poco a poco

poco a poco

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The Someday People
Everyone says "I want to go there someday." I said it for years. Here's what it takes to stop saying it and what finally made me listen.
 • Jen Cook
Valencia Is on Fire (Again)
Every March, Valencia builds elaborate monuments for weeks, then burns them all in one night. Our second Fallas, in photos.
 • Jen Cook
You Can Research Everything and Still Get It Wrong
A Business Insider piece about one family's move to Spain made me go through their list of mistakes one by one. I'd already learned most of them—except…
 • Jen Cook
How We're Using Points to Take Our Kids to Finnish Lapland at Christmas
My son asked when we were finally going to Disney. I panicked, got weepy, and booked two trips. Here's how points made the impossible happen.
 • Jen Cook
We Showed Them How to Leave
The hardest part of raising independent kids? Realizing they may not choose the life you imagined for them.
 • Jen Cook

February 2026

Visiting a Private Doctor in Spain: What to Expect
The first time I walked into a Spanish doctor’s office was intimidating—like walking into the first day of school in a new state.
 • Jen Cook
Living Abroad Isn't a Fairytale
Living abroad isn’t an extended vacation. It’s paperwork, patience, joy, frustration, and the choice we continue to make.
 • Jen Cook
The Day I Realized I Probably Wouldn’t Have Helped
The day my husband asked me, “Would you have done that for someone?” I didn’t like my answer.
 • Jen Cook
When You’re Sick in Spain and All You Want Is NyQuil
If you’re used to NyQuil, getting sick in Spain can be frustrating at first. This post walks through how Spanish pharmacies work and how to get the help…
 • Jen Cook
Forks in the Road
We all have forks in the road—choices we didn’t take, lives we didn’t live. I’ve been thinking about how timing shapes us more than the decisions.
 • Jen Cook
What School Field Trips Are Like at an International School in Spain
School trips in Spain involve less paperwork, fewer permission slips, and more trust, especially when it comes to kids’ independence.
 • Jen Cook

January 2026

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