Americans moving to Europe, living abroad, leaving the USA, moving from Texas to Germany and Spain, expat life, starting over abroad, and the reality of living far away from family.My mom and I both left Texas to move to Europe. I moved to Germany at 21, and she moved to Spain at 60. Here’s what two Americans learned about living abroad, starting over, and leaving family behind.Ten years ago, I left South Texas for what was supposed to be a two-year master’s degree in Germany. I never expected that Munich would become my permanent home, or that a decade later I would become a German citizen. My mom definitely never expected that she would eventually follow her own path to Europe too and start over in Alicante, Spain.Moving abroad and building a new life in Europe comes with its challenges. In this episode, we talk about what leaving Texas has given us, what it has cost our family, and the parts of living overseas that people don’t always talk about.We talk openly about being thousands of miles away when family members get sick, the guilt that comes with not being able to simply show up, watching parents and grandparents get older from another continent, and the frightening moments that make you question the distance.At the same time, living abroad has changed both of our lives in ways neither of us could have predicted. We’ve created communities, become more independent, found new definitions of home, and discovered that distance can sometimes make family relationships more intentional.In this episode, we talk about:• Why we both left Texas for Europe• Moving abroad at 21 vs. moving abroad at 60• Why my mom chose Alicante, Spain• What my mom really thought when I moved to Germany• Starting over later in life• The emotional cost of living far away from family• Missing major family moments while living overseas• Guilt, aging parents and grandparents, and scary phone calls from home• How our family stays close across Texas, Spain and Germany• The biggest differences between our lives in Europe and Texas• How moving abroad changed our ideas of home and belonging• What we’ve gained from leaving and what we’ve had to sacrificeWhether you’re an American living abroad, thinking about moving to Europe, considering starting over later in life, or wondering what happens to family relationships when people build lives in different countries, this is a very personal conversation about the reality of moving overseas.⏰ CHAPTERS:00:00 The Reality of Living Far From Family00:31 Why My Mom and I Both Left Texas for Europe12:40 Why My Mom Moved to Spain at 6021:30 The Hidden Cost of Living Abroad35:20 Moving to Europe at 21 vs. 6052:40 Building a New Life in Europe🌍 ABOUT THE POD ABROADHowdy und Servus, y’all :-) I’m Paulina — originally from Texas and living in Munich, Germany for nearly 10 years.The Pod Abroad is a long-form podcast about life abroad, cultural differences, identity, immigration, and building a life overseas through honest conversations with people from around the world.👉 New episodes every Tuesday.🎧 LISTEN & CONNECTSpotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/711j4OKApple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcastAll platforms → https://linktr.ee/thepodabroadInstagram → / thepod.abroad TikTok → / thepodabroad Substack → https://substack.com/@thepodabroadInquiries → paulina@thepodabroad.com🎥 CREWVideo, Audio & Music → Tim ter HuurneDesign / Branding → Ali Khazanbeik
