We Moved Across the World to Find Our Village

In 2019, just six months before the world shut down, I stood on a sports field surrounded by jungle. Parents and children from all over the globe were playing soccer and listening to a live band. Small children were climbing a nearby palm tree with safety ropes and helmets. 

We had moved to Bali just a few weeks earlier and suddenly felt like we were exactly where we were meant to be. We haven’t looked back. We’re part of a community where parents help one another and we’re minutes from the nearest beach.

How we found ourselves in Indonesia

In 2011, when my now-husband and I were in our twenties, we moved to Panama for an adventure. We lived there for eight years, but once our son was two, we realized it wasn’t the village or community we needed. So we started to look for somewhere new to live. Somewhere that would be a better fit.

We looked for a few things: a slower pace of life, beautiful beaches, holistic learning centres and a lower cost of living—which would allow us more family time. Safety, culture, community and education were at the core of our decision-making process.

Our first impressions of Bali were mixed. It was hard at first—not as pretty as we had imagined. Coming from Central America, the modern scenes of Panama City and the white sand beaches of the Caribbean coast, it was difficult to see the magic in Bali. However, once we saw the bigger picture and the hidden beaches, tasted the incredible food and got to know the kind locals, we fit right in.

In our first few years, especially post-COVID, we continued to meet families relocating to Bali in search of the community we had discovered. As expat veterans, we regularly have friends of friends reach out to learn more about our experience. Now, more than ever, we hear stories about people leaving their home countries and venturing abroad to find a community that better aligns with their family values.

Why families move abroad

The U.S. State Department estimates that at least nine million Americans live abroad, driven by various reasons, including better quality of life, economic opportunities, and a desire for a supportive community. Job opportunities were once the primary reason for a big move across the world, but that no longer seems to be the case. 

There isn’t a lot of data about Canadians abroad, but it is clear that families move for reasons beyond escaping standardized schooling or high costs of living. It’s about finding a place where families feel they belong, where their children can thrive in diverse and enriching environments. 

According to the Expat Insider 2020 survey, 76 percent of expats consider themselves happy. Expats often find that living abroad brings greater happiness than the general population. Comparatively, a Statistics Canada report from 2023 shows that one in two Canadians reported high life satisfaction. 

Expatriate life expert, founder of expatchild.com and podcast host Carole Hallett Mobbs, says that there are a handful of reasons families move abroad. And they boil down to two things: finding a more balanced life and leaving behind undesirable political or social factors.

Hallett Mobbs notes that she has heard people use phrases like "Escaping California", "Broken Britain" or "Trump’s America" when highlighting the most recent reasons for emigrating. 

“Of course, this better life looks different depending on where people are moving from. It could be more job opportunities and career progression or a more outdoorsy lifestyle. A safer life, a slower—or faster—life.”

My family and I were looking to slow down. The community we found in Bali differs significantly from the one we left behind. People here have and devote more time and energy to family gatherings, outings and kid-friendly activities. Our community takes the time and energy to engage in daily outdoor fun, beach hangouts and weekend getaways. We take care of one another—nearly everyone has little to no extended family here, so we support each other like aunts, uncles and cousins.

Tammi Kreutz Adamson and Family’s Slow-Paced Life in Guatemala

“I love living away from much of the mindset of instantaneous consumerism—like online ordering or stores like Target that have so much of anything and everything you could possibly desire,” says Tammi Kreutz Adamson, originally from the United States. She and her family now live in Antigua, Guatemala, a small historic city in the south of the country.

Both educators, the Adamsons moved abroad to find a sense of community. Life in the U.S. was expensive and stressful, especially with three children. Latin America offered a family-friendly environment where they could afford to sign their kids up for multiple activities and get help around the house. Their kids are less picky, more culturally aware, and have access to lots of locally grown fresh foods. 

Rachel Levin’s New Life in Bali

Rachel Levin, a single mother and owner of a small production company, took a leap of faith by moving to Bali with her six-year-old daughter, Paloma. Previously based in San Francisco, Levin sought a profound change after the isolation of the pandemic left her craving a more supportive community and a break from the tech-centric Bay Area. The decision to move was further propelled by her layoff from her tech job in February 2023. This led to her starting her own production company and embracing a new adventure in Bali.

Levin visited Bali and the Green School in Ubud in 2014 and was drawn to the school’s nature-focused curriculum, which offered a stark contrast to the tech-heavy environment of San Francisco. The strong parent community at the Green School was especially appealing to her as a single parent. Add to that the welcoming Balinese culture, the slower pace of life, and the island's safety, and she was ready to take the leap. 

No move is without its challenges. Levin faced the initial difficulty of navigating the logistics of daily life, including settling into housing and getting Paloma adjusted. The first five months were hard but eventually, they found their stride, building connections with other families and neighbours.

The unstructured, slower pace of life in Bali has allowed Levin and Paloma to immerse themselves in the local culture, enjoy more outdoor time, and develop a deeper sense of community. And Levin has noticed some positive changes in Paloma, including more resilience, curiosity and openness to new social situations—moving across the world to a new school will do that to you.

Dawn Wilemsen and Family Discovering a Balance of Location and Community in Panama

Dawn Willemsen, a geotechnical engineering professional and her husband, who works in logistics, embarked on an international journey that led them to Panama. The Willemsens sought a new community and a different lifestyle abroad.

Willemsen’s husband received a job offer in Panama, which presented an opportunity they couldn’t resist. The proximity to her parents, who live in Florida, was a bonus. Plus, they wanted their children to grow up bilingual.

Despite the transient nature of expat life, the mom community in Panama proved to be strong and supportive. The most rewarding aspect of the move has been providing Willemsen's kid with a unique environment in which to grow up. The children’s school offers project- and theatre-based learning, which fosters creativity and invites community involvement. The family feels at home among their diverse community of like-minded expats.

Punita Kadem’s Journey from Mumbai to Bali

Punita Kadem, an awareness coach specializing in vibrational therapies, moved to Bali with her 11-year-old daughter Nyra while her husband Ketan remained in Mumbai for work commitments. Their primary motivation for relocating was the global community and the alternative school system. 

When they arrived in Bali, Punita and Nyra immediately felt welcomed by the school community. Kadem became active in her daughter's school and took yoga and pottery classes. Learning the local language was key to building their connection with the Balinese people, and living in an eco-village not far from the school has provided a supportive network of neighbours who offer comfort during challenges like earthquakes and illness. 

The move to Bali has brought about notable positive changes for Kadem's daughter. She has become more open, independent and confident, thriving in an education system that values nature and creativity. The family’s overall health and well-being have also improved, with increased physical activity and a more balanced lifestyle.

What you need to know before moving abroad

Hallet Mobb and her family have lived in Tokyo, Berlin, and Pretoria before repatriating to the UK. She created ExpatChild.com in 2012 to fill the gap in online resources for moving abroad with children, offering practical advice in plain English.

Hallet Mobbs works with families from all over the world and has come across a wide range of reasons for making a big move with kids. She encourages families, regardless of their incentives, to be mindful of taking the right steps to avoid “expat failure”—a term used for when someone goes back home sooner than planned or expected.

Her top advice? “Research! And then do some more research. And don’t leave it too late: moving with young children is so much easier than moving with a teen.” And never underestimate the importance of building your community as quickly as possible. According to Hallet Mobbs, a lack of support network is the number one reason for expat failure, and after all, raising kids is hard work.

Her podcast episode "How to Find New Friends As an Expat" provides practical tips for creating an active and fulfilling social life overseas, crucial for preventing the loneliness that can lead to expat failure.” Her top tip is essential: “Join groups, clubs, or classes that interest you. Language classes would be an obvious choice for an expat, but I've had massive fun and found friends of all sorts. Look for groups that align with your interests. Joining a group or a club tailored around a common interest can be a great way to meet like-minded individuals.”

Research truly is the major prerequisite for selecting your final destination. From neighbourhoods and school locations to considering factors like job opportunities, educational options, and cultural aspects, understanding the challenges and benefits before you arrive is vital. 

Mobbs also mentions, “Whilst not the easiest of platforms to search on, Facebook is usually where most local expat groups have a presence. Always take glossy socials and blogs with a pinch of salt, though. Many share only the highlight reels of life abroad.”

Our experience isn’t unique, but we certainly receive plenty of oohs and ahhs from people when we visit Canada and mention that we live in Bali. The biggest question we tend to encounter is ‘how?’. And the reality is, at some point between research and finding your village, it requires a fair bit of bravery and a lot of faith. The benefits are well worth the challenges and potentially lengthy adjustment periods and with ample research and the right community, an expat experience is a truly fulfilling lifestyle choice for more and more families across the globe.