In October 2025, I packed up my 15-pound hairless Xoloitzcuintli, Troy, and the rest of my belongings and moved from the north of England back to my hometown in California. I was exhausted, relieved, excited, heartbroken, and so hopeful. I’d been living outside the US for 14 years — a year in Taiwan teaching English,
At 36, I had everything I ever wanted. I was a senior communications leader at one of the largest entertainment companies in the world and earned a title and salary I had worked for my entire career. Not only did I have my dream job, but I also had an amazing group of friends and
