OUR STORY
Hey There!
I'm Meg James
I’m the founder of Go and Do Good which inspires you and your family to consider a life of living abroad in Spain, too. But first, let me explain how we got here.
Since I was a child, my lifelong dream was to live abroad with my family one day.
After seven years of travel through Central and South America with my family on school holidays (and a Serengeti safari mixed in!), our family decided to practice living abroad. After one month living and working internationally in Tenerife, Spain, we were hooked.
My husband's company did not allow international work, so if we wanted to live out our dream of moving to Spain, we needed to find a way on our own.
We quit his job, headed out on a gap year and are now heading into year two of living in Spain. Let me help your family realize your dreams of moving abroad, too!
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FAQ
Some Frequently Asked Questions
When did you move abroad?
A: For one month in July 2023, we practiced slow travel by living in Tenerife, Spain in the Canary Islands. Spain was exactly what we love about slow-paced Central America countries and the U.S. combined. And so, we came back to the U.S. in August, got our volunteer visas and went on a gap year by September 2023, just six weeks later, in Madrid, Spain.
Q: What is a gap year?
A: We didn't have a plan for jobs. And so, we found a quick way to get visas would be by volunteering at the American International school that our boys attend in Madrid. Between renting out our U.S. house and savings, we had the first year covered.
Q: DO YOU STILL RENT OUT YOUR U.S. HOUSE?
A: Yes! We own three U.S. small businesses and one of them is renting out our beloved farmhouse, Trinity Farm, in Greenville, South Carolina, U.S. We currently have our second round of long-term renters living there.
Q: ARE YOU DIGITAL NOMADS?
A:Yes, my husband left his IT career of 15 years to pursue financial, time and location freedoms. We now can live in Madrid as a family and honestly, we could work for this season anywhere near the United Kingdom, as my husband is currently consulting for a company there.
Q: HOW DID YOUR HUSBAND BECOME A CONSULTANT?
A: After leaving his U.S. corporate job, we connected with great friends in Tenerife from the U.K. who were living as digital nomads. Through this connection, we formed a consultant company and my husband is a sub-contractor for them.
Q: HOW CAN YOU HELP ME ACHIEVE MY DREAMS OF MOVING ABROAD?
A: I realized that there were no resources to help American families move abroad to Spain. As I began sharing on Instagram, I received 1000s of DMs/week. I decided to create this resource to answer your questions about the visa process, adjusting with school-aged kids, language learning, obtaining your Spanish drivers' license, IDPs, securing a NIE, finding an apartment - anything!
Q: Why did you choose madrid in spain?
A: With the freedom to really live anywhere, having a homebase for our bros was important to us. We found a great Christian school in Madrid and I enjoy living somewhere with all four seasons. Spain has truly found the best balance between work and family, in my between.
Q: DO YOU PLAN TO MOVE BACK TO THE U.S.?
A: while we do still own and rent out our U.S. house, we currently reassess our plans to return each year. Our whole family is still team Spain and this September we will be heading into our second year living here.
Q: WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF LIVING IN SPAIN?
A: I think daily life here can sometimes feel isolating because we have not gotten comfortable speaking Spanish. Our oldest son, age 11, speaks also fluently from his school year here, but our youngest, my husband and I still have a lot of Spanish to learn.
If you're going to go, Go and Do Good .
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The James Family
