“Do you want to leave?”
One of your closest friends asks, concern in her voice. You shake your head slowly, feeling a mix of confusion and frustration. It’s not that simple. You’re not 20 anymore, impulsively chasing the next adventure. Now, you’re striving for something different—good, wise decisions that will shape your life for the better.
“What do you recommend?” you ask, searching your friend’s eyes for guidance. But as soon as the words leave your mouth, you regret it. She begins her familiar speech, listing the reasons why you should just go for it: You’ve traveled so much already, why not take the plunge? You’re single—what’s holding you back? Life is short; seize every opportunity before you regret it.
Her words fade into the background as you zone out, sighing softly, hoping she doesn’t notice your unease.
Searching for Answers
For three weeks, you’ve been wrestling with this decision, trying to find the best path forward as a single 35-year-old. You’ve buried yourself in travel books and lost countless hours scrolling through blogs of young women who chose to emigrate. Friends have grown tired of your endless deliberations. Your confidante fled to the sauna, your social invites dried up, and even your mother has stopped her weekly calls—tired of hearing about your emigration plans.
It’s become an obsession, consuming your every thought. You know you need to let go, to move on, but how?
A Life You Never Imagined
Living in Mexico City? You had never even considered it. A sprawling metropolis with 126.7 million people across the country, and over 9 million packed into the capital alone. The clichés and warnings flood your mind: Narcos, corruption, the ever-present threat of crime. Could you walk alone at night? Sure, but you’d have to constantly look over your shoulder.
Mexico has always seemed like a place of contradictions—a beautiful yet chaotic land. Yet here you are, standing on the brink of a life-altering decision.
The Reactions of Family
You can still picture your grandfather’s glasses slipping down his nose in disbelief when you announced your plans. Your grandmother’s face creased with yet another worry line, while your mother, once so firm, learned to beg you to reconsider. And your father? He just said two simple words: “Go quickly.”
For a moment, you hesitated. But in the end, you decided to listen to him. For you, this was a dream—one you never expected to chase. Could you have imagined leaving behind your comfortable life—a stable job, a car, an apartment—to move to the other side of the world? No, you couldn’t. But here you are, ready to take the plunge into the unknown.
Sometimes, life leads you to unexpected places. Sometimes, the hardest choices are the ones that shape us the most.