Happy September!

If you live in Ibiza, are a member of any local Facebook groups (yes, you know the ones I mean!), or follow any Ibiza accounts on social media, you’ll know that September has arrived. Of course, the rest of the world knows this too, given that they get their information via the age-old system of simply looking at a calendar, it’s just that here in Ibiza, the change of month is shouted from the rooftops the very second the clock strikes 12am on the first day of September. It’s virtually impossible not to notice.

If you don’t live in Ibiza, you may be wondering, why all the fuss about September? Let me explain: while in some places around the world, September is just another calendar month, here in Ibiza it represents the home stretch. The stress and struggle of August is over – yes, I know, it all looks like sunshine and smiles on Instagram, but for those who work in restaurants, in kitchens, in retail, on boats, or anywhere really that puts them in that sweaty oppressive heat with no chance of a swim each day, the struggle is real – and the end of the season is on the horizon.

For the next four to six weeks, you can feel a collective shift in the consciousness of islanders – especially those in the service industry – to a more relaxed, happy and generally comfortable state. The drop in temperature feels like a blessing compared to the high 30s of August – those perma-beads of eyebrow and hairline sweat associated with high summer are a thing of the past. Dressing for work becomes bearable – you don’t have to think about breathable or sweat-proof options anymore – if not enjoyable (hurrah! We get to think about layers at night again!) and the daily commute (wherever you might be going) feels less akin to torture.

Life is suddenly good again, and it really does seem to change overnight like that. If Hallmark made ‘Happy September’ greeting cards, they’d be onto a winner in the Ibiza market. It’s been an all-round positive experience to scroll through my Ibiza-related social media feeds these past few days – gone are the complaints, the bitchy comments, the narkiness, the accusatory tones, the snide remarks and in their place are countless ‘Happy September!’ posts and pretty island pictures, special residents’ offers with island businesses and brands. Even my landlord started an email to me with ‘Feliz Septiembre’ this week – admittedly, he was asking for the money for all my summer bills, so he obviously had a reason to be happy, but being greeted in such a nice way even made me happy (well… you know, less gutted) to part with my hard-earned August cash.

It’s important to take stock in September – are there things you’ve been putting off all summer until you were less busy/less hot/less stressed? Are there places you want to go that will shut up shop at the end of the summer season? Are there people you’d like to see before they head off on their winter travels? Parties you’re yet to dance at? Are there summer clothes on sale in the shops you need to snap up at a sale price so you can wear them on your winter travels (and vice versa – are there new winter things in the shops you want to buy now so you can be the first in the new trends come November)?

Do you want to keep your tan topped up – or perhaps get a tan in the first place – with those last rays of summer sun? For some people, September brings even bigger questions and conundrums. Do they need to find a new place to live, a new job, make some more money, will they stay in Ibiza for the winter or go back to their home country? If you ask me, the answer is always Ibiza – as many regular readers will know, I am Ibiza winter’s biggest fan – but I also understand it’s not for everyone. Some people chase the endless summer, other people have responsibilities back at home, some people decide that they’re done with the island (gasp!) and make plans to find a home elsewhere. For those people, September is a month of contemplation, reflection and organisation.

If you’re not from Ibiza or not in Ibiza, don’t be worried that all this September relief means the island is winding down – far from it! In fact, it’s often September parties that have the best line-ups, the best people and the best music of the summer. The sun sets a little earlier of course, but the days are still quite long until the clocks go back in late October – speaking of which, the Ibiza summer continues well into next month these days, stretching almost all the way to my favourite ever holiday, Halloween. There’s plenty of good summer holiday time left in Ibiza yet! HAPPY SEPTEMBER!