Living in Split can be summed up in three words: location, location, location! It is safe to say that I won’t live or work that close to the water for a long time, if ever again. My family is what keeps me in Chicago, but when I daydream about where I would live in the world, that fantasy always involves living near water.
I love the water. Near it, on it, in it, there is no place I’d rather be. I always assumed that living near water would correlate to a direct improvement in my quality of life. Well after a month of living near the water, I can say that my assumed correlation is accurate.
This last month in Split was one of the happiest I can remember. Living by the sea had a lot to do with my well being this month. Picture this: every day I was greeted by a beautiful view of the Adriatic when I walked out my front door. Whatever was on my mind was immediately lost when I had the water in my line of sight. And I could be at the beach in less than 10 minutes. I was always curious: would I take it for granted if I ever lived by the water? Granted it was one short month, but I am happy to report that from the first day to the last it was equally exciting. My location was a gift I got to open every day.
I find our finite time, of one month in each city, to be one of the benefits of this lifestyle. That fixed time forces me into the present each and every day. I’ve learned to appreciate each day as its own entity, instead of the usual mentality of days blending into weeks and weeks into months. Each night before bed I stop to reflect on what brought me gratitude that day.
So not only did I live within walking distance of the beach, but I had my best apartment yet. Each month previously I’ve gotten one of the less desirable units because wait for it, they knew I wouldn’t complain. Five months in, I finally hit the accomodations jackpot. I shared a beautiful, large, three bedroom apartment with two roommates. We had a large kitchen, dining room, and a den with AC.
Allow me to take the lottery analogy one step further, as this month I got the powerball! I scored the master suite with ensuite bathroom. I have my generous roommate Mary to thank for gifting me the suite. She graciously offered me the suite for she knew I had been getting the lesser apartments and she had the suite experience herself in Marrakech. My first response was classic deferential people pleaser b.s.: “No, I can’t. Let’s flip for it.” It took me a minute, but I went back on my word. I wised up and said “You know what Mary, on second thought I’m going to say yes and thank you.”
And thank you, Mary! My great room happened to have the greatest feature I never knew existed, a music lamp. The light fixture above my bed not only changed colors with the press of a button, but it was also a bluetooth speaker, that would pull up under my devices list simply as “music lamp.” Alas I never got to put it to full mood setting potential, but getting ready every day was a dance party in stereo.
Yet there was one feature that trumped even the music lamp, the patio. Every morning I got to eat breakfast and sip my coffee while sitting outside. My immediate view was our multi colored rose bushes with the Zjnan skyline in the distance and the Adriatic peeking into your peripheral vision if you looked far enough to the left. At night, the patio was my place to sit in the moonlight and write. Day or night, I was all about the patio life.
Living in Split gave me a month-long glimpse into what it would be like to live my fantasy life. I got to live by the water and take my coffee outside every morning: two things that made a big impact on my quality of life. I was happy and relaxed all month long. I can say that my fantasy became a reality and the reality is, it was amazing. For this reason, and many more, Split has a permanent residence in my heart.
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