Today marks one year since we landed in Uruguay to start the next chapter of our lives. And what a year it has been!
I always say that the hardest year of a new job is the first year. During those first twelve months, you learn the business cycle (busy times and slow times), the culture of the office, the various processes used, and the people around you. This year, I learned that immigrating seems to be a similar experience.
In the last 52 weeks, we have learned a great deal. We have become familiar with a large city (please do not say, “NYC? Now THAT is a big city!”). Montevideo may not be large in population, but it has all the elements of a large city. It took us some time to learn the layout and become familiar with where things are. We have gone from saying, “I don’t know where we are,” to “I know this place!” More often than not, when we are in the heart of Montevideo, we can spot buildings, parks, and other landmarks that have become familiar to us.
We have provisional residency status in Uruguay. This means that, for all intents and purposes, we are permanent residents. We can live in Uruguay for as long as we want, and we can always move back if we ever choose to leave. We also got our driver's licenses, just in case we need to drive. Still no car to drive, though!
We experienced all four seasons of the Uruguayan calendar (including life in Uruguay during the World Cup. Now THAT was insane!). We participated in many of the country's cultural events and learned what to expect during Christmas (this country knows how to ring in Christmas!). I don't think anyone is attending midnight Mass because that is the very moment Christmas is celebrated by lighting up the skies with colorful fireworks. If Jesus was born in Uruguay, he would not be asleep on the hay due to the celebration.
We also got a glimpse of a Carnival parade. We are already preparing for Carnival 2027. We put down a deposit on two reserved spaces on a rooftop where we can eat, drink, and watch the comparsas go by. The festivities run from 19:00 until 04:00! We also plan to attend some of the other events, such as the murgas. Our calendars now include Uruguayan holidays so we know what is coming up next.
We got a taste of the healthcare system here. It started with Mikey breaking his foot on Three Kings Day (Día de Reyes) and experiencing the universal healthcare system firsthand. We then got registered with our mutualista. We have our primary care physician (PCP) set up (and thank goodness, she speaks English!). In a few weeks, I have my first appointment with the psychiatrist and will also get set up with a counselor.
I used the word "taste" in the beginning of this paragraph intentionally. Some of the medicines I have to take, specifically lithium, taste absolutely horrible! Very few of the pills come in capsules, so when you take them, the medicine hits your tongue immediately. And let me tell you, some of them have a truly revolting taste! Nothing like having to amp yourself up to simply take a few tablets. I think I can, I think I can, I THINK I CAN.
We made it through our first la primavera, el verano, el otoño, and el invierno. Winter (el invierno) was the hardest. I thought that coming from New England, where we experienced bad winters and living here would be easy. It is not! Winter here has its own challenges. Deep, heavy, gray skies that block out the sun most days, rain on many of those days, and cold temperatures mixed with humidity that chill you to the bone. Add to that the way houses are built here, which makes it difficult to keep the cold out. Oh, how I miss my radiant heat! Spring (la primavera), summer (el verano), and fall (el otoño) are all very nice, though.
Finally, we have made several friends here. Most of them are immigrants, just like us, from various parts of the old country. Many moved to Uruguay for the same reasons Mikey and I did. These are the people we spend our holidays with and gather with for dinners and other social events. Each time we come together, more memories are made, and I am reminded that we are going to make it.
In a future post I will write about Immigrants vs Expats.
Español! Learning Spanish has been very difficult for me. At times, I feel like my brain just isn't wired to learn a foreign language. As a result, I have to spend more time working at it. It is also a vicious circle. I am not confident in my speaking ability, so I lack the confidence to speak with people. However, the only way I am really going to learn the language is by speaking it. I know this, and yet somehow, that doesn't make it any easier!
I would be deeply remorseful if I didn't take a moment to remember that we lost 12 Oaks during this past year. She was 14 years old, and her body was beginning to wear down. I hope her last eight years with us were happy ones. She certainly brought a lot of happiness into our lives.
Now I am looking forward to the coming year. There are several things I want to accomplish:
Reach a B1 level in Espanol so I am prepared when I apply for citizenship here.
Visit more museums.
Participate in more Carnival events and become more involved in Uruguayan culture in general.
Expand our circle of friends to include more native Uruguayans.
Visit two or three other countries in South America.
See more of Uruguay.
One year down, and many more adventures ahead!
While we have many fond memories and experienced several challenges, moving was the right decision for us.
¡Feliz Día de la Inmigración para nosotros!
