I left Texas for Europe over a decade ago. Living in France is affordable and I am happier.

This as told essay is based on a conversation with Leah Young, a 34-year-old from Dallas who moved to Spain in 2015. Young is the founder of Fearless abroada company that helps Americans who work remotely move to Europe. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Many people love the idea of ​​traveling to new places and experiencing something exciting. What made me excited about living abroad was the adventure. When I was younger I had taken a few short trips, but there was so much more of the world I wanted to see.

For years I tried to make it happen. In high school and college, I looked into exchange programs and studying abroad, but my family always said, “No way.”

Finally, a friend mentioned a government-run education program in Spain that had an open call for applications. I took the leap, even though I was working in a completely different industry. I thought there was finally a way to come to Europe.

I thought I would just spend a year abroad and then return to Texas and live my life as I always had. But there were many that year, and I stayed, albeit in different ways over time.

I was terrified of moving to Europe

Preparing to leave for Europe was really scary. I had never lived abroad and I didn’t know anyone else who had. I remember thinking, “How practical is this anyway?”

The visa process was stressful. My curriculum cleared me to come, but I still had to handle the visa process myself. I got through it by diving deep into Facebook groups and random blogs, piecing it all together and learning as much as I could.

I was really worried about whether I could afford the cost of living in Spain. Yes, I moved with a work contract, but I would only earn €700 ($813) per month. Even in 2015, that wasn’t much. I didn’t know if it would cover my rent, let alone leave money for anything else.

There were so many other things I had to figure out, like whether I should cancel my subscription US health insurance – my government contract had Spanish coverage – and what to do with my phone plan, car, dishes, furniture and everything else in my apartment.

I ended up leaving the US with nothing but two suitcases, filled with all the wrong things, and a visa. The truth is, I totally panicked. But I went for it because I saw other people had made it work – and eventually I did too.

Lyon was the perfect place for me

I feel like I’ve become an expert at starting over. After living in Spain For five years, I spent two years in Germany, one year in Argentina, one year in Brazil, and now I’m in France for a year.

I live in Lyon, about a two-hour drive from Geneva, near the Swiss border. It is very close to the mountains, so within an hour or two you can be skiing in the Alps, or swimming in the Mediterranean.

Lyon is essentially what you would imagine traditional France to be. It’s a very nice second option living in Paris. Even though it is a big city, it still has a small town atmosphere.

I’ve traveled and lived in Europe, and in some places I found people a bit closed or difficult to build relationships with. That was a real struggle for me because as a Texan I am outgoing and want to make friends and build community. But since I moved here, I find it much easier to make friends.

My life feels quite affordable

Find a place to live in Lyon can be competitive, but I’ve been really lucky. Through word of mouth, I found my apartment within two days. I was chatting with someone who knew someone with an available apartment, and that’s how I found out.

I pay €950 per month in rent for a beautiful one-bedroom apartment of 60 square meters in a historic building dating back to the 16th century. It has fantastic stone walls, high ceilings with wooden beams and huge patio doors overlooking the old town. I even hear the bell tower ringing every half hour.

My energy bill varies enormously. In the summer it’s quite affordable because I don’t use air conditioning and I might only pay $50 a month. But winters can be expensive because it gets cold, and I live in an old building. During the coldest months my heating bill can be around €350 ($407).

Overall I would say living in Lyon is quite affordable. I cook a lot and spend about €60 per week on groceries. I normally only eat out twice a week, and a glass of wine or a beer might cost €5 ($6). I don’t have a car either, and I don’t need one. I spend less than $10 a week traveling by train. Traveling can also be very cheap. It might cost me about €50 round trip to fly to Germany.

I don’t think I’ll ever move back to the US

During my stay abroad I had many different jobs. When I first came here, I was teaching. Then I switched to a student visa and went back to school. I worked remotely for a US-based company for a while. Now I have a company that helps other remote workers moving to Europe.

Still, I visited my family in the US many times over the years and considered moving back, but it just didn’t work for me.

It’s so expensive, especially in Texas, where business is flourishingand rents have gone crazy. It always amazes me when I see people paying $2,000 a month for a one-bedroom apartment.

Healthcare is another reason why Europe suits me better. The quality is great, but it doesn’t feel like it costs a million dollars like it does in the US. That feels especially valuable as I get older and think about having children.

Of course there are things I miss about the US, like my family and friends. I also miss the ease of conversation: being able to make a joke without fear of it being misunderstood. And honestly, I miss the food, especially the steak and Tex Mex. Texas has the best food in the world, if you ask me.

I think so France is my permanent homebut it’s hard to say for sure. Can anyone really tell you where they will be in ten years? But of all the moves I’ve made, I’m happiest here. It feels like home, and I’m at a point in my life where I’m ready to settle down.