Just 17 days out from leaving this natal nation in the rearview mirror forever, I am feeling immensely calm, relaxed — and fully primed to “make it so.”
My spirit is already sitting on the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport…
No, it’s already arriving at San Juan Santamaria International Airport…
No, it’s already getting into the vehicle that Villas Escondidas will send to carry me “home” to Grecia, Costa Rica…
In my mind’s eye, Charli is with me, still resting quietly after the 16-hour (total) “adventure” of getting from Seattle, Washington to Grecia, Costa Rica. (Her vet is going to give me something to tranquilize her if she goes off the deep end and starts shrieking at any point in the journey.)
My only concern the entire time during the journey will be, “How is Charli doing?”
— unless we miss the connection flight from SF to SJO as the result of a late arrival from Sea-Tac. We’re only scheduled to be on the ground in SF for an hour and 48 minutes, and that’s cutting it short should the flight leave Sea-Tac significantly later than scheduled. (Planes can make up time in the air, but the distance between Sea-Tac and SF isn’t very far, only a couple hours.)
I’m feeling guilty
… that I’m so selfish as to put Charli through a potential trauma just to keep her with me. But we are bonded, and everyone who knows her knows that she wouldn’t be happy going to any other person or situation. She’s my cat and I’m her person. Where I go, she goes.
She will transition to a new home just fine as long as I’m with her — but getting into a vehicle and through noisy airports and flying? That’ll be new and scary to her…
The vet says she can give me something to give Charli to make the trip more comfortable and less traumatic. I’m counting on that, or I don’t think I’d be able to do it to/with her. She came to me traumatized and anxious as all get out, and I swore I would never let her experience that again, “not while I’m around.” (The song from Sweeney Todd plays in my head.)
I’ll also be saying goodbye to the chickens and to Patches
Patches will return to Lisa, her original owner. Airlines won’t fly super elderly animals, and Patches is 22 years old. So, I will be saying goodbye to her several days before I leave. I know I’m gonna cry, because I won’t see her again. She has been such a treasure and blessing to me for the 10+ years I’ve shared my life with her.
And the chickens… unless you’ve owned chickens, you can’t possibly understand how snugly they can wiggle into your heart. I have enjoyed being their “Moher Hen” for more than a decade. It’s gonna feel weird and sad for quite a while not having to turn them out and gather them in at dawn and dusk every day…
The humans I’m leaving
Most of my dearest, closest friends and relatives have promised to fly down to see me after I get settled in down there. And when they do, we will be able to spend more quality time there than we were ever afforded here because of mutually exclusive daily schedules or physical distance, so I’m looking forward to seeing them in CR, when we’ll have all kinds of time to truly connect. And these days we have Zoom, and FB video, and Facetime and WhatsApp and lots of other ways to connect virtually, so I will be able to see and hear from them during the in-between times, too. We’ll be able to stay in touch! So, leaving humans just isn’t the same as leaving critters. Leaving critters is forever.
Leaving my sisters may be forever, too.
Jackie says oh hell no to a CR trip because of big spiders, and Laurel says no because she doesn’t feel confident calling Ubers or taxis to get around.
The saving grace in this is that we three siblings have never been close emotionally or relationally — I’m the black sheep in the family — so I’m accustomed to pretty much never seeing them or interacting with them. That’s our status quo: ships passing in the night on our own voyages. Sad commentary, but true! I’m sure some of you have experienced similar relationships with siblings or other relatives in your life.
But if you’re thick as thieves with your siblings, I can understand why my reality might sadden you (on my behalf). But chin up. I’ve survived it my whole life and I’m okay with it, and if I’d had what you have with your sibs, I’d be utterly miserable leaving them! It’s because of the status quo that I’m free and clear to navigate to a whole new adventure without feeling I’m leaving huge chunks of my heart behind.
It’s gonna be hard enough saying goodbye to Lisa, Edward, Wendy, Sue, George and other friends who have proven repeatedly that they love me and have my back for life!
The humans I’ll be meeting
I’ll be connecting with humans in Costa Rica that I’ve only known virtually until now. That’s exciting! I’m very much looking forward to getting to know them and to establishing new friendships there.
Let’s get this show on the road!