***
YES, I’D DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN
***
Last week, I was feeling the effects of homesickness, thinking back on my decision four years ago to move to Latin America, all for the man I love.
I was feeling vulnerable, lost, uncertain, asking if what I did had been the right choice, and now, I know it is.
I know it is because I’d stumbled across this amazing article which reminded me that if I want my big adventure, there are certain issues that I will have to deal with as part of the all-in-one package.
There will be days that I feel lonely (it’s easy to feel so when you’re moving 30 hours by plane to a brand-new exotic continent, where your night is the day back home, and where your friends are so far away, Skype is the most affordable way to see them). There will also be days that I feel vulnerable for sure (I mean, giving up a stable bank job and flying down without any job in hand, much less the possibility of one, definitely doesn’t make you the most confident person on earth).
And there will be days that I will feel so much like a foreigner, even if I can speak Spanish with lunfardo woven into my conversations, sounding as PorteƱo as if I’d been born and raised in Buenos Aires. And there will also definitely be periods of questioning, or pondering and wondering, why all this even took place, and how I managed to convince myself to do something so drastic and impractical.
But at the end of the article, in bold black words, was this amazing paragraph that lit something inside of me.
“Iād rather be living in an honest, hands-on wayāāāeven when itās uncomfortableāāāthan let life happen to me.
And as Iām discovering, the big adventure is not a place, an experience or a plane ticket. The real big adventure is the thrill of a life (any life, anywhere) thatās lived honestly, deeply and with intention. This kind of life doesnāt avoid questions, risk or vulnerability. This kind of life is the one I want.”
I remember that the reason why I’d left Singapore in the first place because I was willing to take a risk, one so big my heart felt engulfed by it; but one whose rewards and returns would outshine the amplitude of the difficulties and effort required. I’d quit my first job ever, to go to an economy where crisis is the norm, jobless, because life if worth more than just a steady pay-check or a nice position, it is worth love and courage and the need for that outstrips the desire to flaunt a social status.
I recall being enamored with the Spanish language – a beautiful tongue filled with romance and expressions that know no end; one which captivated me and made me hang onto its every word, because it sounded so delightfully charming.
But mostly, I remember being true to my feelings, and my emotions, which as raw and open as they were, made me realize that I was willing to give up what others felt was the expected norm, to explore the wide, risky unknown.
In finance 101, they teach you that in most cases, your returns are proportional to your risks. In real life time, it simply means that if you dare to take on a huge risk, and step off the walking board to cliff dive, you could end up with an experience so exhilarating you’d do it again in a heartbeat.
And so.. four years after making my decision to move here to Buenos Aires for Juan, I’d say, “Yes, I’d do it all over again.”
***
CHEDDAR CHEESE SCONES
***
Saturday morning, I rub the sleep from my eyes, squinting at the sunlight streaming through the window. Clumsily swinging my legs to the floor, I slowly get up from bed, stretching lazily in my pajamas and then head to the kitchen in sleep-dazed excitement to make the cheese scones my friend Mercedes had raved about to me.
Itās bright and warm outside, or at least warm enough to hint at the upcoming arrival of spring, a welcome relief from winter; although Iāll say we were fortunate enough this winter not to have that many days of unbearable cold.Ā The weather forecast for that weekend was good, and rays of golden sunshine floated in our living room, beckoning my sister Valerie and I to go outside.
Even before changing out of my pajamas, I get out the flour, salt, butter, and shredded cheddar cheese. I also pull out cream and milk, roll up my sleeves and started mixing ā first the flour and a pinch of salt, which I later mix with cubed butter; then I throw in bright orange pre-shredded cheddar, cream and a splash of milk.
This is one of those recipes that look much easier when you read them, but are a bit more difficult than expected when put into practice. It is the sort of recipe that flusters me, because Iām left wondering how much more milk I have to add before achieving the right consistency, but eventually after another dash of milk and then another sprinkle of flour, the desired consistency starts to emerge.
I wrestle with the dough for a bit, in between jokes with my sister about how my dad would never eat these scones because he hates cheese, and unconsciously break into a smile. Following recipes isnāt always easy, but having your sister around for easy banter sure helps a great deal.
Oh dear, I can already guess how Iām gonna miss Val when she flies off this Friday! But I know she’s just a Skype call away, even while I’m on my big adventure, and I thank God for that.
Let’s go back to the scones. Cheddar is one of my favorite cheeses, for its sharp and tasty flavor. And because this is a scone thatās versatile and forgiving, and you could use any cheese that can be shredded easily, and it will probably still taste good.
The best way to eat these scones in my opinion would be to slather them with a generous helping of cream cheese mixed with chopped spring onions or parsley, and accompany them with a mug of piping hot tea. Eaten warm, just fresh out of the oven, I think youāll like them a lot.
CHEDDAR CHEESE SCONES (Makes 20 large scones or 40 small scones)
Adapted from Maru Botana
Ingredients:
1)Ā Ā Ā 500g of self-raising flour (or 500g of all-purpose flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder)
2)Ā Ā Ā 1 tablespoon of salt
3)Ā Ā Ā 100g of butter, at room temperature
4)Ā Ā Ā 250g of shredded cheddar cheese (or any shredded cheese you fancy). You can add about 50g more cheese if you like cheese a lot
5)Ā Ā Ā 3 tablespoons of milk cream
6)Ā Ā Ā Milk about Ā½ a cup, but add more if dough is dry
Steps:
1)Ā Ā Ā Sift flour and mix with salt
2)Ā Ā Ā Cut butter into small cubes, and incorporate it with the flour using your fingers
3)Ā Ā Ā Add shredded cheese, milk cream and a bit of milk, forming a softĀ but consistent dough, without kneading too much (add a little more milk if dough is too dry)
4)Ā Ā Ā Pre-heat oven to 220 deg cel (450 deg Fahrenheit)
5)Ā Ā Ā Flatten dough with a rolling pin
6)Ā Ā Ā Cut out circles with a floured round cookie cutter (I used a drinking glass)
7)Ā Ā Ā Line a baking tray with parchment paper
8)Ā Ā Ā Place cut out dough circles on parchment paper, and bake around 12 minutes for small scones, or 18 minutes for large scones (or until they turn golden brown)
9)Ā Ā Ā Optional: Serve with a mixture of cream cheese and chopped spring onions/parsley
Sift flour and mix with salt.Ā Cut butter into small cubes, and incorporate it with the flour using your fingers:
Add shredded cheese, milk cream and a bit of milk:
Form a softĀ but consistent dough, without kneading too much (add a little more milk if dough is too dry).Ā Flatten dough with a rolling pin:
Cut out circles with a floured round cookie cutter (I used a drinking glass), andĀ line a baking tray with parchment paper.Ā Place cut out dough circles on parchment paper:
Bake around 12 minutes for small scones, or 18 minutes for large scones (or until they turn golden brown):
MarĆa says
Hola Feli!!! Ā”Ā”CĆ³mo siempre me encanta lo que escribĆs, ya no sĆ³lo las ricas recetas sino tambiĆ©n tus historias personales!!! Ahora aprovechĆ” a disfrutar estos dĆas con tu hermana y,,, te esperamos en CURVES donde se te extraƱa.
MarĆa
rosewithoutthorns says
Hola MarĆa! Gracias por leer siempre y por tus comentarios tan lindos y sinceros! Si esta semana voy a disfrutar estar con mi hermana y la semana que viene vuelvo a Curves a full!!!
Un beso enorme a vos y Martina!
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
YAYY!! Yay for scones and yay for love! Oh I’m so happy to hear this all resolved. <3 That article sounds like a must read (I'm bookmarking it for sure!) and it's so inspiring to read your words. With all the crazy open-ended questions since graduating college, it's been a bit of a struggle. BUT if you can just up and move half-way across the world, and look back with no regrets, then I feel inspired to live the same way. š
rosewithoutthorns says
Hey dear! Hope your post-college questions don’t bring you down.. Take it as a time to explore what you want, no one says you have to have your life mapped out by 25. We learn as we grow, and what I’ve learnt is that for every choice we make we learn something new about ourselves that usually makes us grown stronger. What really helps is reflecting on your choices every once in a while and then when you’re clearer of which direction you want to head, you look forward and start walking there, step by step, cos your life is to be built, and you have to reach out for what you want. Stay strong and thank you for your lovely words and support as always!! xoxo
Mechi Pino says
wow!!! loved your article Feli!!! me emociono mucho y pase mucho por las mismas sensaciones!!! me senti identificada! congrats for the cheese scons! they look so yummy, feel like doing some tonight!!!
rosewithoutthorns says
Mechi!! š gracias por leer y por entender!! Te quiero mucho amiga!! <3
gracelimsaifong says
Wow so both of you had scones for breakfast on a Saturday morning! How nice – wish I was at the apartment enjoying your scones together with both of you.
How time flies! Val is with you in BA for almost two months already and I am sure bidding each other farewell as she flies back home is not going to be easy. You are right that we are only a skype away from you – so do take it easy darling and soon we will be seeing you back home again. Take care, we love you and miss you greatly and are looking forward to your return. God Bless you! š
rosewithoutthorns says
Hello mummy! yes, wish you were here with us too! time has passed so quickly the past 2 months but I’m so glad you and Val came to share your time with me!
Have a beautiful week!! love you very much!