This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Leah Young, a 34-year-old from Dallas who moved to Spain in 2015. Young is the founder of Fearless Abroad, a company that helps Americans working remotely relocate to Europe. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
A lot of people love the idea of traveling to new places and experiencing something exciting. What excited me about living abroad was the adventure. When I was younger, I’d taken a few short trips, but there was still so much more of the world I wanted to see.
For years, I tried to make it happen. In high school and college, I looked into exchange programs and studying abroad, but my family was always like, “No way.”
Eventually, a friend mentioned a government-run teaching program in Spain that had an open call for applications. I jumped at it, even though I was working in a completely different industry. I figured it was finally a way to get to Europe.
I thought I’d spend just one year abroad, then return to Texas and live my life as I always had. But that year turned into many, and I stayed, though in different ways over time.
I was terrified to move to Europe
Preparing to leave for Europe was really scary. I had never lived abroad, and I didn’t know anyone else who had. I remember thinking, “How practical is this, really?”
The visa process was stressful. My teaching program gave me permission to come, but I still had to handle the visa process myself. I got through it by diving deep into Facebook groups and random blogs, piecing everything together and learning as much as I could.
I was really worried about whether I could afford the cost of living in Spain. Yes, I was moving with a job contract, but I would earn only €700 ($813) a month. Even in 2015, that wasn’t much. I didn’t know whether it would cover my rent, let alone leave money for anything else.
There were so many other things I had to figure out, like whether to cancel my US health insurance — my government contract came with Spanish coverage — and what to do with my phone plan, car, dishes, furniture, and everything else in my apartment.
In the end, I left the US with nothing but two suitcases, filled with all the wrong things, and a visa. The truth is, I was totally freaked out. But I went for it because I saw that other people had made it work — and, ultimately, I did, too.
Lyon was the perfect place for me
I feel like I’ve become an expert at starting over. After living in Spain for five years, I spent two years in Germany, a year in Argentina, a year in Brazil, and now I’ve been in France for a year.
I live in Lyon, about two hours from Geneva, near the Swiss border. It’s very close to the mountains, so within an hour or two, you can be skiing in the Alps, or you could be swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.
Lyon is quintessentially what you’d imagine traditional France to be. It’s a really nice second option to living in Paris. While it’s a large city, it has a small-town feel.
I’ve traveled and lived around Europe, and in some places, I found people a little closed off or hard to build relationships with. That was a real struggle for me because, as a Texan, I’m outgoing and want to make friends and build a community. But since moving here, I’ve found it much easier to make friends.
My life feels pretty affordable
Finding a place to live in Lyon can be competitive, but I got really lucky. I found my apartment within two days through word of mouth. I was chatting with someone who knew a person with an available apartment, and that’s how I got it.
I pay €950 ($1,104) a month in rent for a beautiful 678-square-foot one-bedroom apartment in a historic building dating back to the 1500s. It has fantastic stone walls, tall ceilings with wooden beams, and massive French windows overlooking the old town. I can even hear the clock tower ring every half hour.
My utility bill varies a lot. It’s pretty affordable in the summer, since I don’t use air conditioning, and I might pay only €50 ($58) a month. But winters can be expensive because it gets chilly, and I live in an old building. During the coldest months, my heating bill can be around €350 ($407).
Overall, I’d say living in Lyon is pretty affordable. I cook a lot and spend about €60 ($70) a week on groceries. I usually eat out only twice a week, and getting a glass of wine or a beer might cost €5 ($6). I also don’t have a car, nor do I need one. I spend less than $10 a week getting around on the train. Taking trips can be really cheap, too. It might cost me around €50 ($58) round trip to fly to Germany.
I don’t think I’ll ever move back to the US
I’ve had a lot of different jobs during my time abroad. When I first arrived, I was teaching. Then I switched to a student visa and went back to school. For a while, I worked remotely for a US-based company. Now, I own a business that helps other remote workers relocate to Europe.
Even so, I’ve visited my family in the US many times over the years and considered moving back, but it just hasn’t worked for me.
It’s so expensive, especially in Texas, where things are booming, and rents have gotten crazy. It always blows me away to see people paying $2,000 a month for a one-bedroom apartment.
Healthcare is another reason Europe suits me better. The quality is great, but it doesn’t feel like it costs a million dollars, as it does in the US. That feels especially valuable as I get older and think about having kids.
Of course, there are things I miss about the US, like my family and friends. I miss the ease of conversation, too — being able to crack a joke without worrying that it’ll be misunderstood. And honestly, I miss the food, especially steak and Tex-Mex. Texas has the best food in the world, if you ask me.
I do think France is my permanent home, but it’s hard to say for sure. Can anyone really tell you where they’ll be in 10 years? Of all the moves I’ve made, though, I’m happiest here. It feels like home, and I’m at a point in my life where I’m ready to settle down.
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