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My 78-year-old grandfather visits me regularly since I moved to Portugal. I cherish our relationship.

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I cannot recall my first memory of my grandfather, Geraldo. Maybe because he was always there.

When I was born, he split his time between Paris, where I lived, so he could watch me grow, and Rio de Janeiro, where he now lives full-time. Picking me up from school, dealing with my tantrums, and taking me to the movies. After I moved to New York when I was 6, he came to visit frequently, and I spent a month in Rio with him every summer.

When I moved to Portugal at 23, I hoped my grandfather would visit me, but I couldn’t have dreamt of what our relationship would become. It’s only been two and a half years, and he’s already visited five times. I should get him a frequent visitor card.

I love caring for him

There is something truly marvelous about caring for those who cared for you. Driving him around, making him tartar and banana pancakes, even just pouring him coffee; these simple things fill me with joy.


Man sitting for lunch

The author’s 78-year-old grandfather visits her in Portugal often.

Courtesy of the author



He is one of my favorite family members. He makes me laugh an exorbitant amount with his funny facial expressions, ridiculous reactions, and cynical jokes. One time he visited, I made iced coffee, and he eyed me like I was insane.

I cherish our time together

He finds joy in everything. He’s said things to me like “This coffee is terrific,” or “The octopus salad is even better than the one yesterday,” and “It’s so beautiful to see you like this.”

Not only does his attitude make him the best guest — so easy to please — but it also fills me with hope that I, too, will age like him, able to see the beauty in all that lies around.


Grandfather at airport

Courtesy of the author



That’s not to say that he doesn’t love to complain about just about everything; he is an old man who spent decades living in France, after all, but it’s always with a cheeky tinge. The weather was particularly gruesome on his last visit. When in Rio, he complains because it’s dangerous, loud, and unbearably hot. He jokes that he’s going to move here, or we could swap houses, and honestly, I’m considering it.

He was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s

My grandfather was 62 when I was born, which means I got to know him as an adult. I get to take him to lunch, introduce him to my friends — they all love him — and hear his stories. I realize it isn’t something everyone gets. For that, I am eternally grateful. It’s easy to think that intergenerational relationships are most valuable in childhood, but they can flourish most in adulthood.


Woman and grandfather at the beach

Courtesy of the author



Since his first visit to Portugal, my grandfather has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s. I witnessed him constantly searching for his wallet and phone, how he accidentally left my apartment door open, sending me into a “where’s-my-cat-frenzy,” and how he asked over and over which day we were flying to France. At first, I was unable to comprehend how memory can fail my PhD professor’s grandfather. Then I thought of all the people who would dream of having this much time with theirs.

We probably only have a few good years left. Sometimes I catch myself crying about what’s to come. I know grief well, so I know the devastation I will feel, but instead of letting it consume me, I choose to turn it into a “yes” to every opportunity to see him, host him, show him more of my life, and learn all I can from his.

So I take many photos, hug him as much as I can, hope for more visits, and share this advice: if your grandparents can still travel, have them come visit. In the future, you will thank yourself.




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I moved 13 times over 15 years to advance my career. I would never wish this on anyone.

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Figure skating has long been a big part of my life. At 15, I convinced my school district to override attendance so I could pursue my then-competitive figure skating career. I then scheduled college classes around training.

Three undergraduate apartments and two graduate dorms later, I found a great place to live in New York City on Bleecker and Thompson for three years. I worked as a private figure skating coach at the Wollman and Chelsea Piers ice rinks. At 25, I enrolled at UCLA as a postdoctoral fellow and snagged a place in the Venice Canals. I loved it for two years. I then completed another postdoc for 1 year in San Diego, then returned to the East Coast for my first faculty position. Philadelphia turned me into a professor in developmental psychology.

I moved back to New York City for my 10th move to the West Village, but I wasn’t there long. I moved again to be closer to the train hall, and by then, entering my 30s and my third year of tenure-track, I just wanted to be home.

Happy but out of fuel, my 12th move was back to Southern California, and it was also my fourth across the coast.

With every move, packing felt heavier, and hiring movers didn’t lighten the load. The sight of boxes became demoralizing.

Moving so frequently lost its excitement

Every new city, I’d think: new cafés, new restaurants, and new yoga studios! But once I actually settled in, I only started to miss the spots and familiar faces I’d left behind.

Every time I’d, again, go out frolicking, eating, meeting, and socializing, a cloud of impermanence would steam from the back of my head.

I became confused about how much to invest in new relationships. I wondered if I should connect deeply with new people, if it was likely I’d be moving again sometime soon.

Sometimes, my location kept me far from my family

In the middle of grad school, I remember standing on a street corner and receiving an unexpected phone call: My father had died. I was far from home at that moment.

Even though I was often on the East Coast, my family frequently visited, especially my uncle and auntie.


Anahid S. Modrek's moving truck filled with boxes

The author had to pack up her life several times.

Courtesy of Anahid S. Modrek



When I moved back to California this most recent round, my uncle started to battle ALS and stopped visiting because of the staircase up to my space. After about a year, I received a phone call that my uncle was headed to the ICU; his fight with ALS was over. I’ll never live somewhere that isn’t wheelchair accessible again.

My final, most recent move (No. 13) was deliberate: downtown Culver City, behind the Museum of Jurassic Technology, where my grandfather Hagop Sandaldjian’s standing exhibition is. He died after I was born, and it was a way of connecting with him.

Moving was worth it for my career

This all started with decisions made when I was 15. I’m 35 now.

I did what I had to do in academia to maintain momentum. I don’t have regrets, per se. I wanted to experience it all.

Academia was an intellectual pursuit and an adventure that came with losses I didn’t expect. Ice eventually melts, and soil soaks up the water. That’s how roots grow.

Academia brought me back home, but it was a drive to maintain momentum developed as an athlete that kept me moving until my feet landed right where I wanted. Now up for early tenure, I feel like I’m just getting started.




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I got the ‘perfect job’ in my field after graduating. Two years later, I left it all behind and moved to Tokyo.

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After four years of coursework, practicums, and part-time jobs, graduating felt like a huge accomplishment. I finally had room to breathe. Then fall approached, and it was time to get a “real job”.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in social work, picked up ESL teaching certifications along the way, and assumed I would either go straight into the field or head to teacher’s college.

It felt like the responsible choice — one that made sense to my family, to my need for stability, and to the unspoken expectation that, after graduation, you pick a path and stay on it.

That summer, I came across a college instructor position I was technically qualified for, so I applied, interviewed, and overcame some serious impostor syndrome. By September, I was teaching my first college-level courses from home.

At first, I felt great. The hours were good, my students were kind, and my family was proud of me. I was even teaching future community-service workers.

On paper, it was a dream job. It felt grown-up, fit my background, and seemed like the right thing to do. Over time, though, that feeling faded.

I wasn’t ready to settle down, and I could feel it


Womam smiling with flowers, diploma

After graduating, I got a job in my field as I felt I was supposed to.

Alessa Hickman



Between life changes, teaching burnout, and a growing disconnect from my passions, I felt stuck.

I’ve always been creatively inclined, whether that meant writing, making videos, cooking, or creating digital resources in my free time.

Instead, many of my nights were spent prepping lessons, grading assignments, and reading essays, leaving little room for the hobbies that filled me up.

Gradually, the work took a toll on me, but the expectation that a “good” job is one you stick with for years made leaving seem like breaking the rules.

In my early 20s, I felt boxed into this pipeline that didn’t suit me, and I didn’t want to follow a version of success that didn’t feel sustainable.

I’m entrepreneurial by nature, constantly chasing new ideas, certifications, and ways to apply them. So when I started exploring what else I could do with my skill set, freelance writing made the most sense.

With my husband’s support, I decided to leave teaching and pursue freelancing full-time — a move that raised quite a few eyebrows.

My craving for something radically different pushed me to leave my job and my country


Woman smiling with drum arcade games

I fell in love with Japan when I first visited.

Alessa Hickman



Around the time my teaching chapter closed, I learned about Japan’s Working Holiday Visa program. My husband and I first visited Japan in early 2024 and instantly fell in love with the country.

Back in Ontario, that feeling was hard to ignore. We were renting an apartment with a lease ending in October, and after spending my entire life in my hometown, staying felt more limiting than comfortable.

Between the rising cost of living and a sense that I had outgrown my routines, I wanted to explore something new.


Aerial view of city in Japan during daytime

I’ve enjoyed building a life in Tokyo.

Alessa Hickman



We applied for the visa, were approved, and sold most of our belongings as our move-out date approached. In December 2025, we flew to Tokyo and rang in the new year halfway across the world.

Living here has been incredible. Learning Japanese, navigating a new culture, and building a life in Tokyo have been exactly what I needed. And yes — the food’s been amazing, too.

Moving abroad and changing paths didn’t mean abandoning my education or values. Instead, it meant reframing them.

Read more stories about moving somewhere new

My definition of success looks different now


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I’ve learned that life after college doesn’t have to be linear.

Alessa Hickman



I’m no longer in a classroom, but my background in social work and teaching continues to shape the work I do.

I create and edit content that’s rooted in helping others, and I’m lucky enough to write about my life and experiences abroad.

When I told people I was quitting teaching, and later that I was moving to Japan, it was seen as somewhat unconventional. My husband even left his stable job to come here.

However, the move opened many more doors than it closed. Living in Tokyo has brought new experiences, stories, and opportunities I would’ve never had otherwise.

I’ve learned that postgrad life doesn’t have to be linear — and maybe it shouldn’t be. For some people, stability is the right choice. But for others, taking a detour can lead to growth you’d never find by staying put.

For me, choosing uncertainty meant choosing myself.

I don’t know what my life will look like in two or five years from now, but I do know that I’m building it on my own terms. That feels like a pretty good place to start.




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I graduated from college 6 years ago and have already moved 10 times. I never thought my post-grad life would be this unstable.

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Growing up with limited money, I always viewed college as a safety net, an investment that would set me up for immediate success. I started saving for tuition in high school, worked full-time in college to avoid student loans, earned straight A’s, and did all I could think of to guarantee financial success.

I felt financially secure for a short time, but everything changed when I graduated. The stability I once felt walking around my safe college town vanished almost overnight, and I was completely unprepared.

Since graduating over six years ago, I’ve moved 10 times while navigating rent increases, job changes, and the financial realities of being a young adult.

I thought life after college would be stable, but I was wrong

It took 10 months to find a job after graduating. When I finally did, I moved out of my childhood bedroom only to live temporarily with friends, and then back with my parents, recovering from the embarrassment of not being able to afford housing on my entry-level salary.

After a few months and a decent raise, I tried again. I moved into an apartment with my boyfriend (now husband) and got a dog. Since then, we’ve lived in four different apartments, moving back in with family between each one.

I’ve changed addresses so many times that my GPS has given up on me. Rising rent, post-pandemic inflation, pay cuts, unexpected debt, and even a lost tax payment forced us back home multiple times. We were fortunate to have family to fall back on, but the repeated setbacks never felt easy.


Erin Wetten and her dog unpacking moving boxes

The author has faced many financial struggles since college.

Courtesy of Erin Wetten



Over six years later, I’m still not “settled” in the way I imagined. Each move taught me to handle setbacks with a little more confidence, yet, as someone who was so used to being prepared, I still felt like I was losing my sense of self.

I began to understand the emotional toll of feeling like a failure

I’ve spent my whole life measuring my self-worth in numbers — my SAT score, GPA, and items on my résumé. I planned my entire future in spreadsheets, bit my nails until they bled, and spent nights before big tests throwing up, even after weeks of studying.

That was me: an anxious, overachieving mess who crumbled at the thought of even a small failure.

Postgrad life quickly humbled me, teaching me that no amount of spreadsheets or A’s could protect me from the real world.

Every time I moved into a new apartment, I told myself, “This is it. I’ll save up, and the next move will be into a house of my own.” But it still hasn’t worked out that way. I’ve been forced to decide: Do I let that feeling drag me down, or accept that instability is a part of life and choose to enjoy the journey?

I had to find a ‘home’ within myself.

In my 20s, I’ve learned that life rarely unfolds the way we imagine, no matter how meticulously we plan. When I crossed the stage in cap and gown six years ago, I pictured a steady job, a white picket fence, and a stress-free existence waiting for me on the other side. I thought fulfillment would come from checking the right boxes in the right order, as I had always done.

Instead, I’ve never felt more fulfilled than I do now that I’ve thrown out the checklist altogether and stopped viewing life like a syllabus.

Over time, the weight of starting over lightened, and I learned to feel at home within myself, even as my physical space kept changing. Rather than feeling sorry for myself, I sought opportunity in each new set of blank walls, finding comfort and purpose from within.

My life hasn’t followed the simple, straightforward path I once expected, and I’ve come to believe that is for a reason. As someone with a Type A personality who was once consumed by anxiety over the smallest things, more rules and timelines weren’t what I needed. I needed freedom from my own expectations, and in my case, that meant getting knocked down enough times to finally loosen my grip on perfection.

No matter how many times I have to move or start over, I know I’ll be OK. I’m no longer chasing a timeline or striving for a perfect grade in life. I’m building a life that feels like mine, and letting its ups and downs shape me for the better.




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25 celebrities who have left Los Angeles on where they moved and why they did it

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California is the US state with the most people moving out, with about 817,000 leavers between 2021 and 2022, according to the most recent census data.

A higher cost of living plus the increased threat of wildfires have people choosing other places across the country.

And while regular people ditch the Golden State, several celebrities, who can typically afford to live wherever they want, have also decided California is no longer the place for them.

Singer turned talk show host Kelly Clarkson traded Los Angeles for New York City post-divorce for in 2022, while actor Sylvester Stallone said in 2024 that he and his family are “permanently” vacating California for South Florida.

Popular moving destinations for Californians include Arizona, Florida, and Texas. And some have chosen different countries completely.

People have told Business Insider that their reasons for leaving LA and California include high taxes, expensive home prices, and challenging social and political conditions. Some celebrities remain tight-lipped when sharing details of their moves, simply saying they’re looking for a fresh start. Other high-profile actors, however, admit that the fast-paced, stressful scene in Hollywood can be another motivation.

Los Angeles, in particular, is experiencing an exodus of wealthier people in search of places where their money goes further.

Take Gus Lira, a managing partner at a private jet charter company, who had a condo in Malibu overlooking the ocean. California taxes were wearing him down, so he decided to move to Nevada.

“For me, really the main reason, and for many of the people that I know, is just taxes,” Lira told Business Insider in January. “You can’t get ahead when you get $100 and they take $60.”

Business Insider compiled a list of 26 celebrities — some in celebrity couples — who left California for greener pastures, presented in alphabetical order by last name. We tried to include both where they moved to and why they left LA.

Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake left LA to shield their kids from the glare of the paparazzi.

Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake.

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

The power couple has dealt with the paparazzi for most of their professional careers. But they had enough of their kids also having to endure it.

Since 2018, Biel, Timberlake, and their two kids have lived predominantly at their properties in Tennessee and Montana.

“You get hammered on the East Coast. You kind of get hammered on the West Coast. That’s why we don’t really live there anymore,” said Biel in a May 2024 episode of SiriusXM’s “Let’s Talk Off Camera With Kelly Ripa,” seemingly referring to her former home of LA. “We’re just trying to create some normalcy for these kids.”

Dean Cain left LA for Las Vegas because of the “incredible taxation” and “horrible regulations for business” in California.


Dean Cain

Dean Cain.

Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images

Dean Cain, best known for playing Clark Kent/Superman in “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” was fed up with how things were run in California.

The actor split for Vegas in 2023.

“It’s the most ridiculous large government, incredible taxation, horrible regulations for business,” he told Fox News Digital in 2023. “Very anti-business.”

Cain said California’s personal income tax felt especially high.

“I moved to Las Vegas. I live in Nevada now,” he added. “I have 10 times as nice a house. I’m not kidding. Ten times as nice a house as I had in Malibu. The house is absolutely stunningly built. Gorgeous, beautiful. Everything is brand new.”

Kelly Clarkson didn’t just move from LA to New York — she took her daytime talk show with her.


Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson.

Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Image

Kelly Clarkson felt she had a new lease on life when she moved to New York City last year.

After finalizing her divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock in 2022, she didn’t just take her kids east. She also brought “The Kelly Clarkson Show” — it started taping in New York in season 5.

“I was very depressed for the last three years — and maybe a little before that, if I’m being honest. I think I really needed the change,” the Grammy winner told People. “I needed it for me and my family as well. My kids are thriving here. We’re just doing so much better, and we needed a fresh start.”

George and Amal Clooney left LA so their kids could “get a fair shake at life” — they are now French citizens.


George Clooney and Amal Clooney.

George Clooney and Amal Clooney.


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The Clooneys have lived the quieter life in Italy and France for years, but always had a home in LA, an English-style estate that George bought from Stevie Nicks back in 1995.

They finally sold that house in 2024 and now spend most of their time at their farmhouse in France with their twins, Ella and Alexander.

George told Esquire in 2025 why they left. “I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood,” he said. “I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life.”

“I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi,” he added. “I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids.”

In late December 2025, George and Amal became French citizens.

Jesse Eisenberg moved to his wife’s hometown of Bloomington, Indiana.


Jesse Eisenberg

Jesse Eisenberg.

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Actor and director Jesse Eisenberg took the pandemic as an opportunity to leave Los Angeles. Eisenberg, his wife, and their son packed up an RV and drove to his wife’s hometown of Bloomington, Indiana.

“We have driven cross-country a lot, but we thought it would be prudent to isolate in an RV instead of stopping at hotels,” Eisenberg told The Hollywood Reporter in 2020.

Initially, Eisenberg moved to Indiana to help take care of his late mother-in-law after she got sick and also help out at a domestic violence shelter where she worked.

But Eisenberg was happy to be in Indiana.

“I’ve lived in Indiana for a decade on-and-off and that’s where I feel the most comfortable,” Eisenberg told CBS News in February. “I’m not somebody who wants to surround myself in an industry that just feels kind of unstable.”

Chris Evans wanted to be closer to family in Massachusetts.


Chris Evans posing.

Chris Evans.

Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

Silverscreen superhero and Massachusetts native Chris Evans listed his Los Angeles home in May for $6.99 million, The Wall Street Journal reported, cementing his abandonment of California.

“After over a decade of amazing memories in his LA home, Chris is planning to move to the East Coast to be closer to family,” Evans’ listing agent Scott Moore said in a statement to People.

Evans married his wife, Alba Baptista, in Cape Cod, and now they both spend most of their time in Massachusetts.

Walton Goggins moved to New York after the pandemic.


A man and a woman at an event. On the left, the man has long swept-back black hair. He's wearing a white blazer over an open-collared black shirt and black trousers. On the right, the woman also has her black hair swept back, and is wearing a glittery green dress. They're standing against a purple backdrop with gold logos for Hulu, ABC, and the Emmys on it.

Walton Goggins and Nadia Conners.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

“The White Lotus” star Walton Goggins and his wife, Nadia Conners, moved to New York’s Hudson Valley during the pandemic in 2021. But, he told Architectural Digest in February, the move was less about California, and more about New York.

“We weren’t running away from Los Angeles,” he said. “We were running toward something.”

“The pandemic opened windows of self-perception and possibility,” he added. “It was an opportunity to do something different, not to start over from scratch but to change, to evolve.”

Goggins, who was raised in Georgia, chose to live in a 1920s home upstate that resembles a hunting lodge — with an abundance of wood paneling and wood flooring — instead of the glitzy surroundings of Los Angeles.

John Goodman left LA in the late ’80s.


John Goodman in a suit

John Goodman.

Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Getty

John Goodman figured out a long time ago that Los Angeles wasn’t for him and has been living in New Orleans since the late 1980s.

Like many, the Emmy winner first visited Crescent City to party. In the late 1970s, he showed up with his fraternity pals. A few years later, as an actor, he was shooting the movie “Everybody’s All-American” alongside Dennis Quaid, Jessica Lange, and Timothy Hutton when he met his future wife, Anna Beth. He’s been attached to the city ever since.

“I used to come down here every time I’d get a few dimes to rub together, and it felt like I was missing something unless I was here,” he told “Today” in 2023. “I consider myself very lucky to be here.”

Adrian Grenier left California to work on a farm in Texas.


Adrian Grenier posing.

Adrian Grenier.

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Adrian Grenier, known mostly from his “Entourage” fame, left California for Texas in 2020.

Grenier traded the glitzy life of Hollywood for a farm 45 minutes outside Austin, Texas, where he prefers a quieter lifestyle outside the spotlight.

“I don’t miss anything about that world. Listen, if you go on Instagram long enough, you’re going to find some FOMO somewhere, but everyone is just pretending they’re living their best life,” he told Life Magazine in 2021. “Ultimately, I know that I am, so I don’t even tell anybody about it.”

Josh Hartnett has been living in the English countryside since the pandemic. He left Hollywood after dealing with a stalker.


Josh Harnett in a black jacket

Josh Hartnett.

Cindy Ord/WireImage/Getty

The actor recently gained renewed attention thanks to movies like “Oppenheimer” and “Trap,” but don’t expect to find him hanging out on the Sunset Strip. Since the pandemic, he’s ditched LA for the English countryside.

Hartnett and his wife, British actor Tamsin Egerton, have lived in Hampshire since COVID hit, bringing up their four kids. He’s living in the UK on a marriage visa, so he can only leave the country for work for around 180 days a year.

After spending his early career in the Hollywood spotlight, Hartnett told The Guardian he loves the village country life where “nobody cares” who you are.

“This is all brand new to me,” he said. “I never would have expected it. And time passes quickly. With four children, you have so much to do. In a way, less is happening. But more of the important stuff is happening.”

Being outside Hollywood is also safer for Hartnett. He told The Guardian that when he lived in LA, he had experiences with stalkers.

“People showed up at my house. People that were stalking me,” he said. “A guy showed up at one of my premieres with a gun, claiming to be my father. He ended up in prison. There were lots of things. It was a weird time. And I wasn’t going to be grist for the mill.”

Chris Hemsworth moved his family back to his homeland of Australia right when his Marvel fame hit.


Chris Hemsworth with his hand in the hair waiving

Chris Hemsworth.

JB Lacroix/WireImage/Getty

Hemsworth figured out LA wasn’t for him right around the time the first “Thor” movie came out in 2011.

“We kind of were set up in LA and not enjoying it, you know?” Hemsworth said on the “SmartLess” podcast in February 2026, referring to him and his wife, fellow actor Elsa Pataky. “Like nothing was shooting there. We were filming kind of everywhere else and then you’d come home, and then paparazzi and all the sort of the trappings of, you know, living in that space.”

Hemsworth and Pataky moved with their two young children to Hemsworth’s native Australia and have been there ever since.

“You know, when you come back from work, you wanna go on a holiday? Like coming home for me is — it feels like a holiday,” Hemsworth said. “We have a big farm and horses and motorbikes and surf.”

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban moved to Tennessee to be closer to the country music scene.


nicole kidman keith urban

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban.

Getty/David Becker

A year after Nicole Kidman tied the knot with country-music star Keith Urban, the two got the heck out of LA.

In 2007, they moved to Nashville, where the Australian Oscar winner dove headfirst into Urban’s world.

“That country-music community is a very warm community,” she told People in 2016. “It’s very protective. Keith’s been a part of it for decades now. It’s his home, it’s our home.”

In September, Kidman filed for divorce from Urban.

Lindsay Lohan left LA for Dubai and now has privacy, peace, and space.


Lindsay Lohan in a gree dress

Lindsay Lohan.

Leon Bennett/Getty

Lohan has lived on both coasts, but she currently prefers to be in the United Arab Emirates, where she lives with her husband, financier Bader Shammas, and their two-year-old son.

In a May 2025 profile in Elle, Lohan said that when she was living in Los Angeles, she would be “stressed” about the paparazzi taking photos of her while at the park with her son. Living in New York, there’s a “different kind of energy” but not as much space. Living in Dubai, she gets it all.

“I get the privacy, I get the peace, I get the space,” she said. “I don’t have to worry there; I feel safe.”

Eva Longoria and her family split time between Mexico and Spain.


Eva Longoria in a white blouse on a street

Eva Longoria.

James Devaney/GC Images/Getty

The star and producer made the decision a few years ago to move out of Los Angeles.

She now splits her time between Mexico and Spain. She told Marie Claire in 2024 that she left Hollywood behind because it felt like that “chapter in my life is done now.”

While on “Live with Kelly and Mark” in April, Longoria said she loves traveling to the Andalucía region of Spain to enjoy the small beach bars and restaurants.

Matthew McConaughey headed to Texas to help his family.


Matthew McConaughey leaning against a viewfinder

Matthew McConaughey.

John Nacion/Getty

A few years before the McConaissance led to Matthew McConaughey’s best actor Oscar win, he and his wife, Camila Alves, fled Hollywood for his home state of Texas.

The two settled in Austin in 2012 after buying a 10,800-square-foot mansion. According to a profile in Southern Living, it was initially because of a “family crisis,” as he needed to help his mother and two brothers. That led to the couple deciding to stay put to raise their three children there.

“Ritual came back,” McConaughey said of being back in Texas. “Whether that was Sunday church, sports, dinner together as a family every night, or staying up after that telling stories in the kitchen, sitting at the island pouring drinks and nibbling while retelling them all in different ways than we told them before.”

“This is Us” star Chrissy Metz packed up for the Southern hospitality of Nashville.


Chrissy Metz in a colorful dress

Chrissy Metz.

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images

After 21 years on the grind in LA, Metz packed up and left town when the pandemic hit. She now resides in Nashville.

“There’s a lot going on,” “The Hunting Wives” star told People in April 2025. “There’s obviously great music, great food. I grew up in the South, so I’m used to sort of that hospitality — it feels more communal here. In LA it was always like, ‘Oh, you have an audition? What’s it for? Oh, you have an audition? What for?’ It was all very dog eat dog!”

Glen Powell moved to Texas after making it big in LA.


Glen Powell in a blue jacket

Glen Powell.

Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Glen Powell left Los Angeles and returned to his home state of Texas in 2024.

Powell, who had a breakout role in “Top Gun: Maverick,” has lived in Los Angeles for more than 15 years, but told The Hollywood Reporter in 2024 that he’s done enough in Hollywood and he feels he can now live elsewhere. “It’s like I’ve earned the ability to go back to my family,” he said.

Not only does living in Texas allow Powell to be closer to family, but he’s also finishing his degree at the University of Texas.

“I think this is going to be good for my head, heart, and soul,” he said.

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively left LA after just six months of dating.


Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds attend

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.


Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic

When you know, you know. After less than a year of dating, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively packed up their stuff and left Hollywood for the suburbs of New York City.

In 2012, after six months of dating, the couple bought a $2.3 million home in Pound Ridge, New York.

“We don’t live in LA. We live on a farm in New York,” said the “Deadpool” star in a 2015 interview. “And we don’t lead a wild and crazy life. It’s not that hard. It’s not a big deal.”

Julia Roberts hasn’t lived in LA for decades.


Julia Roberts with her hands up while being photographed at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival

Julia Roberts.

Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Getty

The Oscar winner realized many years ago that Los Angeles wasn’t for her.

Roberts moved to a 32-acre ranch in Taos, New Mexico, in 1995.

The “Pretty Woman” star told Oprah back in 2003 that in New Mexico, everything is “clear.”

“Around here, I come and go like it’s nothing,” she said. “Los Angeles is such a town of show business, and I’m a terrible celebrity. I find it difficult — it’s the beast that must be fed.”

Amanda Seyfried headed to Upstate New York for a taste of the simple life.


Amanda Seyfried attends the 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on January 15, 2023, in Los Angeles, California.

Amanda Seyfried.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

With movies like “Mean Girls” and “Mamma Mia!” in her filmography, you would think Amanda Seyfried would want to lay her head down somewhere glamorous.

But she actually prefers life on a farm.

Seyfried spends most of her time on a farm in the Catskills, a mountain range north of New York City, that she purchased in 2014, Architectural Digest reported in 2023.

“It’s insane how much I can feel so accomplished and successful here without having to be in a successful movie,” she told The New York Times in 2020.

Sylvester Stallone wanted a new start in Florida.


Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone.

Rachel Luna/WireImage/Getty Images

After decades of living in Los Angeles — including in his first dingy apartment on Balboa Boulevard, which would become the inspiration for his iconic character Rocky Balboa — Sylvester Stallone packed up and left town in 2023.

This was first revealed in early 2024, during season two of his reality series “The Family Stallone”.

“After a long, hard consideration, your mother and I have decided, time to move on and leave the state of California permanently, and we’re going to go to Florida,” Stallone said. “We’re going to sell this house.”

Stallone and his wife, Jennifer Flavin, gave multiple reasons for the relocation, including the desire for a fresh start after their children moved out of the family home.

Rod Stewart went back to his roots in England.


Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart.

Mike Marsland / Getty Images

The legendary rocker decided that at 79 years old, it was time to stop traveling across the pond.

In 2023, he put his sprawling 38,500-square-foot Beverly Hills property, which he has lived in since 1975, on the market.

Selling the home is bittersweet for Stewart: “I don’t want to sell it, and the kids don’t want me to sell it either,” he told People in 2023. “There’s too many fond memories. I’ve lived [in LA] since 1975, and I adore the place.”

But he said he’s making England a more permanent home since wrapping up his latest world tour and Las Vegas residency.

Eric Stonestreet left Hollywood for Kansas City to get away from the “douchebaggery” of the business.


Eric Stonestreet holding a Mahomes jersey

Eric Stonestreet.

Kyle Rivas/Getty

“Modern Family” star Eric Stonestreet did not mince words when he explained why he’s been living in Kansas City since the acclaimed show ended after 11 seasons in 2020.

In a September 2024 interview with long-form interview journalist Graham Bensinger, he said a big reason he left LA was to get away from all the fake people in Hollywood.

“What I realized it does is it highlights everything great about our business, the entertainment business,” the actor said on what it’s like to no longer live in LA. “And it highlights all the douchebaggery of our business. It amplifies it. Because I’m here, I’m dealing with people from here, and I’m going into the store and having all these authentic, real moments, and then I go to Hollywood, and you’re reminded of some of the types of people that you deal with.”

Hilary Swank moved to a Colorado ski town.


hilary swank


Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images

The Oscar winner is loving her new life in the mountains of Telluride, Colorado, on 168 acres with five rescue dogs.

She and her husband, Philip Schneider, bought the land in 2016, broke ground in 2018, and finally completed the home in 2020.

A year later, she put her LA home on the market and has been living it up in the great outdoors.

“I have been looking for land since I was in my mid-20s,” Swank told Architectural Digest in 2022. “I find nature to be my happiest place, and animals are my other happiest place. And to be with both of them is everything to me.”

Mark Wahlberg moved his family to Las Vegas for a “fresh start.”


Mark Wahlberg looking at camera

Mark Wahlberg.

Mat Hayward/Getty

Boston-born Mark Wahlberg set out to LA years ago to make it as an actor. Over his career, he realized he rarely stayed there to make any of his movies. So, in 2022, he packed up and moved his family to Las Vegas.

He told The Talk in October 2022 that in Nevada his four kids can more easily pursue their hobbies, including golfing, riding horses, and playing basketball.

“We came here to just kind of give ourselves a new look, a fresh start for the kids, and there’s a lot of opportunity here,” Wahlberg told The Talk. “I’m really excited about the future.”




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I moved from Southern California to Michigan so I could afford to buy a home. Living here changed me in surprising ways.

by with No Comment Xpandfy

Born and raised in Orange County, I never considered leaving California until I got married.

We wanted to buy a house and start a family, but generally, the ones we could afford were fixer-uppers in neighborhoods we didn’t love.

So, we began looking at other states where we had family. My husband, who moved from Michigan to Los Angeles in middle school, swore he would never go back — and I couldn’t identify Michigan on a map or tell you one fact about it.

We didn’t want to be beholden to a big mortgage, though, and in Michigan, we could purchase an affordable home in a town known for having some of the state’s top public schools. Even better, we’d be welcomed by my husband’s big Italian family, who lived nearby.

When we told our friends we were moving to Michigan, they were shocked. All any Californian knew about Michigan was that it was cold and snowy — why would anyone choose that?

Now, 20 years later, I can confidently say it was a great decision.

When I first moved to Michigan, I experienced some culture shock


Fresh produce at a farmers market in Michigan.

At first, I had to adjust to the feeling of making small talk at markets and shops.

Kristi Valentini



In Orange County, I was the kind of person who would bury my nose in a magazine to avoid chatting with a hairdresser. I rushed through the checkout line and never said, “How are you doing?” to someone I didn’t know.

If small talk was ever forced upon me, I gave away as little about myself as possible. I never understood the point in discussing my life — or even something as simple as the weather — with someone I didn’t know.

In Michigan, though, small talk is unavoidable. I quickly learned that there’s no getting around friendly cashiers and shop owners. I was begrudgingly polite, but it initially took some effort to hide my impatience.

Chatting with neighbors feels much more commonplace here, too, especially because my subdivision doesn’t allow fences.

I was shocked to go from Orange County’s 6-foot cinder-block backyard walls to wide-open lawns and zero privacy, practically forcing me to interact with my new neighbors any time I gardened or enjoyed a glass of wine on the patio.

Over time, I noticed that having friendly neighbors and being a part of a community made me feel safer and more relaxed


A green backyard in Michigan with several trees.

My new neighborhood has less privacy than my old home did, but I’m glad I’ve gotten to know my neighbors.

Kristi Valentini



The kindness of Michiganders started to change me.

In my first year of living in Michigan, our mailbox got hit by a car while my husband and I were at the gym. Our neighbors had cleaned up the mess and gotten the driver’s info for us by the time we got home.

I was so surprised they would do that for us; it struck me as something that probably wouldn’t have happened back in California.

Then, when we had a baby three years into living here, another neighbor further down the street — one I hadn’t even met yet — brought us dinner just because she saw a baby announcement sign in our yard. I was touched that a stranger would go out of their way to do that for us.

When we started taking our kids trick-or-treating for Halloween, I discovered that Midwesterners do that differently, too. They didn’t just spoil the kids. They set up tables of spiked hot chocolate and Jell-O shots for the adults and invited people to warm up by their driveway bonfires. It became a community event.

Eventually, I found myself initiating connections with neighbors, too — and even starting up some small talk. It began with other dog-walkers in my neighborhood as our pups sniffed each other, and at the grocery store as a pleasant way to pass the time while being rung up.

Living in Michigan has changed what I value in a hometown


The writer posing with her two children in costumes on Halloween.

Living in Michigan has made me appreciate community in a new way.

Kristi Valentini



When I visited California to see friends and family a few years after living in Michigan, I could tell how much I’d changed already. It seemed rude to me when people didn’t say hi when passing me on a sidewalk, or when cashiers didn’t make chit-chat.

Because now, I’m the kind of person who makes caramel apples for my neighbors. I chat with fellow shoppers about candle scents in Crate and Barrel and know about my hairdresser’s children and chickens.

I even decorate my front porch — something I’ve noticed that nearly everyone in my neighborhood does. Seasonal wreaths and flowerpots, chairs with pillows and throw blankets, encourage people passing by to come on up and say hi.

I do sometimes miss California’s backyard privacy, and I’ll never stop using SoCal slang like “cool” and “dude.” Still, I’m glad I moved to a place that helped me become a friendlier person and taught me the value of community. I couldn’t imagine raising my children anywhere else.




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I moved to Coral Gables for my dogs. I’m spending almost $2,000 more in rent, but we get to walk everywhere.

by with No Comment Xpandfy

I’ve learned that there are three types of dog owners in the world: those who have dogs but treat them like pets with basic needs, those who absolutely love their dogs and spoil them, and those who treat their dogs like children.

I’m proudly in the third category.

I grocery shop for my dogs so I can home-cook their meals. I buy them Christmas presents, post photos of them on their Instagram account to more than 12,000 followers (whom I reply to on their behalf), take them to photoshoots and brand partnerships, and got them European passports so I can take them on vacation with me.

Not only that, but I play Bluey, SpongeBob SquarePants, and meditation music for them while I’m busy working to keep them entertained. I let them lick my vanilla ice-cream cone, and they sleep in my bed, cuddled under the covers at night.

But all of those things directly align with my lifestyle and the tasks I already do regularly; however, six months ago, I did the most drastic thing in my life for their benefit. I moved zip codes, prioritizing their well-being.

I chose a neighborhood where I could walk with them everywhere

Last year, while deciding where to move, I focused on finding a neighborhood where I could walk almost everywhere and bring them with me, while feeling safe walking at any hour of the day or night. After researching the best neighborhoods in the city for dog parents, all signs pointed to Coral Gables — one of the most expensive and also most dog-friendly areas in Miami.


French bulldogs on bed

The author is paying almost $2,000 more in rent for her dogs to have a better lifestyle.

Courtesy of the author



Moving to Coral Gables from Doral meant switching from an apartment with a $2,500 monthly rent to one with a $4,700 a month rent. While that is a drastic shift in rent pricing I’m choosing to make, given my current priorities and the lifestyle I want my dogs to have, it makes sense. People always say, “You’re paying for the location,” and quite frankly, that’s never felt more true to me.

Many of the residential buildings in Coral Gables allow pets, which takes the stress off people who need to move but can’t find dog-friendly places. Since the dog culture is so pronounced in this part of Miami, many buildings make it acceptable to have more than one dog.

I moved from Europe to Florida with my dogs

I lived in Europe for nearly five years — three of them in London, then the South of France, and finally Rome — before moving back to Florida in 2022. While in London, I became a dog mom after someone gifted me Bentley for Christmas.


Woman in Rome with dogs

The author moved from Europe back to Miami with her two dogs.

Courtesy of the author



During my time in Europe, I never owned a car because public transportation made getting around effortless. When I moved to Miami, that was what I missed most. Since moving back, I’ve been eager for something that comes as close as possible to the life I lived in Europe, with the dog-friendly energy that comes with it.

My French Bulldogs have many special needs. Being brachycephalic, they can only walk at certain temperatures, which means our walks have to happen during specific hours of the day so it’s not too hot. They also need to maintain a healthy weight, since excess weight can affect their backs and ligaments. Frenchies are prone to skin allergies as well, which I’ve never seen manifest in mine — and I credit that to their fully home-cooked diet.


Dog in the alps

The author wanted a lifestyle that allowed her to take her dogs with her.

Courtesy of the author



While we often get compliments at the vet for being among “the healthiest Frenchies” they’ve ever seen, that level of care comes with real responsibility and sacrifice. Owning a French Bulldog means shaping your lifestyle around its health and wellness needs. I never planned to have this breed, but life had other plans, and I ended up with two that I love with my whole heart.

They’re my buddies, my besties, and I’m grateful I found a place in Miami that makes me miss Europe a little less — while giving me more time to simply be with them and involve them in my daily activities.




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I moved from the US to Brazil after losing my job. Despite the intense culture shock, I couldn’t be happier with my decision.

by with No Comment Xpandfy

After an incredible three weeks traveling around Brazil, I was on the first leg of my flight home to Chicago when I received a message from my director at work — a 15-minute “check-in” with an HR representative.

Worried I might receive news of a layoff, I frantically deboarded the plane after landing in Rio de Janeiro and joined the call in a quiet corner of the duty-free section of the airport. There, I was informed that my role had been eliminated.

Faced with the reality of returning home to the frigid Chicago temperatures with no job, I quickly changed my connecting flight and decided to hostel-hop around Brazil for another month.

However, even that extra month didn’t feel like long enough in the country I’d fallen in love with. Exploring beautiful destinations while practicing a new language every day was incredibly fulfilling for me.

Once I went back to the US, I realized I was looking for ways to push myself out of my comfort zone. I had always wanted to live abroad, and my unemployment seemed like the perfect alignment to make that move to another part of the world.

So, a few months after my original trip, I relocated from Chicago to São Paulo and was greeted by lots of surprises along the way.

Coming from Chicago, I didn’t expect to feel chilly in São Paulo


The cityscape of São Paulo.

The temperatures in São Paulo caught me by surprise.

Cristian Lourenço/Getty Images



Growing up in the Midwest, I’ve endured my fair share of snowstorms and wind chills so cold that I felt as though my eyelids would freeze together. So, I felt well-equipped for any kind of cold weather Mother Nature could ever throw my way.

Even so, I wasn’t prepared for just how chilly Brazil could feel — especially during a springtime cold front while living in an area without access to central heating.

Although Brazil’s springtime temperatures (which last from September through November) are similar to what I experienced during the Chicago fall, it was difficult to adjust to the lack of central heating. So, I found myself wearing multiple layers of T-shirts and the only hoodie I brought with me.

Before I moved, I’d only visited Brazil during its smoldering summer months, so I had naively assumed the subtropical temperatures in São Paulo would be pleasant year-round.

The food is different — and that’s not a bad thing


A plate of acarajé with shrimp.

I’ve grown to love acarajé: stuffed black-eyed-pea fritters

Isaiah Reynolds



Between seeing unrefrigerated milk in grocery stores to trying vegetables I’ve never heard of, the day-to-day food in Brazil is a lot different than what I was used to in the States.

For example, contrary to the common American adage, breakfast doesn’t seem to be the most important meal of the day here; many Brazilians opt for bread or fruit instead of the hefty pancakes or sausage links I was accustomed to.

For lunch and dinner, many locals seem to rely on a tried-and-true formula: arroz (rice), feijão (beans), some meat, and salad.

Classic dishes like stroganoff (a creamy chicken or beef dish topped with crispy shoestring potatoes) or feijoada (pork and black bean stew) may enter the rotation. Still, the aforementioned combo is a popular default dish that I’ve grown to love.

Although tavern-style Chicago pizza still holds a special place in my heart, my new Brazilian favorites include acarajé (stuffed black-eyed pea fritters fried in dendé oil), acerola (a sweet cherry fruit), and doce de leite (sweet caramelized milk used as a topping or filling).

Plus, there’s a pretty great international food scene here, too. While wandering around the city, I’ve come across a wide range of cuisines, from Lebanese and West African restaurants to Colombian and Venezuelan spots.

Although I was initially worried about feeling welcomed, I can see myself putting down roots here

One thing I’ve noticed since my first visit to the country is that Brazilians are very proud to be Brazilian.

From football matches to the celebrations that occur when Brazilian films are nominated for Academy Awards, the people here seem to be the loudest and proudest fans in the room.

Because of this, I was worried I might not feel as welcome as an outsider. Instead, I’ve found an endearing level of curiosity among many Brazilians I’ve met, who either want to practice English or ask how I’m enjoying their beloved country.

This openness to connect has softened a lot of the original culture shock during my move. Although very different from my life in Chicago, I’m excited to continue building a life for myself in São Paulo.




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Amanda Goh

They moved to China for a new adventure. Their 3 kids gained independence — and mom has time for hobbies.

by with No Comment Xpandfy

After five years in Qatar, Elisa Orsi and her husband, David Sleight, knew they were ready to leave the desert behind.

They had moved from Australia to the Middle Eastern country in 2019 with their three kids — all under 6 — after Sleight accepted a job there.

Already big travelers before they had kids, the couple used school holidays to see the world after starting a family, before later leveraging Sleight’s teaching career to travel even more.


A family posing with their car in the sand dunes of Qatar.

The family moved to Qatar from Australia because they wanted to experience more of the world.



Provided by Elisa Orsi.



“Usually when people have children, it deters them from travel, but we went completely the other way,” Orsi, 37, a stay-at-home mom, told Business Insider.

Life in Qatar felt safe and comfortable, and it served as a base from which they could explore the region, traveling to places like Jordan, Turkey, and Egypt.

Gradually, the couple found themselves looking for something new.

“By the time we came back from our summer holiday in 2024, we said, ‘OK, we’re done. We need a change,'” Orsi said.

In August 2024, the family packed up their bags and moved to Hangzhou, a bustling city in eastern China.

Moving to China

China had been on their radar for a long time, though neither of them had visited before.

It wasn’t until Sleight came across an online job ad for a teaching role in Hangzhou that they began looking into the city.


A couple in front of a temple in Shanghai.

The family had traveled through other parts of Asia and always wondered what life in China was like.



Provided by Elisa Orsi.



“I was impressed with the natural beauty and how modern the city appeared. I knew China was very well connected by the railway infrastructure, so I wasn’t overly concerned about the location,” Sleight, 45, told Business Insider.

The couple looped their kids, who are now 11, 9, and 7, into the conversation about moving to China early. “We wanted to give them lots of time to process and to get an understanding of what was happening,” she said.

“We have a philosophy that we talk to our children, and we keep them informed about the decisions we make,” Orsi said.


A woman and her three kids in China.

The couple involved their three young children in conversations about the move early on.



Provided by Elisa Orsi.



To ease the transition, they showed their kids YouTube videos about China and the school they would attend.

When they arrived in Hangzhou, Orsi said their first impressions quickly put any lingering nerves at ease.

“We were actually quite shocked to see how clean, how modern, how organized, and how convenient everything is,” Orsi said. “Sometimes you watch videos, but unless you’re actually in it, you can’t really understand it to that degree until it affects your life.”

Their children attend an international school, and Sleight teaches English in the school’s bilingual program.

House-hunting was a breeze because the school put them in contact with a real-estate agent ahead of their move.


The living room.

They live in an apartment about five minutes away from the school.



Provided by Elisa Orsi.



“We wanted to have a bedroom for each of the kids, and we were looking for amenities,” she said. “Most importantly, we wanted to be close to the school.”

Within 10 days of arriving in China, the family moved into a four-bedroom apartment. It’s about a five-minute drive from the school and roughly 50 minutes outside the city center, in a neighborhood dominated by local Chinese families.

Rent is 5,500 Chinese yuan, or about $790 a month, and is covered by the school as part of Sleight’s employment contract.

Life in Hangzhou

Moves like the couple’s have become more common in recent years. China’s latest national census shows that 845,697 foreigners were living in the country in 2020, up from 593,832 a decade earlier.

Even with a growing foreign community, the transition isn’t always easy.

The biggest challenge has been the language barrier, though translation apps have helped. Orsi is learning Mandarin through online apps, while the children learn it at school.

Sleight relies on support from bilingual teachers and staff, and many parents at the school speak English.

“During staff meetings and presentations, I wear an earpiece and listen to a live translation provided by the school’s professional translator,” he said. Sleight added that parents and staff also communicate through a messaging app with built-in translation.

In China, the family also had to get used to a system in which nearly everything, including payments, is done on a smartphone.

Despite those adjustments, Orsi said safety has been one of the most striking aspects of life in China. She said she’s often asked about the presence of surveillance cameras, but sees them as a positive.


A man and his three kids eating their first meal in their new neighborhood in China.

Orsi said the level of safety in China has given her children more freedom to move about on their own.



Provided by Elisa Orsi.



“If anything were to go wrong, the issue would be resolved very, very quickly. So the children, they can be outside on their own,” Orsi said. She added that she probably wouldn’t feel comfortable giving her kids the same level of freedom even in Townsville, a city in North Queensland, where they lived before moving to Qatar.

It’s also common to see children wearing kid-friendly smartwatches, which let them be more independent.

“You can see their location, they can call you, they can pay for things, and so they can go anywhere. They’ll organize their own play dates and go and meet their friends,” she said.

As a woman, Orsi also feels safe walking alone, including from the train station late at night. “I have not thought about it twice. I wouldn’t do it in Australia. And I wouldn’t do it in Argentina, where I’m from,” she said. Orsi moved to Australia in her teens and later met Sleight while working at a telecommunications company.


Two kids along the Great Wall of China.

The family has been using school holidays to travel around China, including to the Great Wall.



Provided by Eliza Orsi.



It took a year, but Orsi says the family finally feels settled in their new home. Most of their social circle has grown out of the school community, including other parents and foreign teachers.

The longer school days have also given Orsi more time for herself. She said she’s picked up new hobbies, including learning to play the piano, going to the gym, and focusing on content creation for their YouTube channel, where she and Sleight document their family life in China.

Sleight is on a three-year contract at the school. As for what comes next, Orsi said the family hasn’t made any firm decisions.

“I think we would probably like to move elsewhere and go to another country when our contract is up, but that could change,” she said. “We may very well decide to stay in China and move to another school or experience a different city.”

Do you have a story to share about relocating to a new city? Contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.




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My husband and I moved in with my grandparents to save money. The temporary adjustment period was worth it.

by with No Comment Xpandfy

I grew up spending weekends, school breaks, and holidays in my grandparents’ home, but moving into it years later with a husband wasn’t something I ever pictured.

We moved into my grandparents’ basement not long after we got married in spring 2025. We both traveled as kids and have gone on a few short adventures as a couple, but we’d never done any long-term.

With our lease ending in the fall, it felt like the perfect time to make a big change, and we started looking at flights to Japan.

I eventually came across a deal on December plane tickets that we couldn’t pass up, but the opportunity left us with a two-month gap to fill before moving away.

Short-term rentals and Airbnbs were too expensive to commit to, especially with a big move ahead. So, when my grandparents suggested we stay in their basement, only 40 minutes away from where we’d been living, it was easily the most practical option.

Being back in my grandparents’ home reminded me how much of my childhood still lives here


Decorations at the writer's grandparents' house, including a fan from Japan, painted handprints, and Polaroids of the writer.

Moving in with my grandparents as an adult brought me right back to my childhood.

Alessa Hickman



Even before we started unpacking, the house instantly brought me back to my childhood. My grandparents have moved a few times over the years, but no matter the location, their home always feels the same.

The dishes and teacups I grew up using are still in the cupboards. The same family photos and decorations are on the fridge and walls, with new additions that have been layered in over the years.

Then there’s Crash, my grandparents’ herb-loving budgie bird, who has a habit of landing on people (and plates) without warning. They’ve only had him for a few years, but their home has always included animals, so even a new bird felt completely natural.

Being surrounded by the memories, familiar faces, and sense of home that shaped my childhood felt grounding during this period of change.

Moving here as an adult meant learning how to fit our lives together differently


The writer's husband with a blue bird on his shoulder.

We had to adjust to new routines, boundaries … and my grandparents’ budgie bird, Crash.

Alessa Hickman



Living with my grandparents came with a series of practical adjustments.

As my husband and I prepared to move abroad, we packed up or sold almost everything we owned, and now found ourselves living outside the city, setting up temporary workstations, and cooking for four instead of two.

Before long, the basement had boxes tucked into corners, the kitchen cabinets were full of our spices and small appliances, and my plant collection had completely taken over the front entrance table.

Moving in also meant navigating new boundaries and having conversations about topics that didn’t come up when I was younger — like finances, household responsibilities, and how much space to give each other.

One of the first conversations we had was about food. Cooking is one of my love languages, so even before we moved in, I told my grandparents that I wanted to take on the family meals.

After so many years of being cared for in their home, it felt important to give something back in a way that came naturally to me.

Because I work remotely, we also had to have conversations about my work-from-home schedule. I had work deadlines to meet and calls to take, which meant setting expectations around when I would be working and when I would be free.

That adjustment took some time on all sides, but those early conversations ultimately helped us find common ground.

This time with my grandparents gave me a chance to appreciate family in a new way


The writer and her grandmother posing for a selfie and smiling in her grandparents' house.

The experience turned into a meaningful chapter of my life.

Alessa Hickman



As I’ve grown older and gotten busier, my time with family has naturally become shorter and much more spread out.

Between work, different homes, relationships, and planning a move abroad, so many visits have been quick moments squeezed in on birthdays, holidays, or weekend check-ins.

Having a stretch of time with family like this isn’t something that comes up often, and it made the simple moments with my grandparents feel more meaningful — sitting down for dinner together, cooking a meal we used to eat when I was little, or laughing at the stories we’ve all heard a thousand times.

This in-between season has been filled with memories, lessons, and changes that taught me how much growth can happen in familiar spaces.

As we start this new chapter abroad, I’m grateful that this time with my grandparents was part of our journey. It reminded me to embrace the unexpected moments, make the most of every experience, and start our next adventure with an open mind.




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