Ciao, the calm and the restless!

The desire for change has been present in us for a long time. Only this time – we truly let it take us somewhere. To Italy. And closer to ourselves.

A new beginning: from Ventspils to Italy
I assume this will first be read by my two friends and maybe someone who ended up here through a wrong Google search. And yet – I believe in big things, in unicorns, and in the idea that work can bring fruit. Or at least experience. So – let’s begin!

I’ve always done a lot to achieve something – hard work, studying, endless courses, self-development. But I’ve never truly felt satisfied with myself. Even though I know – my mind works well, and my capacity for work is huge.

Goals that kept us going
It’s always been easier to keep moving when there’s a goal. A one-year goal. A five-year or ten-year plan. So, we dreamed, worked, and made things happen. We have two wonderful children. We built a house in Ventspils. I can’t complain about my professional achievements either. And then came the moment when we realized – this year feels exactly like the last one. And the one before that. Weeks pass, years go by, the kids are growing.
But I wasn’t ready yet to simply enjoy a well-tended garden with the thought that we’ve seen a bit of the world and now it’s time to settle down.

The sentence that changed everything
One day, when my husband said he was planning to sell his furniture company, I – half joking, half serious – said:
“Then let’s sell everything and move to Italy!”
At that moment, I had no idea we would actually do it. And it didn’t happen overnight – and definitely not as easily as saying that sentence. But here we are. For now.

Life in Italy – beautiful and difficult
Of course, “life in Italy” sounds nice. Like in that saying – it’s better to cry in a Mercedes (and yes, I’ve tried that too, and I can confirm it’s a bit better than in an old Toyota). But everything has its beauty and its challenges. And yet – we don’t regret it. Because now it truly feels like we’re living.

Teamwork and courage
Every day brings something new. Solving problems is our daily rhythm. But one thing is clear:
if we, as a team, could pull this off – then we can do even more. We can do anything.
Live and experience.

That’s how our story began – we decided to change our lives by 180 degrees, but… we only moved 2500 km. Because the rest stays. The feeling about yourself. The feeling about the world. That doesn’t change. Anyway – being far from what’s familiar lets you see yourself from the outside.

The next chapter…
Thoughts from our first days in Italy – that’s another chapter.
And if you keep reading – I’ll tell you.

New chapter, same heart –
Linda