What You Really Need to Know to Move Abroad in 2024: Get Your Feet on the Ground

In the latest episode of Best Life Abroad: Not Your Average Travel Podcast, we sit down with Sunya to uncover the steps to feeling confident and prepared for your move abroad. Sunya’s infectious encouragement and unwavering confidence will inspire you to take the leap and embark on your journey toward a fulfilling life abroad. Tune in to this empowering conversation and discover the motivation you need to start living your best life abroad.

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/show/48vjzF6LQvhYjIUx96R59d

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Transcript

Join me as we embark on Black Culture Trek 2024, celebrating the profound influence of African American and Black culture in Paris, Brussels, and London from September 21st through 27th, 2024. Immerse yourself in rich history, savor exquisite cuisine, and explore hidden gems guided by local experts.  This transformative journey promises a unique blend of culture, heritage, and self discovery, offering an unparalleled opportunity to make history together.

Don't miss out. Go to https://www.yourbestlifeabroad.com/blackculturetrekregistration to register now for an unforgettable experience. Now onto the podcast. 

Dr. Raquel: Okay. So hello everyone. I am Dr. Raquel, and thanks so much for joining us on Best life abroad: Not your average travel podcast. So today we will be speaking with Sunya, who is, who has relocated to Mexico and she is going to be talking to us about her experiences, sharing her insights and all the tips on how you can make the decision for yourself to move abroad.

So thank you so much, Sunya, for joining us today. 

Sunya: Thank you. I'm so excited to be here. 

Dr. Raquel: Thank you. I'm so excited to have you. So, yes.  So first, if you can just share with us kind of what motivated you, like, You're living in the U S living your best life. And then you're like, actually, I can live a different best life abroad. So what motivated you to make that decision to go abroad?  

Sunya: Well, for me, it was not.  It was not an immediate decision because I've been thinking about it for over 30 years. And about 30 years ago, a colleague and a colleague of mine and I were fairly recent divorced and single moms, and we decided that we were going to practice social work in London. 

But just because of the, just the everyday demands of trying to run our practices, take care of our children, do what we needed to do, keep food on the table. I mean,  we just at that time did not have the energy to take on another  whole learning endeavor.  We, we figured we probably could. You know, probably  do something maybe with the state department or find some ways to integrate, but, you know, but we didn't have any entries or any inroads into that particular  movement at that time.

And then we just kind of got caught up in just, you know, living our lives with our children. We had, and then we had and then, and then, you know, we just, we were just dealing with, with some things in our, in our own professional careers because of the stance that we had taken about racism. So we had found, we found ourselves shortly after that kind of blackballed from traditional work.

So we had that point in time. Really start focusing on building our businesses. And that really took up, took up our energy. And then of course, life happened, you know, my friend got breast cancer, her mother got sick and her mother died. I began to take care of my child, you know, just life. So After my mother had passed away, after my youngest daughter finished grad school and she was starting her career,  I saw that little window of opportunity and I took it. 

Yeah, so I had been thinking about it for a while. What happened for me was I actually came to Mexico on an artist residency. In addition to being a clinician, I am a textile and design and artist. And I was here to take some time out just to kind of refocus and spend some time working on a project.

And I just fell in love with where I was and decided I came from  June  To August to Mexico,  and before I left here in August, I had an apartment and I, and I moved here in December. 

Dr. Raquel: Love it. You said, yes, this is it.  We're not playing these games. 

Yay. And so. As a lot of people who listen to this podcast are interested in moving abroad, but still kind of dabbling with the idea. So for those who are still on the fence about, can I actually make this a real thing and make this happen? What advice would you give to them? And even maybe first steps on how to get the process started and how to best prepare for the move. 

Sunya: I think the first thing really is to, is to take a trip. That's the first thing.  You have, you know, it's one thing to, to intellectualize about something, kind of think what, you know, but you're not going to be able to get the information you need through the eyes of someone else.  You can get some general pointers, of course, as you know,  but you really have to have your feet on the ground.

And I think once your feet are on the ground, then all sorts of things open up for you because you are actually in context. I would also say that you probably are not going to need as much money as you think. To make that move. However, it is important to find a way to set aside some time for an extended break.

And what I, what I mean by an extended break is if, if, if this is a, if you're a person who normally takes a two week vacation.  Then take four.  If you are accustomed to taking a month off of work,  then take two.  I, I feel it's really important that you are, that you allow yourself enough time to unhook from your typical routine to really get a sense of.

What the new environment and experience would feel like. And also on this USA platform, we are all on a,  to some degree, some kind of rat race or maze because that's American culture. It's, it's, it's the global capitalist culture that we are all victimized by.  So to be able to unhook from that and to, to feel a different rhythm, I think is really, really important, but you have to get on, get your feet on the ground.

So I would say the first step really is just to take an extended break.  Put your finger on the map, choose where you want to go, you know, save up whatever you have to do, skip whatever bill you have to pay, maybe one bill, but not to and, and get your feet on the ground, have, have the experience and consider it part of getting some of the rest that you need so that you can make a good informed decision.

And I think once you make that 1st trip, and you see how it works out, then it'll be easier for to envision the 2nd step.  I love that advice. I love, love, love that advice. And I think this may be the 1st time that we're hearing that advice. But I think that advice is so important because it allows you to really visualize yourself in a place.

Raquel: Also, I think sometimes it's like, well, I love this place as a tourist and then you see people who move there and they're like, this was the worst experience I ever had. And I'm like, as a tourist is a very different experience than person who has to eat and go to the grocery store and speak a language and, you know, all the things. 

Sunya: That's right.

And then also disrupting that normal is super important because like you said, I think one of the reasons why I created Best Life Abroad is because so often people were like, Oh, I wish I could move abroad. It's so amazing that you lived abroad and I'm like, yeah, anybody can do this. But part of it is actually making a decision to make it happen.

But the other part of that is really. Thinking that is something that is realistic. And so I think so often people are like, Oh, it sounds so amazing, but don't really all the way fully believe that it's realistic, but once you disrupt it for a little bit, then you're like, wow, this is something that actually can, I don't have to be stressed all the time.

I don't have to. Worried about being a black person all the time,  too worried about my safety all the time. And just being able to remove some of that mental load in spaces that is just so powerful. And once you get, like, a little taste of that, you can really see how it could continue. So I love that advice. 

Absolutely.  Yeah. And I think the other thing that's really exciting to me is I'm in a, I'm in a growing community of black women and, you know, husbands are starting to come now, you know, grandchildren are coming through. One of my daughters has come to visit. She's, you know, they're, you know, the other one is, is trying to get herself in a position to where she can come with her son.

But we have really grown.  There have been some women here that have been here for 19 years. Wow. And they are really excited to see more people coming and  What's exciting for me about that is seeing 

what the future can be. There are so many, there are a number of women here in their 70s and in their 80s and they look  fabulous  because they're living a different life. So so so for me, the, the, the decision to move abroad also is, is about maintaining some longevity and health as well as removing myself from a certain degree of stress taking myself out of that rat race so that I could hear myself think. 

But I have to say, I've been here for two years now,  and every day I just see how I I'm, you know, I'm still  letting go of different layers of burnout. I,  I am still recovering from United States burnout. Mm hmm. And every time I come home, I go to the US, you know, fairly often. I have been going fairly often.

I'm going to be going less often now. But it takes me a few days to decompress.  And in talking to other people, it's, it's a very common experience. So now when I come back from the U S because I just got back here on Saturday, I allow myself the next day to stay in bed all day if I need to. And then the day after that, if you know, but it takes me two or three days to get to where I'm feeling I'm ready to engage again.

Raquel: Wow. That's really powerful.  For sure. And you touched on it some just when you said like, you know, you got there and then you found your place to stay and even the importance of your health. Can you talk to us a little bit about so some of the, the largest questions for people who are interested in moving abroad are how will I get income?

Where will I live? What will I have? How will I secure health insurance or healthcare? Can you talk to us a little bit about kind of that for you?  

Sunya: I would say you know, if you're, if you're under, if you're under 65 and you don't have your retirement in place and let me also say a lot of people at 65 don't have their retirement in place.

I just want to say that. I think that the best strategy is to have some sort of business  that's going to give you, bring you some residual income and you have time now.  As you're planning to kind of get that in place I also suggest that it be a home based business that you can do digitally online You know take a you know, maybe you'll take a year or two to build that business So that you have some extra money coming in right now, digital nomads are very important and prevalent.

We don't know how long that's going to be able to last.  But if you can begin to start thinking about, you know, what skill do I have, what product can I offer, what can I make, how can I begin to put those networks in place so that you have some income coming in.  Made, made a decision early on not to derive my income from the Mexican economy.

There was a lot of poverty in Mexico. There are, there are tremendous wealth gaps in Mexico as there are in other places. So I came here knowing I was not, I did not want to take away a job from a Mexican national because they need that money. So I did, so I have built a business which does give me additional income.

I was at 65 without a retirement nest egg. I did, I didn't have it. I mean, I didn't.  So in addition to the social security that I have which I must say, it's part time social security because I made the decision. My youngest my youngest child is 29 now, 20. I made the decision 29 years ago  to work part time knowing that when it came at retirement time, I would have, you know, Part time retirement income, but I was not willing to trade all of my time for dollars. 

I made that decision early, early on. There were a lot of sacrifices that we made. There were honestly times when we didn't have lights. We didn't have, you know, I mean, it was a struggle, but, but my time freedom  has always been more important to me than some of those conveniences. And I just had to tell my daughters, look, we're going to suck it up.

Because.  I'm not, I'm not willing to trade all my time for dollars like that.  So so I, so I did, so I do have part time income, but I was able to make, you know, fairly good money as a therapist. And then I have some residual income coming in. So that's how I've done it. And I am continuing to build my business.

I'm continuing to build it. I have no intention of traditional retirement. I love what I do.  So until the day that I can no longer do it, I'll, I'll continue to do my work. But it doesn't feel like work because I love it so much. So I, so I would say find something that you love.  Also take advantage of the tax advantages that come with a home based business.

We lose a lot of money  when we are not understanding the tax code. I have, I am a master at understanding the U S tax code and I have worked it to my advantage. Every one of my. Trips abroad is a tax write off. I maintain the studio here in my home. That's a tax write off because I still, you know, pay taxes to North Carolina and to the to the United States. 

I'm smart about it. And that's really, that's, that's what I would encourage women and families to do. I also think that every black woman needs to have a business because the tax advantages, if you don't have a business.  That text code will beat you to death. So, you know, there are, there are, there are ways that you can survive and thrive, but we just have to be knowledgeable and smart about it. 

Dr. Raquel: Awesome. And in terms of you finding your place to live, how did you go about finding that?

Sunya: It was through, it was because I had my feet on the ground. And I it was a very serendipitous thing, spiritual thing. I think I as I said, I was here on an artist residency  and there's a, there's a community of artists here where I am in Chapala, Mexico.

I, he, there's a lot of artists and writers who come here. It's kind of like a spot. That's how I came. And in networking, I had, I had lunch, I had breakfast one day with a woman who is a very established. Fiber artists. She's created a number of, you know, she's, she created the whole  oil paint stick industry.

If you're a textile artist, you know what that means. And I had breakfast with her one day  and I just said, I said, I have your books on my shelf. I didn't even realize what I was talking to.  And I just, and I said I said, well, would you mind letting me see your studio? She said, I would love for you to see my studio.

So we had like a two hour breakfast. Which is common in Mexico. And then we went to her house and we talked for three or four more hours.  And then the next day she said,  you know, I was thinking about our meeting and.  We have a space open in our house and I think, you know, we're looking to create an intentional community and I just kind of, I think you would be perfect for our home.

Wow. So,  so I mean, that's how it happened. And so I live in a I live in a refurbished boutique hotel. There are four suites here in the home. Very spacious suites that we have. We have our own private space. We have three floors here in this building. There's a kitchen on every floor. There's two suites on every floor.

So we share a kitchen and then on the top level, we have a chef's kitchen, a living room, common living room area, and a huge dining area. But there's only four of us in the building and there are, and because all of us are artists in the building, we are traveling in and out. So there are times when I'm the only person in the building.

Sometimes like right now there are, right now there are three of us  in the building, but one of us has been gone for 18 months. One of my one of the ladies upstairs is a world famous sculptor. So she's getting ready to go on tour with her artwork. She's got tours. She just came back from London.

She's got shows in the U S and she's got a show in Mexico city. So she'll be out for months at a time. The other one is in.  Peru right now attending a weaving class. So we are in and out all the time,  but we're a global community. And I, I just, I just, it just, it just came to me at the perfect place and the perfect time.

Dr. Raquel: Yeah, that's amazing.  That is really amazing. And then tell us about healthcare, where you are in Mexico. Healthcare is, is amazing. It's amazing. 

The buildings here are old. You know, these are old communities that they have not torn down their history. So there's constant building, rebuilding, patching. There's a lot of cement and stucco. So the buildings look old on the outside, but on the, but you step into some of these places, you never know what you're going to find.

These are state of the art facilities. And as we know, Mexico was very famous for medical tourism. I have a Medicare plan that allows me to be seen here at a medical practice. I also have selected a medical practice for myself. So for routine medical care, I don't use my Medicare. I use I use my local provider.

It's usually 200 pesos per visit. I have to pay for any lab work out of pocket. But 200, 200, 2 50 pesos is the equivalent of about 10, $15 for a visit.  The doctor's visit.  So that's what I use. For medical emergencies, I, they will accept my Medicare insurance for admission here. And and I do keep it in case I have any medical emergencies in the U.S. But I, you know, I'm in, I'm in,  I'm in good health, praise God. Which is also very important. And so I, I'm able to use the facilities here without a problem.  

Dr. Raquel: That's great.  What do you think are some of the  greatest misconceptions about living abroad,  and maybe even particularly in Mexico?  Well, I think probably the greatest misconception is that we can't do it, or that it's really hard to do. 

That's, that's number one. And that you have to have millions of dollars. You know, you want to have an, you want to have a safety net. 

And that's relative, you know, for some people, 500 may be a safety net. For some, it may be 50, 000 as a safety net.  It's, it's depending on who you are and your circumstances. I think the biggest misconception is  that we're just inundated with crime all the time. And what I, you know, people were always saying, well, what about the cartels?

And I say, well, what about the mafia? 

What about the mafia? Which is, which is in your town right now. Which controls all the organized crime, you know. And I say if I, if you don't have business with the cartel, the cartel really doesn't have any business with you. I feel very, I feel so, I really feel a lot safer here. I'm not going to say there's no crime because there's, there's crime everywhere.

There are desperate people everywhere. You have the common sense. And, you know,  we can't walk around town with dripping and diamonds and jewels because you look crazy and vulnerable. But the police are not interested in me. The police not looking for me here. When I see them with their AK 47s and their, you know, their automatic weapons, 

I'm not, I don't have that same thing. It's, it doesn't.  That deep thing that I, that I get when I see the blue lights does not bother me here. If I'm leaving the bank and they are  standing outside, they, they will greet me or they'll say, can you, can I help you with anything they, you know, they speak. That's not to say that there isn't. 

A lot of crime in a lot of the really, really poor communities because people are desperate. And so, yes, people deal drugs. People are involved in kidnapping people involved in terrible things, just like they are in the United States. Desperate people do desperate things,  but it's not in my face all the time.

And just, just for frame of reference I, I  recently came back from Chicago and I and I,  you know, I, I was in Charlotte.  Late August.  And I heard about a shooting every day. I  heard about murders. And I can't even keep track of how many murderers. I've been here for two years and I have heard of  three murders within a 100 mile radius of where I am.

So that's just to put things in perspective. Murders do happen. Things do happen. I think there was an assassination in one of the communities, maybe three or four days ago But that would be maybe four murders that I've heard about in the last  two and a half years. 

Dr. Raquel: Very culturally different for sure.  Think about your overall experience from like start to finish, we're packing up, we're getting visas, we're moving abroad.  Are there any things that you think you would have done differently? 

Sunya: No,  no. I would say the part that I. that I didn't prepare for and couldn't prepare for  was the letting go of  so many  mementos,  personal things. You can't, you know, when you are moving abroad, you really,  I mean, there are people who actually pack up their whole household and move here, but you know, in context, it's, it doesn't make sense  because  It just doesn't make sense, you know, and I see people with these whole houses full of furniture and but it's like  most people in the world don't live like that.

Like, like we live in the United States. So it looks out of place here. Number one.  But number two, when you are  closing one door and opening another, I think it's important not to bring all your old stuff with you because you, because when you're coming into a new place, anytime you're entering a new portal, a new window, a new opportunity,  that new opportunity is going to bring its own blessings and its own things.

So if you have, if you've, if you've cluttered it up with all of your old stuff, you're limiting what your new life will bring you. So for me. I'll be honest. It has, it's, it's taken me two years.  I have, I think I have now everything in a 10 by 10 storage space. My goal is to cut that in half by next year. 

But I'm down to the bare basics of what is important to me and that those are mainly photographs and some family things. But I got rid of a lot of stuff. I moved from a studio of almost a thousand square feet down to, I have a studio here in Mexico, which is probably  maybe  two, 300 square feet.  But sorting through all that,  that was hard.

I mean, that was hard. You know, I cried a lot.  And that's a typical experience because, you know, you're just sort, you're really sorting through your entire life when you make a move like this.  You have to really come and come to terms with what's really important and what's, what do you need to leave behind and give away.

Dr. Raquel: Yeah, I think, too, what you mentioned earlier about kind of getting your feet on the ground is helpful, too, because oftentimes people are like, well, you know, I need this soap. I need this toothpaste. And it's like, they might have that. Where are you going? Right. I think that's a good one, too. That's a really good one.

Sunya: Because yeah, that's a misconception, too, that you're not going to have modern civilization. Mm hmm.  And you may have, you know, your, your, your local, your local things may not have all the name brand things that you are accustomed to, but then again, they might  and in all the major cities, you're going to have everything that you're accustomed to having at home every, every single thing, you know, even down to  some of the chain restaurants and stores, you're going to have. 

You know, we're not, you know, Mexico is third world  in some ways, but the United States is third world in some ways. But everything that you ever wanted, you know, there may be a few  items like there's a like there's a Trader Joe's ginger candy that I like, and there's a certain oil that I like.

You know, I do get my braiding hair from the U. S. But you, but I'm, but you can buy braiding here, here too. So, you know,  I think that's a really good point. You know, health food stores, naturopathic products. I mean, this is, this is the center for people who practice spirituality and we use nature,  you know non organic products.

I mean, it's prevalent here and also non GMO foods. You know, our foods are not, are not chemically altered here.  Yeah. And I think that's the important part too, is the open mindedness that it takes with a move anywhere, but particularly abroad, because they might not even have the same things that you have, but what they have might be better. 
So you'll  never know what that difference is. 

Dr. Raquel: What do you think has been the biggest adjustment for you going from living in the U. S. to living in Mexico?  

Sunya: The switching from grind culture to rest culture. 

And how has that transition been?  So has it been more like I have to set parameters for myself? I have to mentally prepare. I know you mentioned like taking that time mentally to recharge. What does that look like for you? I think so. The hardest thing that I'm working on, even as we speak right now, is cutting off my workday. I think that's At a certain time,  because people are socializing here,  you know, people are socializing, they're out, they're out in the street dancing or they're, you know, socializing at the bar, they're at someone's home or they're at the, I mean,  people are not working all the time. 

So, you know, and I can easily be working 24 hours a day, seven days a week because I have my own business. So,  you know, making sure that I'm not. On work mode that I actually turn off the clock, shut down the computer and hang out,  which I just really could not do.  In, in Charlotte, unless I really put it on the Cal.

I mean, it's a big deal. Well, let me see what time. Lemme check my calendar. You lemme check your, you know, it's, I mean, it's just, just to be able to just hang out, you know, let's, let's meet tonight at five o'clock. Well, let me, you know, it's not that easy. But here, that's the expectation. Mm-Hmm  mm-Hmm.

And I had, I've had one of my friends moved, is moving here. And she said.  She's gone back because she's actually going to be moving actually right across the street from me in December. So she's going back home to kind of do some final stuff, but she said,  I have lived more in the last two days than I have in the last 21 years. 

And my friend Donna, who has been gone for 18 months, cause she had some medical things to do. We both flew back on Saturday and we met in Houston and came here. And she said,  Sonia, in the last 18, she says Sonia, in the last. day and a half.  I have lived more than I have in the last 25 years. Wow.  Yes, that is huge.

I think that is what is so important. What is the cost of not making, taking the leap?  

Dr. Raquel: That is  so, so, so important.  So wow, I really appreciate you sharing that. So one final question for you.  So how has living abroad changed your perspective on life, race, culture, and what advice would you give someone who's still on the fence? 

Sunya: Oh, I say make that leap, get off the fence, get off the fence because you're not going to, you know, you're not going to be able to, you're not going to make any decisions on the fence.  Get off the fence and you can decide whether it's a yay or nay.  That's not that's that's the simple part. I I am more committed than ever to creating safe spaces for black women. 

Anti blackness is a global sickness. It certainly is. It's an issue in Mexico here in places. However, for the most part here. I have really felt celebrated and appreciated. People  have just embraced us with open arms. People will look at us and call us family here. And there are not a lot of Afro Mexicans in this particular community that I'm in, but, you know, when people come through, they will, they'll, they'll they'll grab me and embrace me and they'll say, look, look, our skin, you know,  we're the same.

But even The indigenous Mexicans that are here are very loving and embracing. The men give us a lot of attention which is kind of, you know, it's kind of fun but white supremacy is a global threat. It's a global threat to everyone.  And I've been I've been many places abroad. I see it everywhere.

So I'm I'm more committed than ever to to providing safe spaces for black women and setting aside a certain part of my practice to address our needs because we need healing spaces.  We're doing a retreat here in January. Called jumpstart your sojourn. And it is for us to, for the participants to really examine their relationship with work, doing, to understand the importance of rest and respite.

And it's also for it's also for people who are on the fence. To kind of get a sense of what this part of Mexico was like. So we're bringing in professionals to tell them about this part of Mexico. We're bringing in someone from the medical industry, from banking public safety, education,  the funeral industry. 

We're going on some amazing excursions. We've got someone from real estate coming in so that people can really have a sense of here is one, we're having a residency workshop too. So here's one place where you can get all of your answers answered.  You don't have to do a whole lot of running around. We've got a concierge service available for people that have questions about this part of the country.

But I think it's really important that we do that for ourselves and that promote, support each other. 

Dr. Raquel: Love it. I love it so much. That is so great. Oh, thank you so much for your time. 

Sunya: Thank you for for for asking me to be on here. And then shout out to Margo Scurry for putting us together.

Dr. Raquel: Yes, yes, for sure. For sure. I'm so happy that we connected. So thank you. It was so great to hear about your journey abroad. And if anyone listening is interested in moving abroad and need some help taking the leap, I am here to support you on your personal journey. So please head to my website, www.yourbestlifeabroad.com for information on how to turn your dream of moving abroad into a reality. So thank you again for joining us and just a reminder, there is no time like the present to live your best life abroad. Bye. 

Sunya: Bye. Bye. 

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