Photograph by Jon Whittle for Islands magazine
Written by Christine Ciarmello
Publication: ISLANDS magazine
Issue date: August/September 2013 feature
Read: How to move to tropical islands
Backstory: I interviewed five people who made the leap to live and work in other countries, proving the American Dream is still alive. It’s just not in America anymore. I did a lot of research beforehand. So I actually talked to more people than were used in this article. The message was the same for many of them: It’s not as tough as you think; it’s only fear that holds us back.
As one expat told me:
The hardest hurdle for most people is believing that it can really be done. Anyone who tries this with half a heart will fail. I describe it like cliff jumping. Once you make the commitment to leap, you must do it correctly or disaster may prevail. Was I afraid? Yes, of course BUT be afraid. Allow yourself to push that envelope, allow yourself to experience a bit of discomfort. It is many folks’ fear of being afraid or of failure that things won’t work out that prevents them from pursuing their dreams. However, like the cliff-jump, once you’ve committed, everything prior to that does not matter.
