Goodbye America. It’s been a memorable few years. However now it’s time to depart. We moved to Europe this week.
Our household has been touring and residing overseas for a few years now. We’re all “Knowledgeable Vagabonds” if you’ll. Digital nomads and residents of the world.
I’ve been to 70 international locations now, my spouse Anna is at 114. Our younger children Dylan & Holden have collectively seen 40 completely different nations.
Even our cat has been to 10 international locations.
We’re all very lucky to have a number of citizenships & passports.
Journey is a little bit of an obsession for us.
Transferring Overseas To France
It’s most likely no shock to people who know us that we’re attempting one thing new once more. This time we’re off to France, to a phenomenal city referred to as Annecy positioned close to the Swiss border.
Positioned within the picturesque French Alps, Annecy is surrounded by lakes, mountains, and has a walkable previous city appeal with nice public transportation and a pleasant vibe.
There’s additionally an airport 35 minutes away in Geneva, Switzerland. So we are able to proceed our journey obsession (for each work and enjoyable).
We offered our home in North Carolina. Bought our automobiles. Downsized our life for the previous 6 months making ready for the large transfer. Packed some stuff into storage, and flew out with 8 suitcases filled with what’s left.
Let the European journey start!
Will the whole lot go in response to plan? In all probability not. However that’s life. Messy and unpredictable.
Transferring to a brand new nation is each troublesome and rewarding in some ways. We all know, as a result of this isn’t our first time. Along with the USA, we’ve additionally lived in Mexico and Italy previously.
So, for those who’re excited by following our journey, ensure that to subscribe to my electronic mail listing, and observe us on social media too.
We’re going to aim to share the great, the dangerous, and the ugly elements of shifting overseas and residing as expats abroad.
I’m positive it received’t all be butterflies and rainbows both.
What Am I Doing These Days?
This journey weblog has been hit exhausting during the last 12 months by Google’s continued search algorithm updates which have devastated the running a blog neighborhood. It nonetheless earns cash, however not practically the quantity it used to.
Whereas I’ll proceed to try to revive the weblog a bit and put up extra on social media, I’ve additionally began a brand new enterprise filming VR180 3D journey & nature movies for VR headsets like the brand new Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional and Meta Quest 3.
Should you haven’t demoed an Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional headset on the Apple Retailer but, I extremely suggest you do. It’s free, and it’ll blow your thoughts.
Digital and Augmented Actuality is coming, and it’ll change leisure perpetually.
The headsets will get smaller, cheaper, and much more superior as the longer term progresses. Ultimately they’ll substitute your TV, laptop computer, and possibly even cellphones sooner or later!
My movies on Escape VR goal to immerse folks in stunning journey and nature locations world wide from the consolation of house. As realistically as doable.
Don’t have a VR headset but?
Whereas it’s not practically the identical expertise, you’ll be able to watch my digital actuality journey movies on the YouTube App right here too.
Not everybody can journey as a lot as we do, and experiencing well-known and gorgeous places in high-definition 3D VR with encompass sound Spatial Audio and 180 levels of motion to go searching your setting is MUCH extra sensible than watching an old-school 2D boxed video on YouTube.
With as we speak’s latest digital actuality cameras and headsets, you are feeling such as you’re really there.
It’s a type of issues that you need to expertise for your self to grasp. I can’t actually describe it precisely in writing.
Why Are We Transferring To Europe?
We’ve observed a sudden enhance in folks from the USA wanting to maneuver to Europe (I can’t think about why!) and so we’ve determined to doc our journey right here for you.
With looming existential threats just like the rise of authoritarian politics, AI and the singularity making many roles out of date (together with mine), inhabitants declines, environmental destruction, social media manipulation, and numerous different elements — the way forward for the world doesn’t look so vivid.
My household and I wish to experience out the approaching storm in a spot that we are going to really feel secure, safe, and that enables us to proceed touring and dealing doing what we love — whereas limiting prices.
France is thought for its sturdy social system, pure magnificence, and affect on this planet. Touring round Europe by practice or low cost funds airline tickets will make our work way more reasonably priced than attempting to do the identical primarily based within the (fairly remoted) US.
We love Europe and the French way of life. We barely want a automotive over right here. Every little thing is bike & strolling pleasant.
There’s nice public transportation. The character is spectacular. There are common festivals, lively public areas, frequent holidays, and a typically extra relaxed vibe. The meals is wonderful and never filled with crap.
The poisonous political division within the US and scary developments with its present chief threatening different unbiased nations with annexation and tariffs that will cripple the financial system worldwide — have additionally simply been an excessive amount of.
I perceive shifting to Europe isn’t doable for everybody.
We’re very lucky to have twin US/EU citizenship, which makes shifting to France a lot simpler for us.
Nonetheless there are different options, like securing a digital nomad visa or the standard method of discovering a job abroad and getting your new employer to sponsor your European work visa.
I plan on sharing extra particulars about these and different choices as nicely.
However my focus shifting ahead might be sharing the shifting overseas expertise. And what life is like residing as an American Expat overseas.
- Resides in Europe actually higher than within the US?
- How is the meals?
- What does healthcare seem like?
- How does college for teenagers work?
- What about work/life steadiness?
- Is it safer?
- Is it cheaper?
- Is there a language barrier?
- How do taxes work?
Tune in to seek out out! On social media in fact.
As a result of that Pandora’s field won’t ever be closed…
Click on Right here To Comply with Us On Your Favourite Social Media Platforms
– Matt
