Baja? I thought you were moving to New Zealand…

Though we have always known we wanted a different life that involved living for extended periods outside the US, the exact timing and country of that move were ever-changing. Researching different countries consumed me often becoming my only activity outside of work and kids. In fact, I’m a near-expert in the visa options and costs of living in Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Croatia, Serbia, France, Germany, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Truthfully, there might be others, but who can remember?

Sometimes one of the dreams shifted into a quasi-plan, but none ever reached the level of intuitive “Yes! This is it!” that we were seeking. So, the search continued. Then came New Zealand. Or rather, New Zealand returned from the realm of discarded locales and suddenly made the top of the list. All the reasons we had previously discarded this wonderland of natural resources were gone and we were ready to commit! Resident visa applications began and we started the really long process of a permanent move. I know, I know, this post is about BAJA, but without New Zealand, we couldn’t possibly be going to Baja, so bear with me and I promise to explain! We were set, moving to New Zealand, visa applications lodged, extended notice given at work, everything was going perfectly.

As we waited for the magical day when we were to receive our appointed immigration officer to decide our case, life became surreal. We suddenly existed in a world between Arizona and New Zealand, waiting. Just waiting. Of course, we really were working, writing, playing with the kids, attending events, and carrying on like we always had, but it no longer felt the same. It felt like we did nothing but sit and stare and wait. If you knew us better, you’d know waiting is not our strong suit, but we were committed, so the waiting continued. Thankfully, opportunity struck!

Just before Thanksgiving, we got notice that our condo, rented not owned, was being put on the market. It was terrible! We had absolutely planned for this condo to be available for us until we were done with it. We stressed, we discussed, we looked for places that would take 2 kids, a dog, and a short term lease, and when none of that worked out we had a sudden and magnificent thought. Wouldn’t it be so much better if our visas had been processed more quickly and we could leave when the lease was up in January? YES! Even a resounding yes for more emphasis.

Suddenly, it was the leaving Arizona part that became important. We’ve been here too long and we miss new experiences. I want to live with my experiential family intentionally and consciously adding value to their lives, but how much value can you get out of riding the same bus with the same people to go to the same office with the same people to do the same job and come home at the same time. Ok, ok, it’s not really that bad, but the point is I crave NEW experiences. Anywhere with cooler temperatures and ocean would work. Cue our friend who was just about to move his live aboard sailboat from San Diego to Ensenada, Mexico, and we had a great idea. We would ignore the stalker implications (and kindly request everyone else to do the same) and follow our buddy to Baja. It was perfect! Sun, sand, cool ocean breezes, and only 2 hours back to work if needed which really helped get the approval needed to keep the job. And now, it’s all coming together! Really, really quickly. And it’s awesome!

We’re still moving to New Zealand. There are reasons we decided to go there and those reasons still apply, but for now, it’s Baja here we come!

27 days and counting…