- Bethany Stevens will be moving to Spain with her husband and two kids.
- They’ve been planning the family “gap year” for five years.
- Preparations include taking care of their pets, getting medications, and seeking professional advice.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Bethany Stevens. It has been edited for length and clarity.
On July 3rd, my family will leave our home in upstate New York and fly to Madrid, where we’ll live for a year.
We’ve been dreaming about taking a family gap year or sabbatical to Europe for a long time, so we’re planning up front to get the most out of the experience. Here’s how we’re making it work.
We started talking and planning long ago
My kids are now 8 and 10, but we went on a trip to Disney as a family when they were much younger. I was entirely unimpressed and thought, “This can’t be it” for family travel. Shortly after, we took the kids to Paris. It was a total disaster in every sense of the word — no one was sleeping, our stroller was too big for Parisian streets — but I loved it. My husband and I knew that’s the type of travel we wanted to do as a family.
We started traveling more internationally, and five years ago, we set a goal of spending a year in Europe. We chose Madrid for its culture and location. We had actually never visited before we picked the city, but we loved it during a December scouting trip.
My husband is the CEO of an investment advisory firm, and he told his coworkers his plan to take a year off. They’ve known it’s coming, which has made it easier for the company to plan for. We’ve had time to save for the trip, and our family and kids have had plenty of time to get used to the idea.
We are keeping our lives stable at home
Right now, we only plan to be abroad for a year. Because of that, we’re keeping as much as possible normal at home. We’re not selling belongings. A family member is going to move into our home for a year. We’ll continue to pay the mortgage, but they’ll pay for utilities and other costs, like having the grass cut.
One of the biggest challenges is our pets. We have three dogs, a cat, a few reptiles and guinea pigs, and a flock of chickens. Family and friends are helping us by volunteering to watch them for the year. We may bring our smallest dog. The kids would like to have that piece of home, but I’m not sure the logistical challenges will be worth it.
We’re settling in in Spain
To me, there’s a difference between living somewhere and visiting. My husband and I are still talking about how we’ll balance those while we’re abroad. We want to see more of Europe, but also really feel we’re living in our Madrid neighborhood.
Because of that, we’ve enrolled the kids in school. It’s a British school teaching English, but about 70% of the students are Spanish. We’re already working with a language tutor in Madrid, and learning the language will be a major focus for us while we’re in Spain.
We’re packing very light
We’re not taking much with us on the move. I’m very excited to move toward a more minimalist lifestyle. As a mom, I want fewer things to manage so I have more time for myself. The kids will each have a backpack they can fill with toys and other items they want to bring. They’re used to traveling this way on vacations, making them a lot more intentional about using their toys.
We’re being fluid with the budget
This is the experience of a lifetime for our family, and we’ve been planning for it for a long time. Because of that, we’re not focused on minimizing costs. We want to have the best experience possible and know that will mean more costs than a typical year.
We’re budgeting about $3,000 to $5,000 for an apartment each month. We’ll pay about $2,600 for health insurance and are keeping our US plan, so there are no gaps in coverage. We’re also paying for private school tuition.
In addition, we’ve spent money on consulting with professionals. I paid about $1,000 to an immigration consultant who helped handle the filing and translation of our paperwork. We’ve also talked with US and Spanish tax professionals to understand the tax implications of our move.
There are some things I can’t take care of yet
While I’ve been planning for a long time, there are many things I can’t do until closer to our departure. Most apartments, for example, are only listed a month or so before they’re free. That’s tough on my type-A personality, so I’m keeping a checklist and doing what I can, like booking doctor and vet appointments right before our departure. Beyond that, I’m looking forward to the day we actually land in Madrid.
