Summary

The article discusses the experiences and insights of individuals who have left the United States to live in Spain, emphasizing the importance of cultural affinity, personal desires, and financial planning in the decision-making process.

Abstract

The article on Medium titled "They Left The United States, And It Doesn’t Look Like They Miss It" delves into the reasons and reflections of people who have chosen to relocate from America to Spain. It highlights the value of the comment section on Medium, where readers share their personal stories and advice, often providing more profound insights than the articles themselves. The author, Rocco Pendola, draws on responses from readers like Steven Anthony, Janet Christian, and Brendareeves, who have either made the move or are in the process, to illustrate the multifaceted nature of such a life-changing decision. The narrative covers aspects such as health, financial planning, cultural appreciation, and the impact of politics, while also addressing the trend of moving to supposedly climate-resilient cities like Duluth. The article underscores that while political climates can influence the desire to move, the decision should be driven by a genuine connection to the new country's culture and way of life. It also touches on the reality of language barriers and the importance of learning the local language. The author encourages readers to engage with the content by highlighting significant passages and considering the experiences of others as a source of inspiration and guidance for their own potential moves abroad.

Opinions

Steven Anthony provides a blueprint for moving abroad, emphasizing financial reasoning and the importance of having an affinity with the new culture.
The author, Rocco Pendola, stresses that a move abroad should be motivated by more than just cost of living or political dissatisfaction.
Janet Christian's response suggests that moving abroad is a decision that should be made carefully and not just followed as a trend or fad.
Federica Selvini's comment underscores the challenge of becoming proficient in a new language, which is a critical part of integrating into a new culture.
Brendareeves offers encouragement, sharing her own experience of moving to Mexico and potentially to Spain, highlighting the personal growth that comes from such moves.
The author values the engagement and insights from readers, using their responses to inspire future articles and inform others considering a similar transition.
The article advises against hasty decisions, promoting a thoughtful approach to moving abroad, with an emphasis on doing it right rather than quickly.

They Left The United States, And It Doesn’t Look Like They Miss It

Considering the cost of living, lifestyle, culture, language

Unlike most other platforms, you find considerable insight in the comment — or response — section of Medium articles. Genuine readers and helpful people outnumber trolls and spammers by at least — based on my rough math — 25 to 1.

So, every now and then, I mine the responses to create an article. Because I even get sick of hearing about my plans and journey through life on the way there. It’s refreshing, encouraging and inspiring to read about other people’s experiences.

In a few recent articles, I discussed my rationale around plans my partner and I have to eventually leave America for Spain. So, let’s roll through some of the meatier responses to those stories, starting with one of my favorite readers/respondents, Steven Anthony:

First, it’s great to read that Steven apparently beat cancer!

Second, that health scare aside, he provides what appears to be a strong blueprint for making a move abroad. His financial reasoning — and some of his numbers — share similarities to my situation.

Third, as I often say, a move like this absolutely has to be about more than cost of living. In Steven’s words, I wanted to move… You must have an affinity, appreciation, desire to learn about and respect for the culture you’re about to become part of.

And, while politics can certainly play a role, it has to be about more than that. As I wrote in a recent installment of my newsletter —

During the George W. Bush years I absolutely was one of those people who threatened to move to Canada.

Funny thing is — in the current political climate — I’d (relatively speaking) kill for George W. Bush as the Republican nominee for President. Funnier thing is if — goodness forbid — DeSantis or (ugh!) Trump gets elected, I could move to Canada. Because, on paper, I’m a freaking Canadian (and American) citizen.

The reality is — I won’t even consider it. Because Canada isn’t the place for me and my girlfriend.

Moving there because I can, because it would be easy and as an extreme show of my political beliefs would be as dumb as moving to Duluth for no reason other than climate change.

Yes. Apparently, people are moving to Duluth, Minnesota because some research considers it climate proof.

Anyhow, in response to the Medium article where I talk about what I see in some of these move to Spain Facebook groups, Janet Christian offered this excellent response:

First, note that I highlighted part of Janet’s response.

You can highlight sections of stories and responses on Medium. I encourage it. It’s a type of engagement I pay close attention to and use to inspire and inform future articles.

Second, while you do hear about people leaving America for Spain (or someplace else), not liking it and coming back, more often than not, you see — best move I ever made.

Like I said the other day, I know pretty quickly when I visit a city if I could or would want to live there. So I’m quite confident I’ll be in the best move I ever made crowd. Because it’s what I want quite badly, I can get impatient.

Two things help me slow down and focus on doing it right —

One, my decidedly more patient girlfriend, who often sees the big picture better than I do.

And, two, reading responses like the one from Janet, who made a move abroad prior to the pandemic before it became a thing and, quite possibly, a fad, if not just more talk than action. People have been moving around the globe for a long time. The opportunity won’t go away. Better to do it right than too quickly.

I also appreciate Janet’s comments about learning the language, as I make progress, but struggle to become even somewhat proficient in Spanish.

Which leads to a comment from Federica Selvini about the language:

Then there’s this short, but sweet response from the great Brendareeves. The encouragement that often comes in the Medium commentary section.

I recently wrote about Brenda’s super cool story. She picked up and moved to Mexico and, now, she might be headed for Spain!

2 Incredibly Inspiring Stories About Doing Super Cool Things In Old Age

‘Balance your life across labor, leisure, and learning’

themakingofamillionaire.com

That’s just a small sampling of responses from recent Medium articles.

Don’t ignore the response section of articles. They often include excellent insight as well as personal stories that can help you make sense of and progress in your journey.

To receive a notification each time I publish a Medium article, go here.

To subscribe to my Never Retire: Living The Semi-Retired Life newsletter where we go even more in-depth and get way more personal, go here.

Grab your free expense tracker when you subscribe to the MOAM newsletter

This article is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered Financial or Legal Advice. Not all information will be accurate. Consult a financial professional before making any major financial decisions.