About Aspiring Expats
Why we believe values should come first – and how our methodology was born from seven years of living it.
Connect. Thrive. Live Abroad with Confidence.
Hi, I’m Aaron. I live in the greater Los Angeles area with my wife and son – and together we’re on a mission to find our ideal second home abroad.
But we’re doing it differently than most.
The Problem with ‘Best Places to Live’ Lists
When I started researching international relocation again, I did what everyone does: Googled “best places for expats,” compared cost-of-living charts, made spreadsheets of weather and visa options.
It helped – but it missed what mattered most. And this time, I knew why.
I’d already spent seven years living abroad in six countries – and I discovered that the places where I truly thrived weren’t the ones with the best amenities. They were the ones that amplified my values.
Our Approach: Values First
Instead of filtering destinations by budget, weather, or “expat friendliness,” we start with you: What do you actually need from where you live? What trade-offs can you accept? Which environments will amplify your best self versus slowly drain you?
We analyze destinations through six observation domains – Social Life, Work Culture, Pace & Time, Nature & Environment, Expression & Identity, and Security & Stability. We tell you who WON’T thrive in each destination, not just who will. And sometimes the honest answer is “don’t move yet.”
We’ve distilled this into practical frameworks you can actually use. Explore our methodology →
Matching Values – And Discovering New Ones
Matching destinations to your known values is the safest starting point. But some of the biggest breakthroughs come from discovering values you didn’t know you held.
London opened my eyes – showing me there were genuine ways of living and defining success I’d never considered. Barcelona showed me what deep resonance actually feels like – its rhythm of community, presence, and creative energy echoed parts of myself I didn’t know were aching for expression.
And Hamburg, where my son was born, surfaced something I hadn’t been paying attention to at all: sustainability and intergenerational responsibility. Before Hamburg, those concepts weren’t seriously on my radar. But living in a city genuinely committed to balancing present thriving with future security – and watching them execute on it so impressively – rewired how I thought about what a life well-lived actually requires. Becoming a father there made it personal. I didn’t just learn new values; I internalized responsibilities I hadn’t known I was missing.
Our methodology holds space for both: clarifying what you already know you need, and staying open to what a new environment might reveal about who you’re becoming.
And because values evolve as life evolves, this isn’t a one-time decision – it’s a framework you can return to as your seasons change.
Our Journey: Testing It in Real Time
Our son is in tenth grade, which means we have about three years before we can spend serious time in our next second home abroad. We’re using that runway the way we’d advise anyone in our position to – pressure-testing our values frameworks against every destination we explore.
AspiringExpats.com documents what we’re learning, where we got it wrong, and how our thinking evolves. If our experiences help you make a clearer, more honest decision about where you belong and most deeply connect? That’s the goal.
“Honesty, authenticity, and a dash of adventure – that’s our promise to you.”
Learning Together
We don’t have all the answers – and we’ll be honest about what we get wrong along the way. We’re still learning, still testing, still refining the framework with every destination we explore.
Whether you’re a seasoned expat with hard-won wisdom, someone seriously considering a move, or just curious about what a values-first approach looks like in practice – we’d love to hear from you. Your insights make this better for everyone. Because ultimately, this isn’t just about finding the right address – it’s about finding communities where we genuinely thrive.
As we explore, we’ll continue to document both the values-alignment and the practical realities – financial planning, visa logistics, lifestyle adjustments – required to turn a values-match into an actual move.
Share Your Expat Story or Suggestions
Have you lived abroad? Do you have tips or locations we should consider? Share your story or suggestions with us!
About Aaron – Expat & Travel Experience
Born in Boston and raised in Los Angeles, I’ve also been fortunate to enjoy living (or spending a ton of extended time) in some of the most exciting spots in the United States 
. The Bay Area, New York, San Diego, Chicago and Phoenix have also each taught me valuable lessons.
While these places shaped my American experience, it’s the “well-out-of-my-comfort-zone” time spent internationally that has forced me to grow most profoundly.
Living Abroad: A Transformational Experience
Few things have changed me so much as living overseas. Life abroad has an extraordinary tendency to expand who you are, challenge your beliefs, broaden your perspectives, and deepen your connection to the greater global community in a way that is difficult to replicate.
During my almost seven years spent living abroad, I’ve called London 
, Hamburg 
, Barcelona 
. Buenos Aires 
, Beijing 
and Rome 
home – and from those hubs, traveled to many more incredible places.
Across that journey, each city became a teacher – revealing new sides of life and new sides of me. If you’d like the full story (and how it fuels our family’s search for a second home), hit play below.
The lessons you just heard are the heartbeat of Aspiring Expats – and the compass we’ll use as we scout our next home.
Memorable Moments
I’ve experienced numerous types of outstanding moments:
- From awe-inspiring, like hiking the Great Wall of China or being on safari in South Africa, to restorative, such as catching myself again in the Greek Islands or on a Yucatán beach.
- From attending folkloric festivals like Oktoberfest or the Running of the Bulls, to going to global sporting celebrations including World Cups and Olympics.
- Exploring eclectic metropolises like Istanbul or Kiev, to global hot spots such as the French Riviera, to more underrated locations like Seoul.
- And SO many more…
Munich, Germany
Simatai, China
Pamplona, Spain
Growth & Learning
Broadening Horizons
“There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to life. Every culture offers a unique perspective on what it means to truly live.”
Beyond the remarkable places and events, living abroad has been nothing if not an enlightening exercise in self-discovery.
Perhaps predictably, I’ve uncovered arrays of foods, entertainment and beautiful places I wouldn’t have otherwise known about, let alone realized how much pleasure they’d bring into my life. Less predictably, I’ve come across far more delightful and varied ways of living than I would’ve imagined.
It’s evident to me now that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to life. Spending time with cultures that prioritize and appreciate different parts of life than I was accustomed to (often in splendid ways) has undoubtedly offered me perspective on what kinds of lifestyles are possible and which aspects might serve well to incorporate into my own life.
The Power of Human Connection
“It’s the people you meet along the way that make your travels truly unforgettable.”
All that said, as many expats and longer-stay travelers well know, it’s the people you meet along the way that end up capturing your heart and making your travels truly unforgettable.
I’m still haunted – mostly in the best ways – by the heartfelt interactions shared with locals, deep connections made with fellow expats and travelers, and many moments of joy, laughter and discovery we shared together. Our conversations, often unfolding over coffee or a few pints of beer, have enriched my understanding of the world.
The kindness, generosity and open-heartedness of those I’ve encountered overseas have unmistakably left a permanent mark on me.
Ready to Find Your Values Match?
Our Values Compass helps you clarify what you actually need from where you live – then matches you to destinations based on genuine alignment.
Go Deeper
Explore our destination profiles – each analyzed through the values framework – or follow our blog for ongoing insights as we test the methodology in real time.
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“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”
– Maya Angelou