Why We’re Moving Abroad at 40: Selling Everything and Moving to Albania from the U.S.

Preparing to sell everything before moving to Albania.

After Moe had a stroke at 49, we started questioning the life we were building in the United States. Because we live on VA income, we began researching places where our money could go further and life could slow down. That search led us to Albania. This blog documents why we’re selling everything, how Americans can move to Albania, and what it actually takes to start over abroad in your 40s.

There wasn’t a dramatic moment. No big scene. Just a steady, nagging truth: if we didn’t change direction on purpose, we were going to keep living on repeat and calling it “fine.”

We’re veterans. We live on VA income. And we decided we’re done stretching it just to survive. We’re using it to build a life that actually feels like ours.

This isn’t a fantasy. It’s a plan on moving to Albania from the U.S.

The turning point

Moe’s health was the line in the sand.

He had a stroke at 49. When that happened, everything I thought mattered rearranged in about five seconds. I was in the middle of running for City Council at the time, and that season was already intense. Then life got very clear: I don’t want a life that looks impressive if it costs us our peace, our health, or our time together.

We’re not waiting around for another warning shot to take care of what matters. That moment flipped the switch from “maybe someday” to “we’re doing this now.”

What scared us

Leaving the safety of what we know. The predictability. The convenience. The comfort of being near our people and our places.

Starting over is humbling, and not in a cute, inspirational quote way. It’s scary to trade a life where you know how everything works for a life where you have to relearn the simplest stuff. But staying scares me more. Staying in a life that keeps you busy, costs a fortune, and leaves you too drained to enjoy it.

The math behind the decision

This is the part nobody can argue with: our VA income goes further in Albania.

We love our country and our town, but the U.S. math is brutal if you want breathing room. It’s easy to spend more and still feel like you’re getting less. And if you want margin, you usually have to keep pushing, producing, and staying “on.”

We’re done living like that.

Moving to Albania from the U.S. gives us time, lower stress, and a daily life that supports the direction we’re choosing.

Vlore, Albania, where we’re starting our new chapter.

What we’re giving up

We’re giving up proximity to family, and that hurts.

Weekly dinners with my niece and nephew. Friends who live around the corner and have been in my life for a decade. A friend I’ve had since I was fourteen, which is basically family. We’re giving up two new cars, the ease of driving everywhere, and the kind of convenience you don’t appreciate until you’re packing your life into suitcases.

We’re also stepping away from board roles and community responsibilities we care about. That part is heavy. It’s not just stuff. It’s relationships, routines, and identity.

What we’re gaining

Freedom and peace.

A lower stress lifestyle that makes it easier to choose health instead of fighting for it every day. More time together. More walking. More normal life moments that don’t revolve around being booked and busy.

We want to travel while we’re still young enough to enjoy it. Not wait until “later” and hope later shows up. We’re chasing once in a lifetime memories, but we’re also chasing something simpler: days that feel lighter.

First step checklist

The first step wasn’t plane tickets. It was our closets.

We cleaned out every room and started selling everything we own, from plates to cars. We chose Vlore, but we’re doing it smart. We booked an Airbnb first so we can learn the city without locking into a long lease immediately.

Then came the real list: plane tickets, a departure date, renewing my passport, adjusting our wedding timeline, quitting a job, renting out houses, canceling subscriptions, cutting utilities, and turning our life into something portable.

It’s a lot.

And it’s still the right move.

The planning system

No fancy system.

Apple Notes and an Excel spreadsheet.

Notes for decisions and running lists. Excel for timelines, tasks, and tracking what we earn from selling our stuff. Simple and clear, because when life gets loud, you need a plan that doesn’t require a second plan to manage it.

If you’re curious about the practical side of this move, the next posts will break down the details. Cost of living in Albania. How Americans can stay for a year. And what we’re learning while selling everything we own.

Why We Chose Albania
Albania gives Americans something that’s getting harder to find: time and financial breathing room. Rent is affordable, the pace of life is slower, and Americans can stay for up to a year without a visa. For us, that combination made it the right place to start this next chapter.

Can Americans Move to Albania Easily?
One of the reasons Albania stood out during our research is that U.S. passport holders can stay for up to one year without applying for a visa in advance. That makes it one of the easiest places in Europe for Americans to try living abroad before making longer-term decisions.