Our Story

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How We Moved Our Family of Five to England From the US

My love of travel was instilled in me by the most adventurous person I know—my mother. As a high school counselor, she never made a lot of money, but she knew how to make the most of her summers off and live a good life on a tight budget. In her twenties, she and her friends spent their summer vacation traveling around Europe—going to discos in Greece, shopping for art in the flea markets of Paris, and savoring late-night dinners in Spain. She lived frugally and spent her money on what she valued most—exploring beautiful places with people she cared about.

Having me didn’t slow her down in the slightest. Every year, when school ended for the long summer break, my mother and I traveled to Europe. Some of my earliest memories are of those adventures. Over the years, we rode horses in the Irish countryside, explored the beautiful city walls of Dubrovnik, savored Jaffa oranges in the Old City of Jerusalem, floated in the Dead Sea, toured the Colosseum in Rome, and took evening strolls along the Seine in Paris. 

Exploring new places was exciting, but what I loved most was the uninterrupted time with my mom.  In every new place we visited, she patiently explained the regional history, culture, and customs. She would even teach me a few words of the language and encouraged me practice with people we met. I only have a few photos from each trip, but these memories are some of my most treasured. Those early experiences stayed with me and shaped how I saw the world as an adult.

Years later, I married Brian, a man who shared my love of travel. When our two daughters were born, I longed to travel with them and give them the gifts of wonder and adventure my mom had given me. However, like many young families, money was tight. But by the time our girls were 8 and 10, we had saved enough to take our first family trip to Europe. We still had a small travel budget, but we somehow made it work by combining airline miles and sharing tight quarters—often sleeping four across like packed sardines.

Together, we toured Roman ruins, drank cappuccinos next to the Grand Canal in Venice, wandered slowly through the gorgeous streets of Montmartre in Paris, admired the Dutch masters at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and ate incredible takeaway pizza straight from the box while watching the sunset in Cinque Terre. 

It was the first time I had experienced Europe as an adult—the history, the food, the art—and I fell madly in love with it all over again.

It felt as if we were truly able to slow down and be present, for the first time in a long time. By the time we came home a few weeks later, we had all fallen hard for the European lifestyle- which prioritizes good food, rest, and time spent with loved ones. We were hooked and couldn’t wait to go back. Every year, we saved to return in the summer and every year it became harder to leave.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to live in Europe?” we used to say to each other, daydreaming about making this life our real life. Over time, that wistful thought turned into a question: “How can we live in Europe?” I would often find myself researching the best cities in Europe for expat families, but deep down, I didn’t think it would ever happen. I told myself that people in their 40s—with teenagers, a mortgage, two cars, careers, and a dog with kidney disease—didn’t just pick up and move to Europe.

It was just a silly dream… until one day, it wasn’t.

In June 2019, we were in Venice, enjoying the final days of our summer vacation. I woke up early to take a walk by myself and bid farewell to one of my favorite cities. Quietly, I slipped out of our hotel and strolled down a narrow street toward the Grand Canal. It was so quiet and peaceful, I felt as though I had the entire city to myself. Even the gondolas were asleep, tied up in a line and gently rocking against each other. As I walked, I remembered wandering down these same streets with my mother decades earlier.

As I stepped onto a bridge overlooking the Rio di San Provolo and gazed out over the canal below, I paused in silent gratitude for the beauty around me. In that moment of stillness, I realized I wanted to be surrounded by this beauty—not just for two weeks a year, but every day. I wanted to live in Europe, at least once in my life. It was no longer just a silly dream but a sincere longing that had been growing in my heart for years. On that bridge, I promised myself I would do whatever it took to make my dream of living in Europe come true.

And then, life took an unexpected turn that changed everything.

Shortly after we returned home, during a routine exam, my doctor found a lump and told me I would need further testing. That night, as I lay in bed, stunned, I didn’t think about my job, the mortgage, or how much we had—or hadn’t—saved for retirement. Instead, my mind was flooded with memories of the adventures we had shared as a family and an overwhelming sense of gratitude that we had made those memories while we could.

A few weeks later, a biopsy confirmed what we feared: I had breast cancer.

All at once, the future plans were put on hold. For the next year, our lives revolved around getting through each surgery and every round of chemotherapy. It was an incredibly difficult time, but we faced it together. When my treatment ended, I felt reborn, with a renewed perspective on life. I remembered the promise I made to myself on that bridge. Our dream of moving to Europe suddenly felt more urgent and meaningful than ever. I had been given a second chance to live the life I’d always dreamed of, and I was determined to take it.

By the time I finished treatment, our daughters were 15 and 17. I wanted to hit pause and make the most of the time we had left before our girls were grown. I told Brian I wanted to move to Europe—just as we had always dreamed. Maybe everything we had been through that year gave him as much perspective as it had given me, because his face lit up with excitement as he said, “Okay, babe, let’s do it.”

We knew that to make this move happen, everyone would need to be on board. So, we sat the girls down and asked them how they would feel about making such a huge change. Together, we discussed the pros and cons of moving to a new country (and of staying where we were).

We would be giving up our jobs, the girls’ school, our home, and our close community of friends in exchange for the chance to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. While we encouraged the girls to take some time to think it over, they didn’t hesitate. Both girls told us they were in. Once we knew it felt right for all of us, it was settled. We were going to find a way to move to Europe.

How We finally Took the Leap and Moved Across the Pond

We knew if we really wanted to make it happen, it would have to be soon (before our eldest turned 18). I began exploring our options and discovered that we were eligible for long-stay visas in several European countries. After extensive research, the UK emerged as the clear front-runner. With its common language, universal healthcare, excellent universities, access to outdoor adventures, and proximity to mainland Europe, it felt like the perfect fit.

Though we had traveled to many countries as a family, we had never set foot in the UK. I got to work reading everything I could about moving to England from the US. I spent hours researching the best places to live and narrowed it down to several towns and cities that checked all of our boxes. Things were starting to get serious and this move was feeling more real every day.

In March 2022, we took a two-week scouting trip through the UK. We did all the touristy things—a bike tour of London, cream tea at Sally Lunn’s in Bath, browsing the bookshops of Oxford, walking the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, and taking a historic tour of York. While we loved every city we visited, York stood out. From the moment we arrived, we fell in love with its Roman walls, charming pubs, beautiful gardens, and the majestic York Minster at its heart. It felt like a sign that, once again, we were all in agreement—York already felt like home.

When we got home, the real work began. There were very few guides about moving to England from the US—and none that addressed moving in your 40s with teenagers and a dog. We were overwhelmed by all their was to learn, know, and do. After spending hours scouring the internet for information on everything from everything from schools to healthcare, I had more questions than when I started.

I posted my questions in a few online expat groups and was told the kids would never be able to adjust to British schools at their age, that it was near impossible to find a rental with a pet, and I could forget about finding a job in my field outside of London.

The outlook wasn’t great.

But going through cancer makes you realize that most of the things that scare you aren’t nearly as frightening as not doing the things that matter most. So, we decided to have faith that it would all fall into place, and we kept moving forward as if success was inevitable. And eventually, it did all fall into place. After a failed attempt, I landed a job with the NHS that offered sponsorship, and Brian secured a position in his field—both right in York. We also found excellent schools for both of our daughters. We sold, gave away, or stored everything we owned and found renters for our home in Colorado.

In January of 2023, we boarded a plane from Denver to London with our teenagers to start our big family adventure in the UK. It wasn’t easy, but it was one of the best best decision we ever made, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

If you are dreaming of moving to a new country and feeling overwhelmed, just take it one step at a time and work on it a little each day. If we can do it, so can you.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog! Have a question or comment? Drop it below!