Moving Back to WA
Well, it’s official! I’ll be moving back to Washington this summer. I guess I’ll have to change the name of this blog!
I’ve been offered a teaching position in a tiny town called Mattawa…
It’s a small town in Central Washington. It has a high Hispanic population, so I’m looking forward to using my Spanish. One of the downsides of leaving Spain was the fear that my Spanish would atrophy, so I’m glad that won’t be an issue. I’m also looking forward to the weather there. It’s pretty similar to Madrid, which has spoiled me for lovely warm springs without the threat of rain.
…but I’ll be living in Ellensburg.
There are currently NO rentals available in Mattawa, so I’ll be commuting 50 minutes each morning and afternoon. Not ideal but at least there isn’t any traffic like in Seattle – just a long, music-blasting highway. Apparently I’m not the only teacher who does this, so I can carpool. And Ellensburg is a really cute town with a lot more to do. I think I will really enjoy living there.
What’s my Timeline?
The last day of school here is June 20th – exactly 4 weeks away. So, I have 4 weeks to take in as much of Madrid as possible. I really love living here, more than I can say. But, for the good of my career, it’s time to move on. I have a few days of leeway to pack up my stuff, and then I’m traveling through Europe for 5 weeks. I’m super excited to finally visit Croatia and Scandinavia. I return to WA on July 31st, and then I have 3 weeks to visit friends and family, move into my new apartment, and settle in, before the faculty training days start.
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported and helped me along the way. I’ve received a lot of advice, especially from my current colleagues who helped make my resume and cover letter great, and my friends and family who have supported me and my decisions.
This will be an interesting and formative new chapter in my life. I will always love Madrid (and might even live here again someday) but right now I’m optimistic and looking forward to being back in WA.
Erin Explores 
I can’t wait to have you home! In the mean time, I hope you enjoy your last few weeks over there. Safe travels! I’ll come visit you in Ellensburg! ❤