I moved to Paris from the United Kingdom in 2017, and while I expected some challenges along the way, I was surprised to discover that many of the things I’d been worrying about turned out not to be issues at all. However, in their place were several other unforeseen obstacles that I wished I’d been
This story is based on an interview with Kati Gyselinck, 65, a life coach who lives in Athens, Greece. It has been edited for length and clarity. I arrived at Athens International Airport in October 2023 with nothing but a suitcase full of clothes. Then I took a taxi to the Airbnb, which was supposed
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sia and Mikael Lilja, who moved from Sweden to Japan, where they bought and are restoring an old house. It’s been edited for length and clarity. We’ve been together for 12 years and married for the last 4. In 2020, we bought a piece of land
At 30, the longest I’ve ever lived somewhere is five years. That’s one year longer than the time I spent in college, which for most people is probably the shortest time they’ve lived in one place. I’ve lived in 10 cities, seven states, and more houses than I feel like counting, and when people ask
Jeff Layfield spent years imagining where in the US. He and his wife would retire after leaving Hawaii. Instead, they now live in a traditional house overlooking the sea in Japan. Before retiring, the couple lived in an apartment upstairs in their parents’ home on Oahu. Layfield worked in data management for the Marine Corps,
This As Told Essay is based on a conversation with Tanvi Pisal, a 29-year-old UX designer from India. He went through two layoffs in one year while working in the United States. It has been edited for length and clarity. I have always seen the United States as the land of opportunity. I grew up