Expatriate Owl to Expatriate

The nest is empty, the upkeep on the property takes up too much or our hours and dollars, and we are busy with our respective schedules and not putting the property (real and chattel) to all the uses we did during the childrearing phase of our marriage.  And the realty taxes here on Long Island promise quite credibly to continue to rise well ahead of the inflation rate.  All this, and recent memories of what we had to do when our parents could no longer safely live in homes where they respectively abided for 40+ years, got me and my wife thinking.  And so, almost three years ago, we made the decision to downsize ourselves on our own schedule and terms, instead of being subjected to the trauma of having the move imposed upon us by circumstances largely beyond our control. 

We then began the process of downsizing and fixing up our house in preparation for sale.  Tag sales, Craig's Listings, private deals, and simple giveaways reduced the volume of our chattel possessions significantly.  And then, last fall, we placed the house on the market, and, after a few false starts, entered into what now appears most strongly to be a viable deal for the sale of our house.  The closing date for the deal has yet to be determined, but is slated for a one-month time window that starts in two weeks; the buyers still have some financing and timing issue details to work out.

When I began this Blog back in 2005, the handle "Expatriate Owl" carried (and continues to carry) certain connotations relating to certain incidents and issues from my personal past.  Those who were familiar with me at the relevant moments appreciate the humor in the name selection; it's one of those "had to have been there to understand it" situations.

A few days ago we finished observing the Passover (Pesach) holiday.  The first two nights (outside the Land of Israel; in Israel it is only the first night) are marked by the Seder meal.  The Seder ritual concludes with the words "Next Year in Jerusalem" ("L'Shana HaBa'a B'Yerushalayim" in Hebrew). 

The name "Expatriate Owl" is now on the verge of acquiring a new and concurrent meaning.  The odds of us eating the Passover Seder meal in the Holy City of Jerusalem next year have, over the past few weeks, markedly increased. 

Our decision to downsize has had paybacks, inasmuch as we, having already begun the process, were quite well situated to jump at some sudden unforeseen developments.  A certain very special e-mail message was received and has now been answered.  Some professional opportunities for both me and my wife, barely if at all imagined or imaginable by us just a few months ago, have now advanced well beyond the pipedream stage and are now in the process of converging together, and come summer (or even sooner), G-d willing, we will be based in Israel for what likely will be an extended period (though we do expect some return visits to the States for either and/or both of us on various future occasions).  

As alluded to in recent postings, we have been quite busy, not only with our current professional issues and with the sale of the house, but with making this transition happen.  Now things promise to get even busier.  The contract of sale for the house needs to be consummated, our goods need to be packed and shipped, and the bureaucracies need to be navigated to do things like making the appropriate employment and visa arrangements.

Our son has already been in Israel for a while, and our desire to close the geography and communications gap with him obviously plays into in the mix.  Indeed, with his boots on the ground there, and the power of attorney document in his hand, he has already begun to make preparations for our arrival.

We look forward to it all with some anxiousness, but certainly with far more excitement and enthusiasm than trepidation.  And understand that this is a trade-off of money for adventure; our household income can be expected to decrease somewhat during our residency abroad (though measures have already begun to significantly reduce the risks of our becoming totally impecunious in the process).

And while our planned residence is not in direct proximity to the Holy City of Jerusalem, there is a good chance that one or more of our friends there will invite us for the Passover Seder next year.  If so, then the aspiration of Next Year in Jerusalem will become a reality for us.

L'Shana HaBa'a B'Yerushalayim!