In the case of newlyweds Melissa and Radek, the biggest change was to stay put. Of course we couldn’t exactly stay put, but just staying in the States was a major departure from the pattern of the last four years.

The pattern was as follows: 1) work on Monhegan Island, Maine from May to October and throw everything in the bank, 2) take what was saved and use it to travel 3) arrive in Maine with nothing and start over again.

This year, for several reasons, that very well-thought out and tested cycle could not continue. Radek is Polish (as in a citizen of actual Poland) and for us first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes immigration and a travel restriction. Now, with the states-side mandate comes states-side expenses, thus the neccesity of year-round jobs and alas! the one week vacation! Okay, I have to go breathe into a paper bag now…

So we had to move someplace new to create the illusion of traveling until we can develop a new paradigm of work and travel. So we selected Charleston, South Carolina for it’s climate, character and distance from anywhere we have previously lived. So far, so good.