From Seville to Lisbon: Farewells, New Beginnings, and the Challenges of Traveling

4/22/2024

It’s April 22, 2024, and my heart feels heavy. After a wonderful week with Alicia in Spain, the day of farewell has come. We’re sitting in a small churros bar in Seville, having breakfast together one last time. Of course, it’s toasted bread with tomatoes again. But I can barely taste anything - I’m too preoccupied with the impending goodbye.

A Week Full of Memories

The past days were like a dream: The spontaneous performance at the open mic in Madrid, the lively town festival in Trebujena, our trips to Rota and exploring Seville. Alicia, her family, and her friends welcomed me with a warmth I’ll never forget. But as often happens while traveling, the moment of farewell eventually arrives.

After breakfast, we check out of the hostel. Halfway to her car, we realize that Alicia has forgotten my sleep mask on her bed. We go back, and the receptionist gives me the key to the room. Perhaps it’s fate giving us these extra minutes together. At the car, we embrace for a long time. She needs to return to Madrid, where her piano students are waiting for her in the late afternoon. I watch her car until it disappears around the corner, then make my way to the bus station. My next destination: Lisbon.

The Challenges of Travel Planning

During the bus ride, my thoughts circle around the coming weeks. Summer is approaching, and with it the high season in Southern Europe. With a daily budget of 60 to 70€, it will be difficult to stay in this region for long. Time for Plan B: Workaway.

A week ago, I created a profile on the platform that connects travelers with local hosts. The concept is simple: You work 20-25 hours per week - whether on a farm, in childcare, as a language teacher, or in a hostel. In return, you get accommodation and, in the best case, meals too.

My experiences so far have been rather sobering. Especially finding a place on a sailboat proves difficult. An Italian family on an eco-farm with children and a dog reaches out, but communication fizzles out. A German host in Gran Canaria shows interest but can’t give me a specific date due to family circumstances.

Between All Possibilities

In parallel, I’m searching on “Hand gegen Koje” (a German online platform connecting boat owners with volunteers) for boat owners who would take me along in exchange for help. A promising contact offers a two-month journey from Spain to Greece. But these plans fall through too - he decides to go with someone who can only travel for one month. Though he asks if I’d like to join after that month, he’s unsure about when and where that would be. Great.

Planning uncertainty is one of the biggest challenges of my journey. Everything seems possible and impossible at the same time. Often, I have to make decisions whose correctness only becomes apparent in hindsight.

A Ray of Hope: The Ukulele Community in Portugal

While travel planning stalls, there are encouraging developments in the ukulele world. Initially, I was surprised by how difficult it is to find ukulele communities in Portugal - of all places, in the country where the ukulele originally comes from. The Cavaquinho, a 4-stringed instrument very similar to the ukulele, is at home here. However, the ukulele actually descends from a different instrument - more about that in the next blog entry!

After some research, I do find connections: Carlos, a ukulele teacher in Lisbon, invites me to his class. From Coimbra, Mira from the “Ukulele Social Club” reaches out, who happens to be in Lisbon this week too. And as if that weren’t enough, my friend Alex from London, whom I met in Thailand, is also in the city with his ukulele!

Arrival in Lisbon

The entry into Lisbon is breathtaking. The city, built on seven hills, stretches majestically along the Tagus River. The long bridge leads us into the city center, where I search for my way to the metro. My destination is Almada, on the other side of the river, where my old friend Philip lives.

The ferry crossing from Cais do Sodre to Cacilhas becomes the highlight of the day. The sunset bathes the city in golden light while I wait in a café for Philip, who is still at his bachata class.

A Reunion After Three Years

At 23:30, Philip picks me up. We haven’t seen each other since our time as language assistants for the Goethe-Institut in Ukraine. Covid separated us then. We were touring Ukraine together and suddenly had to work from home - he in Kyiv, I in Zaporizhzhia. Now, three years later, we sit in his shared apartment kitchen until 2 AM, eating pasta and having endless stories to share.

The next day isn’t very eventful. Philip has to go to university, and I explore the city center a bit. In the evening, I meet his Ukrainian roommate. We go for Indian food and chat a bit in Ukrainian. She’s a copywriter and works extensively with social media. She seems quite stressed, and I’m somewhat glad that I deleted my social media accounts before the trip.

Tomorrow, two exciting ukulele meetings await me: noon with Carlos and his group, evening with Mira. While Philip watches an episode of Dexter, I pull the rescued sleep mask over my eyes. The day was long, but I can hardly wait to play ukulele with others again tomorrow.

Special thanks to Alicia and her family for the wonderful time in Spain. I will never forget your hospitality!