Maya, her husband, and their four teenage daughters left the U.S. ten years ago to spend a year in Mexico. They’ve been living and traveling abroad ever since; after stints in Argentina, Uruguay, Japan, and China, they have recently found themselves back in Mexico.

Most Memorable Location-Independent Experiences
There have been so many! I guess I would have to say that watching our girls meet the challenges of moving abroad and doing high school and college differently were my proudest moments. Getting a book deal with Crown (Random House) with zero contacts or writing credentials while living in Argentina was another high point. Meeting so many interesting people in random corners of the world is always fun. But honestly, what I treasure most are the small moments of waking up with Tom and realizing where we are and feeling grateful for the journey.

Biggest Surprise along the Way
The biggest surprise is how easy it has been to leave the U.S. and not really consider moving back. It’s been ten years now (on this stint, anyway) and after living in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Japan, and China and traveling extensively and leisurely, I just don’t see an end to it! It’s not that I hate the States or anything; it’s just that I spent 35+ years there already and there are so many places yet to explore.