We're slow travelers and part-time expats sharing our adventures traveling throughout the world (mostly Europe lately). We're also recent empty-nesters figuring out what's next. We're sharing what we learn here, with resources, advice, and insights into midlife travel and life transitions. Subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube channel and join in on the journey.
We have been traveling extensively for work and pleasure for the last 30 years or so, and airports had become a 2nd 2nd home. In the fall of 2021, our only child went off to college from our home in the United States to the United Kingdom. So, like most normal adults experiencing an empty nest, we sold or gave away most of our things, put what was left in storage, ended our lease, packed four suitcases and two backpacks, and set off for Europe, where we lived in Airbnbs while we worked remotely and explored the idea of permanently moving overseas.
In those 89 Days Away (Non-citizens can stay in most countries for 90 days at a time), we learned that as even as our daughter was becoming a new person, we were becoming new people too. Excited about moving away from our high-pressure, exhausting, suburban, post-Covid lives, we hadn't clearly defined what we were moving towards.
Was our trip successful? It was the adventure of a lifetime! Are we glad we did it? Absolutely. Did we decide to move overseas permanently? Nope. It was not right for us. Maybe becoming a permanent expat will be right for you. We found it to be too big of a lift. Too much work at our ages to transition to a new country with a new language.
We decided to use a portion of our increasing free time as we scaled back work responsibilities and moved into retirement to slow travel - to live in various countries for several months at a time. Slower, longer term stays in furnished apartments can help you get into sync with the local lifestyle and culture. It is a different experience from the typical short stay trips.
Slower travel may be right for you too. We put out occasional videos describing what we learned and experienced, to help others contemplating a similar journey.
Maybe you can learn from our mistakes and experience. Please subscribe and stay tuned...
