Have you ever found yourself wondering if there’s more to life than your daily routine? Dreaming about starting fresh somewhere completely new? Four months ago, my husband and I stopped wondering and actually did it – we decided to pack up our life in Mexico and move abroad: to Spain.

Our decision came after feeling too comfortable yet somehow unfulfilled in our lives. We wanted personal growth, adventure, and a different lifestyle – one where we could walk everywhere instead of being car-dependent. Getting my Spanish passport through my heritage was the perfect catalyst for this change.

Has it been perfect? Definitely not. Worth it? Absolutely. Here’s my honest take on why moving abroad might be the shake-up your life needs – complete with the amazing parts and the “why did nobody warn me about this?!” moments.

You’ll Figure Out Who You Really Are (When Nobody Knows Who You’re “Supposed” To Be)

Since moving to Spain, I’ve found myself in this weird emotional space I call “no man’s land” – not fully Mexican anymore, not Spanish either. It’s disorienting, but also incredibly freeing.

Back home, we all have our assigned roles. You’re someone’s child, sibling, the funny friend, the responsible one, whatever. When you move abroad, nobody has those expectations of you. I’ve discovered this new sense of courage I never knew I had, probably because I had to find it to survive all the “how the heck do I do this?” moments.

The coolest part? I’m connecting with my Spanish roots while growing into a more authentic version of myself. Without the weight of others’ expectations, I’ve discovered strengths and perspectives I never knew I had. There’s something incredibly liberating about stepping away from people telling you who you are and discovering who you actually want to be. Moving abroad creates the space for that kind of genuine personal growth.

You’ll Gain a Fresh Perspective on Work and Life Balance

One of the most striking differences I’ve noticed in my four months in Spain is the completely different attitude toward work and life balance. This isn’t about adding international work experience to my resume yet—it’s about seeing alternatives to what I took for granted.

In Spain, I’ve been surprised by how seriously people take their personal time. The famous siesta isn’t just a stereotype—many shops actually do close in the afternoon, and long lunches are normal. Watching how Spaniards prioritize their time outside of work has made me question some of my own assumptions about success and productivity.

Even without working here formally, just living in this different environment has changed how I think about what I want from my career going forward. There’s something eye-opening about seeing a society function with different priorities than what I was used to in Mexico.

This fresh perspective might be one of the most valuable souvenirs I’ll take home—the realization that there are multiple valid approaches to building a good life, and maybe I can create my own.

Your Language Skills Will Be Humbled (Even When You Already Speak the Language)

Here’s something nobody warned me about: despite being a native Spanish speaker, moving to Spain has given me plenty of “wait, what did you just say?” moments.

I thought I had this language thing in the bag, but Spanish in Spain is like a cousin to Mexican Spanish – related but definitely not identical. The slang is different, people talk faster, and there are cultural references I completely miss.

Just yesterday, someone told me something was “la leche” (literally “the milk”) and I was confused until I realized they meant it was awesome. Who knew?

The point isn’t to become perfect at the language – it’s to get comfortable with the uncomfortable feeling of not fully understanding. That skill translates to every area of life abroad. My brain is constantly adapting, and I’m learning to laugh at misunderstandings instead of being embarrassed by them.

You’ll Find Your People (And They Might Surprise You)

One of the unexpected joys of moving abroad is discovering who your “people” really are. In Spain, I’ve connected primarily with other expats and, interestingly, Spaniards who used to be expats themselves and now run local international groups. There’s an immediate understanding between people who have all chosen to leave their comfort zones.

These connections aren’t just about having buddies to hang out with —they’re lifelines when navigating bureaucratic nightmares or housing challenges. The expat community often becomes your first support system, offering everything from practical advice to emotional validation when you’re feeling particularly foreign.

The diverse friendships you build abroad provide global perspectives on everything from politics to daily habits, challenging your assumptions and broadening your worldview in ways that staying in one place never could. You’ll find yourself in conversations that would be impossible to have back home, with people whose life experiences differ dramatically from your own.

You’ll Gain New Appreciation for Food (While Missing Old Favorites)

Living abroad creates a complicated relationship with food. While I’ve fallen in love with the incredible affordable cheeses and fresh ingredients available in Spain, I find myself desperately missing Mexican street food—especially tacos. No amount of decent Spanish food can fill that particular hole in my heart.

You’ll discover new favorites that will eventually become comfort foods, but there will always be dishes from home that nothing can replace. Food becomes both a source of exciting discovery and occasional homesickness. I’ve found myself appreciating certain Mexican flavors in ways I never did when they were easily accessible.

Beyond just tasting new cuisines, you’ll learn the cultural context behind dishes—why Spanish people eat dinner at 10 PM, how meal timing reflects different cultural priorities, and why certain ingredients are celebrated. These culinary insights offer windows into cultural values that guidebooks rarely capture.

Your Lifestyle Will Transform (But Not Always How You Expect)

The trade-offs of moving abroad aren’t always what you anticipate. While Spain offers walkable cities and reliable public transportation compared to car-dependent Mexico, I’ve been surprised—and often disappointed—by other aspects of European living.

Finding affordable housing has been unexpectedly challenging—there’s a genuine housing crisis here, and the mountains of paperwork required for rentals make the process even more difficult. Sometimes I find myself missing Mexican bureaucracy, which is something I never thought I’d say!

There are some conveniences, like different food options and specialty shops that weren’t available to me before. However, these small differences hardly make up for the bigger challenges I face daily.

The European emphasis on regulation can feel suffocating compared to the “wild west” freedom I was accustomed to in Mexico. While this regulation does translate to certain infrastructure differences, the reality of living here is far more complex—and often less idyllic—than the idealized version many people promote about European living.

Despite these challenges, there is one genuinely valuable aspect to this experience—perspective. Living abroad strips away idealized notions and forces you to see both your home country and your new one with clearer eyes. You develop a unique ability to compare systems, cultures, and ways of life not as a tourist, but as someone navigating daily reality in different parts of the world.

This deeper understanding of how societies function differently is something you simply cannot gain from reading articles or taking vacations. It’s a form of education that, while sometimes uncomfortable, permanently expands your worldview in ways that might prove invaluable for your future decisions—even if that decision ultimately becomes returning home with newfound appreciation.

You’ll Battle Bureaucratic Beasts (And Win)

If there’s one universal truth about moving abroad, it’s that bureaucracy will test your patience, problem-solving skills, and sanity. Despite being prepared for Spanish red tape, I’ve been shocked by how ridiculous it can actually be!

The paperwork required for everything from renting an apartment to registering with local authorities is mind-boggling. Long waiting times for appointments, conflicting information from different officials, and the catch-22 situations where you need document A to get document B, but you can’t get document A without document B first…

Yet there’s a strange pride that comes with conquering these administrative mountains. Each bureaucratic victory builds resilience and adaptability that transforms you into a problem-solving machine. After figuring out how to navigate the housing crisis while gathering impossible combinations of documents, everyday challenges back home will seem laughably simple.

Your Understanding of Your Own Culture Will Deepen

Perhaps counterintuitively, living abroad gives you a clearer perspective on your home country. You’ll notice cultural patterns and national characteristics you never recognized when you were immersed in them daily.

I found myself simultaneously more appreciative of certain aspects of American culture (the optimism, the efficiency, the friendliness) while becoming more critical of others (the workaholic tendencies, the healthcare system, the car dependency). This nuanced understanding is impossible to develop without the contrast provided by living elsewhere.

You’ll Create the Most Magical Memories

Ordinary Tuesdays transform into extraordinary adventures when you’re living abroad. Even mundane errands—like grocery shopping or mailing a letter—can become memorable experiences filled with humorous miscommunications or unexpected discoveries.

Think about watching the sunrise at Angkor Wat on a random weekday, stumbling upon a local festival in a Mexican village, or having an impromptu picnic with new friends along the Seine. These moments of wonder and connection become the stories you’ll tell for decades to come.

You’ll Develop a Fierce Independence and Global Perspective

Since moving to Spain, I’ve discovered a newfound sense of courage, bravery, and drive for self-sufficiency that I never knew I had. There’s something about building a life from scratch that ignites a fire within you.

Perhaps the most profound change happens in how you perceive the world itself. I find myself with a much more global perspective, less attached to national identities and more aware of our shared humanity. The regulations that initially felt suffocating in Europe have given me new perspectives on freedom and its different interpretations across cultures.

This perspective shift is permanent and will influence everything from your political views to your consumer choices to your understanding of global events. Living between cultures creates a unique vantage point that few experiences can match—you become a bridge between worlds, with all the complexity and insight that entails. It’s a form of education no university course could ever provide.

Making the Leap: Practical First Steps (And What I Wish I’d Known)

If my journey from Mexico to Spain has convinced you (or at least intrigued you), here are some practical starting points—with a healthy dose of hard-earned wisdom:

• Research visa options thoroughly, but also prepare for bureaucratic surprises that no amount of research can anticipate
• Join expat groups on Facebook before you arrive—they’ll be invaluable for navigating initial challenges and forming your first social connections
• Investigate the housing situation carefully; what looks affordable online might have hidden challenges or paperwork requirements
• Bring more documentation than you think you’ll need—apostilled birth certificates, extra passport photos, notarized translations, and multiple copies of everything
• Build a financial buffer larger than you planned; the initial setup costs (deposits, fees, unexpected purchases) add up quickly
• Research banking options in advance—opening accounts as a foreigner can be surprisingly difficult in many countries
• If you have roots in the country you’re moving to, connect with that heritage before arrival; it provides both practical advantages and emotional anchoring

Moving abroad isn’t always easy, but few transformative experiences are. What I can promise is this: despite the bureaucratic headaches and occasional longing for street tacos, the feeling of walking through Spanish streets, discovering my ancestral culture, and developing a newfound sense of global citizenship has been worth every frustration.

The world is enormous, magnificently diverse, and waiting to be experienced—even the challenging parts. Perhaps it’s time to answer its call?

Are you living abroad or considering taking the plunge? I’d love to hear about your experiences or answer specific questions about my Mexico-to-Spain journey in the comments below!