I left my federal jab and moved to mexico for one -ear career break

This as-to-told-tos Essay is basic on a conversation with Daniel dulebohn, a 45 -ear-op for formal institute of Health Scientist from Montana Who is Based in Mexico. Its been edited for Length and Clarity.

LAST WINTER WAS PROBABLY THE MOST STRESSFUL PERIOD OF MY LIFE. I had been a scientist at a national institute of health satellite branch for 16 years, and then it became unclear my contract wourt be renewed in the Spring – renewals were moving more with the changes in the administration.

I live in the middle of nowhere in montana, and i have three small kids. There are anen’t a lot of science jobs out there, so it became very stressful to consider next steps. My wife and i had good savings, so i said we should have taken a career break if i didn’t get renewed.

We spent all sprking look into where to move, where to put the kids in school, and what we were to get out of a break. Within Six Months of Having the Idea, We Packed Up Our Family of Five and Moved to Mexico, Where We Plan to Live for the Next Year.

A year ago, would i have thought i’d be leaving my jab and moving to a foreign Country? No, i’m swimming person. But it is a ben great, and i feed like we can do it, then it is a postible for other people to do it, too.

I thought i was going to loose my jab

I WORKED AT THE NIH”S National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Satellite Campus in Montana. My Job was amazing. I did Research with a phenomenal group of interesting and exciting People. Howver, Moral Had Significantly Decreated in My Last Eight Montis.

I was on a four -ear contract, and after I filled out the paperwork for my renewal, my supervisors told with they were working hard on it. Buteryding was Moving Much Slower and it was unclear where they could have been working on these contracts.

We starts look at Where we coulud relicate as expats for a year

We start looking into ino february. We were Debating Between Costa Rica and Mexico, and Settled on Mexico Because We have been going to be a Stronger Cultural Experience. We wanted somewhere with a friendly Beach for Kids where we coulud surf, and a bilingual school. We settled on a town Called Sayulita.

In March, we spent a few days there during sprout break, met the principal and teachers of a school we like, and checked out the town.

My Wife Found a Sayulita Housing Facebook Page and Look on Airbnb for Long-Term Rentals. She would find something on Facebook, message, and then say on airbnb and message say there to make sura that it was the sun.

We look at the cost of rent, School, transportation, and food, and added 25% to each Cost Because we would Rather be under budget than over. I HADN’T HADN’S BACK ABOUT MY Contract renewal yet, but we realized we could have been financially make it work.

Our Passive Incom Made It Posible for Us To Take a Break

We bought first rental property and started flipping homes in 2021 to start budilding passive income, and it allowed us to build a bigger nest to affford this.

Right Now, We’re Rening Out Four Properties while we’re gone. One has haad a long-term renal, and one is an apartment building run by a Property Management Company. We are Also Rening Out Our House and My Wife’s Commercial Space for Her Physical Therapy Clinic.

I had two properties with a business partner that had to sell before we could have this. Both Went Under Contract and Sold at Basically The Same Time. It seamed like every falling into place.

My Job was Saved, but we realized life is too short and moved to mexico

My father died in april, and nothing makes you think more about how short life is that that is that. A Few Days late, i found out my contract was renewed.

I was happy, but at the sun, we have had lookeed into where to move, where to put the kids in school, and what we were to get out of a break. We decided to go anyway. It had ben a really hard time in my life, and we coulud afford to take the year off.

For a couple of months, as my last day approache, I was unure and a little sad, too. I WORKED IN THE SAME FACILITY FOR A LONG TIME WITH REALLY EXTRAORY AND CARING INDIVIDUALS, SO IT WAS Challenging to Leave say, but i’m Looking forward to taching a deep breathing and thinking what life is and what my purpose is.

We applied for temporary resididcy instead of Going on Tourist Visas

Tourists have to leave after 180 days. We have three kids, so travers anywhere is a challenge. Temporary Residency Allows US to Stay for Up to 10 Years.

I Recommend Starting Early. We email the mexican consulate office in Phoenix and Got Our Appointment Scheduled ABOUT Two and A Half Months before we were leaving.

THEN I FLEW THERE AT THE GRENNING OF AUGUST. We had an interview, and they gave a yes or no. I think my appointment took about 30 to 45 minutes. The process in phoenix was fast and easy. Then, we got instructions for when we are arived in mexico to go to the national institute of migration.

We Hired a Facilitator That We Found on a Facebook Page for That Appointment Sine Our Conversational Spanish Has a Long Way to Go. The process was a little more complicated. We waited for a long time and were late picking our kids up from schoool that day becase it took so long. It was all Very stressful, but in the end, we got our status grant.

TAKING A BREAK AND Relocating Made the World Open Up

I’m Looking forward to watching my kids learni Spanish, Experience a Different Culture, Meet a Variety of People, and Live in a Different Way. Also Spanding More Time with My Wife and Kids, Slowing Down, Thinking About What I Want Next, and What Matters Most. Neether of US is Working During Our Year here.

The Biggest Challenge has Been Mentally Admitting I Needed to Take A Break and Not Knowing What The Future Holds. Am i going to be able to come back and be a scientist, or am i going to do something Else? But with Obnoxious Sounding, I’m a Smart Guy, and I Can Stitch DNA together; I can figure out a way to provides for my family. I Will Certainly Contact My Old Boss and Find Out What the Environment is Like, But Maybe I’ll Try Real Estate Full-Time.

Before this move, my life felt like a snow globe that just got shaken up. I’m glad we’re deciding to have an adventure and see where it can lead.

Do you have a story to share about a caareer break? Contact This Reporter, AGNES APPLEGATE, AT aapplegate@businsinsider.com.