I’ve been thinking a lot for a few months about leaving. I just hate the idea of being pushed out of the country. I’m 76, way beyond mid-life, and it’s really difficult for me to think about leaving behind a lifetime of friends, and they all say they’re not going anywhere. Homes, families, grandkids. I get it, but I have none of those things. I’m a bit of an introvert and loner, and have always found it hard to make new friends. I love the mountains and rivers of Northern California. I think a lot about Portugal. I just feel so torn.
Hi Rich... if you're wanting to leave solely because of the political climate, I understand, but it will change again. Especially if it would take you 1-2 years to move... I wonder if maybe you could compromise and spend part of your time away so you're not leaving your community? You could travel a bit, do the slow-mad thing. You can stay for 3-6 months in many places. That way you could get away from the insanity without leaving for good... Just some thoughts, I'm full of 'em if you want more! :)
Hi Kimberly Anne - Thanks so much for your reply. I fear that things will be a lot worse than just a political change. Musk and his cronies are already systematically dismantling the government here. Their philosophy and goal is to destroy it so they can run the country and economy as they wish. They do not believe in democracy! I have friends that have worked closely with Musk and some of the other billionaire tech bros, and they also are very fearful of what is happening so rapidly. Scary shit. I wish it was just garden variety Republicans in charge for four years. I plan to take a recon trip as soon as I can get done with a book project, probably in spring. I want to check out the possibility getting residency there. Even with that, I can come back here if things get turned around. I’m wondering if I should go ahead and start the residency application now so I’m a couple of months further along. I think my biggest question is lining up housing for the application process. Wondering if I can just rent a room from someone rather than a whole house or apartment. I don’t know if that would qualify.
Rich, you're right of course. It's really bad. Do you read Sarah Kendzior and Heather Cox Richardson here on Substack? I find them very helpful to follow with what's going on and perhaps see the "future". Sarah is particularly good with her predictions (unfortunately). And it seems they are trying to dismantle America.
That's terrifying to hear re: friends you know who have worked closely with Musk.
I love the idea of your recon trip! You can also keep writing while traveling, I've done it, just saying... but it's nicer here in the spring and not too far away.
YES you should go ahead and start your D7 (or D8) residency application NOW! It can be a long process.
I looked up the room rental option for you and found that yes, as long as you're registered with "finances" here and have your NIF and everything else in order it's fine. (see this post and thread for more information: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BaU6DoBUT/)
Not Sarah, but yes Heather. Been reading her since her first issues years ago. Lately, I take breaks from all of it, including Heather, to preserve my sanity. I sincerely appreciate your thoughts and the info. I’m a member of that FB group. I guess it’s time to pay more attention to it… and start studying some Portuguese! I owe you a glass (or bottle) of wine, or whatever you like when I get over there. I’m guessing we’ll chat again. Chao
Thank you Rich and good luck with all of your research, that's the fun part! As you know I do consult, if you're ever in the need. And yes, start studying Portuguese but remember to study European, not Brazilian! I have a google spreadsheet to help on my language post! Let me know if you can't find it.
I'd love to meet in person for a coffee once you're here!
Oh and Ciao (Italian spelling) is spelled Tchau in Portuguese! :)
Well, at least I can pronounce Tchau. My first word in Portuguese. Haha! It’s also (pronounced ) ciao in Mexico and I suppose Spain. And yeah, Portuguese language as in Portugal.
Thank you for your posts. My wife is currently at a Sunday Spanish church service guarding locked doors in the event ICE decides to pay a visit. Crazy times.
Hi Brian, thank you so much for your comment. WOWOWOWOW, I am so sorry to hear this but so happy your wife is doing everything she can to help. I really hope they don't get found and deported!!!
Thanks for writing this. My family and I left the US in October of last year and I am really glad I’m not there anymore. That my daughter and son are not witnessing all of that on the daily. Nowhere is perfect, but here is definitely better than there!
We ended up in England. We tried to go to Portugal and that is the next goal, but my husband's company was not keen on that idea. They have a location in London but we decided on the southwest in Somerset, near Bath. The weather sucks but we're from the PNW so we are used to that. However, the people are so kind and I really feel like the volume on everything is so much lower here.
Hi Jessica, thank you for your follow up comment! England is great! I have friends in that area and they love it!!!! I'm so glad you were able to move out of crazy-land!!!
"HiTrumLer" - bwa ha ha ha ha!!! And, yet...not far off...😟 Having grown up in Southern US myself (40 years!), I too agree that the "America I grew up in is not the America that exists today." It makes me both mad and sad to feel my only real recourse is to leave (again) next month with a very strong possibility of never returning, at least, not for any extended periods of time.
hehe, I'm hoping it'll catch on and then you can say "I know who started that" HA! I still can't believe you're from where you're from!!! I'm really excited about your next adventure though. I know the circumstances suck but.... the outcome is pretty awesome. HUGS and apologies for leaving you like 40 minutes of voice messages LOLOL.
Thank you for your articles. My wife and I saw this coming and have been traveling to Germany to find an area to move to for a couple years now. Currently sitting in Stuttgart and planning our move this fall. The political climate is just the final straw of so many things that are going wrong in America.
Also like being centrally located in Europe. Germany has its own problems politically but I still feel German people care more about others and society.
Kimberly- It’s so true the insights you’re saying here. For me the surprising part (though maybe not so surprising) is the cost of healthcare. I appreciate your sharing about Jewish background-
Hi Thalia! Thank you so much for your comment!!! I still find the cost of healthcare (and lack of good healthcare) in the US surprising and heartbreaking. As mentioned, I didn't realize how bad it actually was until I left and found how great it is elsewhere!!!
And thank you for mentioning your appreciation that I shared that I'm Jewish. I spent most of my life not sharing that on social media but I've always been very vocal about it in person.
It's strange because I feel super connected to the culture but not the religion and I think that's difficult for some people who follow other religions to understand. And I don't feel connected to Israel (nor do I agree with what's happening there)!!!
But I still hear, "YOU'RE JEWISH????????" when I mention it-which really bums me out. Someone said that to me (again) last week in Portugal. When I lived in the US I would snottily retort "can't you see my horns?"
Thank you for another powerful and heartfelt piece, Kimberly! I'm so glad I could help along your journey! 🌟 As someone who has also chosen to build a life beyond borders, I deeply resonate with everything you've shared here. It's not always an easy decision to leave behind what's familiar, but sometimes it's necessary for our wellbeing and peace of mind. You're creating such an important space for others to feel seen and understood in their own journeys of seeking a better life elsewhere. I love how you consistently share both the challenges and the beautiful moments of your expat experience - it helps others see that while the path isn't always smooth, it can lead to such meaningful transformations. Keep shining your light and sharing your truth! Your voice matters more than you know. 💫
Awwwwww, your words always make me smile and tear up!!! Thank you so much for your positivity and support!!! I really hope we can meet in person some day :)
I agree that it's not always (or usually) easy to leave behind what's familiar (and comfortable) but it is necessary!! You said it perfectly!!!
I don't agree with you on any of this either (well maybe parts of it) but I respect how you feel, and again, not a reason I'll leave this country... but what I would absolutely love, is to not read or hear about politics on a daily basis. If I move to another country the good news is, is that I won't likely care unless it directly affects me and I need to beware, and it that case I'll move on. But I'm hoping to find a more simple, less stressful, chaotic existence, a place who embraces their aging population, that doesn't have all politico stuff front and center. I think about extremes, like Venezuela and the US. There is so much going on and from my own perspective there isn't a lot I can do about it, so honestly I don't want to be bothered with it any longer. Life is too short.
I am so sorry you are getting hatred on here. Like you, I am so, so glad I left the USA some time ago and live abroad. When I left, my brother said…why would you want to go somewhere that has a lower standard of living. And I said, I’m going somewhere that has a higher quality of life!
Hi Anna Marie!!! Thank you :) I don't mind the hate, it fuels me, hahaha! And I don't take it personally because it's from people who don't know me at all.
What your brother said is so interesting! How leaving America is perceived--and dead wrong! A lower standard of living, well in my view, that is America :( But your response is golden!!!
Hi Kimberly, U.K, in a rural area. We have a small homestead in a very pretty area of the country. I’m really happy to be out of relentless culture of productivity…it is much healthier and more peaceful.
I was reading a report that the NY Times referred to…some think tanks (both sides of the political spectrum) put together a document called the State of the Nation. Kind of like a report card for America. It concluded America is tops in productivity and economy, but near the bottom for mental health. This is what it said: Summary of Results. The United States is near the bottom of higher-income countries on every mental health measure we examined: depression and anxiety, fatal overdoses, and suicide. We are also getting steadily worse on these measures over time, overall and relative to other countries. These negative trends do not just reflect increased reporting of mental health disorders.
They point to an actual decline in our well-being. America is doing worse in mental health than any other topic in this report.
Hi Anna Marie, WOW!! I'm not surprised but to see it proven is devastating :( I have the NY Times but didn't see that report, thank you so much for linking it!!
I was definitely on the go, go, go; do, do, do; drive, drive, drive hamster wheel when living in the US and my first year in Portugal very different.
But now I have to work my butt off again and it's awful. I can truly feel the effects of not having a day off since last June.
And even so, it still doesn't seem as bad here...
I'm so glad you were able to find peace in a rural area of the UK!!!!
In 2002 I traveled to Malaysia and Australia. Around that time it was common for Canadians to make sure people knew we weren't Americans by putting flags on stuff and maybe some Americans did it too because America wasn't so poular in the world at that time?
A bunch of people staying at a hostel in Tasmania went to a soccer game and a drink after and a local (very drunk) must have caught a woman’s American accent and went on a rant about hating America before walking away. The only time I actually saw this type of behavior but I don't remember too many Americans in my travels. Do you find any anger directed at you for being an American overseas?
The actions of trump have seemed to hurt the Canadian Conservative party, many of us do not want to be lumped in with America and we might just stay more liberal to prove we are different.
Hi Chris!! I've traveled all over the world without hiding I'm American, mostly solo, since 1990 and I've NEVER encountered any hate or anger. None. I've encountered plenty of ignorance about America and Americans and while most came across as curiosity, I've (unfortunately) met my fair share of conspiracy theorists abroad; even one guy here in Portugal who was from Italy and hugely misinformed and pronounced himself as a "lover of trump". And still, I listen without trying to push my belief system.
But you were traveling around Malaysia and Australia and I haven't yet been to either country. It sounds like things are different depending on where you go.
When I traveled through Europe in 1990, Americans were viewed unfavorably because most were drunk, loud and obnoxious. I remember hearing the "thing to do" was to pin a Canadian flag on our backpacks but I never did and as mentioned above, I never had an issue.
But YES, trump really is f-ing with the Canadian Conservative party and I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to be lumped in with America!!!!! :( I'm so embarrassed to be an American in this political climate but I also acknowledge my HUGE passport (and white) privilege.
Do you have a coaching program helping digital nomadic life? All the different papers one might need for different countries, rules for each? It seems so complicated.
Hi Sephe! I was a digital nomad for 18 months so I can help with a lot of it!! While visas are not my "speciality" I do know a fair bit about them and am a master researcher!! You could set up an initial call with me to delve into exactly what you're looking for and see if I am the right person to help you. The rules and paperwork needed seems complicated and daunting but it's fairly cut and dry. Plus there are plenty of hacks! :) I threw this page together (it's not pretty yet) for people just like you! https://expatonabudget.com/visas/
I’ve been thinking a lot for a few months about leaving. I just hate the idea of being pushed out of the country. I’m 76, way beyond mid-life, and it’s really difficult for me to think about leaving behind a lifetime of friends, and they all say they’re not going anywhere. Homes, families, grandkids. I get it, but I have none of those things. I’m a bit of an introvert and loner, and have always found it hard to make new friends. I love the mountains and rivers of Northern California. I think a lot about Portugal. I just feel so torn.
Hi Rich... if you're wanting to leave solely because of the political climate, I understand, but it will change again. Especially if it would take you 1-2 years to move... I wonder if maybe you could compromise and spend part of your time away so you're not leaving your community? You could travel a bit, do the slow-mad thing. You can stay for 3-6 months in many places. That way you could get away from the insanity without leaving for good... Just some thoughts, I'm full of 'em if you want more! :)
Hi Kimberly Anne - Thanks so much for your reply. I fear that things will be a lot worse than just a political change. Musk and his cronies are already systematically dismantling the government here. Their philosophy and goal is to destroy it so they can run the country and economy as they wish. They do not believe in democracy! I have friends that have worked closely with Musk and some of the other billionaire tech bros, and they also are very fearful of what is happening so rapidly. Scary shit. I wish it was just garden variety Republicans in charge for four years. I plan to take a recon trip as soon as I can get done with a book project, probably in spring. I want to check out the possibility getting residency there. Even with that, I can come back here if things get turned around. I’m wondering if I should go ahead and start the residency application now so I’m a couple of months further along. I think my biggest question is lining up housing for the application process. Wondering if I can just rent a room from someone rather than a whole house or apartment. I don’t know if that would qualify.
Rich, you're right of course. It's really bad. Do you read Sarah Kendzior and Heather Cox Richardson here on Substack? I find them very helpful to follow with what's going on and perhaps see the "future". Sarah is particularly good with her predictions (unfortunately). And it seems they are trying to dismantle America.
That's terrifying to hear re: friends you know who have worked closely with Musk.
I love the idea of your recon trip! You can also keep writing while traveling, I've done it, just saying... but it's nicer here in the spring and not too far away.
YES you should go ahead and start your D7 (or D8) residency application NOW! It can be a long process.
I looked up the room rental option for you and found that yes, as long as you're registered with "finances" here and have your NIF and everything else in order it's fine. (see this post and thread for more information: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BaU6DoBUT/)
Not Sarah, but yes Heather. Been reading her since her first issues years ago. Lately, I take breaks from all of it, including Heather, to preserve my sanity. I sincerely appreciate your thoughts and the info. I’m a member of that FB group. I guess it’s time to pay more attention to it… and start studying some Portuguese! I owe you a glass (or bottle) of wine, or whatever you like when I get over there. I’m guessing we’ll chat again. Chao
Thank you Rich and good luck with all of your research, that's the fun part! As you know I do consult, if you're ever in the need. And yes, start studying Portuguese but remember to study European, not Brazilian! I have a google spreadsheet to help on my language post! Let me know if you can't find it.
I'd love to meet in person for a coffee once you're here!
Oh and Ciao (Italian spelling) is spelled Tchau in Portuguese! :)
Well, at least I can pronounce Tchau. My first word in Portuguese. Haha! It’s also (pronounced ) ciao in Mexico and I suppose Spain. And yeah, Portuguese language as in Portugal.
Tchau!
Thank you for your posts. My wife is currently at a Sunday Spanish church service guarding locked doors in the event ICE decides to pay a visit. Crazy times.
Hi Brian, thank you so much for your comment. WOWOWOWOW, I am so sorry to hear this but so happy your wife is doing everything she can to help. I really hope they don't get found and deported!!!
This breaks my heart on so many levels... 💔
Yeah :(
Thanks for writing this. My family and I left the US in October of last year and I am really glad I’m not there anymore. That my daughter and son are not witnessing all of that on the daily. Nowhere is perfect, but here is definitely better than there!
I'm with Rich... we'd love to hear about where you ended up!!!
I’m curious… where did you choose to go?
We ended up in England. We tried to go to Portugal and that is the next goal, but my husband's company was not keen on that idea. They have a location in London but we decided on the southwest in Somerset, near Bath. The weather sucks but we're from the PNW so we are used to that. However, the people are so kind and I really feel like the volume on everything is so much lower here.
Hi Jessica, thank you for your follow up comment! England is great! I have friends in that area and they love it!!!! I'm so glad you were able to move out of crazy-land!!!
It's very sad to see what's happening 😔
Yeah it really is :(
"HiTrumLer" - bwa ha ha ha ha!!! And, yet...not far off...😟 Having grown up in Southern US myself (40 years!), I too agree that the "America I grew up in is not the America that exists today." It makes me both mad and sad to feel my only real recourse is to leave (again) next month with a very strong possibility of never returning, at least, not for any extended periods of time.
hehe, I'm hoping it'll catch on and then you can say "I know who started that" HA! I still can't believe you're from where you're from!!! I'm really excited about your next adventure though. I know the circumstances suck but.... the outcome is pretty awesome. HUGS and apologies for leaving you like 40 minutes of voice messages LOLOL.
HA! You know I love your VMs - and I owe you some in return!
Take as long as you need, I love you so much!!
Thank you for sharing and keep sharing! I lurve that there are people like you in the world working to help people move overseas.
Thank you sooooo much Ororo!!!!!! I appreciate your words and interaction so much!!!!
Thank you for your articles. My wife and I saw this coming and have been traveling to Germany to find an area to move to for a couple years now. Currently sitting in Stuttgart and planning our move this fall. The political climate is just the final straw of so many things that are going wrong in America.
Hi Justin! You're so welcome! I'm thrilled to hear about your impending move to Germany!!! I love it there!!!! Will you be moving to Stuttgart?
Yeah, the political climate in the US is ridiculous at this point and such a huge waste of mental time!
Also like being centrally located in Europe. Germany has its own problems politically but I still feel German people care more about others and society.
Yes both of those are very good points!
Yea we decided on Stuttgart. It’s beautiful and the job market doesn’t seem too bad.
Oh that's great to hear!!! I haven't been there yet :)
Kimberly- It’s so true the insights you’re saying here. For me the surprising part (though maybe not so surprising) is the cost of healthcare. I appreciate your sharing about Jewish background-
Hi Thalia! Thank you so much for your comment!!! I still find the cost of healthcare (and lack of good healthcare) in the US surprising and heartbreaking. As mentioned, I didn't realize how bad it actually was until I left and found how great it is elsewhere!!!
And thank you for mentioning your appreciation that I shared that I'm Jewish. I spent most of my life not sharing that on social media but I've always been very vocal about it in person.
It's strange because I feel super connected to the culture but not the religion and I think that's difficult for some people who follow other religions to understand. And I don't feel connected to Israel (nor do I agree with what's happening there)!!!
But I still hear, "YOU'RE JEWISH????????" when I mention it-which really bums me out. Someone said that to me (again) last week in Portugal. When I lived in the US I would snottily retort "can't you see my horns?"
Thank you for another powerful and heartfelt piece, Kimberly! I'm so glad I could help along your journey! 🌟 As someone who has also chosen to build a life beyond borders, I deeply resonate with everything you've shared here. It's not always an easy decision to leave behind what's familiar, but sometimes it's necessary for our wellbeing and peace of mind. You're creating such an important space for others to feel seen and understood in their own journeys of seeking a better life elsewhere. I love how you consistently share both the challenges and the beautiful moments of your expat experience - it helps others see that while the path isn't always smooth, it can lead to such meaningful transformations. Keep shining your light and sharing your truth! Your voice matters more than you know. 💫
Awwwwww, your words always make me smile and tear up!!! Thank you so much for your positivity and support!!! I really hope we can meet in person some day :)
I agree that it's not always (or usually) easy to leave behind what's familiar (and comfortable) but it is necessary!! You said it perfectly!!!
Thank you again!!!!
Yay! A new publication! I have to make sure I sub!
YES!
I don't agree with you on any of this either (well maybe parts of it) but I respect how you feel, and again, not a reason I'll leave this country... but what I would absolutely love, is to not read or hear about politics on a daily basis. If I move to another country the good news is, is that I won't likely care unless it directly affects me and I need to beware, and it that case I'll move on. But I'm hoping to find a more simple, less stressful, chaotic existence, a place who embraces their aging population, that doesn't have all politico stuff front and center. I think about extremes, like Venezuela and the US. There is so much going on and from my own perspective there isn't a lot I can do about it, so honestly I don't want to be bothered with it any longer. Life is too short.
Hi Patti! I understand that not everyone will agree or have the same experiences and that's okay, better if you don't!
The politics in the US are so awful, new dramas each day.
But if you move to a new country where you don't speak the language, it's a lot less "in your face" for sure!
And you're absolutely right, life is too short!!! Seize the day :)
I am so sorry you are getting hatred on here. Like you, I am so, so glad I left the USA some time ago and live abroad. When I left, my brother said…why would you want to go somewhere that has a lower standard of living. And I said, I’m going somewhere that has a higher quality of life!
Hi Anna Marie!!! Thank you :) I don't mind the hate, it fuels me, hahaha! And I don't take it personally because it's from people who don't know me at all.
What your brother said is so interesting! How leaving America is perceived--and dead wrong! A lower standard of living, well in my view, that is America :( But your response is golden!!!
Where are you?
Hi Kimberly, U.K, in a rural area. We have a small homestead in a very pretty area of the country. I’m really happy to be out of relentless culture of productivity…it is much healthier and more peaceful.
I was reading a report that the NY Times referred to…some think tanks (both sides of the political spectrum) put together a document called the State of the Nation. Kind of like a report card for America. It concluded America is tops in productivity and economy, but near the bottom for mental health. This is what it said: Summary of Results. The United States is near the bottom of higher-income countries on every mental health measure we examined: depression and anxiety, fatal overdoses, and suicide. We are also getting steadily worse on these measures over time, overall and relative to other countries. These negative trends do not just reflect increased reporting of mental health disorders.
They point to an actual decline in our well-being. America is doing worse in mental health than any other topic in this report.
It isn’t all doom and gloom…education is improving and some childhood outcomes, but it makes for some sobering reading. It is here: https://stateofnation.org/assets/stateofnation/downloads/State%20of%20the%20Nation%20Project.pdf
Hi Anna Marie, WOW!! I'm not surprised but to see it proven is devastating :( I have the NY Times but didn't see that report, thank you so much for linking it!!
I was definitely on the go, go, go; do, do, do; drive, drive, drive hamster wheel when living in the US and my first year in Portugal very different.
But now I have to work my butt off again and it's awful. I can truly feel the effects of not having a day off since last June.
And even so, it still doesn't seem as bad here...
I'm so glad you were able to find peace in a rural area of the UK!!!!
In 2002 I traveled to Malaysia and Australia. Around that time it was common for Canadians to make sure people knew we weren't Americans by putting flags on stuff and maybe some Americans did it too because America wasn't so poular in the world at that time?
A bunch of people staying at a hostel in Tasmania went to a soccer game and a drink after and a local (very drunk) must have caught a woman’s American accent and went on a rant about hating America before walking away. The only time I actually saw this type of behavior but I don't remember too many Americans in my travels. Do you find any anger directed at you for being an American overseas?
The actions of trump have seemed to hurt the Canadian Conservative party, many of us do not want to be lumped in with America and we might just stay more liberal to prove we are different.
Hi Chris!! I've traveled all over the world without hiding I'm American, mostly solo, since 1990 and I've NEVER encountered any hate or anger. None. I've encountered plenty of ignorance about America and Americans and while most came across as curiosity, I've (unfortunately) met my fair share of conspiracy theorists abroad; even one guy here in Portugal who was from Italy and hugely misinformed and pronounced himself as a "lover of trump". And still, I listen without trying to push my belief system.
But you were traveling around Malaysia and Australia and I haven't yet been to either country. It sounds like things are different depending on where you go.
When I traveled through Europe in 1990, Americans were viewed unfavorably because most were drunk, loud and obnoxious. I remember hearing the "thing to do" was to pin a Canadian flag on our backpacks but I never did and as mentioned above, I never had an issue.
But YES, trump really is f-ing with the Canadian Conservative party and I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to be lumped in with America!!!!! :( I'm so embarrassed to be an American in this political climate but I also acknowledge my HUGE passport (and white) privilege.
Thank you for this.
You're welcome!
Do you have a coaching program helping digital nomadic life? All the different papers one might need for different countries, rules for each? It seems so complicated.
Hi Sephe! I was a digital nomad for 18 months so I can help with a lot of it!! While visas are not my "speciality" I do know a fair bit about them and am a master researcher!! You could set up an initial call with me to delve into exactly what you're looking for and see if I am the right person to help you. The rules and paperwork needed seems complicated and daunting but it's fairly cut and dry. Plus there are plenty of hacks! :) I threw this page together (it's not pretty yet) for people just like you! https://expatonabudget.com/visas/
It’s terrifying what’s happening in the US right now. And I worry that it’s going to spread to more and more other places.
IKR?!? I really hope it doesn’t spread but it’s not looking good. I really hope it gets better. Something’s got to give!!!….