The Travel Chica

Live Simple. Consume Less. Experience More.

Saying Goodbye

By

When Cruella kicked me out, I moved into an apartment with Ayngelina.  She is a travel blogger from Canada with whom I have been in contact for several months.  I believe I first discovered her site Bacon is Magic when I was in Quito, Ecuador suffering miserable rain and cold and probably feeling a little off-balance after being robbed the first day I arrived.

I was looking for other travelers who had lived in Ecuador.  I continued reading her blog because I was drawn to the personality that came across in her posts… and the abundance of posts about delicious food she encountered in her travels.

Photo of me and Ayngelina
The first night we met at La Bomba.

For a month, we spoiled ourselves with a furnished apartment in a great location.

I had decent pillows (yes, more than one!) on my bed.  I could cook meals using a plethora of appliances (oven, stove, toaster, microwave) and save leftovers in the fridge.

I had a workspace for my laptop and camera, and I didn’t have to lock them up every time I went out.

I could hang up my clothes in a closet.

And we could entertain friends.

At my condo in Columbus, I loved having friends over.

Whether it was a potluck, a party, or just drinks, I was always happy to host.  So the last weekend in the apartment, I hosted a “blind” wine tasting and invited a few of our new friends.  Being able to bring your friends together to enjoy lively conversation and good food is something I really enjoy.

One of the difficulties with being a nomad is both forming the friendships and having the space to bring these friends together.  It is certainly possible but not easy.

So I was a little sad and sat down to write this post: a goodbye to my apartment and the new lifestyle I had adapted for a month.

Then I realized it wasn’t the apartment I was sad about leaving.

I would move to another apartment.

I was saying goodbye to Ayngelina.  My person to talk to about anything.  My partner in crime.

She is the only person I have had consistently in my life every day for over a month since I left my home 8 months ago.  That is huge!  And we were not just amicable roommates sharing a living space.  We have a lot in common. How many solo female travelers do you know who left great jobs, homes, and friends to go backpacking through Latin America?  How many of them love bacon?

Beyond the similarities in our paths, we also just had a great time together.  Whether we were out discovering a new restaurant in the city or cooking a healthy dinner and staying in to watch bad American reality shows, we had fun.  I felt like I was back in my college dorm and just met the girls that would become my best friends.

But it is time to say goodbye and move on to the next chapter of my life in Buenos Aires.

Now that I have been in one place for a long period of time, I have made friends.  Real friends.  Not the single-serving friends you typically meet in a one-week hostel stay.  I will have to say goodbye to them one day soon as well.

But for now, I will enjoy my friendships and know that when I leave Buenos Aires, I will take them with me.

With email, Skype, Twitter, and Facebook, friends are never too far away.

Comments

  1. Luckily we have all of these things like Skype, Facebook, Twitter and E-Mail. It makes everything so much easier. I think that these tools, especially Facebook, helps us, who travel a lot, so much because it’s a very easy way of staying in touch with them. You don’t have to sit down and have to write e-mails of 2 pages. A little “hey how are you?” on the wall of your friend sometimes is enough!

    I wish you good luck finding a new place and hope you enjoy the rest of your time in Buenos Aires.

    Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetime, is certain for those who are friends. ~Richard Bach
    Sebastian recently posted..iPad Apps for Travellers

    • I am really happy I settled down somewhere to have the opportunity to make good friends. For some reason, it just never crossed my mind that I would be saying goodbye to all of them eventually. But you are definitely right. For those who are really your friends, time and distance doesn’t matter. I already know this since many of my friends back home are scattered across the US.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..My Little Wine Experiment: Can You Tell the Difference?

  2. I agree: leaving people is the hardest thing about traveling. Deep bonds form so quickly – probably because you know the relationship is fleeting. But those connections will always be there, and perhaps sometime in the future that friendship will give you an excuse to travel across the world for a visit.
    Torre recently posted..Why Am I So Scared Of Everything?

  4. That’s the great thing about technology, it makes it much easier to stay in touch, but it’s not the same as actually seeing friends. As an expat, one of the hardest things I find is saying goodbye, which happens a lot in any expat community. Best of luck with the next leg of your travels.
    Laurel recently posted..Tips for Hiking in the Black Forest, Germany

  5. Now that the world is officially smaller, it’s always nice to hear about the friends that you can make after spending a relatively brief time with them. It’s like a total immersion, you spend so much time together you become quite familiar sometimes even familial with them. I can totally see the two of you as friends….great post, Stephanie!
    Renee recently posted..A Review of A Spa For You in Sedona, Arizona

  6. Its the one thing I just can’t get used to, and thats saying goodbye to people that I have traveled with for a longer period. I still remember the last time I had to say goodbye to a great friend, I felt miserable for days. But it’s a great thing that there is e-mail, facebook and skype :)
    Tijmen recently posted..Photo Essay: Iceland

  9. I admit — when all of a sudden Ayngelina was heading back to Canada and I realized she was LEAVING Buenos Aires, my first thought was, “What will Stephanie do?” I will always picture you two living in that apartment!!
    Abby recently posted..Maui for Two: Saying “I do”

  13. I hate goodbyes! I feel like I’ve been forced to let people go since I started my nomadic lifestyle over a decade ago. I stay in touch with friends online but it is never the same as having them around me. The good news is that you get used to this and realize who you miss. I no longer have “friendships of convenience.” The folks who have stuck by me for years despite the distance and still keep up with me and care are the ones I know are worth having in my life.
    Andrea recently posted..Colombian Beer and Me

  14. It’s part of our life as expats,exchange students, travellers, or location-independent professionals. It is always hard to leave people we have come to know and like, but staying connected not only to the person but indirectly to the place that person is in is magical! Whenever I skype, FB, email, tweet or whatever with my friends all over the world, it’s like I have so many windows open to all these locations! It’s a great feeling.
    Christina recently posted..Great kiwi driving routes: Surf Highway 45

  15. Aww this post is really sweet.

    I do love meeting other bloggers on the road. I met BackpackingMatt in New Zealand for example. Always hard moving on.

  16. Saying goodbye to a good friend is really hard. But with the advent of social networking media now, friends are never too far. And besides I’m sure, no matter where you travel, Ayngelina will be with you in your heart.

    Andresa
    Andresa recently posted..ILOCANDIA ESCAPADE

  24. Urgh I really had saying goodbye! Its got to the point where I just leave places early so I don’t have to say goodbye as its too stressful! Especially when you’ve grown close to the person you’re saying goodbye to!

    Nice to see you continue to have fun your travels, keep safe and have fun!
    Harriet recently posted..Mobile Phone Exchange

  25. As someone who has done this over and over again, I understand how you feel. It is a real sad part to travel and travel that involves settling in one place for awhile. It gets easier in the fact that you know how to deal with it and you understand more about the transient nature of life. This too shall pass. Things come and go including the good stuff. You have to learn to let go and take with you the lessons and the memories. That is why our tag line is “it’s all about the memories” because at the end of it all, that is all you have, so make them great
    Caz Makepeace recently posted..11 Places We Could Live Around the World

  26. I was a little worried about whether I would actually make any friends while volunteering in Nicaragua, but the worry was for nothing. Just putting down a few roots, even for just a few weeks, and you are bound to make a connection with someone!

  27. The traveling friendships can be some of the strongest. You make these friends in situations where you don’t have a lot of family and traditional friends so it makes the bonds very strong. It’s wonderful that you met Ayngelina and that you will be able to stay connected via so many means. Technology has allowed us so many gifts as travelers.

  28. Great post! Having someone to connect with while abroad makes all the difference- I know some of the connections I’ve made while abroad have been the strongest. I also do 90% of my traveling with my best friend, which has increased our relationship and our experiences tenfold. Good luck in BA!

    • Thanks for sharing! I am really enjoying the solo travel, but I do also miss traveling with my best friend. Just couldn’t quite convince her (or her then-fiance, now-husband) to quit her job for a year :-)

  29. Nice post – I did not realize that you two roomed together. (I guess anything is better than Cruella).
    Jason

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