Laurie Beijen’s family had wanted to move from San Francisco to Spain for a year. Her husband had been able to do it twice as a child, thanks to the sabbaticals that his father teacher took, and he wanted his children to have a similar formative experience.
They now live in a small town on the outskirts of Valencia, in southeastern Spain. The modernized farmhouse the family rented is surrounded by orange and avocado trees; on weekends they visit nearby beaches and castles. The children attend a nearby private British school, in person, five days a week. “So far everything is going well,” said Beijen.
The State Department estimates that about 9 million US citizens live outside the country. When the covid-19 closed the borders and caused restrictions around the world, thousands of them returned home, including diplomats, as some 6,000 were evacuated with their families. But other Americans are bucking the trend, leaving the US.
To live abroad for a few months or indefinitely. Several hotels and resorts have taken advantage of the lure of extended stays, offering discounts and upgrades for bookings of more than 14 days or a month.
Luxury travel company Embark Beyond launched a program that offers discounts and amenities like unlimited laundry service for stays at resorts and villas of more than one month. “We have clients who stay several months in places like Ireland,” said Jack Ezon, founder of Embark Beyond. And several countries offer special offers, streamlined visa programs that allow foreigners to work legally for several months or a year.
These pandemic expats are motivated by a variety of factors. Some want to make sense of these dark times, or take advantage of the telecommuting opportunity to learn to live abroad.
The opportunity to give children a more normal life after months of confinement also plays an important role. That’s what attracted Sugath Warnakulasuriya, a 55-year-old consultant who lives with his wife and son in Pasadena, California, where schools have been closed since March.
It can be difficult to adjust to a new place, make connections, overcome language barriers, and find a community. It could be exponentially more difficult given the restrictions and coverage of the pandemic.
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