So there we were, wanting to change our lives in some extreme way, yet still relying on a 9-5 job, paying on a mortgage, having babies and feeling quite trapped settled.
And then the greatest thing happened: My husband lost his job.
All of sudden, we were free to think outside of the box. We had a reason to uproot and get rid of the mortgage and obligations. We flirted around with the idea that we should “just move to Spain” and wrestle up some work over there, but chickened out and settled on opening our horizons beyond the dusty borders of Texas at the very least. We needed to feel like we were moving in some kind of new direction, and this felt “new” enough for us.
So a job offer came and we packed up for a move to the serene Pacific Northwest. Ironically, moving from Texas to Washington State is almost like moving to a different country.
Goodbye neighbors we never knew.
Goodbye bar-b-que, two-steppin’ and hot-as-hell summers.
Greetings cool summer breezes, majestic mountains, and wild-caught salmon!
With the looming real estate crash before us (which no one knew about except some geeky economists everyone ignored), we smartened up and sold off our properties and decided to become renters instead of homeowners. Doing so saved us about $2000 per month to live in a house with lovely view of the Puget Sound, an outdoor fireplace and indoor sauna. The money we save by renting is invested, and we’re free to leave whenever we want.
Of course, we still have the 9-5 job. Rats.
Can I just say this out loud? I love being a renter. Especially as housing values slide of a cliff all around us.
Once we settled in the top left corner of the map, we both started to really pay attention to what was happening to our country politically and economically. I think this gave us an even bigger incentive to consider leaving the country and start a new life elsewhere. (If you’re interested in this blog, you no doubt have some inkling about the direction our country is headed.)
Economically, we’re on a sinking ship. I know I’ll never get to dip into my Social Security when I retire. Corporations are rading our 401ks. Health care is a disaster. Inflation is out of control and our currency is making the Mexican Peso look pretty good. (Gosh, I remember when the Canadian loonie was $.60 to our dollar. Now Canadians are coming over here to shop.)
Our manufacturing base is long gone, and there’s just no real opportunity left for our generation.
On the political front, I’m in a constant state of shock every time some new law is passed that strips away our rights and privacy. I’m more in shock that not many others seem to notice. I sometimes envy those Americans who never delve into the realities of what is happening here. How nice it would be to settle into a warm fog of ignorance and pay attention to American Idol or the latest scandal on the news.
It’s funny to think that my husband and I both have close relatives who were in eerily similar situations in Germany and Cuba. My grandmother left Germany when she was a young girl and World War II was looming overhead. In addition to the dark political changes taking place, my great-grandmother was adamant that her four sons would not fight in Hitler’s army, so they sold their businesses and started a new life in California (where they were promptly drafted into the United States military ironically enough). They were fortunate because they left early enough to take their money and lives with them. The fate of many relatives who stayed in Germany was not so auspicious.
My husband’s parents fled Cuba in the early 1960s. My father-in-law was a student and openly protesting Castro’s regime. He knew early on that Communism was coming, but it took an arrest for protesting and an imminent court date to “inspire” his move to America. He had a Cuban-American friend buy him a plane ticket and he came to the U.S. with nothing; but at least he made it without resorting to an ocean raft and big dose of luck. Those who chose to ride out the political turbulence watched as the window of freedom clamped shut for good.
So they escaped their countries to come here to the U.S. and now we’re thinking of fleeing away from this country. The times are changing. They always do. Those of us who want a better life for ourselves, our children, our retirement, our quality of life should take heed and start making plans.
Best,
Mels
Coming up: Why We’re Escaping: Part III
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR MELS. MY FRIEND AND I HAVE DECIDED THE SAME THING. TEA BAG PARTY BE DAMNED