Welcome to “A Year Abroad” – our leap into a life under the Spanish sun. Here you can read about our journey of swapping the familiar things back home with everything life in another country can offer. We are following a dream and hoping this year will bring us lots of new friendships and adventure.
Today we reached a milestone in our little, or maybe we should call it big, adventure: I bought a car 🚗
Living in a town with no buses or trains is simply impossible without a car of our own. We have been renting a very nice Ford Puma for three weeks, but when my husband left yesterday, he delivered it again. Renting a car long term is way too expensive, so we have been looking for “the perfect car”. Well, there are no perfect cars! But I wanted a car that I could rely on, that wouldn’t need fixing (hopefully never) and with few kilometers done. I need to have room for my son’s friends, or guests we have visiting, so five seats and nice luggage space. In addition, it had to be small, yet big enough, and low cost on a daily basis… so yeah.. a bit demanding maybe…
Today my newish, fire-red Hyundai i20 is parked in my parking spot! Manual, compact, easy to park but roomy enough for at least four people – a little on the small side for five. It offers a comfortable ride so far, and I don’t feel too small among the other cars. It was a little more expensive than I had planned, but it’s a newer model with very few miles and still under warranty, and that alone makes it worth it for peace of mind. I hope it will bring us much joy this year and bring us safely from place to place every day, on short and long trips.
Buying it turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant experience. Before my husband arrived, I had already visited a car dealership called Hygge Deals, as Daniel is highly recommended in the various Facebook groups I am a member of. But when we went to the dealership, after I had finally gotten my NIE number, he was on vacation. We sent some text messages back and forth, and he actually just came in to show us the car and make the sale possible.That kind of kindness and effort makes a big difference when you are navigating big decisions in a new country! I am beyond grateful.
The timing is perfect. I got my insurance sorted this morning, tried a latte at the local Urban Coast Cafe, and picked up the car! No stressing about rentals, no waiting, and I am able to get my son to his handball practice today! Freedom, independence and the beginning of even more adventures under the sun – we are finally on the road!
That was the latest from our litt Spanish adventure. We are slowly navigating our way through the Spanish paperwork maze, and every day feels a bit more like home. Miss my family and friends back home, but I am still excited about being here. For small glimpses from our life, follow us on Instagram at @lifeandlove_thelittlethings.