This story is featured in the May/June 2024 issue of ESSENCE.
Maybe you’re experiencing a visceral reaction to projections about the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential elections—or to the ongoing social and racial injustices in America. Perhaps you’re yearning for a different lifestyle, one less ephemeral than just a few days of vacation. Whatever your reasons for considering living abroad, you are not alone. Per AARO, the number of U.S. citizens moving to other countries has been increasing consistently for over a decade. But depending on the place you dream of flying to with a one-way ticket, expat life can be both exhilarating and daunting. To give you a head start, here are five popular destinations where Black women expats have made a home.
MEXICO
Many Americans are crossing the border and choosing to settle in Mexico, according to CNBC. A job opportunity brought Jessica Matos to Mexico City in 2020. “I took a leap of faith to move internationally, seeing it as an opportunity to increase my career marketability,” she says. “I never would have imagined living in Mexico for the long haul, but now I plan to call it home for many years to come.”
SOUTH AFRICA
Tuanni Price, a native of Los Angeles, has been living in Cape Town for five years. She first fell in love with the country through its people. “I used to protest against Apartheid,” she says. “Exiled students from South Africa would join us, and although they were in the midst of struggle, they had the most amazing spirits. I knew I wanted to visit the place that produced these beautiful freedom fighters.”
GHANA
The phrase “Go back to Africa!” has new meaning as Ghana welcomes Black diasporans, putting the West African nation high on the list for Black expats. Deijha Gordon has been living in Accra since 2019. “There’s a divine energy here that’s completely different from living in America,” she says. “In America, it feels like a weight is on my shoulders. In Ghana, it’s like the possibilities are endless.”
PORTUGAL
Heather Courtney first visited Lisbon while in the U.S. Navy. She returned to live there in 2021. Explaining why she chooses to stay, she cites “the ease of transportation, better health care, safety, quality of life, cost of food—and easy access to other European and African countries.” But she warns that while she loves Lisbon, it is not perfect: “Racism, colorism and racial injustice are still felt today.”
INDONESIA
This tropical archipelago nation off the coast of Southeast Asia has increasingly attracted people seeking an easier pace. Deirdre Amola left Houston in the hope of finding an environment that better aligned with her spirit. “I was burned out,” she says, “and realized that I would always be on the hamster wheel, without really being any happier.” She found her peace in Indonesia.