Then in 2022, Laura and Allan traded life in the U.S. They then began a new life-long journey to Spain. Laura hails from New York and New Jersey. After her move to Florida in 2012, the initial transition took a toll as she experienced difficulty acclimating to her new surroundings. This feeling of being out of place led her and her husband, Allan, to pursue a new home on the other side of the Atlantic. The newness of the couple needed a new environment; they hungered for a new beginning. They demanded cheap flights and cheap hotels and were dazzled by the glitz of exploration.
Laura and Allan’s story started many years before their relocation to Spain. Laura, who originally hailed from New York, had spent her formative years in New Jersey. Her formative years in the military gave her the one thing that would persist above all else, a “wandering bug” that never left her. Allan, based in the United States, told them how much she enjoyed traveling. Collectively, they often travelled to places around the country, but cumulatively, they felt that sense of restlessness.
“It was almost like we couldn’t find a place that felt like home… I didn’t feel comfortable there anymore," Laura shared.
While living in Florida, Allan enjoyed a schedule that allowed him to take an early-afternoon nap after working out at about 3 p.m. Though life seemed idyllic and settled, both he and Laura had restless spirits and wanted more. As waves of political tensions swept across the map, Laura realized that this was an ideal place for her to try to create belonging.
“People were very opinionated and political and holding nasty signs,” she recalled.
Laura and Allan are opening a spectacular new chapter. Their application process to Spain’s non-lucrative visa required them to exhibit their financial independence while demonstrating their willingness to live in Spain without pursuing work. This visa would enable them to fully engage in the Spanish culture and expand on their new-found love for the travel industry. The application process had its own set of hurdles. In between, they had a six-month wait before they could start using their visa at last.
Once they got to Spain, Laura and Allan found that they were able to live much more affordably. They discovered an inviting three-bedroom apartment in Cartagena. At only 550 euros a month, it felt like a bargain, especially relative to rents in many places in the United States. As soon as they moved in, though, the couple got smitten with their new digs. They discovered beauty in the country’s deep history, lively culture, and a colorful, sunny landscape.
Their hard-earned home base was thrown into turmoil after Allan survived a near-fatal motorcycle accident in Florida. The episode required them to come back to the United States less than six months into their adventure in Spain. Even with this major blow, Laura and Allan weren’t willing to give up on their dream of living in Spain.
"Life has been a roller coaster in pain and pleasure,” Laura remarked.
What stood out most was their determination, as they started the journey to renew their non-lucrative visa. This renewal would give them an extra two years in Spain—an exciting prospect they very much looked forward to.
“While we love the country, I’m very fortunate to have an angel,” Allan expressed gratefully.
“I tell people that Laura is the key to my enjoying life no matter where we are.”
Life in Spain offered both Laura and Allan the calmness that had been so elusive for them before. Their command of the Spanish language was in its infancy. Still, they were grateful for the reprieve from the political turmoil that had consumed their home country.
“We don’t know if the Spanish politics is crazy because we don’t speak the language well enough,” Allan stated.
“But we do know that the US is crazy. Laura wanted to escape more. I just wanted to travel.”
Looking back on their journey, Laura said she never would have imagined where life would take them.
“If someone would have told me I’d be living in Spain six years ago, I would have said they were crazy,” she admitted.
“So you never know what life has in store… I never say never anymore.”
Sometimes their story is about resilience and adaptability, like Puerto Rico. It shows that they are always searching for joy and purpose, even in the most surprising trials of life. While Laura and Allan have a long road ahead of them as they build a new life in Spain, they are optimistic about the future.
