So when it came time to submit my application, I knew where I wanted to call home. I picked Galicia as my first choice because she had been calling me time after time again.

The Long Road to a Visa

The visa process is long with lots of unknowns. I came home from Spain with a more powerful drive to call this place home. I did something I hadn’t done in years and picked up a serving job for the summer to provide some cushion on moving expenses, because moving a four-legged kid across the pond is more expensive than you think.

I worked as much as I physically and mentally could. My website took a back burner, but it didn’t matter, my eyes and heart were set on my end goal. Finally, in the middle of July I got my acceptance letter to begin my visa process. The cherry on top, I had been assigned to two small villages in the Rías Baixas, one of my absolute favorite regions of Galicia.

I will be next to the powerful sea with rolling hillsides as a backdrop. There are numerous hiking paths, dog friendly beaches, and I’m a short distance from the windswept protected landscapes of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia. I’m also helping to teach pre-college students, so to say I was placed perfectly is an understatement.

My visa application went smoothly and more quickly than I expected. I had my visa in my hands by mid August and booked my one-way ticket to Spain for the first days of September.

Donaji

My goal is to bring my pup Donaji to join me on this next adventure. I have arrived in Spain to seek out a place for both of us and get all the kinks out before she lands. She has definitely changed the way I travel and this visa acts as a gift to slowly integrate her into my lifestyle.