Ok, now that I have told everyone, what next?

Packing up one’s life and leaving a country is not the easiest thing I have ever attempted. I mean, I have done it before when I moved to Australia, but that was a short term thing and my employer had sorted out a lot of the details for me – house, car, flights, visas, etc. So, not unlike other challenging things I have done in my life, I started making lists, categorizing and prioritizing those lists, and now have a binder of prioritized lists and various research…..and yes, admittedly, I am a total geek but that is how I cope!

I have and continue to read countless blogs of other young Canadian or American women that have relocated to Mexico and other Latin American countries. And surprisingly, there are many more young foreign women living in Mexico than I had ever expected. Their stories are inspiring and have really helped me make some decisions and learn about countless things from work visas to cultural challenges. A shout out to all you bloggers like A Cancun Canuck, Livin' the Lisa Loca, Just Married Chilean Style, Countdown to Mexico, Heather in Paradise , Mexico Way, Rivergirl– you helped keep me sane when I was lying awake at nights, unable to sleep, going through my countless lists. You made me laugh, you made me cry and ultimately gave me strength when I needed it.

In preparing to list and sell my house, I started getting it ready to show and met with a real estate agent for a free market assessment. One week later, one of my dear friends came to me with an offer to purchase! I was stunned, it seemed too good to be true. As of last week, conditions waived and the house is now officially sold. Possession is July 25! I think I am still in shock. I never thought I would sell it this quickly…..I did not even list it on the market yet! All of a sudden, this has become very real. Friends are starting to discuss going away parties and I have become more sentimental than normal.