Britton and I met at a party about 10 years ago. I remember the exact date: Saturday, January 22, 2000 because at midnight it was his (and my dad’s, and aunt’s) birthday. We mostly talked about Y2K (remember that?), where we were when the new millennium occurred (and how we had partied like it was 1999) and our interests. He was turning 21 at the stroke of the witching hour. We exchanged numbers and went on our first date about a week later. By Valentine’s Day we were a “couple”. We were both working entry-level jobs and I was going to school. He was still flying airplanes and that summer I went to stay in Mexico for a school exchange. We were both living with our parents and we were still figuring “us” out.
The other night Britton and I were talking about all the things we have achieved together in the last ten years. It’s amazing how fast time flies.
On one of our early dates
2000– Started Dating. Both working at low-paying, unskilled jobs. I stayed in Mexico for the summer. I would have stayed longer but I missed Britton. In retrospect, I think this was my first thought of combining these two loves (living in a Spanish-speaking area and being with Britton).
2001– I graduated from UNC with my bachelor’s degree in International Trade and Relations early because I had gone to college in high school. Both of us started new jobs. Britton was a contractor for IBM and I worked at Westat, a research company and loved that I was able to utilize my Spanish skills.
At the Greeley Stampede years ago
2002– I started grad school. After 9-11, the interest rates (and everything) dropped through the floor. Britton had moved out and got a small studio apartment. We started talking and playing “house”. We decided to start thinking about buying one…
Snowboarding in Colorado
2003– Searched for and bought our first house when most people were still partying we were saving and starting out. We learned everything there was to know (almost) about mortgages, closings, realtors, interest rates, credit history (Britton had none). Over the next few years then we had to learn about HOA’s, putting in a fence, A/C, grass, window coverings -our house had been a foreclosure- and we wanted to finish the basement at some point. We also were engaged to be married, but wanted to wait until I finished school. Learned about diamond rings. 🙂
2004– Continued to work on the house. Graduated from my master’s programs in Spanish, Sociology and electives in Public Health. Started to plan and save for our wedding. I think it was around this time that Britton started working at Intrado.
2005 – Planned and saved for wedding. Got married on August 6, 2005. What a beautiful day. Then we went to Puerto Rico for our honeymoon. We spent two weeks down there and even then were looking at it as a place to live. We drove around the whole island. Our favorite areas were on the west side near the beaches and in the mountainous jungle -so that’s where we set our goal.
At the Arecibo Observatory on our Honeymoon
2006-The end of 2005 I found the job at the county. The first year was really exciting and interesting. Puerto Rico was pushed to the back of our mind.
2007– This was a tough year. Britton had a seizure (first and hopefully only!) in the beginning of the year. Random and scary, but got us thinking about where we wanted to take our lives. My dad was diagnosed with cancer. We started to think about life in different ways and decided to seek out other sources of income besides traditional jobs so that we could make our transition to Puerto Rico. We bought our first rental. Finished our basement. At the end of the year my mom and I went to Puerto Rico and made an offer on the place in Lares, Puerto Rico.
2008– No major changes as we waited for the title work to come through on the Lares property. Continued working. Started this blog.
2009– Visited Puerto Rico with Britton and the Lares deal fell through. Re-evaluated where we were at on that goal and decided we needed to get better set up for Puerto Rico, so we bought one rental property in May and then another in November. Also the economic collapse and subsequent uncertainty with my job helped to push us in this direction.
2010– Well, here we are in the second month of 2010 already. What will the future bring? Whatever it is, I am sure the next ten years will be as interesting as the last.
Hi guys –
I got your comment on our blog with questions about insurance and relocating — feel free to email me any time and I can give you some details and tips.
annie@rinconvacations.com
talk to you later!
Annie
Yeah any tips you have will be great. Moving, health insurance, starting a business, etc. I’ll have Cassie send you an email!
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Lucy
Lucy,
Thanks for commenting! We hope to hear more from you in the future. We enjoy receiving comments from people, so stop by anytime 🙂
cassie
I believe you guys make a big mistake moving to PR starting from 0 with no job offers .Still insist you are better off living in Denver the way you have been doing now ,believe me a lot of puertorricans are living in Mainland because we want to but mostly because economic reasons,who want to change living in PR to move NYC.
Well good luck
Reinaldo,
We are not starting from 0, if you read the post, we are starting with quite a bit AND we do have options in PR that we are looking into. Thanks for your concern.
Great peek into your past 10 years together! BTW, I think you are going to Puerto Rico with your eyes wide open, like us. Steve says we may think differently after getting whacked by 3 hurricanes, an earthquake, getting mugged, getting car-jacked, etc., etc. It could happen (as on the mainland). But unless and until it does, we will enjoy the journey! And, like you, we will have a back-up plan.
The naysayers are jealous because they don’t have what you do: The ability to communicate effectively in both English and Spanish, and the interest and experience to make PR a more environmentally friendly and humane place. Fran
Cassie – I agree with Fran, this specific “naysayers” is like a cancer in many of the other blogs. Don’t give him a platform, just ignore him. Keep on trucking and hopefully I will see you in PR sooner than later! I too love your spirit. I believe that you should surround yourself with happy, positive people. Let me know when you will be in PR, we are going in March.
Thanks Fran and Rosa for your support. I know there will be things that will be hard, but where exactly is the perfect paradise? That is part of what makes life an adventure anyway…the unknown and the exciting.
Rosa,
When exactly will you be there? We haven’t nailed down a date, but if it works out, maybe we can meet up when we’re there. That would be fun.
Cassie
Cassie
We are going March 16th and having a party at our house in March 20th (saturday), so if you are there, mi casa es su casa! You are invited to join us!
When i was on vacation in Rincon a lot of American Expatriates aka Gringos told me that a lot of people from NEW YORK and the Jersey shore have try to have a bussisness and only a very few suceed.What i saw in Rincon was people with college education doing jobs as bartenders ,cook, massage terapist and yoga instructors,that i believe if these people were living in Mainland they wouldnt do these jobs. i nean if i win lottery tomorrow i move from Phladelphia to Rincon tomoroww but that is not my case still has a job in Philadelphia. Is this a reality in Rincon with a surrfing season of 4 month and then the rest of the year is lot more slow.Is it worth to leave behindwhat you have now and gamble you future.
good luck