Cheryl Orlov, Business Insider
I spent 23 years living in the Los Angeles area, where my home was two miles from Redondo Beach. I owned a furniture company for 32 years, built it from the ground up, and worked hard to create a comfortable lifestyle for myself.
I had a full life in Los Angeles. I built a great community of friends and was very active, especially in endurance sports. I am a fan of traveling and experiencing different cultures, and I have always said that the city is a great place to live if you can't travel the world.
While I was happy living in Los Angeles, I still had a great desire to travel.
I traveled abroad once or twice a year and was content for a while. But in 2016, I went to Africa on a charity trip. I visited Uganda, Morocco, and South Africa, and during my visit, something inside me changed: I was ready to leave the country, I just had to find a way.
A few things stood in my way. I owned several properties and had a full-time business. But as the years went by - it took me about seven - I began to squander my assets. I downsized my house and even began to dismantle my business, all for the dream of leaving the US.
I learned about Albania on a podcast.
In April 2022, I was listening to a podcast about immigrants, and a blogger being interviewed said to visit Albania. I've been to all seven continents and almost 50 countries, and Albania wasn't even on my radar at the time.
I started doing a lot of research. I watched videos on YouTube and even interviewed solo female travelers about their experiences in Albania. And in September 2022, my friend and I took a scouting trip there.
During my observation trip, I hired a driver to take us from one city to another. Eventually we arrived in Tirana, the capital of Albania. At first, I didn’t want to live there based on what I had read online, but when I was physically there, I knew immediately that this was the place for me.
The culture and history of Albania are so rich — it's amazing. Historically, it has strong influences from the Ottoman Empire. The country was liberated from communism in the 1990s and is still developing.
Albania is very similar to California in terms of topography. Although it is a small country, it contains the Albanian Alps and coastlines along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas.
I love the people of Albania; their hospitality is unmatched. They make you feel like you're at home and like your own family.
I feel safe and comfortable where I live.
After my journey of discovery, I returned to the US and began making arrangements to relocate. I sold almost everything I owned and proceeded to dismantle my business.
I didn't need to apply for a visa to visit Albania because Americans are allowed to stay for up to a year without one. After that, if we leave the country for 90 days, the one-year period is reset when we return.
I found an apartment in Tirana, the capital, through word of mouth in a Facebook group. An American had spoken enthusiastically about the owner, who had lived in America for six years.
I was moving my whole life to an unfamiliar place, so it was important to be in a good, safe area, in a building where people spoke English and where I liked the owner.
In September 2023, I moved to Tirana. I live in the city, but in a quiet neighborhood where many Albanians live - and immigrants tend to live closer to the city center.
The building where I live is a five-unit villa where each floor has its own apartment. I live on the ground floor and have an apartment with two bedrooms and one bathroom. I have a good relationship with my landlord and I wouldn't say that's the norm here, but I pay 400 euros ($466) a month.
My other bills are also quite affordable. I usually spend 20 to 30 euros ($23-$35) a week on food at the local market, and going out for dinner usually costs between 15 and 20 euros ($17-$23). Bus rides cost around $0.50, and taxis usually cost around 5 euros.
I have never felt more like myself.
Learning Albanian is hard, but one of the biggest challenges of living here is how often immigrants come and go. I have noticed that people usually stay for a year or two, then leave.
Temporariness is hard for me - it's just hard to keep saying goodbye. When I was in California, I didn't have to worry about it as much. So it's something I've had to adjust to.
I don't know if Albania will be my forever home, but still, I'm really happy here. I didn't realize how stressed I was in America until I moved to Tirana.
While living here, I travel more. From Albania, I can easily fly anywhere in Europe, Africa, or Asia - now I'm in Malaysia. I've experienced so many different cultures, and while it's not for everyone, I feel like a more complete person.
Earlier this year, I completed the dissolution of the business. I am not worried about being unemployed abroad because I have been saving and building my retirement since I was 30. While I do not want to retire, I am financially able to do so if I choose.
I go back to the US from time to time to visit my friends and family - my relationships are really important to me - but I don't see myself ever going back full-time.
I definitely wanted to leave the US earlier, but I believe that everything happens for a reason. I wouldn't do anything differently. I believe that it's never too late to start traveling or moving to a new place.
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