Moved to Spain in my 30s with no plan — thriving 10 years later

At 35 I left Texas and bought a one-way ticket to Madrid to teach English, trading a comfortable Austin life—tech job, condo, steady routine—for something uncertain. On paper everything looked fine, but my days felt predictable and unfulfilling, so I packed my bags despite having no plan.

Living in Spain changed how I thought about age and expectations. I met many women who hadn’t followed conventional timelines and no one asked why I wasn’t married. Moving in my 30s proved to be an advantage: I had more financial stability, better self-awareness, and the perspective to reinvent my life in my 30s and 40s.

The distance from past identities gave me the freedom to experiment. Away from family pressures and the 9-to-5 grind, I started blogging, organizing events, and within a year and a half launched She Hit Refresh, a community and company that helps women over 30 move abroad and build aligned lives.

Spain, Madrid

spain, madrid, austin, texas, teach english, expat life, move abroad, blogging, entrepreneurship, women 30s