"The pandemic, with its loss of freedom, loss of connectivity, and the very clear message that life can be short, was a real wake-up call for me. I decided I needed to make some big changes, even if I didn't have a clear idea of what the endgame would look like. I started working when I was 15, and I wanted to get off the hamster wheel."
"After that, I wasn't saving much money or making any headway in San Francisco, so I decided to cash in my chips and move to Europe with my little dog, Enzo. It was a huge leap to push myself out of my comfort zone. I had owned my home for 17 years and was surrounded by a great support system of friends and neighbors, but I was in search of a new life."
"At first, we traveled along the Italian coast. I spent a couple of months in Florence and a few weeks in Rome. I loved both cities, but I found that Italy wasn't a great fit for a single woman with a small dog. After some time in Spain, I'm now in France, on the coast of Arcachon Bay near Bordeaux. It's been interesting navigating new towns, shops, languages, and people. It's certainly not for the faint of heart."
The pandemic prompted a reassessment of priorities and led to major life changes. She sold her Oakland house in 2021 and, after founding and running a home-staging business for 24 years, sold that business in 2024. With limited savings and stalled progress in San Francisco, she moved to Europe with her small dog, Enzo. She traveled the Italian coast, spending months in Florence and weeks in Rome, then spent time in Spain before settling in Audenge on Arcachon Bay near Bordeaux. Adjusting to new towns, shops, languages, and social norms has been challenging, but family immigrant roots have eased feelings of not fitting in.
Read at Business Insider
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