How To Move To Spain in 2022

This post originated as an interview with Jess Gaspari of Adler + Marlow travel agency and relocation provider in Spain during the Adventure Calls 2021 Global Relocation Conference. 

Jess Gaspari is originally from Philly and has been loving and living in Spain since she moved there for the first time in 2007 as a study abroad student. Today she helps others discover their love of Spain at Adler & Marlow,  the bespoke travel agency that curates carefully tailored, exclusive travel plans for all types of travelers, including longer-term expats. Relo, Adler + Marlow’s relocation services arm, combines the local expertise of Adler & Marlow with trusted legal partners to make your transition to the Spanish way of life easy, exciting, and like no other.

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Why do Americans want to move to Spain in 2022? 

Spain is one of the most popular countries in Europe for Americans to move to for a variety of reasons. First, many Americans have their study abroad experience in Spain, which connects them for life to the country. Americans also tend to speak Spanish as their second language, or at least feel comfortable hearing it compared to more ‘foreign’ sounding languages, so the familiarity factor is an incentive. 

Lastly, Spain is an affordable European option with beautiful weather and friendly visa opportunities. Those last two, the weather and the visa opportunities really set Spain apart from most other countries in Europe. 

The pandemic changed the world of work, which allows even more people to work from wherever they want - whether that’s through remote work or finally taking the leap to live abroad. Spain is adjusting their visa options to reflect this new world. Read on for the new visa that Spain is making available.

Top tips for moving to Spain in 2022

During our interview at the Adventure Calls 2021 Global Relocation Conference, Jess provided some key pieces of advice on moving to Spain. 

Tip 1: Opt for the easiest visa first 

How you enter the country - the visa you enter  on - is not usually the one you stay on. You need to find a visa that will get you over and stable, and then go from there, advises Jess Gaspari of Adler + Marlow.  Most visas in Spain are good for a year, and then once you pass the year mark, it is easier to renew that visa to get to the three year mark and it is at that point that you can start to explore converting that time into a residency visa. 

Tip 2: Don’t let lack of language hold you back 

Is it easier to move to Spain if you speak Spanish? Yes, of course. It is easier to understand paperwork, procedures, to meet people, and to feel confident in your decisions. However, there is no language requirement attached to many visa applications, meaning you don’t HAVE to speak Spanish on arrival and you can learn it after you get there. So just get to Spain first, if that’s your dream, and learn Spanish while immersed in daily life. 

In Barcelona and Madrid and in most of the bigger cities, you can definitely get by without speaking Spanish. Things have changed a lot in the last ten years, kids are learning English earlier and earlier in schools, the increase in tourism in Spain forces people to get better at English.

The difficulties come when you are needing to fill out official paperwork in official offices. Make sure you bring a fluent Spanish speaker any time you are signing something in any official capacity.

Tip 3:  Salaries in Spain are relatively low.

If you move to Spain and look for employment at a Spanish company, no matter what the industry, salaries tend to be generally low. While this can be a disadvantage for those earning an income in Spain, that also means that the cost of living in generally low, and those who can earn an income outside of Spain while living within the country can afford a very comfortable lifestyle. 

How is it possible to work in one country and live in Spain? 

Actually, that’s is, in a way, what Spain wants you to do right now. 

Getting a visa to live in Spain in 2022

Let’s go over three common visas that Americans can get in 2022 that are exciting for digital nomads and entrepreneurs. Stay tuned at the end for one more KEY tip and one visa that is slowly being phased out as an option, as well. 

Visa 1: The Non-Lucrative Visa 

As it sounds, this visa is open to foreign nationals who will not be earning an income while living in Spain. In a way, it is like an extended, legal tourist visa. While you can not earn income in Spain, you can live in Spain as a resident, your children can go to local public school, you qualify for the healthcare system, and more. This visa is great for anyone looking to take a gap year, a sabbatical, or has retirement or other income in their home country that can keep them afloat while living in Spain.  

For reference, one year in Spain might cost  around EUR 26,000 for one person. For a couple, that would likely be more like EUR 40,000. 

See more information about the Non-Lucrative Visa here.  

Read about the experience in acquiring the non-lucrative visa from one of travel’s most intrepid adventurers, Wandering Earl.

Visa 2: The Self-Employment Visa 

This visa is for those who already have an established business or freelance career with thriving international clients. Although there is a lot of paperwork involved in making this happen, you essentially have a visa to run your business from Spain, as long as 80% of your clients are not Spanish companies. 

Find out more about the Spanish self-employment visa here.

Visa 3 (coming soon): The Digital Nomad Visa 

Spain is developing a digital nomad visa for foreign workers who work for non-Spanish companies, while living in Spain. This is a great option for people who might lean toward the non-lucrative but want to work. This income will be taxed in Spain, but at only a rate of 15% income tax. This is less than you might be paying at home, and less than you pay on other visas in Spain. You can also claim your paid income tax against the foreign tax credit back in the US and not pay any extra taxes in the US. 

Read more about the new Digital Nomad Visa here.

Visa 4 (being phased out): the Spanish Golden Visa 

The European Union has been unhappy with the Spanish-led Golden Visa option for awhile now, and this will be phased out in 2022 in Spain and Portugal. Up until now, you could invest EUR 500,000 into a real property and be granted residency in Spain, and therefore the EU. But this residency for purchase might make the country money in the short term, but it is being discouraged for the long term. 

Read more about the reduced number of Spanish Golden Visas here.

You have to apply for an official visa to stay in Spain

In many countries, you are able to stay for the length of your tourist visa, leave for 72 hours and return with a fresh new tourist visa. And in the past, you may have been able to float under the radar without an official visa in Spain, but today, there is no working under the table for cash, or even just floating through working online as you go. Everything is digital and much better regulated, so before you decide to move to Spain, you’ll need help with your relocation needs. 

Apply for your Spanish visa in your home country

You will have to apply for your visas from your home country (or current country of residence if you are a legal expat in another country). If you are based in the US, that is the Consulate General in Washington or a local consulate. ​​

Number 1 piece of advice for moving to Spain:

It is the best piece of advice that Jess Gaspari gave us because it helps future expats avoid one of the most frustrating aspects of moving abroad: The Catch 22. 

No country has streamlined the process of moving abroad. This means that there are often times where you have to get one document in order to get another, but you can’t get the first without a second. And somehow, you’re racking your brain to figure out how to get one without having the other, which you need to get the first one. It can be mind boggling. 

TOP TIP: Get your Spanish social security card from the Consulate in your home country. 

When moving to Spain, you need a social security number for identification and tax purposes. It is a bit of an issue trying to get an appointment in Spain, because offices tend to be overwhelmed. You can get an appointment at the Spanish consulate in your home country and apply for a temporary number. That is highly, highly recommended if at all possible. It will save you a lot of time once you are there. You eventually apply for a permanent number, but having the temporary number can help you because you need it to get an apartment, but you can’t get an apartment without the number. Catch 22. The same can often go for work - you have to prove employment to get a number, but you need a number to get a job. That’s why, if you can set this up in advance, you will make your life much easier on arrival. 

Catch 22s and loopholes are really tough with immigration processes worldwide, and so this is a great way to avoid a common one in Spain. 

Read more about Spanish social security numbers here.

Interested in moving to Spain? Reach out to Adler + Marlow on their website / LinkedIn / @adlermarlowtravel on Instagram.

Get help turning your dream into your reality in 2022.

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Pick up a copy of the 2022 Global Relocation Guide. 

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How To Move To Antigua + Barbuda in 2022

This article on How To Move To Antigua and Barbuda is taken from a summary of a conversation during the instagram Live 2021 Global Relocation Conference with Jovanna December of Relocate Antigua, a relocation company founded in 2017 with the vision to assist clients looking to invest in, visit or relocate to the beautiful island of Antigua and Barbuda. The company handles the full relocation process from visa and immigration to real estate search, job search, and settling in services. 

Does moving to a Caribbean island sound like a good solution to all of your problems right now? Then read on for more about the beautiful island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, and how to move there in 2022.

About Antigua and Barbuda

Just under 100,000 people live on Antigua + Barbuda, two islands that make up this Caribbean nation. Antigua is larger, more populated and home to the capital city of St Johns.

Why do people relocate to Antigua + Barbuda?

Of course every move is a personal decision, but there are a few major reasons why people from around the world relocate here. Not only are there 365 beaches - one for every day of the year - but it is a beautiful, welcoming island that is relatively safe. 

Antigua + Barbuda has 365 beaches, one for every day of the year.

The cost of living is about 20% lower than in the United States, which is actually high compared to other countries in the Caribbean. There is a strong mix of history, natural beauty and the ability to live an adventurous lifestyle. 

Who relocates to Antigua + Barbuda? 

Expats settling from the US, Canada and Europe (mostly Spain), as well as Nigeria and other Caribbean countries all come to Antigua + Barbuda. The motivations of moving here, like the beaches and laidback lifestyle, mean that you tend to see families, influencers, honeymooners, digital nomads, retirees and also property investors and startup founders. 

What are the most popular visa types? 

In addition to the Tourist Visa on Arrival which gives US citizens up to 180 days in the country to visit as tourists, there are two main types of visas that people use to relocate to Antigua + Barbuda: the NDR Visa and the Citizenship by Investment Visa.

The Antigua Nomad Digital Residence Visa
For those who would like to stay on a more permanent basis, the Antigua Nomad Digital Residence Visa, or the NDR Visa. This visa encourages digital nomads and work-from-anywhere folks to relocate to Antigua for one year, up to two years, as long as they are employed in their home country and can work remotely. Programs like this have sprouted up around the Caribbean since the pandemic hit, to encourage North Americans and Europeans to work from the beach for a year. This isn’t as much a residency visa as an extended tourist visa that allows you to work (from a different beach every day of the year!). 

The NDR visa is only good for two years, and then you have to travel back home, and if interested, come back again for two years. You can bring your spouse and your children can go to the public schools as well as private schools on the island. 

See more about the Antigua Nomad Digital Residence Visa and reach out to Relocate Antigua for any questions.   

The Antigua Citizenship by Investment Visa Program
The second visa type, which has been around since the mid-1990s, is the Citizenship by Investment Program visa. This allows foreigners to qualify for citizenship by investing a certain amount of money into the country of Antigua. There are several programs within this option, but the most common is the real estate investment option, known widely as a ‘Golden Visa’ option. 

Foreigners must invest at least $400,000 into a real estate property, plus be able to pay the processing fees (starting at $30,000) and due diligence fees (this varies per property). Two parties can invest $200,000 minimum each on a jointly owned property and be awarded citizenship as well. 

Read more about the Citizenship by Investment Program and reach out to Relocate Antigua with any questions.

What are the pros and cons of moving to Antigua + Barbuda?

Pro: An active lifestyle

With so many beaches and adventure activities like hiking, swimming, snorkeling, and others, life is lived outside. This lifestyle feels healthier, both mentally and physically. 

Pro: Safety

Crime is relatively low here, and foreigners tend to feel very relaxed and safe while living on the island. 

Con: A government-sanctioned anti-gay stance 

Antigua might not feel so safe for queer expats. This isn’t to say that everyone on Antigua + Barbuda is anti-gay, but it isn’t a queer-friendly country, either. With anti-lgbt laws in place, such as 15 years in jail for ‘buggery’ or same-sex intercourse, plus zero rights or recognition for queer marriages, Antigua joins its Caribbean colleagues in the rankings as some of the least friendly LGBTQ countries to relocate to in the world (Jamaica was ranked the least friendly country for LGBTQ travelers in the world in various years).  More information about LGBTQ Antigua + Barbuda can be found in this study here and the Wikipedia entry here.

Pro and Con: The pace of life 

One of the most notable differences to life in North America or Europe is the pace of life on the islands. At first, the slower lifestyle is welcome and allows visitors and new residents to decompress. However, when something really ‘needs’ to get done, or is expected to be completed in what would be considered a timely manner, the slow pace can feel really frustrating. It is important to remember that as the expat, you are the one who has to adjust your cultural clock to the local ‘time’. 

Pro: Cost of living 

While Antigua + Barbuda is not one of the cheaper island nations in the Caribbean, it is still about 20% less expensive to the United States.  On average, one-bedroom city center apartments average $1,000 / monthly, while outside the city is $700. Utilities  and other bills are relatively similar. 

Food can either be a part of a low budget, or can start to run up your budget if you rely on international cuisine. Antigua is fairly international, and you can get comfort foods from home (like pizza and pasta), but a local diet of rice, veggies, fruits and local meats will be much more budget-friendly. 

Use a website like Numbeo.com to compare the cost of living between Antigua and the United States. 

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A note on health insurance 

Taking a risk with your health is never advised, even for the most daring adventurer. If you are a digital nomad (like with Antigua’s NDR Visa), you will need digital nomad-friendly travel insurance. If you plan on more permanent relocation, travel insurance with medical coverage is vital for up to a year while you settle in abroad. 

SafetyWing and World Nomads both have created an insurance hybrid. 

Top Travel Insurance Recommendation: SafetyWing.

I’d recommend SafetyWing for its flexible cancellation policies and direct communication with hospital billing departments rather than dealing with out-of-pocket payments and reimbursements while abroad. Meant for true nomads, an official home address is also not required.

For more information on SafetyWing insurance, visit SafetyWing.com.

Runner Up Insurance Recommendation:

World Nomads was one of the first insurance options on the scene for nomads and is still an excellent option, especially if you’re more adventurous or a nomad with a lot of electronics and gear.

For more information, visit WorldNomads.com.

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How To Move To Italy in 2022

This article summarizes an interview with Global Mobility Specialist Damien O’Farrell, during the Adventure Calls 2021 Global Relocation Conference.

Watch the interview.
Listen to the audio.
See the full line up of interviews here. 

Damien O’Farrell is a Global Mobility Specialist who has been living in Italy for over 30 years. Through his global mobility programs, he assists C suite executives, VIP talent, and individuals relocating to Italy, plus cutting-edge spousal support, expat coaching and entrepreneur mentoring with a focus on building and growing a successful business in Italy. Essentially, Damien acts as a one-stop-shop for destination services, including home search, utilities, the immigration, and the expat coaching, as well as relocation strategy. 

Your strategy in moving to Italy in 2022

Strategy? 

Yes. Let’s start the discussion about How To Move To Italy by talking about strategy. It’s important to know WHY you want to move to Italy, so that you know where to move, what visas are available, how long you can stay, when you can apply, and more. 

For example, If you just know you want to move to Italy, but you don’t really know where, answer these questions: 

Are you looking to build your career? Then you might consider moving to Rome or Milan, aka Tier 1 cities.

Are you looking for a slower, more relaxing lifestyle? Maybe even to retire? Then you might consider slower, sleepier cities or towns, aka Tier 3 cities. 

You have to know your ‘why’, because If you move to a small Italian town because that is your dream, you aren’t going to be able to build a career in fashion, for example, since that would happen in Milan. If you want to launch a business, you need to be where you can network with like-minded individuals. 

As you will see below, you will also really need to know your ‘why’ because you will have to work hard before you move to Italy to apply for the ‘right’ type of visa that aligns with your dreams. 

A word of caution as we wrap up this section on strategy, the number ONE reason why self-initiated expats (ie, not corporate expats who are relocated by a company) leave Italy has to do with finances: not making enough money to make a life work. Finding rewarding work in Italy can be difficult, and salaries tend to be on the low side. So, if you are looking to find a ‘regular’ job, you might feel that you can’t exist for very lng on that. Retiring or running your own business might be an entirely different matter. 

How to get a visa to live in Italy for a non-EU citizen 

If you are a citizen of the European Union, you don’t need a visa to move to Italy. You can move and live freely within all of the countries in the EU. Non-EU citizens have to go through official immigration channels to live anywhere in Europe (or anywhere out of their home countries in general). 

Tourist visa for shorter visits
This is the first visa you probably have already gotten if you have ever been to Italy, and the one you get whenever you land there on vacation. If you have a strong passport that doesn’t require any advance paperwork (US, Australia, Canada, etc) you are able to visit Italy for up to 90 days in any 180 day period as a tourist. Other nationalities might be required to apply for tourist visas in advance of their visit. 

Beyond the tourist visa
If you want to more officially move to Italy, then you want to apply for a different type of visa to actually immigrate to the country. 

You have to go back home. Or at least back to the country where you currently have residency. Visas aren’t processed in Italy. They are processed in Italian consulates, and you have to apply to the consulate that has jurisdiction over where you have residency. 

Available visas for your move to Italy 

Inter-company transfer: If you work for a multinational company that relocates you, you will likely get a work visa through your company that is valid for one to two years. The immigration process may or may not be handled by your HR team entirely. 

Italian company hire: You can apply for Italian jobs and be hired by an Italian company. This might be a bit more difficult, but if you are skilled in Italian and a type of skill that an Italian company is willing to hire outside the European Union for. 

Side note: Being a native English speaker is no longer a skill that is likely to get you a visa. 20 years ago you could have moved to Italy and gotten a job teaching English, but today, the internet has disrupted the need for in person teaching by a native speaker. Now Italians, and anyone else, can hire a teacher online and there aren’t many roles on the ground for this. 

Retirement visa aka Elective Residency Visa: If you want to move to Italy but not work, you can apply for this visa meant for retirees, but open to all with a consistent monthly income from outside of Italy. You have to show income, not savings. It doesn’t matter how much you have saved in the bank, but rather how much money you can prove you get on a monthly basis. 

Prior to 2021 you were not able to convert this retirement into another type of visa, but the Italian immigration decree now says that you can, in certain circumstances, convert an Elective Residency Visa into a work permit as long as you have a job offer from an Italian company. This is great for those who move to Italy, make connections and actually do find a job opportunity. Otherwise they would have had to move back to their home country and apply for the job. This way you can convert your visa into a work visa - as long as you have an official job offer from an Italian company. 

Student Visa: There are two types of ‘students’ under this visa type. You can be a higher education student (aka college) or a continuing education student (studying the Italian language, taking an art class, etc). The continuing ed student can study in Italy for one to two years, and even work up to 20 hours per week. This visa is usually good for one year and extended to two, but no more than that. There is no permanent student lifestyle with this visa. 

Pursuing a higher ed degree will allow you to secure a visa for your entire education, and then you have up to a year to find a job in Italy, as Italy wants to keep the talent educated here in the country.

The Investors Visa:  In Italy, you can invest anywhere from €100,000 - €250,000 in a startup or other company. This is for a very specific type of expat, and is not a Golden Visa. Italy has no ‘Golden Visa’ opportunities, meaning that you can not invest in property as a way to achieve residency the way that you can in Portugal, Malta, Spain, Cyprus or others. You can buy property in Italy, but you can only live there for those 90 days out of every 180 days, or six months per year. 

Self-employment visa: This is a challenging visa to obtain. When applying for this visa, you have to present a business plan that shows that you have been doing that business in your country of origin, and how you plan to bring that to Italy.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ: What do I do when my visa runs out in Italy? 

Can I switch from one visa to another visa while living in Italy? If you are going to switch visas, from one type to another type, you typically have to go back to your home and apply again at your local consulate. There are a few cases, such as extending your student visa until you find a job or converting your retirement visa into a work visa, where this can happen all while maintaining residency in Italy, but otherwise, you usually can’t convert visas without leaving the country. This can be a bit disruptive to your lifestyle, obviously, and so needs to be known and planned for. 

FAQ: Am I guaranteed an Italian visa if I fill all the requirements?

Unfortunately this isn’t an exact science. There is a lot of variance from one consulate to another, and one bureaucrat to another. You can be exactly the same on paper as another person, couple or family and the visa type, length or approval might not be the same. Just because one person gets approved doesn’t mean someone else’s will. 

FAQ: What kind of jobs can I get in Italy? 

Italy wants to monetize its immigration. Retirement visas are seen as a strain on the public healthcare system, and are increasingly difficult to acquire. English teaching jobs are harder than they used to be as well. Jobs in the tech and medical sectors are on the up and up.

So if you are moving to Italy and looking to become a  member of the workforce, it is important to skill up in the areas that Italy is looking for, or get creative on other routes and visa types. 

FAQ: Can I work remotely in Italy?

If you are a non-EU citizen arriving on a tourist visa, you can only stay in Italy for up to 90 days in any 180 day period. There are no digital nomad-type visas that allow you to work remotely for a year or two while living in Italy. Countries like Spain have a Non-Lucrative Visa which allows you to work your remote job while living legally in Spain.

FAQ: What if I overstay my visa?

In short, get on a plane and hope that nobody notices that you have overstayed. Then go back to your home country and start the process correctly, rather than staying illegally. If you have overstayed your visa and fly through a major transport hub like Zurich, Frankfurt or Amsterdam, you will very likely get caught for overstaying.

By the end of 2022, the European Schengen Area will have the ETIAS platform, which is like the equivalent of the American ESTA, and will make it very difficult to overstay unnoticed.

ETIAS, or European Travel Information and Authorization System, is a visa waiver program that will be needed to enter a Schengen member country. All travelers entering on a tourist visa on arrival will be expected to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization prior to arrival.

Five Italy Influencer Recommendations

1. Kylie Flavel’s Dream of Italy YouTube Channel

2. Shannon Acton’s Bargain Homes Abroad 

3. Italian Cheap Homes

4. Sean Carlos, American Realtor in Italy. 

5. The Bittersweet Life podcast  

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Get personalized help with your move

Damien O’Farrell is a relocation specialist available to help you move to Italy. You can find him at his website, www.damienofarrell.com, or by joining his Facebook group Ultimate Italy. 

Contact me for expat coaching.

Damien is also included in the Adventure Calls 2022 Global Relocation Guide, a one stop shop for connections to relocation experts in Italy and around the world. Emails, phone numbers, websites, bios, headshots, links and more.

No matter where you want to move in the world, there is a relocation specialist who knows the ropes and can help you settle in safely and securely abroad.

Get the 2022 Global Relocation Guide

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We won. Does this mean that we don’t all have to move abroad now?

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard something like this over the last year: 

“If Trump wins another election, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m definitely going to move abroad. I can’t take it.” 

“If we don’t win, I just can’t live here anymore. I’m moving abroad. I’ve had it with this place.”

If you are a Republican (and if you are, how did you end up on this queer liberal’s post?!) you might have heard someone say something like: 

“If Trump doesn’t win, I’m moving to Costa Rica.”

Yep, it’s on both sides of this blue/red equation. Ever since I published my book, How To Move Abroad And Why It’s The Best Thing You’ll Do, earlier this fall, I’ve had countless people reach out to tell me their stories, share their anguish at this country, and share their dreams about where they want to move abroad, especially if Trump wins the election. 

And I’m not alone in collecting stories just like these. 

According to this USA Today article, a recent published study shows numbers of people who have wanted to move abroad throughout Trump’s presidency in 2017, 2018 and 2019 were at or around 16%, which is less than Obama (10%), and George W Bush (11%). Even more interesting is that young women want to leave in much higher numbers. 40% of women under 30 say they would like to leave. 

But while people say they want to move abroad, and Republicans mocked the many celebrities who said they would move if Trump won in 2016, I understand it completely. 

The desire to escape your current environment, in this case by moving abroad, and taking the actual action stem from two very different mindsets. 

And now that the election is over (I think?! Can we officially breathe out yet?), you might still be part of the core group of democrats who fear the fact that, although Trump might be out, roughly 70 million people see a guy like that as fit for the office of President of the United States of America. You might still be thinking, I just can’t live here anymore. 

The Thing About Radical Change

Here’s the thing: moving abroad is about radical change. It is not a gradual. You are tearing up your entire life that you know and heading off into the unknown.  

Radical change, otherwise known as transformational change, is usually something that happens to those who have reached a bottom point, seen the depths and realized that there is only certain death or radical change. 

• Like a morbidly obese person who loses hundreds of pounds after a heart attack nearly ends their life. 

• Like an alcoholic who quits drinking after endangering the life of a loved one due to drinking. 

• Like a workaholic whose spouse threatens divorce after too many missed dinners and Sundays at the office. 

Radical change happens for most when they have sacrificed, often risking their future, and have seen the bottom, the darkness, and you don’t only realize that more of the same action leads to more of the same pain, but you also have felt the pain and suffering you cause yourself and others by not creating radical change in your life. 

You act when there is no other way to handle the situation. 

Most people who claimed their desire to move abroad were disgusted at what America had become, in their minds. What the 45th president of the United States did was hold up a mirror to what it means to be an American. For so many of us, the mythology of being American was filled with (often unexamined) pride. 

This last year, we collectively began to see America as it really is. This is not only directly because of Donald Trump, but because the pandemic meant that we couldn’t distract our attention away from the horrible killings of black and brown people, and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

This year in America has been as eye-opening for Americans across the race/class/gender divides as the day you realized as a child (or adult child) that your parents are just people, and that they are far from perfect. The country you, or at least many US citizens, have had unquestioned pride for now suddenly doesn’t look so Dreamy. 

The Mythology of the American Dream

The mythology of America exists both here and abroad by billions around the world - even despite atrocities caused by American foreign policy or at the hands of our soldiers. The myth has been perpetuated far and wide because, for centuries, people flocked to America for a better life and better opportunity. The Ellis Island website tells stories of immigrants who arrived at the island believing the roads were paved with gold. 

The American Dream mythology, therefore, has always been a story of immigration, not of emigration. People flock TO America, not away FROM it. Why would you leave a place where the rest of the world wants to be? 

And so any American dreaming of moving abroad often faces a barrage of doubt, and an intense lack of support, from family and friends who believe that such a ‘reckless’ move would sabotage their lives, their careers, their opportunities because they are leaving the best country in the world. 

What usually happens once Americans become expatriates, however, is a fairly quick crumbling of the foundation of the American Dream. There are successful, happy people living all over the world, and America is by no means the best. 

In many studies, America is actually quite far down on the list of happiness, a fact that is much easier to understand for expats who live outside the excessively individualist sink or swim brand of Capitalism Uber Alles you find in the United States. 

For so long, however, Americans have always placed themselves atop that list despite evidence to the contrary - middle of the road rankings in education, top of the list rankings in healthcare costs and incarceration. Yet the four years of Trump’s presidency changed all of that. Maybe it was his slogan. To make America great again, it must not be that great to start. Here so many patriots were thinking they were in the best country in the world, now vehemently insisting that their own country needed to be made better. 

And for those of us who will never forget the sadness and trauma of November 4th, 2016, stunned that our country had actually elected this man… well, clearly America isn’t so great if we could elect a racist, fascist, p*ssy-grabber. 

For the first time, all of America suddenly doubted America’s greatness. No longer was this the ignored insider knowledge of people of color, queer folks, marginalized communities and  American expats living abroad. 

Is this your breaking point? 

None of us believe that just because Joe Biden is President Elect and Kamala Harris is Vice President Elect, America will somehow start being great. 

 After all, DJT got 70 million votes. There are 70 million people who either directly support him or are privileged enough to ignore all the things that cause the rest of us to fear for our very lives as we know them.

Does that mean that everyone should still plan on moving abroad who have been thinking about it, or seek to avoid the shame of living in a divided nation? 

Well… that really depends. 

To create momentum, to make a radical change, takes an incredible amount of energy. 

Are you at your rock bottom? Is this the darkness before the dawn? Or can you go back to living in a divided America, as long as that imminent fear-stoking subsides and boil is reduced to a simmer? 

Here’s one thing I know for sure. These last four years have opened up the world to Americans who have been traditionally trapped in a Coke vs Pepsi mindset. Red or Blue, democrat or republican, you don’t have to order one brand of brown sugar water or the other. You can move to many places, and drink from many wells. You can drink wine in Italy or coffee in Turkey or Sake in Japan or you can even drink Italian wine in Japan because the world is so incredibly global now. You can choose your brand of democracy, now, and it can be anything you want it to be. 

Are there better places to live? 

According to MIT’s Technology Review, global talent has already caught on to the crumbling American Dream, and this is due in no small part to US immigration policy of this past (it’s past, right? It’s over?) administration. Even before the Pandemic, NPR’s piece in January covered the fact that Canada is seen as more favorable to the world’s top tech workers over Silicon Valley. 

But I’m not top tech talent, you’re thinking. Maybe not but if you are a hard-working American who wishes they could build a business, or chase a passion, then you know that America isn’t very favorable to you, either. Just the need for health insurance alone has killed countless entrepreneurial dreams in this country. 

YOU know that you chasing your dreams here has become nearly impossible. And you know what? Thailand knows that. And Estonia knows that. Barbados, Bermuda, Spain - they all have opened up visas favorable to a remote workforce of freshly minted digital nomads. They would rather support your dream by offering you the type of visas you want - especially now that the world has turned forever toward remote work at a global scale. 

In that sense, if you have ever dreamt about moving abroad, it has suddenly become easier than ever to do so. 

But before you run off to live your best life, please make sure that you focus on finding your true ‘why’. You can’t want to move abroad because you want to run away. That will not work. 

First, Find Your Why

In this now famous 2009 TED talk, Simon Sinek explains the difference between knowing your ‘what’ or your ‘how’ is much less effective than knowing your ‘why’ (plus, if minute 6:00 does now explain Trump’s scarily overwhelming success, nothing will). 

 Finding your ‘why’ is how you can truly become the hero of your own story. Beyond the American myth, let’s focus instead on the Hero’s Journey, seen throughout mythology across the ages. As Joseph Campbell discovered in his research, much of mythology and religion is based on a “hero [who] ventures forth from a familiar world into strange and sometimes threatening lands – be it a passage into the desert, a plunge into the ocean, or getting lost in a dark forest, in search of a better life on the other side.” 

You may have felt forced out onto a trek through the depths of 2016 election despair that shattered your worldview of what it means to be American. Or maybe you almost felt forced out, and 2020 was going to push you over the edge. 

If this election was to be your Why, then you don’t have to move abroad now. 

But I’ve learned a thing or two in my 15 years abroad, in writing my book and from interviewing global travel experts on my podcast Adventure Calls: not everyone is dreaming of moving abroad. Even during these four years, not everyone out there is considering this. I tell you that so you realize that if you are dreaming of it, maybe the election was an excuse, but maybe this is really your dream -  regardless of which 70+ year old, straight white male is in office. 

My advice to you is to follow this three-step plan. 

1. Find your ‘why’. 

2. Find your ‘where’. 

3. Find your team. 

To form your team, there are thousands of bloggers and vloggers, Instagrammers and TikTok-ers, Facebook groups, relocation specialists and expat coaches like myself who can help you get to wherever you want to go. Follow all who have gone before you, and none of the people in your life who make you feel that you are crazy for following your dream. 

But don’t start there. Start with a redefined vision for WHY you want to move abroad. Not one driven by a fear of narrowly escaping the crash of facism in a brave new technologically advanced world, but instead one of infinite choice, more attractive visa options, one where the world of work has gone remote, where the rest of the world has fast enough wi-fi and delicious coffee and less expensive real estate and a culture where work does not run your life. 

You can run toward a life where you speak a new language, and every day you learn something new, rather than being stuck in a rut so familiar you could be blindfolded and still find your way home. A life where you don’t take a day for granted, where you see endless possibility, where you are willing to take a risk in order to feel the world of possibilities open to you. Where you can learn and grow and your human experience can expand, infinitely if you let it. 

Picture yourself as the hero of your journey, off to explore the world - and the world within yourself. 

The Crossroads of Should And Must 

If this is exactly where you are right now, then you find yourself at the crossroads of should and must. To find your why, please read, re-read and read again this article by Elle Luna that will help you to understand the things that you ‘want to’ do, and the things that you HAVE to do. 

Once you understand your ‘why’, you can figure out your ‘where’ - or what country or countries would serve your true dreams in the best way. Then finally, find your team of people who can help you to achieve your dream of moving abroad. 

In the end, no, you don’t have to move abroad now. 

You only have to move abroad now if you HAVE to move abroad.