How Moving to Spain from Australia Changed Us.

It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

I really thought I’d be writing more about our life in Spain... the slow days, the magical skies, the endless jamón... but that’s just it. Old Jasmine would have.

Don’t get me wrong... I love to write. I always have and always will. But what’s happened to me... to us... in the last three months has meant that writing just didn’t take precedence. Not in the way I thought it would.

Spain has this strange way of doing that to you. The air, the people, the places, the way time oozes instead of ticks... it all forces you to slow down. And I mean really slow down. Like… stare-at-a-wall-for-an-hour-and-actually-enjoy-it kind of slow.

Now... it’s worth noting I am very much an on-the-go person. I always have been. I will find something to do even if I’m already juggling 17 things. Some call it survival mode... I just call it “Tuesday.”

I wrote a while back about how we followed this strange little “call” to Spain... it wasn’t just a want, it was a need. And we trusted that feeling, wholeheartedly. I made vision boards, I Pinterest-ed my soul away... I basically tried to manifest the hell out of the next chapter.

But honestly? Nothing could have prepared me for what actually happened.

Spain has healed a part of me I didn’t even know needed healing. A part that I assumed was just... me. I’ve spent years doing the work... journaling, therapy, mindfulness, all the “discipline” stuff. But apparently, I just needed to be in Spain. That’s it. That’s the magic switch.

It’s not a new destination. Not a glorified escape. As Andrew said the other day... “It’s not a change, it’s a reset.” And damn, he nailed it.

Do I still have drive? Passion? The need to, let’s be real, earn money? Of course. But I’m hungry for it now... not thirsty. (And if you’ve ever been thirsty-thirsty, you’ll know the difference.) It’s like... I’m no longer running to keep up... I’m just walking with purpose. And maybe stopping for tapas along the way.

We came here with a plan... buy the house, renovate it within a year, pay it off within three... very grown-up, very efficient. But then April rolled around... and so did the warmth. And with it came something unexpected... social life.

At first, we were full steam ahead... business by day, renovations by night, no breaks, no naps, just pure Type A energy on steroids. That was our default setting.

Then we met Debbie and Steve.

Now if you’re reading this... Debbie and Steve... we blame you for everything (in the best way). They introduced us to this amazing circle of people in our area and all of a sudden... Spain started to unfold. The version of Spain you see in slow indie films. The long lunches. The music. The smiles. The vino. It all became real.

Then came Andrew’s birthday...

We decided to go to Nerja for two nights. Just a little getaway. And I’m telling you... we fell in love so fast it felt illegal. The kind of love you don’t tell your mum about until it’s serious.

In Melbourne, a beach trip usually includes... let’s be honest... one semi-decent swim and three days of drizzle. Not here. The beaches here? Crystal clear. Calm. Warm. As Andrew said, “This isn’t a holiday... this is a new life.”

And that’s what it’s felt like since. A new life.

From the jaw-dropping landscapes to the like-minded people we’ve met... from the “let’s just have one wine with lunch” that turns into three... to the realisation that no one here drinks to get drunk... it’s been one big, beautiful, blurry awakening.

Spain has taught us that it’s safe to slow down.

Let me repeat that for my fellow busybodies... it is safe... to slow... down.

I feel like a different person. And so does Andrew. We’ve both softened in ways that feel almost... suspicious.

So if you’re wondering how we’re spending our days lately... the answer is... we’re not really sure. Some spontaneous road trips here... naps there... wine, obviously... maybe a bit of design work... maybe some gardening and fig picking... maybe not.

And somehow... that feels like living.

So here’s my loving, slightly chaotic advice... if you feel stuck... if the air feels heavy where you are... if you’ve forgotten what it feels like to breathe deeply and mean it...

...maybe consider uprooting your whole life haha.

Adios for now...

Jasmine & Andrew