"Amidst the sleepless nights, hospital stays, medication dosing, and screaming into the pillow, I cared for the plant (and my son), thinking, in my delusion, that if Vasily were going to live, my son would, too. A revived Vasily stayed behind in New York City with a friend. "The friends we leave behind will stay our friends, and in new places we'll make new friends" I told my son at the time."
"As a city, I loved that Barcelona was near the water and it seemed like a nice way to downsize a bit after being in New York City. When he was 4, my son started school, and I spied on him through a hole in the fence one day. He was sitting alone and I cried. At first, I thought it was a language issue. Eventually, he found his friends, two boys and two girls, and I became friends with their parents."
"The mistake I made in Madrid was not listening to my son when he voiced his choice of school. We had seen a few and he was clear on where he wanted to go. I chose differently, a decision I still regret. We gave it two years, but it wasn't the right fit for him or me. In the end, my son took the leap of being the "new kid" yet again."
A parent and son moved from New York to Spain seeking affordable healthcare and a better life. They initially settled in Barcelona, appreciating its waterfront and smaller scale, but faced language barriers that made learning difficult. The parent balanced caregiving, hospital stays, and caring for a rescued plant while hoping for stability. After time in Spanish-speaking Malaga, they relocated to Madrid. The parent initially chose a different school against the son's wishes and later regretted it. The son switched schools, found a supportive environment that nurtures his creativity, math and chess interests, and both now thrive, enjoying Madrid's culture and nearby hikes.
Read at Business Insider
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