How the hell do I do this?

I am going to start this one off before I even write the rest of it with my distaste for the lowest cost WordPress option.

I have used Squarespace in the past to build professional websites, and I LOVE it. WordPress is a lot cheaper at its lowest tier though and just doing a simple blog this seemed like the way to go… but man, the UI and lack of customizability on the cheap plan is really annoying! Also apparently WordPress just doesn’t function at my place of work? So that’s weird. Because of that, there is a bit of lag from when I am writing to when I am posting. Ideally everyone would be getting live updates of my slow descent into madness but you’ll have to settle for a few days delay. 

Anyways, the topic of today! How the hell do I do this? How do I even start?

The first thing any of the “move abroad” guides will tell you is to visualize. And I have definitely been doing that for many many years. Ever since that first thought of “maybe I would be happier somewhere else” that was a visualization. 

As I started thinking more seriously about things, I had to figure out where I actually wanted to go, what do I want in a new homeland? I am still figuring that out to some degree but a very large part of me has always thought… Norway.
That is why the title photo for this blog is a stock photo of snowy mountains and the northern lights, that is where I want to be. Typically I only use my own images for my websites but I have never seen the northern lights, it is a dream of mine.

I already know that a progressive society that trusts science and embraces human rights is a necessity for me. I already know that I definitely don’t want to be anywhere HOT… or even warm, probably. A summer temperature of mid 70s MAYBE 80s (Fahrenheit) is about as high as I would like it. But what else? Well I am trying to get out quick so I might need to look for places with easier visas, at least to start. Unfortunately, that probably takes Norway off the table. I need to be able to work and without a remote job my best chance is at an international school teaching science, so that might give me more specific areas to look into but it does seem like there are opportunities available in that space. I know I won’t be able to take all my animals and I am still struggling with which ones and how, so a country with reasonably lenient pet importation laws is also important. 

It is a lot to think about but each one of these things adds to my list of information so I can eventually figure out where I need to be. I have set up a project board for myself in Asana just to give myself some hard deadlines to make decisions by.

It all gets a little overwhelming at times and I have broken down crying on more than one occasion just thinking about the seemingly insurmountable task ahead to make this work. But it is either climb the mountain… or remain in the growing fascist regime that is the US.

So I keep thinking about those northern lights. A nice crisp night with freshly fallen snow sparkling under the moonlight. The quiet that only comes with a heavy snow to absorb all the sound, maybe gently broken by the call of an owl or a fox, or even the howl of wolves! Are there wolves in Norway? I would think so but probably in very small numbers. I would sit out and stare up at the lights in the sky, bundled in a heavy fuzzy blanket with some hot cocoa, and when I got too cold, head inside to a nice crackling fire in my isolated house in the forest. But not TOO isolated… I still want internet and to be able to get to a decent sized town fairly easily and quickly. Space for me, for my animals, for my pets, financial stability, more freedom and less fear… That is what I want. 

I will keep thinking of those northern lights.