"Every Wednesday, I pedaled downtown Madrid to my Spanish immersion class, pulling out my travel coffee mug as I sat next to friends from Russia and Thailand to practice our mediocre "¿Cuánto cuesta?" together. On Sundays, we traipsed through the booths at El Rastro, a flea market filled with colorful scarves and discount underwear. After our wedding (and before we had four kids), my husband and I quit our jobs and moved to Spain for a year."
"He took a contract teaching position at a local middle school, allowing us to get a visa and a flat. I wrote remotely for companies in the US and Australia. During that year, I enjoyed churros in piazzas and shopping along the Douro River in Portugal, but I had no idea how thankful I'd be that we explored the world before raising a family."
"At one point, we found a place, but needed to put down a deposit within a few hours. Instead, I found myself screaming at an ATM because my international debit card didn't work. Joe then took the lead on apartment-hunting - his Spanish skills far better than mine - and found us a spot near the Madrid Rio. I had to trust him, and he pulled through, like he always does."
After marrying and before having four children, the couple quit their jobs and lived in Spain for a year. The husband secured a teaching contract at a middle school that enabled a visa and housing while the wife worked remotely for companies overseas. They attended Spanish immersion classes, shopped at El Rastro, and traveled to Portugal. Living 4,000 miles from family required mutual reliance, from apartment hunting when an international debit card failed to carrying extra packs during a bee-sting injury on El Camino de Santiago. Those experiences established trust and problem-solving skills they continue to use.
Read at Business Insider
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