For years, I taught an immigration unit to my fourth-graders where we deeply explored the many reasons that people move; we divided them into “pushes” (war, famine, lack of opportunity) and “pulls” (family, jobs prospects, hope for a better life). I’ve been thinking a lot about those pushes and pulls since starting this journey of moving our family across the ocean to a new life in Spain.
In Charlotte, I owned a comfortable home, had a long-standing job I loved, and family close by. A nice, safe life. And yet there were still “pushes” – the increased threat of gun violence and the toxic political landscape were two big ones. I wanted my children to not have to do lockdown drills at school and to feel safe in crowded public spaces.
But mostly there were “pulls” – the excitement of experiencing a new culture, the challenges of learning a new language, the anticipation of giving our children the gift of global citizenship. Between us, Christopher and I had spent almost two decades living in and experiencing life overseas. And we wanted our children to truly know about and appreciate life outside of suburban Charlotte, NC.
So we moved! That makes it sound a heck of a lot easier than it was – more blogs on that to come! – but ultimately, that’s what we did.
What are your pushes and pulls as you consider a life outside the U.S.? Comment below to let us know!
Ready to let Spain pull you into a new life? Drop us an email to find out how.
