Probably one of the biggest downsides of moving to the other side of the world, especially if you have kids, is that it puts an end to all your travels, except those between your new and your old home country.

Of course traveling ‘home’ isn’t really considered ‘traveling’. You don’t see any new things, except maybe some temporary exhibition. You don’t really do something new, except maybe go to a new restaurant. You don’t really meet new people as you are too absorbed in meeting family and old friends. You don’t relax as you are constantly running from A to Z. And the few moments that you are free you spend shopping for that one typical toothpaste your husbands wants, that one facial cream they don’t have in Argentina, that particular spread your son wants to take home etc. If you then still find a moment free, you call that one friend you want to meet again to fill up that little time. Sit down all by yourself and just chill usually isn’t on the agenda. Reading a book, watch your used-to-be favourite TV show, go for a lonely walk on the beach… Things you used to love doing when you were still living there have changed into memories.

It is an unexpected turn in our lives, considering that we have always travelled extensively. In fact, I used to live from one trip to the next, started planning the following trip when I had hardly unpacked from the previous one. Exploring other countries, cities, cultures ; it all stopped when we fell in love with Argentina, in 2003, and even more when we moved there in 2009.

So I thought it was time to take our lives back into our hands and put the kids on a plane to spend their winter break with the grandparents in sunny Europe, prepare our suitcase with other things then presents for friends and family, and start exploring new worlds. There are still so many places to be seen, and after living in Argentina, there is no such thing as distances anymore.

We have now put a definite end to the typical expat-way of traveling, back and forth between old and new home country. And we’ll be back in Argentina, with our heads full of new experiences and a camera full of photos, just in time to enjoy the last winter weeks, before spring starts -slowly- in September.

This must be the best of both worlds.