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YES, I’D DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN
***
Last week I felt homesick, remembering my decision four years ago to move to Latin America for the man I love.
I felt vulnerable, a little lost and uncertain, wondering if leaving everything behind had been the right choice. After some reflection I realized it was. I stumbled on an article that reminded me the “big adventure” comes with unavoidable challenges as part of the package.
There will be days of loneliness—it’s easy to feel isolated when you move across time zones to a continent where night and day are reversed and Skype becomes the main way to see friends. There will be days of vulnerability—giving up a stable job and relocating without employment lined up does shake your confidence.
There will be days when I feel like a foreigner, even if I can slip lunfardo into conversation and sound like a Porteño. There will also be times of questioning, when I wonder why I chose something so drastic and impractical.
At the end of that article was a paragraph that reignited something in me.
I’d rather live honestly and hands-on—even when it’s uncomfortable—than let life simply happen to me.
The big adventure is not a place, an experience or a plane ticket. The real adventure is the thrill of living a life honestly, deeply and with intention. That life doesn’t avoid questions, risk or vulnerability. That’s the life I want.
I left Singapore because I was ready to take a risk that felt enormous in my chest, a risk whose rewards I believed would outweigh the difficulties. I quit my first job and stepped into an economy where crisis is normal, jobless, because life is worth more than a steady paycheck or a prestigious title. Love and courage mattered more than social status.
I remember falling in love with Spanish—the warmth, the charm, the endless expressions that made me hang on every word.
Mostly, I remember staying true to my feelings. Those raw, open emotions made me willing to forsake expectations and embrace the wide, risky unknown.
In finance you learn that returns often reflect risk. In life, taking a leap can bring an exhilarating experience you’d gladly repeat.
So four years after moving to Buenos Aires for Juan, I’d say: “Yes, I’d do it all over again.”
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CHEDDAR CHEESE SCONES
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Saturday morning I rub the sleep from my eyes. Sunlight streams through the window as I swing my legs to the floor and pad to the kitchen, still in pajamas, excited to make the cheese scones my friend Mercedes recommended.
It’s warm enough to hint at spring—a welcome change from winter—and the bright weather tempts my sister Valerie and me to go outside. Even before changing, I pull out flour, salt, butter and shredded cheddar, along with cream and milk, roll up my sleeves, and begin.
I start by mixing flour with a pinch of salt, then cut in cubed butter with my fingers. I add bright orange shredded cheddar, cream and a splash of milk. This is one of those recipes that reads easier than it feels. I often wonder whether to add more milk or a touch more flour, but after small adjustments the right consistency appears.
I joke with my sister about how our dad would never eat these scones because he dislikes cheese, and I smile. Following a recipe is simpler with company—her banter makes the process enjoyable. I already know I’ll miss Val when she flies off Friday, but Skype will keep us close even while I’m on this adventure.
Cheddar’s sharp flavor makes these scones especially satisfying, but the recipe is forgiving—any easily shreddable cheese will work. I like to serve them warm, spread with cream cheese mixed with chopped spring onions or parsley, alongside a mug of hot tea.
CHEDDAR CHEESE SCONES (Makes 20 large scones or 40 small scones)
Adapted from Maru Botana
Ingredients:
1) 500 g self-raising flour (or 500 g all-purpose flour + 2 tsp baking powder)
2) 1 tablespoon salt
3) 100 g butter, at room temperature
4) 250 g shredded cheddar (add 50 g more if you love cheese)
5) 3 tablespoons cream
6) About ½ cup milk, add more if dough is dry
Steps:
1) Sift flour and mix with salt.
2) Cut butter into small cubes and rub into the flour with your fingers.
3) Stir in shredded cheese, cream and a little milk to form a soft but cohesive dough; avoid over-kneading (add milk if too dry).
4) Preheat oven to 220°C (450°F).
5) Roll out the dough with a rolling pin.
6) Cut circles with a floured cookie cutter or drinking glass.
7) Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
8) Place dough circles on the tray and bake about 12 minutes for small scones or 18 minutes for large ones, until golden brown.
9) Optional: Serve with cream cheese mixed with chopped spring onions or parsley.
Sift flour and mix with salt. Cut butter into small cubes and incorporate with your fingers:
Add shredded cheese, cream and a bit of milk:
Form a soft but consistent dough and flatten with a rolling pin:
Cut circles with a floured cutter, line a tray with parchment and place dough circles on it:
Bake until golden brown (about 12 minutes for small scones or 18 minutes for large):
