Are you a Woman Thinking of Moving Abroad? What to Consider Before You Commit

A practical and honest look at key issues and underlying drivers of a potential move abroad to help you prepare, and make the right decision for you and your family.

🎁 To receive a free pdf of our reflective guide workbook, please click HERE

     (The guide will be sent immediately to your inbox...)

The Dream

Photo by Cordelia Newlin. All Rights Reserved.

Freezing in the depth of winter, exhausted by the daily slog of work, childcare, possibly parent care and all the emotional labor that comes along with that, it can be tempting to imagine a better life, somewhere warm, where visions of ending the days work, dipping your feet in a cool pool whilst sipping a passion fruit margarita would clearly make everything better.

While the fantasy is tempting, it is a dangerous dream to hold on to. Moving south of the border can be an incredibly positive life changing experience but there are many challenges and logistics to face, usually in another language and with a whole new sprinkling of bureaucratic hell. 

Mental Health Risks for Sandwich-Generation Mothers Abroad

Research shows that women, family caregivers, and migrants each face higher‑than‑average rates of depression. Surveys of expats suggest that around half are at high risk for anxiety or depression, with younger women reporting some of the highest symptom levels.

If you are a mother caring for kids and older parents, you are likely already overstretched. Moving to another country adds another load to the burden as you find yourself taking on the role of cultural translator and administrative CEO of your family’s new life. 

That might include everything from handling visas and school enrolment to advocating in a hospital in your second language, all while trying to build a new support network from scratch. This “invisible load” is strongly linked to burnout and depressive symptoms, especially when you have limited backup.

Before relocating, ask: Who will support me when I hit a wall? How will I access therapy or counseling to help me through this transition? These are among the many issues we can guide you to ensure you are as prepared as you can be when your plane touches down.

So before you shell out for a giant new four-wheel suitcase, put your house on the market and tell your boss to take a hike, we want you to consider the following…

Why do you want to move?

We’ve often heard “I want a better quality of life….” or “I am done with the rat race and struggling to survive…” More recently of course, some clients have told us they no longer feel safe or are exhausted by the current political climate. Below are some key areas to consider. We’ve also pulled together a workbook to help you think these things through in more detail ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.  

🎁 To receive a free pdf of our reflective guide workbook, please click HERE

(The guide will be sent immediately to your inbox...)

1. Quality of Life

This seems straight-forward at first but ask yourself. What does a good life look like for you? Your quality may not be the same as my quality. No place on earth is perfect and understanding what are the non-negotiable aspects and the ones you are willing to compromise on is key.

Photo by Cordelia Newlin. All Rights Reserved.

Whether it is access to an airport, hospitals or living on the coast and access to nature. Whether you want to use your newly found free time to attend more cultural events or ensure your children have access to a bilingual school, these factors are key to continue.It is really important to reflect on what is really driving your desire to move. 

2. Safety

Safety considerations such as political climate, gun violence, and natural disasters can be issues both where you are coming from and where you are headed! Sometimes, we are more comfortable with one flavor of safety issue over another. I, for example, do NOT want to live in an earthquake zone. I´ll put up with excessive heat and a flat landscape if it means Hurricanes (because at least we get warnings!) over the ground potentially opening beneath my feet.

Eye of the Storm

I would not be able to live each school day knowing my kids might get caught in a school shooting. Is there gun violence in Mexico? Yes, usually cartel related and there are certainly areas you can pick in which the likelihood of experiencing it is next to nothing. It’s all about what your nervous system gravitates towards.

Consider if this is a permanent move or a temporary one. Are things likely to change  in a political cycle that may now leave you hankering to head back home. What about where you are going? No country is perfect.

Some places are more accepting than others and you certainly don’t want to trade volcanos for earthquakes. And on the topic of natural disasters, perhaps your move is climate-change related. Looking at the projected changes for the region you are exploring is important both in terms of long term comfort and also whether the house you just bought ends up under water in the next 10 years, or your region of interest is likely to suffer from drought like conditions in the immediate future. 

3. New Adventures / Life Re-Boot

Ditched your deceiving ex? Woke up one day tired of the same old places and same old routines? Re-watched House Under The Tuscan Sun but need to stay in the same timezone and at a cheaper price point?

Sometimes we just want something different. Exploring the why is essential to avoid finding yourself soaking in a sea of regret. Understanding what you are truly looking for will help you make the right choices as you plan your move.

If you would like some help thinking this through, we pulled together a reflection workbook we both wished we’d had when we first decided to move. Whether you want to cruise through from start to finish, like sitting your SATs or just peruse and ponder the questions, we are certain this will help you gain clarity and insight on this exciting new adventure.

When you sign up for the workbook download, we will invite you to free Zoom calls where you can discuss your reflections and ask questions!

Why Cat&Coco?

Cat and I have ample experience doing this in Mexico and around the globe and are here to help flag the things you should consider before making this monumental decision.

Cat has nearly 20 years living and raising kids in Mexico as well as working around the country, and 10 years living in Europe.  I’ve picked up and moved my family across the globe numerous times including a trip NY to Singapore at 35 weeks and 6 days pregnant with a toddler in tow.

Combined we have covered multiple continents and countries and have now both also moved our parents as well as our kids.We know firsthand the barriers, challenges, pitfalls (and also unexpected joys) that come with moving yourself and your family abroad. Many of these lessons were learned the hard way and we are here to help you prepare for your move and ease the transition or at least give you a roadmap to it!

While moving as a single woman is certainly easier in terms of planning and may lead you to think, I can wing it, we don’t recommend it. And while we don’t want to be the bitter auntie at the party popping balloons with our cigarette, we do want to flag a well known but often ignored fact around mental health challenges that accompany a major life change like this. 

We hope you have found this post and guide helpful. We hold regular free calls for general questions and work with clients 

If you’d like a little help thinking this through, we created a free guide you can move through at your own pace—no pressure, just clarity.

👉 sign up and get your free copy.

Coming up next!

Where do I want to live? We are launching our new location guide where we look at different areas of Mexico through different lenses such as easy of entry, nature, infrastructure, life phase, safety, etc.