A New Beginning in Syros
Moving from Texas to Greece has proven to be the right decision for Cara West and her family.
“I wanted to be somewhere that was by the water that was really calm and peaceful, and that’s exactly what we’ve had here in Syros,” West said. In June 2024, she, her husband, and their daughter made the life-changing move. They left behind the hustle and challenges of life in the U.S.
Why They Left the U.S.
The tragic 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, was a pivotal moment for West. The violence, mixed with financial and social stressors in the U.S., pushed her to seek a safer and more fulfilling life abroad.
“It was truly in that moment that I knew I needed to get my daughter out of the U.S. for her safety,” she said.
Initially, the family embraced a nomadic lifestyle. They traveled to Portugal, Belize, and 14 other countries. Eventually, they settled in Syros, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea.
A More Affordable, Fulfilling Lifestyle
In Greece, West and her family enjoy a slower pace of life and a lower cost of living. She earns a six-figure salary as a luxury travel concierge. She is also a content creator. This allows her husband to become a stay-at-home dad.
“That has been the biggest change for our family — to be able to spend more time with each other, to just have a slower pace of life,” she said.
Although they faced an early moving cost of $15,000, they now find day-to-day expenses more manageable. Despite carrying $60,000 in credit card debt, they are optimistic about paying it off through their lower-cost lifestyle.
“Next year is going to be such a huge transition for us in being able to have the resources to put towards getting the assistance that we need [and] having a financial advisor who can tell us where to start putting our money so that our money is working for us,” West explained.
The Challenges and Rewards of Expat Life
West acknowledges the emotional difficulties of being away from family for holidays and special occasions. Still, she insists the trade-off is worth it.
“Honestly, I would give everything for us to live this lifestyle,” she admitted.
She also appreciates the cultural shift in Greece, where rest and family time are prioritized over hustle culture.
“In the United States, it’s all about hustle culture and your worth is tied into your productivity,” she noted. “But here in Greece … rest is really valued.”
As a Black woman, she also finds peace in being treated simply as an American rather than facing racial microaggressions.
“I just get to exist in peace and I’m not worried about someone following me around at the store or treating me differently because of my skin color,” she said.
Looking Ahead
West and her husband plan to home-school their daughter and continue raising her in an international environment. They no longer plan to be nomadic forever. But, they have no intention of returning to live permanently in the U.S.
“It is truly such a more fulfilling, more richer life abroad,” she said.
Now, she hopes to inspire other families to consider making the leap abroad.
“There’s always going to be something that comes up in your path on your journey to becoming a digital nomad or to being an expat living abroad,” she said. “But it’s absolutely possible if you continue to just manifest it and keep the goal in mind.”
Source:
- https://youtu.be/FCo5i1btsxY?si=9F90gwJjnwpgNoQC
- https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/29/budget-breakdown-of-an-american-family-who-moved-from-texas-to-greece.html
- https://chatgpt.com/
- https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/12/millennial-mom-sold-everything-to-move-family-from-texas-to-greece.html
- https://chatgpt.com/
- https://app.pictory.ai/
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