Never Retire: Why I'll Never Return To The 'American Land'

And an update on the cost of staples and basic discretionary items in Spain

I have always had a love-hate relationship with my country of birth—the United States of America.

For as long as I remember (the rain been comin’ down), I have identified with the country I grew up a stone’s throw away from—Canada. It took me a few decades, but I realized my dream—and right—to Canadian citizenship during the pandemic. Now, I just have to finally get around to applying for the passport.

Funny that the current political climate in the US makes me feel like I probably should acquire a Canadian passport.

Just to have it.

But it’s about more than merely collecting another passport. It’s about what it symbolizes as—

• An American

• with a longstanding affinity for Canada

• objectively doubling down on the reality that the United States isn’t all that as a resident in Spain, where I’m building a stronger attachment than the mostly from afar affinity I have for Canada.

I remember when Justin Trudeau won an election years back by asking Canadians if they really wanted to look more like the United States. And that was before things got as bad as they have become in the US.

We’re talking during the George Bush years, which was when Bruce Springsteen started performing the song that fronts today’s Never Retire newsletter installment.

How it all ties together and leaves me feeling pretty damn confident that I don’t want to…

I can’t… I won’t… I better not have to move back to America.

But first, two things—

• I’m working hard to get Friki de Bici launched. It’s taking a minute because… time.
  
  I’m aiming for next week (or the week after) to be the time Never Retire newsletter subscribers can preview the project.
  
  In the meantime—

• And an update on what things cost in Spain, like one of the best bocadillos (sandwich, basically) in Valencia—