Mediterranean Rebirth

He had never expected it to turn out so well.

What had only begun as a tiny seed somewhere in the back of his mind had eventually turned into a full fledged plan. Of course it took time to mature. Become something that seemed plausable. But even when it did - he questioned it. It seemed mad. Unrealistic. His friends and family all seemed to scoff at him whenever he he opened up about it. Was it the right choice? What if it didn't work out? Was there something he could fall back on?

Of course there wasn't. It was going to work. It had to. There was just too much riding on it.

So the obligatory celebrations begun. The parties. The small get togethers. In his office, at his house. Surrounded by coworkers, family, and friends. They all wished him luck. Sung his praises. Hoped for the best. They had to - he was actually going. It no longer was just some idea they had thought he was toying with. He had put in his two weeks. Found someone to take over his lease. Sold his car. It all came so quickly. Most of his things were already in boxes. But not to be shipped with him. His family would inherit it. Distribute it as they pleased amongst themselves. All he needed was his ID, his bank accounts, and clothing. Everything else could be acquired.

When the plane first took off, his stomach dropped a little. Back in the terminal, it wasn't too hard saying goodbye. It wasn't forever. He knew he would see his mother and father again - whether he came back for the holidays or they visited him. Their hugs felt genuine, if not filled with sorrow and apprehension. Was their boy making the right choice? Could they help him from across the world if he needed them? The finality of it all didn't sink in until the wheels of the aircraft lost touch with the tarmac.

There was no turning back now.

The flight seemed to stretch on for days. The air in the cabin had grown stuffy, people around him closed in, invading his space. Children became restless - running up and down the aisle. Nudging his elbow as he tried desperately to sleep. Fifteen hours was a long time to be trapped in one's own head - contemplating if the right choice had been made.

When the plane finally touched down, his nerves began pumping again. All he had to his name was in his carry-on and checked luggage. He was in a place where he didn't know the language. Didn't know the geography. The customs. The city. His phone was useless. He had no one to contact. It was just him.

At first it was tough. He had always been shy. Nervous to explore the language - approach the people. Regardless of how friendly he heard everyone was. Once he tested what few phrases he knew and found they could understand him, he was able to relax a bit. It didn't take him long to find a taxi and describe where he needed to go. Of course he was sure a few key points were lost in translation, but he got the sense the driver knew where to go. As the car pulled away from the curb he let out a sigh of relief and closed his eyes for a bit - only to be startled awake by a bump in the road. He looked around frantically - scared he had been asleep for too long, only to see the brilliant teal water of the coast to his left. It was absolutely radiant. Piercing his soul and flushing his eyes with beauty. This was it.

When the cab stopped and dropped him off in front of the house - he was absolutely speechless. All of his doubts and concerns immediately melted away. It was perfect. And he hadn't even stepped inside yet. The bright blue door. The pure white walls. The adorable little window. He had risked it all. Finding a home online, quitting his job, moving away from his family and friends - his country. No connections. No job security. It was all worth it. It had paid off.

Now he just had to wait for the final piece of the plan. Her.

She'd be arriving in a couple days. Bags in tow - as excited and nervous as he was. They'd brave this new place together. Start fresh. Start new. Make it work. Together.

It was their next adventure.