A Love Letter to Vigo

People here in Vigo often ask me, "so how do you like it here?" I usually list some of the many things I love about Vigo, the lack of yearly forest fires, the lack of ongoing drought, the healthcare that doesn't break your finances and the general belief that healthcare is a human right, the greater sense of empathy as a society in general, the sense of community here, the nature, the ability to walk most everywhere we need, and the greater closeness of families. The question that follows is almost always, "do you want to stay?" A year ago I arrived in Vigo feeling a bit broken inside. I was having panic attacks occasionally and having a tough time coping with things that should have been simple. Yesterday as I took a moment to look around at this beautiful network of friends we have made here, both Viguense and ex-pats alike, I realized that it is they who have helped to heal me, a group of people who have been quick to open their hearts to us, knowing that we were here temporarily but still willing to let us in. The people we have met have been quick to help when we had a child with an injury and we didn't know how to navigate the healthcare system in another language, to tell us "tranquilo" when we were anxious about something, and to teach us that it really would all be okay and work out fine, they have been gracious cultural interpreters, spoken slowly when we got that confused look on our faces again, laughed with us when we were befuddled or realized we made another silly language mistake, and they have shown us a million little kindnesses. Yesterday when I looked around at that group of people who have become our community here, I felt such deep gratitude to them for helping us through this year, this complicated, messy, lovely year. I have never lived in a place where I have felt like such a part of the community so quickly, felt such deep connections in such a short time. And so really, yes, I would love to stay for all the reasons I mentioned above, but mostly I would love to stay for this sweet community in this little corner of the world who have helped heal my heart. And while I have a deep love for the land and people of my home and I am happy to return to them, I can't help but think about how I can bring a bit of the spirit of this community back with us. 

As we walked back to the apartment last night, my little said "Mom, I am still mad at you for bringing me here. Now I have friends and a home here that I have to leave, too." I agree, my big-hearted child, but what a gift we have been given, a second community, a second place in the world to call home. Thank you, Vigo. Nos vemos pronto!

*I missed taking photos of so many people because I was so focused on them, but here are a few.