Goodbye, Tenerife

March 3rd, 2020

I walked across the tarmac of Tenerife’s northern airport, met with light rain and warm temperatures. I had nothing but a 40 litre backpack and anxiety. Not only did my backpack not have enough clothes in it, but I also had no idea what I was getting into.

I was planning on doing a work exchange in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. I’d work five hours a day, five days a week, for free, in exchange for free accommodation. It was at a language school and I’d be doing content writing, editing, and content creation for them. After years of figuring out what I wanted to do as a career, this felt like a step in the right direction. Something I actually enjoyed doing.

A 30 minute bus ride from the airport, I arrived at my flat. I was greeted by my two flatmates, Marie and Rebecca, who were from Germany, and were incredibly kind and welcoming. I spent the day settling in, going to the local supermarket, and unpacking my precisely-packed Osprey backpack. Puerto de la Cruz was sunny, bright, and from my flat, I could see the ocean and see the waves at a nearby beach. I’d never been to Tenerife, or any place like it, and was excited to see what it had to offer.

My flatmates left for the day, and when they came back, they told me to pack a sweater, water bottle, and proper sneakers and to come with them. We drove up into Corona Forestal, a nature reserve with lush forest and plenty of lookouts to see the north side of Tenerife. We pulled the car over, walked up a barely-there path up a hill, and through the trees, we were greeted by a small dirt area, some rocks, and a jaw-dropping view of Teide, the forest, and the clouds we were above. This is how I spent my first night in Tenerife: watching the sunset from above the clouds, with a first-class view of the infamous volcano.

Little did I know that a week later, Spain would go into one of the strictest COVID-19 lockdowns. I wasn’t allowed to leave my flat more than once a week for groceries, and I couldn’t get a flight off the island. I spent eight weeks inside with my flatmates, and thankfully, we all got along and enjoyed each others company — as best as we could. When I eventually left at the end of April, I knew that someday I’d come back to Tenerife. From the small glimpse I saw of the island, I knew it was far too beautiful for me not to see it. I just had to wait.

January 14 2022

I landed in Tenerife’s South airport on a bright, hot, and sunny day. After three flights and two days, I arrived back in Tenerife, absolutely thrilled to be back — maybe it was the champagne from the plane talking, or it was because I was finally travelling again. Despite travelling during COVID-19’s omicron wave, and having Spain still having some restrictions in place for tourists, I wasn’t nervous or anxious. I didn’t think about what could go wrong, or what if I missed something. I felt at ease and without worry. I didn’t think “what if I don’t get in? What if I have the wrong documentation?” I almost knew that I’d get in. Almost like I had to.

This time, I wasn’t volunteering my time for free accommodation. I actually had a well-paying remote job in content marketing, and I was living in a home meant for remote workers and digital nomads — a coliving. I had evolved and progressed since my last time on the island.

I was greeted by one of the women who worked for the coliving company, Ivana, who made me feel immediately at home. After she left, I unpacked, went to the small grocery store nearby, which was full of British and German imported food, and settled in. My flatmates were nice, but at the time, not incredibly welcoming. For the first month, I lived with five men, ranging from 28 to 36 years old. I genuinely had no idea what to expect.

For the first three days, I hid in my room. I was jet lagged and I forgot how to make friends. It was weird, I know. If I thought my behaviour was weird, I can only imagine what my flatmates thought of me at the time. Finally, I overcame my anxiety and exhaustion, and I did some work outside on the patio. It was a compromise: still in my own area, but not in the sunroom where my flatmates predominantly worked.

The next weekend, what I consider my first official weekend in Tenerife, I finally came out of my shell. My flatmates strongly encouraged (forced) me to come out with them for drinks at a beach bar and then to “see what happens.”

The night involved many strawberry mojitos, tequila sodas, and plenty of dancing. We went to one of the latino clubs in a nearby town, and met up with other digital nomads that my flatmates knew. I was so excited to be in a club again: around other people, dancing, having fun, and no one watching you. The energy was unmatched. One of my favourite songs came on — Vivir la Vida by Marc Anthony — and, while this is incredibly embarrassing to say, I did shed a tear. I was so overwhelmed and so happy that this was what my life would look like for the next couple of months.

And my life did look like that. I spent every weekend dancing, experiencing the island, and having the best time. I explored a new, spontaneous side of myself that wasn’t so uptight and embraced saying yes to everything. I went to a rave in a banana plantation, I drank endless amounts of Cava on sailing yachts, I went on hikes incredibly hungover, I learned to dance bachata and salsa, I went to new clubs, and I went to the beach with friends whenever we felt like it.

While weekends were typically met with chaos and a “whatever happens, happens” kind of attitude, weekdays were met with routine. I never liked having a routine back home, but in Tenerife, I was flourishing with one. Monday to Friday, I had a routine — keep in mind, it wasn’t strict. I woke up at seven every morning, walked five kilometres along the beach, and caught the latter half of the sunrise. I’d grab a coffee at a small cafe on my way back to the villa. I’d have a cold shower and start work around nine. My mid-afternoon break involved me going to the pool, swimming laps, and reading a minimum of three chapters from my book.

When five o’clock hit, though, is then the routine went awry. It didn’t matter if it was a Tuesday or Friday, something was usually going on.

I found myself with new energy. I wanted to do something everyday, whether it be a hike, going to the beach, the club, or the other side of the island. I couldn’t get enough of life. Maybe it was the people, the place, or the weather. Regardless, Tenerife made me into a type of person I loved. It made me love myself. For the first time in a long time, I loved myself.

People moved in and out of our coliving villa. Most people stayed a few weeks or a month. I stayed three months total. For the first two months, I had my flatmate, Aziz. He became a comforting presence for me, and we leaned on each other when others were annoying. We hung out every night in the sunroom part of the villa, we hosted many parties, and went dancing almost every weekend. It was tough when he left; almost like a part of my experience was gone. I knew I’d see him again, but not having him there, it was weird. It was quieter.

Soon after, I met my match in Amy, though. Someone so similar to me but challenges me in the best way possible. We met at a group dinner, where I was talking to a few people: Adelaide, Thomas, and Barney. Over a massive pint of beer and vegetable biryani, we were talking about red flags we look for in dating, and our own personal red flags. Amy, new to the coliving community in Golf del Sur, eagerly joined the conversation. After dinner, a group of us went to a cocktail bar and had one too many drinks given it was a Wednesday. From that night on, Amy and I were nearly inseparable, and I knew that she would be in my life for a very long time. With her, I was able to say the most out of order things and not be judged for it.

The people I met during my time in Tenerife were all amazing. We all meshed so well, despite having language barriers and coming from different backgrounds, ages, and professions. The people I met in Tenerife were my people.

I left Tenerife in April. It was an emotional goodbye. As my British Airways flight took off and headed towards London, I choked back tears. Much like when I first arrived, maybe these emotions were because of the champagne, or maybe it was genuine emotion.

What first attracted me to Tenerife was the weather and amazing scenery. But the people I met and the person I became was what made it all that more special. Every night, I slept soundly and woke up refreshed. I often wonder why it was so easy to fall asleep and so easy to wake up. It’s because I was happy and found my place. Life was so, so easy.

When I came back to Canada, people asked me how it was and if I was happy to be back in Canada. I’d bluntly reply with “No, I’m not happy to be back.” I came back to help sort through some family issues. Not because I wanted to. Yes, there are some comforts to Canada, but I didn’t have a yearning to come back. People would ask if I’d go back to Tenerife, and I’d reply without hesitation “Yes, in a heartbeat.” Tenerife is it for me. From the moment I stepped off the plane in 2022, I knew that it’s home for me.

Tenerife, I love you, and I can’t wait to see you again.