A Year of new beginnings, friends, and setting roots.

Charlys Trevino

3 hours ago

7 min read

A year ago, my life fit into few suitcases, and I was having that "oh so familiar "nervous excitement knowing that I was once again starting over in a new country with new adventures and challenges. I am 10 years older since the last time I took out a residence visa to live in Europe. Would it be harder? Did I have the energy to do it all over again? Can I make the friend connections now that I am retired and not working? I was leaving my nomadic lifestyle and starting again in Oviedo Spain in the providence of Asturias, a green corner of northern Spain that felt both familiar and completely new. I wandered into Asturias and Oviedo in 2024 when I spent 3 months exploring northern Spain.

Now, looking back, I can measure the year in practical milestones, registering paperwork, finding my way around, figuring out the garbage pick up, setting up services like phone/internet ,meeting new friends, and lately adopting a cat, buying a car, signing the deed for a finca near Oviedo!

Moving to a new EU life

Leaving the Americas brought up mixed feelings for me. I miss seeing family in Texas every couple of months especially Porter and Pepper. Oh and how I miss the food in Mexico! I had some really memorable moments in Tequisquiapan, MX and made some lifelong friendships there.

Spain, came with its own process of settling in, and I had to learn a new rhythm. Some things felt easier. Some felt more confusing. Most required patience and a sense of humor,

This is so different from my last EU experience! Switzerland trained me to expect precision. Asturias has taught me to breath around uncertainty.

I have learned that relationships, timing, and flexibility matter here. A friendly conversation can open a door. A Spanish friends' recommendation can save you weeks of searching. But I still finding myself gritting my teeth every once in awhile.

I like that life feels more local and more grounded. The market, familiar faces at the cafe, the mountains, the coast, and the local festivals. So many festivals. The gatherings of friends to share a few favorite dishes, drink a nice cold beer or some sidra and sit chat. I am so grateful to be able to live this experience. How friggin lucky am I ???

The small achievements that made it feel real

There are legit signs that you live somewhere, and then there are emotional signs.

The official ones include forms, appointments, contracts, identification numbers, insurance, and bank details. The emotional ones are more personal. You know you are settling in when you have a favorite bakery. When the person at the hardware store recognizes you or the lady at the bank knows your name. When you finally stop using GPS for every short drive (those who know me well are currently thinking; "that's total bullshit, she will never stop using GPS").

This year brought three turning points that made Asturias feel less like an experiment and more like home.

I adopted a cat

Adopting a cat changed the energy of the house almost immediately. There is something very anchoring about being responsible for a small creature. Xana (named after the water nymphs in Asturian Celtic mythology) came from the animal shelter. Not quite feral but it is obvious she has been on the streets awhile. She is a 5 years old tabby who is timid but so grateful to be my kitty. I have really missed having a kitty and I am smitten with her!

Suddenly, there are food bowls, toys, cat hair, and a daily food schedule that did not care whether I had plans.

I bought a car

Buying a car was another turning point. After a year of public transport I begin to realize there were beautiful spots to explore and it would be literally impossible to do so without a car. Sure I could rent a car but owning gave me way more autonomy.

It changed weekends. It changed errands. It changed how possible everything was. Now I have way too many choices!

It also means learning local roads, narrow lanes, parking habits, and the art of staying calm. I bought the best second hand car deal which just so happened to be a Subaru Forrester. It is definitely a road warrior.

I bought a small finca !

Wow! it still feels unreal. Signing the deed felt like turning the corner to a year where it had been all about settling into Spain. The finca made it feel literally like I was setting roots.

This finca is not just a property, it's my property which comes with responsibility, and a long list of things to figure out but with tons of possibilities. I will have endless projects moving forward!

I have already started picturing my garden , an outdoor shower, great sitting nooks, lots of flowers ,fruit trees, and friends that come by to visit.

Daily life became fuller than I expected

Before moving, I imagined I might spend a lot of time quietly adapting. Instead, daily life filled up quickly.

There have been dinners, hikes, classes, coffee dates, errands that turned into meetups, and weekends that somehow became full even without planning them. Oviedo may look peaceful from the outside, and it is, but life here can be surprisingly social.

A normal week might include a class, a walk with friends, lunch in Oviedo, a local event, and a hike if the weather cooperates. There is enough activity to feel connected and enough nature to recover from it.

The hikes have been one of the highlights of the year. Asturias is made for walking. Coastal paths, forest tracks, mountain routes, and lookout points that make you smile.

Hiking has also been one of the easiest ways to meet people. Conversation feels more natural when everyone is moving at the same pace, slightly out of breath, sharing snacks, and admiring the same view. Some of my favorite conversations this year happened on trails.

Spanish is becoming part of my everyday life

My Spanish has improved a lot this year, though not always in a text book way.

Some days I pat myself on the back. I can handle appointments, follow conversations, ask better questions, and chat more naturally. Other days, my brain seems to lag way behind. It's a ongoing process.

I have learned that people are usually kind and helpful. Locals have corrected me gently, waited while I searched for a word, and encouraged me when I got tangled. Those small moments matter. They make it easier to keep trying.

Bettering my Spanish can only enhance how I experience Asturias. The more I understand, the more details I notice. A casual comment at the market or a story from a neighbor or friend. A phrase that does not translate cleanly but makes perfect sense in context.

I have a long way to go, but I do believe my relationship with the language is shifting. It feels like progress !

Friendship has been the real foundation

If I had to name the most meaningful part of this year, I would choose friendship.

I have met people from many backgrounds. Asturians who have welcomed me with warmth and patience. They helped me understand Asturias beyond the surface. Through local friends, I have learned about traditions, food, humor, regional pride, family rhythms, and the subtle rules of everyday life in Asturias.

Expats who understand the feeling of arriving somewhere new, and who know the strange mix of excitement and confusion that comes with rebuilding a life abroad. I am grateful for both and they offer different kinds of support. Expats often help you feel less alone in transition and local friends help you feel more connected to where you are.

What Switzerland gave me and what Asturias is giving me now

Recently I have been thinking about Switzerland often. It's been 5 years since I left my life there and I can't help but compare that life to the one I am leading now.

Switzerland gave me a high standard for public life. It taught me the value of order, punctuality, and careful planning. It gave me amazing nature, efficient systems, and a kind of calm that comes from knowing things usually work. And a deep appreciation for that lifestyle.

Asturias gives me something less polished but deeply nourishing.

It gives me a more grounded feeling and connection to the culture. It gives me more unpredictability which makes me more flexible. It gives me meals with friends that stretch longer than planned, and a stronger sense that life does not have to be perfectly arranged to be good. The contrast honestly has helped me see myself better. In Switzerland, I became capable. In Asturias, I am becoming more open.

Here, I have to tolerate ambiguity. That's not always easy. I like predictability

and there are frustrating days, and times when I miss the clean predictability of Swiss life. A new country challenges you. It shows you which parts of yourself are flexible and which parts are still hanging on to the old way of doing things. This past year, Asturias has stretched me in the right direction.

The coming year will bring finca projects, lots more Spanish, more hikes, deeper friendships, and probably a few bureaucratic challenges I would rather not even think about! There will be mistakes and there will be moments when everything feels slower than I want. But there will also be more long lunches, new words, open doors, and the ongoing adventure of building a life in a place that is becoming home.

For now, that feels like more than enough.

I have enjoyed writing this blog through all my adventures these past five years though the last couple of years have been super quiet on my end which has led me to the decision that I am retiring this blog. For all those who have followed me all these years a big THANK YOU!! It has been so much fun sharing my adventures with you all.

"In the end, we only regret the chances we did not take"

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