Spain - The Morning After (pt. 2)
- Sarita V.
- 18 hours ago
- 7 min read
The slumber I got was the best sleep I’d had in literally years. I slept from 9pm to 7:30am with no interruptions. For me, this was amazing and never happens. I woke to the Spanish morning with an appreciation for the crisp white sheets, the crisp white duvet, the coolness of the apartment and the gentle light that was starting to find its way into the room via the French doors off the bedroom terrace. The exhaustion and sweat and frustration from the day prior were momentarily absent, and all I wanted was some water and a nice cup of coffee.
As I did the morning things, careful not to wake Bri who was in deep slumber on the pullout couch in the living area, I smiled to myself at our abilities to get us from the airport to our apartment 2 hours away. I felt proud of myself and Bri for navigating this together and being where we should be. As the morning progressed and Bri awoke, I was glad for the groceries we purchased and decided to make a hearty breakfast of eggs, avocado and tomatoes. As I was listening to music and contentedly going about cooking, out of nowhere we heard 3 of the loudest, thunderous couple of booms about 1 second apart, and the foundation of life – the earth – shook for a few frightening seconds.
I looked over at Bri, who was frozen in place staring wide-eyed at me, and I quickly stated: “Oh yeah – there was an earthquake last week, these are probably aftershocks,” I explained, adrenaline coursing loudly through my body. I did my best to smile – albeit wobbly and went about my cooking as if someone had only just sneezed. Inside my mind was racing, trying to decide what to do if there was an actual earthquake, because the aftershock was insanely strong and frightening and it rattled me quite a bit. Bri seemed to accept this more calmly than myself, and we went about the rest of our morning.
It was after breakfast, mid cleanup, that we felt the next aftershock. It was decidedly less strong than the first, still moved the ground and shook the place, but at a much lowered intensity. We smiled ruefully at each other and continued. During the course of the morning, we felt 2 more aftershocks, each smaller than the previous. By afternoon, they had disappeared altogether. I had done some quick research on earthquakes and aftershocks – the weakening pattern seemed to track a normal, reassuring trajectory. It was later in the week that I came across the article that said there had been a 4.7 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, August 18th at 10:37am in the region – in Gojar which is about 10 kilometers from Granada City where we were, and it’s affects were felt in Granada. So, in the end, that first great big “aftershock” was an actual earthquake – we had an earthquake our very first proper day here. Wonderful.
After about a week here, we haven’t felt any more aftershocks thankfully, and we’ve managed to have a lovely time going on excursions, eating all the good foods, drinking the freshly squeezed orange juice and the local wine, arguing, making up, shopping the little streets, getting into a routine that we like. Spain is a postcard at every turn; the cobblestone streets, warm colored buildings and apartments with their wrought iron rejería (Spanish term for ornamental ironwork) on the balconies, gardens, statues, fountains, cafés, shops and colors. It’s a continuous feast for the eyes, the nose, the mind – I hope the wonder I feel lasts and I don’t take this for granted.
Meanwhile, back in Minnesota, Devante was dealing with the Paco Health Certificate situation. Livewell Animal Hospital learned that the certificate was considered “expired” since our flights had come and gone. So Devante brought Paco in again on Monday the 17th for another exam (required for another attempt at a certificate admission) and our vet kindly did the new exam at no charge to us. The money we had spent for FedEx Priority Overnight shipping was rolled over to the new attempt.
Starting Tuesday, August 18th, we were making daily phone calls to the vet, to VEHCS (the USDA department that processes uploaded certificates) and checking the website for any updates. Unfortunately, the website crashed and continued to be down for days, working only intermittently, so it was the luck of the draw. I was reading horror stories online of people who had waited for weeks for their certificates. We had already changed Devante’s flight to Tuesday, August 25th so we would have a bit of a buffer. The ridiculous thing about traveling with a pet, is that VEHCS needs a travel date in place in order to process any uploaded requests. Yet, with the department’s funding being cut and staffing at an all-time low, there are barely enough employees to fill the requests. We were in the same boat as many other people trying to travel with their beloved dogs.
In addition, Devante became very sick. He was miserable – a stuffy nose, stuffy head, dizzy spells, fever, and overall malaise. I’m sure this was brought on by the stress we were experiencing. He sounded so discouraged, and I felt so guilty for not being there with him. He missed almost a week of work, not to frolic in a Spanish neighborhood as previously planned, but instead to hunker down in Minnesota with Paco, feeling alone in a place that, although was deeply appreciated, was not home. We kept making calls to VEHCS, he from his sick bed and me from Spain. We got through a few times, and each time we got through, we were told the website was still down and they couldn’t check on the progress of the certificate. Furthermore, they weren’t entirely certain certificates were even able to be processed during this time. It was discouraging and stressful. We were truly wondering what to do.
Then, Friday, August 21st, we received an email around 11:45am that our certificate had been completed. We practically cried with momentary relief and happiness. They said they would get it out with FedEx that evening. Once again, we were at the mercy of a system we had no control over. With our Priority Overnight shipping, I wondered if we would get it Saturday, at which point we could change Devante’s flight to Sunday. Saturday arrived, and with it an updated expected delivery date within FedEx’s app. Expected delivery: Monday, August 24th by Noon. Devante’s flight was Tuesday, August 25th. Everything needed to go perfectly to make sure he could get on the plane with Paco. I called our vet to thank them profusely for putting up with us, as I’m sure we were all over the place in our emotions and our frequent calls to their office. I thanked them for going the extra mile and doing everything they could to ensure things were taken care of.
We had the Certificate going to our son Anthony and Katie’s home in Eden Prairie, since we didn’t have an address anymore. Over the weekend, Devante started to feel better physically, and he started getting his ducks in a row. Another trip to storage to downsize his suitcase, a car cleaning and car wash (we were selling our car to a friend of his) and other little odds and ends type things that needed doing. Bri and I made the best of our time in Spain to pass the time while we waited for Devante. We went to Alhambra, we went and explored the vibrant streets of Granada, and Bri purchased a week long pass to a gym that was close by.
Soon, Monday came upon us. Anthony worked that day at 1pm, so Devante and Paco went to visit him and stay there that morning in case FedEx arrived whilst Anthony was getting ready for work. We could not miss our driver, as a signature was required for the package containing that damned Certificate we needed. Bri and I were out wandering and shopping, and I continued to refresh my app to see if the package had been delivered. Noon came and went, and at 1pm, Anthony had to leave. Devante sat in the car in his driveway with Paco, and we both started sweating. Finally, we video chatted each other on WhatsApp and prayed together for this stupid ass certificate to arrive. 3 minutes later, Matthew with FedEx showed up like a knight in shining armor and delivered the certificate. Devante and I wanted to shout for joy, and I even jumped up and down with excitement. Finally! Talk about cutting it close! The day before his flight...
As I write this, it is 1pm Granada time, and 6am Minnesota time. Devante is up and getting ready to leave for the airport with Paco. I am waiting for Bri to return from the gym, and then we will go sight-seeing, this time to the Basílica de San Juan de Dios, which you can check out here: https://basilicasanjuandedios.es/
The outside surprisingly humble entrance The main focus at the front of the auditorium Mahogany doors The view from the balcony
It will be a good day, and when we are reunited tomorrow, it will be an even better day. Devante’s mom used to say, “Dream big, because dreams are free.” That is true, dreaming big does not cost anything. Making dreams come true is where we learn who we are, what we are made of, how much we have to give, how much we’re willing to give, and at the end of all the giving, the planning, the disappointments, and the follow through – is it worth it? I say yes, yes it is.
Coming soon - Things I noticed the first week that were mind blowing!
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