Family life in Spain brings more happiness, according to an American woman who moved from California.
American Psychologist and Family Thrive in San Sebastián, Spain
Dr. Colleen Crowley and her family have found a new home in San Sebastián, Spain, after moving from Montecito, California three years ago. The family, consisting of Crowley, her husband, and their three children, aged 16, 13, and 8 at the time of the move, chose Spain for its rich culture, outdoor activities, and a more relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle.
The family now lives in a large house in San Sebastián, a city known for its food, striking coastline, world-class surf breaks, and surrounding mountain trails. The house offers views of both the ocean and town, a rarity in a city dominated by apartments. Crowley's mother also resides nearby, in a flat overlooking the Bay of Biscay.
Crowley has been impressed with Spain's public health care, particularly after her mother received treatment for health issues. The family chose Spain not only for its cultural appeal but also for the opportunity to pursue outdoor activities like surfing, skiing, and hiking.
Since relocating, Crowley has created a workbook and online course guiding others through the process of moving abroad. Her 16-year-old said to her, "Sometimes I feel like life didn't start for me till I moved abroad..." The family has adapted to Spain's slower bureaucracy and Spanish schedule, which sees some businesses close for siesta in the afternoons.
The family initially settled in Mallorca, one of Spain's Balearic Islands, but later decided it wasn't the right fit. They obtained non-lucrative visas for Crowley's mother and digital nomad visas for Crowley and her husband, allowing them to live and work remotely in Spain for up to five years. The family lives on roughly half of what they spent in Montecito, even in San Sebastián, among the country's pricier cities.
The family has a car but rarely uses it, preferring to travel by bicycle. They spend a significant amount of time outdoors, hiking sections of the Camino de Santiago, surfing in nearby France, and exploring the Pyrenees. Despite challenges in integrating into the local community due to the insular nature of Basque culture, the move has had a positive impact on their quality of life.
The family has embraced the slower pace and deep-rooted social culture, which can offer a valuable shift in perspective, encouraging appreciation for community, nature, and cultural traditions. This often broadens a family's worldview, fostering a more global mindset due to immersion in a foreign culture and exposure to new ways of living and interacting.
Since the move, Crowley hasn't returned to the United States, and neither have her children. The move to Spain was motivated by a desire to live in different cultures and communities, and it seems the family has found exactly what they were looking for in San Sebastián.
- Dr. Colleen Crowley has published an online course and workbook, sharing insights about moving abroad, drawing from her family's experience of relocating to San Sebastián, Spain.
- Besides the rich culture and opportunities for outdoor activities, the family valued Spain's slower pace of life and deep-rooted social culture, providing a valuable shift in perspective.
- In addition to their San Sebastián home, Crowley's mother resides in a flat overlooking the Bay of Biscay, enabling close family ties in their chosen location.
- In their new home, Crowley's children have found personal growth and self-development, with one teenage daughter commenting that life didn't start for her until she moved abroad.
