A Feeling, a Coffee, and Tucson

 Two years ago, I decided to leave San Diego, California, and move to Tucson, Arizona. 

It’s not something I planned for months—well, I guess I did. Sort of. But before I go on rambling, let me give you a bit of context. 

If you’ve read my first couple of blog entries (and if you haven’t, please do—they’re pretty entertaining!), you’ll know I moved from Tijuana to San Diego back in 2016. It was a great job opportunity, especially because it meant leaving Mexico, which had been a dream of mine for a long time. I was very happy living in San Diego and working for the same company for many years. Then, a few years later, I felt I needed a change. So, in 2021, I switched companies. 

The new job was great—I went back to my roots managing corrective actions, a process in the medical industry I’ve always enjoyed. After the pandemic, many positions became remote or hybrid (partially remote). Mine was in the hybrid category. I loved working from home a couple of days a week. No commute meant more time for myself—and for my dog! I tried negotiating a fully remote role, but that didn’t work out. However, a month or two after that failed attempt, a position opened in a different department—and this one was fully remote. 

I knew it was possible—I just needed to be patient. So I made the move. I felt so free! Even though the job was still 40 hours a week, the freedom of working from home was priceless. A few months after getting the job, I felt more stable and decided to start looking for a place to buy. San Diego is beautiful, and the weather is nearly perfect, but it’s also extremely expensive. Buying a home wasn’t going to be easy for me. 

But now I was fully remote—I could work from anywhere! So I started looking. And remember that question from my first blog post—“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”—that’s the question I always ask myself when something feels scary. So, pretending I wasn’t afraid, I started researching Seattle, Oregon, Colorado, Wisconsin… because why not? I talked to friends who lived in those places or had lived there before. And then it hit me: Tucson! 

Why Tucson, you ask? Well, here comes the story of me and Tucson. 

It was around 2009 or 2010. I was working in the Training department at a manufacturing company in Tijuana. Some of us got certified in a culture-shaping course we were teaching to all employees. One day, they asked my coworker and me to go to the plant in El Paso, Texas, for a week to deliver the course to the Spanish-speaking staff there. We’d taught this course dozens of times, so it felt like a routine assignment. 

We flew to El Paso, met the HR person, and were shown to the large conference room where we’d be teaching. Day one—Monday. The course was designed in modules: my coworker would start, then me, then her again, and so on. She kicked off her part as usual, then it was my turn. After I finished, and it was my coworker’s turn again, I decided to take a break to find the restrooms—and a coffee, of course. 

Someone gave me directions. The restrooms were past the cafeteria. As I walked that way, I saw the back of a tall man making himself a coffee. I knew where I was supposed to go, but for some reason, I stopped and asked him, “Hi, hey, is this the way to the restroom?” He turned around and said, “Oh, hold on, I’ll take you.” I still get chills when I think about it. 

He walked me a few steps to the restrooms. We stopped for a minute or two to chat. He told me his name, I told him mine, he pointed to where his office was. I briefly mentioned why we were there, and that was it. After that, it was back to business. The week flew by, we finished the training, and on Friday—our last day—we were getting ready to go out for dinner with the staff. Out of nowhere, the HR person asked me, “So, did you meet anyone?” I thought for a second… and remembered him. I told her his first name and where he worked. Her eyes widened: “Oh! I’ll tell him you said hi.” I laughed—I wasn’t expecting anything to come from that brief conversation. 

Monday. I’m back in the office. My phone rings. Area code 915—El Paso. My stomach flips. I answer, and he says, “Hi, do you remember me?”—in Spanish. Yes, he was fluent in Spanish… and four other languages, as I would later find out. That call was the beginning of a love story—at least it was for me. 

We had a long-distance relationship for a couple of years. He’d come to San Diego, or I’d go to El Paso. But the best place we met was Tucson. It could be a thousand degrees Fahrenheit, but I didn’t care—I was with him. I loved that man deeply. Tucson left me with beautiful memories because of him. So when it came time to choose a place to move, Tucson was the perfect choice for me. 

I had visited Tucson in 2021 and 2022 with a cyclist friend to do El Tour de Tucson (which has now become a beloved tradition—now all my cyclist friends come every year!). In 2023, once I was fully remote, I started coming to Tucson for a few days at a time to look for a home. Eventually, I decided to speed up the process and rent first. 

I absolutely love my life in Tucson. It’s the kind of place where you can drive slowly—not because you’re slow, but because if you don’t, you’ll miss the mountain views! I bought my home last year, in 2024, and I’m as happy as a clam—or however the expression goes. The cycling is amazing, the cycling community is even better, and life here is peaceful and joyful. I’ve had to make a few adjustments to handle the weather, but every single one has been worth it. 

I also listed my guest bedroom on Airbnb, and this past winter I hosted some awesome and inspiring guests—especially two triathletes! 

So here’s what I want to say: 
Listen to your gut. Follow your instincts. Follow love. Don’t let fear be your guide. 
If you feel like saying hi to someone, giving a compliment, or just smiling—do it. You might make a difference in their life… and in yours. And if you’re scared, do it anyway. You might be surprised by what you’re capable of when you stop letting fear hold you back. 

If you enjoyed this story, give it a like or leave a comment. 
Thank you so much—and see you on the road, or in Tucson! 🚴‍♀️🌵 

Versión en español