"I got married, had kids, started a career as an expat career coach, and spent many years working and traveling around the world. My ex-husband and I always dreamed of moving to Europe once our children were older. When we divorced, I looked ahead at the rest of my life and thought, "I'll be damned if I spend the next 30 years in New Jersey.""
"I have lived in Europe for eight years, first in Paris and now in Italy. Moving to a new country is always an adventure, but there's a difference between doing it at 24 and at 57. In my 20s, I immersed myself in Greek culture rather than being "me." Now I'm more fully formed as a woman; I came to Europe to breathe, to find myself, and to see whether I could do it."
Lisa La Valle moved from New Jersey to Paris in 2018 at age 57 and relocated to Brescia, Italy in 2021. She lived abroad previously in Athens at 24 for two years, then returned to New Jersey where she married, raised children, and worked as an expat career coach while traveling internationally. After a divorce she sought a fresh start to avoid healthcare worries and the high cost of living. She has lived in Europe eight years, retired in 2023, and continues to work part-time as an English teacher and as an author on culture and expat experiences. She experienced disappointment in Paris and elements of Paris Syndrome, yet she does not regret her choice to move.
Read at Business Insider
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