I gave up my dream career in NYC to move abroad without a stable job. I miss my old life but don't regret leaving.

I relocated to Florence after living in New York City for eight years.

Justine Golata

Less than a year ago, I left everything I knew in the US — job security, friends, and financial stability — to start over in Italy.For five years, I worked in New York City as a culture writer, my dream career. I'd always wanted to climb the corporate ladder, but the higher I got, the more my identity became intertwined with my job title.The issue is that not all of my life goals were work-related, so in the fleeting moments between filming TV segments and attending meetings, I wondered when I'd find the time to do things like learn a new language or experience a different culture. My limited annual leave just wasn't cutting it.The more I flirted with the idea of attending culinary school in Paris or practicing samba in Rio, the more excited I got about moving abroad. After working through the logistics, I submitted my resignation letter at work and landed on Florence, Italy, as my new home.The transition to life abroad was lonely and disorienting

After years of working a 9-to-5 schedule, I started freelancing when I moved to Italy.

Justine Golata