For those of you who have been following along (and possibly lighting candles for us), a quick update on our Social Security Suspension Saga. After a full 90 minutes of redialing, followed by five minutes of actual ringing (during which I refused to hang up on principle), I finally reached a human being at theContinue reading “Bureaucratic Update: We Have (Partial) Lift-off”
Monthly Archives: January 2026
Suspended in Bureaucracy: Our Social Security Saga from Abroad
When you move abroad, you expect some red tape. Visas, taxes, and bank accounts are the standard dragon quests of expat life. But once you’re settled in, you’d think the basics would stay … well, basic. Kristie and I made that exact assumption when we moved, confident that our previous experience had prepared us. AfterContinue reading “Suspended in Bureaucracy: Our Social Security Saga from Abroad”
Curtains Up: Discovering Valencia’s Live Performance Scene
…or, Why We’re Still Constantly Surprised by This City One of the things we’ve loved most about living in Valencia is how much of life happens outside the apartment. There are things constantly occurring in plazas, parks, markets, and, excitingly, on stage. We knew there’d be paella. We knew there’d be beaches. But we didn’tContinue reading “Curtains Up: Discovering Valencia’s Live Performance Scene”