I left the US for Spain, where life is cheap and comfortable. I finally feel like I belong.

My first international trip was when I was 17. On my birthday, I asked my parents to send me to the Netherlands to visit my best friend. I’m bitten by the travel bug.

Every year after that, I worked year-round to pay my way to Europe for the summer.

I visited Madrid for the first time in 2001 when I was 21 years old. Madrid is a city that never sleeps, so it was like the first time I tasted freedom.

It was great to get out, meet people, enjoy the nightlife, and feel the buzz of the city.

I always say that trip to Spain was my Goldilocks moment: I finally found where I belonged. And once I saw the world, I never wanted to go back to the US.

It took years before I moved to Spain

In my 20s, I didn’t see a clear path to living in Spain. I was in college, and at the time, there weren’t many options for Americans who wanted to move abroad.

When I was 26, I moved to Spain to teach English for a year but later returned to Texas. When I was 29, I went back and got my master’s degree, but eventually I had to go back to the United States.

In America, I struggled to follow the conventional path to success. I never felt like I fit into a box – climbing the career ladder, getting married, having kids, working until retirement, and keeping up with the Joneses.

For a while, I lived in Austin. As a childless woman in my mid-30s, I sometimes felt like the adult in the room when I left.

I never felt that way when I was in Madrid. I realized that it is normal to be a single, childless woman. In fact, most of the people I met when I went out were my age or older. I knew that it was Spain where I really belonged.

When I was 35, I decided to give it another shot. I thought that if I didn’t, I might regret it. In 2015, I moved there for the last time.

Nine years later, I’m still here and now a resident.

There are many reasons to live in Spain

I got my citizenship when I was 42, so it was just over 20 years since I first visited Spain.

It was a total of two years of work, from the time I started collecting the papers until I finally held the passport in my hand.

Becoming a citizen was the biggest thing because I wanted to live in Spain since I was 21 years old.

I think what attracts many people to Spain is the Mediterranean climate. Being from Texas, I need warm sun, and Spain offers plenty of both.

Spain’s low cost of living compared to the US, high-quality healthcare, and low crime rates also draw people to the country. A vibrant culture and warm, inviting people make it appealing.

It was hard to find my footing at first

Being settled in that country was exciting but also scary.

When I first moved to Spain, I lived in Madrid for five years. Now, I have been in Malaga for almost four years.

Madrid is like the New York City of Spain – bustling, big, and very international, with lots of cultural events.

Malaga, on the other hand, is a coastal city with a relaxed beach atmosphere. It’s a small, slow-moving city, but it still has an international feel.

I can say that I adapted quickly to living in Spain as I had visited in the past. However, settling down and building a habit and a community took several years.

I love living here, but if I had to point out one thing I would complain about, it would be the lack of variety.

I realize I’m from Houston, one of the most diverse cities in the US, so it’s not a good comparison. However, the lack of diversity affects several things, such as the availability of high-quality international restaurants.

Fortunately, I can easily satisfy my international food cravings by flying to Berlin, London, or Paris.

It can be difficult to find a place to stay

Finding long-term accommodation in Spain has been a challenge, even more so now due to the housing shortage.

I know that house prices have increased all over the world over the years, but Spain has been hit hard.

For example, in Malaga, where I live now, prices have increased by about 20% to 25% in the last year only for renting and buying.

If you want to move to a popular city like Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Valencia, or Malaga, a one-bedroom apartment starts from €1,200 to €1,300 (about $1,310 to to $1420). This may seem cheap by American standards, but for many Spaniards, that is their monthly income.

However, Spain is always cheaper if you live outside the big cities, where the best prices are still available.

It is not always easy to get a work visa

Before I moved to Spain, I worked in social media, and I grew up in marketing.

When I arrived in Spain, I started teaching English, which I didn’t want to do. But I realized that I needed to find a way to support myself and get a work visa to stay here.

Being an American, it is very difficult to get support in Spain. Even if you have the necessary skills, you need to prove that you have a unique experience that is not available within Europe.

I sent CVs everywhere. I was very lucky. A Spanish startup was looking for an American with a marketing background, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time.

While working for that company, it took me a year to start my own business.

She is the founder of She Hits Refresh, a social enterprise that helps women move abroad. In particular, we help women from the US who want to move to Europe, but we also work for women from Canada and the UK.

We created our Facebook group in 2017. In 2019, we officially registered as a company.

Our community includes 14,000 Facebook members and 30,000 Instagram followers. We also offer a premium, non-Facebook subscription membership program.

We offer membership resources and support through two programs: a four-day master class, where participants learn what to do to move abroad, and a paid membership program, which guides them through the entire migration process from start to finish.

Many women who turn to our company have three concerns: work, society, and whether they are making the right decision.

I always tell my clients that, like life, there are no guarantees. You won’t know if it will work until you try it. But you can do your due diligence and have a plan before you move to set yourself up for success.

I had to move soon

There are definitely aspects of living in the US that I miss, such as friends, family, and, sometimes, culture.

For example, when I’m on TikTok and I see a cultural reference or an inside joke, I miss having that connection with people who understand it.

I also miss the comfort culture of the US, like the 24 hour businesses and the level of customer service.

I miss driving, even though I don’t drive in Spain. I have never needed a car as everything is easy to walk to and public transport is well connected.

Moving abroad is not just about changing places – it’s about changing your life.

Many women fall into paths they did not choose or find themselves in situations they do not want to be in. Traveling around the world gives us the opportunity to reinvent ourselves and build the life we ​​want.

Living in Spain has brought me joy and comfort. Life here feels easier, and I have reduced some of the stress I faced in the US, such as the pressure to measure success by job titles and salaries.

I freed myself from those expectations and defined what success means to me.

My only regret is that I didn’t move sooner.