I’ve been thinking about our new life in Italy and the differences between jumping into the unknown and returning there much wiser.
When we left Australia for a new life in Italy the first time I was a totally different woman, one who had so many hidden fears.
These were not to do with leaving Australia and our comfort zones, that didn’t worry me at all.
I longed for the adventure I experienced traveling in my 20’s. These were much darker fears that something may happen to our children, that they would get lost or disappear in some strange country.
This time I am free of those fears, no longer an obsessive Mum who wouldn’t let her children out of her sight.
This time my husband and I are relaxed about it all, even when on a deadline we just know things will work out and nothing will stop us. As Michelle from Bleeding Espresso put it so beautifully we are living deliberately!
With our first journey to Italy there was a point in all the planning and goal setting where we ended up just looking at each other and saying “wow what have we done?” This moment came just on take off from Tullamarine airport in Melbourne.
We had said out goodbyes to the friends who had gathered at the airport.
I’m sure some were there to make sure we really did leave the country.
We were fairly amazed ourselves that we were actually going to board a plane and venture into the complete unknown with our one year old son and three year old daughter. What were we thinking?
Of course when we set the goal of a life in Italy none of our friends or family really believed it would be anything other than one of Sam’s latest ideas.
I didn’t really believe it myself until there seemed to be no going back.
We sold our house in Queensland, had a huge garage sale and sold everything we owned including the car, two mountain bikes and a piano which we ended up giving away. I knew there was no turning back when the piano took off down the road to its new home.
We then flew to Melbourne to get married, had Luca Christened and celebrated both the kids’ birthdays in a combined farewell and birthday party at La Porchetta’s in Rathdowne street (our old favorite hang out).
Sam had never been out of the country so I was able to take the experienced back packer position. Leading us all into our new life in Italy with tickets and passports in hand. Our first stop Bangkok. It was almost 20 years since I went backpacking around Europe and also stopped over in Bangkok on that trip. Not much seemed to have changed apart from the airport.
Flying over the alps from Frankfurt to Torino and Sam got chatting to some Germans sitting across the aisle and thought it a good time to start talking about Fawlty Towers and the “don’t mention the war” episode. You can imagine how that went down, they didn’t talk to him for the rest of the flight.
The Alps stretched on forever and I felt close to heaven, Dad, and our son Aaron on that flight. This time they are joined by my brother Bradley, my Uncle Bodge and with his funeral a few days ago my Uncle Fred who took the role of “Dad” when I lived with them in England many years ago.
Very special men who each had a part in who I am today, each of you always travel in my heart!
So I know nothing will stop our dreams, life is too short to wait for the perfect time to live!
ciao Lisa
What dream are you putting off?
Would you like to jump into the unknown or test the water first?
Like this Post?
Subscribe for more straight to your inbox
