Our pets are, of course, cherished members of the family, and bringing them with us when we move adds a whole extra layer of excitement. I’ll never forget the sensation Rich caused in the security line at Chicago O’Hare Airport when he revealed his tote bag held live goldfish, swimming around in a plastic water bowl. Incredibly, some of our less sensitive friends had suggested we simply flush the little dears down the toilet and buy new ones when we got to Ohio. What kind of fiend would do that? After the entire O'Hare security staff had chuckled and exclaimed over the unusual carry-on, Rich, the fish, and I were waived through. That was before 9/11; today, of course, those fish would be arrested and probably end their days swimming in Guantanamo Bay. On another occasion, a Dutch friend brought a miniature dachshund puppy from Amsterdam to San Francisco as cabin baggage. Somewhere over the Atlantic she took the puppy out of his cage for a snuggle. When she dozed off, the puppy climbed down off her lap and proceeded to scamper joyfully up and down the aisle, causing pandemonium throughout the plane while my friend slumbered on, oblivious. Then there’s my harrowing dog-lost-at-the-airport tale. Don’t worry, it has a happy ending, and no humans or animals were harmed. Upset, yes. Stunned by the callous indifference and staggering incompetence of a major international airline, you bet. Here’s what happened. It was late November and we were moving to Spain with our dog, Eskimo Pie. She was too large for cabin travel and had to go in the cargo hold, so I bought a roomy crate and researched pet-friendly airlines with heated cargo areas. I got her vaccines updated, had a tracking chip injected into her shoulder, and filled out reams of paperwork. When the day came, I watched her crate being loaded onto the plane. So far so good. I stepped off the plane in Madrid and asked the first airline representative I saw where I could go collect her. “A dog? Here?” the woman exclaimed incredulously. Clearly she’d never heard anything so absurd. What next? Asking directions to the nearest flying saucer? She had no idea where I could find Pie. She almost seemed offended that I’d asked. I spent four hours showing Pie's documents and photo around Madrid’s five terminals, and then, having rented a car, half a dozen outlying cargo areas. Eventually Pie’s crate was discovered on top of a 20-foot stack of wooden pallets. Her nose was pressed against the bars, she had a fierce gleam in her eye, and I could almost hear her thinking, “You’ve a lot of explaining to do.” Pie was an old country dog, and while she loved many things about our urban Seville lifestyle — the perros in the dog park, late night walks through the city, jamón (ham) — she had some trouble adjusting. I turned for help to Spanish veterinarians, and I have to say they were wonderful: clinically savvy, compassionate, and emotionally invested. It was like being in an episode of All Creatures Great and Small. I’ve lost touch with those particular vets, but this week I had a chance to chat with two bright, dedicated young women who recently opened Clínica Veterinaria Pets&Co in Sevilla Este, six miles east of downtown Seville. I knew at once the vet Cristina and her assistant Sara — who have been friends since they were five — were my kind of animal lovers. “We love our dogs. We really do,” said Sara. “We go home thinking, ‘How is Mini? Did it work? Are they feeling better?’” Cristina nodded. “This is something you take home when you leave. You take home your animals. I say to clients, ‘This pet is yours, but a little bit of him or her is mine.’ And when the animals are ill or when we have to do something that we don’t want to think about, I cry a lot.” Despite the occasional sympathetic tears, a cheerful atmosphere prevails, thanks in part to the lively presence of Roxy, Sara’s pug (listed on the website as “the Boss”) and Cristina’s two rescues, Gordo and Margarita. The clinic is sparkling clean, modern, fully equipped, and very innovative. The two species they serve, dogs and cats, each get their own separate entrance, waiting room, and examination area to reduce stress (and avoid possible bloodshed) among the patients. The clinic offers a health plan so pets with chronic or complicated conditions can access services without running up unexpected bills. Both women speak English and French as well as Spanish. Most unusually for a Spanish vet, they offer online consultations via Zoom or WhatsApp. “Imagine someone is thinking about flying over,” said Sara, “and needs to chat with a vet for peace of mind. ‘What am I going to face there? Which is the vaccination protocol?’ If you have a worry, you can ask Cristina.” Cristina’s best advice? Allow enough time. She’s so right. It can take months to figure out the rules, sort out the paperwork, and schedule vaccines and tests — some of which need to take place a specific number of days before the flight. In many countries, including Spain, pets don’t need to be quarantined so long as they’re vaccinated, microchipped, and documented. Be sure to check US re-entry requirements as well. I can hear you thinking, “Yikes! Where do I find all this info?” Below are handy places to start. This is the most current information available, but I don’t need to tell you that America is in a state of flux, with laws changing in the blink of an eye. Re-check often to make sure there are no last-minute surprises. US State Department Pets & International Travel (what's required to transport pets into and out of America) About the Destination Country’s Policies (pet entry requirements, quarantine rules, and application forms for dozens of nations) Pet Policy Guide for all US Airlines Transporting Animals in the Aircraft (tips from Lufthansa, winner of the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association award) USDA Pet Travel Guidance from the USA to Another Country Traveling with Pets in the EU Navigating a Pet Friendly Journey (best airports, railway rules, and more) Is your pet worth all the fuss? Mine sure was. Pie sustained me through the upheavals of the transition, introduced me to countless canine neighbors, and inspired chuckles every day. One of her favorite things was riding up in the elevator; she couldn’t get over the fact we went in one door and exited through another, on a whole different floor. Every single time, she looked up at me with astonished delight, as if to say, “Did you see that? It did it again!” She’s been gone for many years now, and I still miss her. It’s comforting to think that Robert Louis Stevenson might be right when he said, “You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us.” If so, I picture Pie spending eternity making joyful noise like this dog, captured on a nanny cam after neighbors complained about the racket. HOT NEWS! My new e-book is now available for pre-order and goes on sale Monday, February 17. For the launch, I have temporarily reduced the price to 99 cents, to make sure it's totally accessible to all my readers, friends, and family. Enjoy! ![]() This book is a love letter to my home city. When I sent out early review copies, the response was enthusiastic. “I loved this book! “Witty, wise, and informative” “An entertaining read and invaluable guide” “Captures both the soul and the stomach of San Francisco.” “You don’t need to visit San Francisco to enjoy this book!” My regular readers will find this goes far beyond the San Francisco stories from last summer’s blog posts. I’ve expanded and updated the practical information and mixed in even more offbeat historical tidbits, outrageous urban legends, and wacky anecdotes. Writing it was tremendous fun, and I hope you'll get the same rib-tickling pleasure from reading it. NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON KINDLE THE AMIGOS PROJECT This post is part of my ongoing exploration of how moving, living, and traveling abroad can enrich our lives and help us avoid the isolation that's become a global epidemic. See all my Amigos Project posts here. DON'T MISS OUT! If you haven't already, take a moment to subscribe so I can let you know when I publish my weekly posts. Just send me an email and I'll take it from there. [email protected] SUBSCRIBED BUT NOT GETTING POSTS? Check your spam folder. Internet security is in a frenzy these days. If you still can't find it, please let me know. TRYING TO POST A COMMENT BUT NOT SEEING IT? For a short while, my efforts to reduce the flood of spam on this blog resulted in making it harder to post comments. I think it's fixed now, but if you have any difficulties, please let me know. [email protected] FOR FURTHER READING My upcoming book on San Francisco My bestselling travel memoirs & guides Cozy Places to Eat in Seville GOING SOMEWHERE? Enter any destination or topic, such as packing light or road food, in the search box below. If I've written about it, you'll find it.
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“And suddenly you just know… it’s time to start something new and trust in the magic of new beginnings.” — Meister Eckhart, 13th century German mystic The sentiment seems intensely romantic, especially in a flourishing font superimposed over an exotic landscape. Cast your fate to the winds! Live your life, take chances, don’t wait! Leap and the net will appear! Or will it? I hope I don’t have to tell you how much I love living in Seville, but occasionally I've watched aghast as someone arrives in starry-eyed haste only to repent at grumpy leisure. One woman spent a single sun-drenched, wine-soaked weekend here, went home, sold everything, came back, moved into an apartment … and was absolutely miserable. "I can't complain. But I'm going to anyway." She found everything substandard, from the weather — too hot, too cold , too wet, too dull — to the people around her, who had the nerve to be busy with their own lives when she wanted to go out for tapas — which were never as tasty as she’d remembered. She had nothing to do, no place to go, and nobody eager to listen to her complaints. After a few months she took off for another country, where no doubt she’s learning to grumble in Arabic. In my experience, if you’re contemplating a leap to a new life, you want to look — long and hard — at where you’ll be landing. Before picking a forever home, it's wise to spend a year trying out the lifestyle. As blogger Kirsten Raccuia demonstrates in My Moving Abroad Regrets: How to Learn From My Mistakes, even expats who make a successful transition overseas have lists of “if I could do it overs.” Dancing in the Fountain, the book in which I describe my move to Seville, is brimming with faux pas and ridiculous misunderstandings. The object of the game is to keep the bloopers and regrets to a minimum. Which is why I compiled this checklist in consultation with my brother Mike and his wife, Deb. I’m not saying they’re obsessive compulsive, but they dotted every letter of the alphabet before moving to Seville for a year. This checklist uses some examples drawn from transitioning to Spain, but the advice applies wherever you go. THE YEAR-ABROAD PREPARATION CHECKLIST Define your goal or purpose. Is the trip about adventure? Learning a new language? Discovering the seediest dive bars? Finding a quiet place to write the Great American Novel? Choose a suitable destination. Have you been there before? Do you know anyone there? Will it support your goal? If you’ll be traveling, is transit convenient? Might violent conflict break out? No? Are you sure? You might want to check that out with a reliable source. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. I looked up Spain on the US State Department’s travel advisory webpage. It warned, “Exercise increased caution. Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Spain. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.” Yikes! That’s everywhere I go! Was my life hanging by a thread? Before fleeing in panic, I decided to check the UK Travel Advice page for Spain. There was nothing beyond the lifting of the weather advisory after last fall’s flooding. The only thing missing was a yawn emoji. I figured it was safe to stay put. Check out your destination’s entry requirements, visa regulations, and tax laws. Start with their government’s official website, and thank your lucky stars most countries now provide English translations. Consider consulting an immigration lawyer, as Deb and Mike did. “We Googled immigration lawyers in our area and her name came up: Debora Eizips-Dreymann,” Mike told me. “At first we kept saying, ‘Yeah, that’s good advice but we could have figured it out ourselves.’ By the end of the process, we were saying, ‘Wow, absolutely worth it!’” For details, see my post How to Get a Residency Visa Without Losing Your Mind. Make sure your passport’s good for at least six months. Allow plenty of time for renewing. Review your finances and work situation. Planning to work online? Organize everything in advance; learn how and why in my post Is Remote Working More Fun Overseas? Hoping to work locally? Check out options on job sites such as GoOverseas. Living on your savings? Be realistic about how long your money will last. Your new home may be cheaper, but it’s not free. Set up an international bank account. I use Wise, a London-based financial technology company specializing in international money transfers. Keep your old account for online bill paying. Opening an account in your new home might involve surprising complications; see my post Five Things I’ve Learned About Moving Abroad. Make arrangements for your home and pets. Don’t sell up until you’re comfortably ensconced in your new life. Find a renter or hire a house/pet sitter. Research medical insurance. Medicare won’t cover you abroad, and you may not qualify for the national health service. Find out the reimbursement policy of your existing insurer. Need more? Sanitas is popular with expats worldwide. Make sure you’re covered! Get medical records, renew prescriptions, discuss vaccines. Research health resources as discussed in my post In a Medical Emergency Abroad, Where Do You Go? Update your Covid vaccine and find out if other vaccines or meds are recommended for your destination. Visit the CDC Traveler’s Health page; get a second opinion from the UK’s National Health Service. “Go see your doctor shortly before you go,” Deb advised. “Make sure your prescriptions won’t expire.” Arrange mail forwarding. The US Post Office only pauses mail up to 30 days for free but now offers a Premium Forwarding Service for a fee. Adapt your phone or get another. You’ll want an unlocked phone with e-sim cards and an international plan. Register with the US Embassy. The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) enables consular agents to update you about health and security concerns. Lease before you buy. Study neighborhoods, prices, and tax implications before you even think about committing to any form of real estate. Get set up to watch US TV. I use Express VPN to access entertainment in my own language. Bring a few small things that remind you of home. Don’t ship cars, furniture, or appliances, but photos and mementos will make your new place feel cozier. Once you’re sure, ignore the naysayers. “When setting out on a journey,” said the poet Rumi, “do not seek advice from those who have never left home.” As the gag gifts below suggest, sometimes your plucky decision may inspire jealousy and passive-aggression in others. “So what was your goal in moving to Spain for a year?” I asked my brother. “Our goal was to travel around Europe and see if there was some place that we would ever consider living permanently.” “And did you accomplish that?” I asked, and we all laughed. Because no, of course they didn’t. Five weeks after they arrived in Seville, Covid hit and the world went into lockdown. Which just goes to show that you can never prepare for every possibility. But they made the most of their year abroad anyway, touring Spain and Portugal when lockdown loosened, creating vivid memories of a remarkable moment in world history. And isn’t that really why we move abroad — to plunge into unexpected adventures and to experience, as Anthony Bourdain put it, “the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown”? WANT TO KNOW MORE? For easy reference, I've compiled a list of the links included in this story. Find those links here. THE AMIGOS PROJECT This post is part of my ongoing exploration of how living and traveling abroad can enrich our lives and help us avoid the isolation that's become a global epidemic. See all my Amigos Project posts here. DON'T MISS OUT! If you haven't already, take a moment to subscribe so I can let you know when I publish my weekly posts. Just send me an email and I'll take it from there. [email protected] SUBSCRIBED BUT NOT GETTING POSTS? Check your spam folder. Internet security is in a frenzy these days. If you still can't find it, please let me know. TRYING TO POST A COMMENT BUT NOT SEEING IT? For a short while, my efforts to reduce the flood of spam on this blog resulted in making it harder to post comments. I think it's fixed now, but if you have any difficulties, please let me know. [email protected] FOR FURTHER READING My upcoming book on San Francisco My bestselling travel memoirs & guides Cozy Places to Eat in Seville GOING SOMEWHERE? Enter any destination or topic, such as packing light or road food, in the search box below. If I've written about it, you'll find it. |
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