A millennial moved to the Netherlands from Texas and traded a 6-day workweek for a 4-day one. He earns less but says he is happier.
After working for a decade in Grand Prairie, Texas — a city part of the Dallas-Fort Worth area — Smith knew he needed a change of pace and wanted to grow his career in a more sustainable way.
"I love my job, I love taking care of people, I just wasn't loving what it was doing to me," Smith said. "I needed to find a good balance where I could still do my job but still have that me time."
For Smith, 33, and his wife, Tressley, moving to Europe presented an opportunity to escape the hustle of American corporate life, lower costs like rent, and travel more easily.
While they considered France and Spain, Smith said the Netherlands offers an attractive visa for high-skilled migrant workers like himself, called the "kennismigrant" visa, which translates to "knowledge migrant."
Smith and his wife moved in October 2023 to Bodegraven, a small city about an hour south of Amsterdam by train. They love life in the Netherlands and now Smith has more control over his schedule, often working four days a week.
