Dr. Colleen Crowley once lived in one of California’s most affluent communities, but now insists her family is “much happier” since leaving the United States behind.
In 2022, Crowley, her husband, their three children, her 80-year-old mother, and the family dog packed up their lives in Montecito, a luxury enclave known for celebrity residents like Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry, and moved to Spain.
The family’s new life includes daily hikes along the Camino de Santiago, surfing, and skiing — activities she claims have brought them a “significant increase in quality of life” compared to California.
Crowley said she wanted her children to have broader perspectives, criticizing Montecito as “too manicured” and “limited.” Her children now say they wish they had moved sooner, and none have returned to the U.S. since the relocation.
While the move was motivated by lifestyle choices, it was also made easier by pandemic-era remote work policies and her eldest daughter’s high school graduation. The family first tried living on the tourist-heavy island of Mallorca but quickly left for the Basque city of San Sebastián.
Crowley admits integrating into the insular Basque culture has been challenging, and Spain’s famously slow bureaucracy has been frustrating — something she jokingly calls “getting Spained.” She also struggles with the siesta schedule, which routinely disrupts her day.
Still, she insists the benefits outweigh the inconveniences, praising Spain’s lower cost of living and public health care. She has turned her experience into an online course for others considering leaving the United States.
The family, she says, has no plans to go back — not even for a visit. “My kids have no desire to go back,” she stated, adding that they could now “land anywhere on the planet and thrive.”
