63 Days Until Our Move - Guilt Trips Have Escalated

Today, we have 63 days until we move from Phoenix, Arizona to San Pedro, Belize.

Our home is for sale, and I am conversations with a few different container shippers, trying to get a better feel on the steps, process, timelines...most want to hop on a call, which I loathe - I would much rather communicate via e-mail, so I have a "paper trail" and it makes it easier to relay information to Nathan when we have our strategy meetings. I don't have any details worth sharing in that department.

The biggest stressor in our lives right now is the escalation of guilt trips from friends and family:

"We only have nine more weekends with you...."

"Are we going to see you again before you move...?"

"We know you're busy buuuuuut....."

My parents are divorced, so that means two separate meetings, and I have my aunt/Godmother and Uncle here in town. Nathan's entire family is in Phoenix. No one has ever left. So you can imagine, they are definitely freaking out a bit more than my family.

Nathan and I aren't big on going out; more in the "homebody" stage, me especially.  After almost 30 years in sales, I'm done with people! I like staying home, doing my own thing. I am coming to realize, though, for the next nine weeks, I'm not going to have that luxury.

I keep saying, "We're just three flights away!" but that is not as reassuring as you might think. It is a full day of travel, and neither of our families are very international-travel-savvy. Or financially able to make multiple trips per year.

As for us, we don't intend to come back to the States much at all, especially in our first year down; we want to apply for Permanent Residency, which requires a person to be in Belize for a full year, leaving for no more than 14 days total. Since travel to Ambergris Caye from Phoenix (and vice-versa) is a full day event, it will limit the trips we take.

I'm certain the guilt will only ramp up as we get closer and closer to leaving...so if you also plan to expatriate, be prepared for the guilt to be heaped on!