One month of Luxembourg

And just like that, a whole month has vanished. A month since we packed the essentials, scooped up the pets, and waved goodbye to Porto and Portugal. I honestly don’t know where the time went. It feels like I just got here yesterday, yet also like a year has passed already.

We landed in Luxembourg right in the heart of fall. I know many people don’t picture it, but you can feel nature everywhere here, and with it, every season. When we drove in, the landscape was painted in a vibrant rush of yellow, orange, and red. The wind was crisp, but that intense color scheme somehow warmed me from the inside out. As soon as we settled, life seemed to slow down. Not my calendar or my workday, the hours are the same, but weirdly, everything felt less rushed.

Ted, our city boy, discovered the joy of long walks in the woods, though the wet leaves initially confused him. Berlioz, our cat, immediately fell in love with how cozy the house is, especially the heated floors. He also adores exploring the balcony and watching the birds fly by. He adapted so well, so fast.

On the flip side, Ted got really sick. I genuinely thought we were going to lose him. That was the first time I felt truly lost. Where do I go? Who can I talk to? How am I going to solve this? Back home, I know exactly what to do and who to call. Here, I felt adrift. Thankfully, Pit is local and knew who to ask. Ted spent a few nights at the vet. They found a skin parasite, a thyroid issue, and some liver crystalization. After the vet stay, a trip to a specialist in France, the biggest medication list I’ve ever seen, and over €1200 in bills, Ted is finally bouncing back. He still looks a bit like a Frankenstein dog covered in patches, but I am so happy he’s acting like himself again. Ted is 10, a good age for a Frenchie, so I’ve been quietly preparing myself for goodbye. But I’m thrilled he’ll get to see Berlin first ❤️.

Before the move, I had a massive list of plans for this first month: join a creators market, fully update my portfolio, start a podcast, teach a drawing workshop, and land new clients in Luxembourg and a job in Berlin. Reading that back, it’s clear I am a chronic over-planner and overachiever. Most of it didn’t happen, and honestly, it wasn’t supposed to. A few years ago, I would have been drowning in guilt, feeling like I failed or didn’t push hard enough. Thanks to therapy, and getting wiser I hope, I no longer feel that way. I’ve learned that my detailed plans and the universe’s plans rarely match, and life is usually right. I’m learning to follow the path that unfolds before me instead of trying to force a route that is harder.

So, I got rejected from the creators market. I didn’t add a single project to my portfolio. I didn’t start the podcast; the timing just wasn’t right yet. I did teach the workshop about drawing feelings, and it was so sweet that I am thinking of doing an online version in January! I got a new photography client in Luxembourg and did a cute photoshoot for the cozy Café Bora. I still don’t have a Berlin job, but I have an interview booked for a really cool project I would love to work on. I’m also producing a sweatshirt I’m genuinely excited about. All in all, I missed most of the checks on my list, but I have so much to look forward to.

Time moved on again. Now, the trees are bare, the vibrancy replaced by stillness. I’ve been waking up to snow flurrying at the windows every morning. It’s not cold enough to stick, but for a few hours each day, everything is white and quiet, and the smoke curling from the chimneys feels incredibly cozy. Today is the grand opening of the Christmas Markets, and fairy lights are sparkling everywhere. Everything is changing so fast: the weather, the scenery, the rhythm of life, and soon, our city again. December is the month we say farewell to Luxembourg and head to our new home in Berlin. I’m excited, scared, nervous, and happy, all at once. I keep reminding myself to trust in life’s rhythm, quiet the loud voices in my head, and look for the paths that are clear instead of trying to force new ones. This month has taught me that change happens slowly, even when it feels frantic.

Thank you, Luxembourg.