"I grew up in Houston but had been living in Austin for nine years. I felt stuck in my suburban neighborhood. Everything looked the same, it was very quiet, and you barely saw anyone outside. A typical day involved going to the gym or getting coffee and then returning home to work with my husband. I felt isolated and craved more adventure and community."
"In 2022, I was laid off from my job as a tech recruiter at Spotify while eight weeks pregnant. Work had been slow leading up to the layoff, so I wasn't surprised, and luckily, I was financially prepared. After that, I started my own business as a money and career coach. But even then, life felt mundane. Every day was the same: I took my daughter to day care, worked, and then picked her up - the same thing, just a different day."
Jennifer Jamali, 34, moved from Austin to Bogotá, Colombia, with her husband and daughter to be closer to family. She experienced isolation in a suburban Austin neighborhood and longed for more adventure and community. After a 2022 layoff while eight weeks pregnant, she launched a money and career coaching business. Multiple family deaths in 2025 prompted a reevaluation of priorities. In Bogotá the family lives rent-free, pays $300 a month for day care, and earns thousands by renting their Austin home. Monthly expenses dropped from $7,000 in Austin to $2,000 in Bogotá, and daily life now includes frequent microconnections and stronger community ties.
Read at Business Insider
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