A View With Gratitude

Fifteen months ago, my mom and I touched down in Lisbon. We didn’t sleep much on the journey and attempted to nap, but were too excited to sit still in our Airbnb. We ended up wandering up (many) hills, finding out way to a little cafe near a fountain, where we watched gypsies dance and ordered much-needed wine and coffee. Our laughter, selfies and conversations from those first few hours are some of my favorite memories of our trip. As I walked around Lisbon a week ago, I stumbled upon that area of town and had to stop and smile. Never would I ever have imagined that just over a year later, I would have a temporary home here, writing full-time as a journalist, with 50 new friends. I continue to learn this throughout Remote Year but it was even more solidified in that moment: you can never predict where life will take you. And that? Well. It’s breathtaking.