in KC as a base but visit family in Wichita and South Dakota and spend a week at our cabin in the Black Hills as well.
Pics - oh yeah!! Here are a few of the 1500 or so I’ve taken last few weeks!