This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Braydon Barrett, 32, who moved to Asia with his family in 2024 but moved back to Utah eight months later. It’s been edited for length and clarity.

Living abroad was never really on my radar until I got married.

My wife had always wanted to travel and live outside the US, and as I looked into it more, it started to feel like an experience we should try together.

We talked about it for years, but never followed through. Then, after our son was born in 2023, we felt it was the right time to finally give it a try. My wife is a stay-at-home mom, and since I run an online fitness coaching…