Insider Today: Read this before you move

September 9, 2023 • 4 min read

with Diamond Naga Siu

Welcome to the newly revamped Saturday edition, Insiders! I’m Diamond Naga Siu, and I’ll be sliding into your inbox every weekend.

I moved to San Diego this year and am enjoying making new friends and exploring new places. But plenty of people don’t have as smooth of a move — and even regret it. That’s our big story today. 

What’s on deck:

But first: look both ways before you cross the street.

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The big story

Moving woes

Think before you act. Think twice before you speak. And think thrice before you move.

Many people share pretty cool stories about moving. Some are searching for better healthcare and housing, like this person who moved their family to Japan. Others relocate abroad to work remotely. 

And many Gen Zers are heading to Europe, ironically, to find the American Dream.

But sometimes the grass isn’t greener on the other side — many people also regret moving for a variety of reasons.

Cost, often a major factor in one’s decision to move, can sometimes be the issue. Austin is a perfect example of how moving can become unexpectedly expensive. People flocked there after the city was touted as the next big tech hub — and outfitted with affordable housing. But this inevitably skyrocketed starter-home prices. And now, people are desperate to get out.

Portugal experienced a similar cost of living increase after droves of Americans started moving there in recent years. So be wary if you’re moving to a trendy area.

NBCUniversal/Getty Images

Plus, making new friends as an adult is hard. The US Surgeon General highlighted that the country is experiencing an epidemic of loneliness.

One person tried a variety of activities in Boulder, Colorado, but failed to find the sense of community she craved after two years of trying. Another felt so isolated in the small town she moved to for a job that she rarely left her apartment unless it was for work or groceries.

Some people also recounted feeling othered — or even experiencing racism — after moving. From France to Germany and Oregon to Japan, locals are sometimes not welcoming to people who don’t look or act like them.

Moving to a new place can be jarring for other sneaky reasons, too, like weather or salaries or clashing politics. But it’s not all negative. Sometimes, people unexpectedly fall in love with the places they move to — like this person whose dreams came true after moving to Tulsa from New York City.

Regardless of where you’re considering moving, do your research and think thrice before relocating your life.

3 things in

Travel

Carl Iwasaki/Getty Images

1. Photos show tourists have a history of misbehaving at national parks. People have long sacrificed their safety for thrills. These 20th-century archive photos document their risky behavior.

2. Top mistakes tourists make while visiting this tiny Scottish island. Easdale Island is home to 60 people and known for its stone-skimming championships. A resident said visitors often wear the wrong clothes for the unpredictable Scottish weather.  

3. Cultural sites and museums are trying to curb overtourism. Greece is capping how many people can visit the Acropolis every day. It joins the ranks of the Louvre in France and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, which have implemented similar policies.

3 things in

Careers

pawel.gaul/Getty Images

1. The top 10 countries for a comfortable retirement. They were chosen based on how people perceive the countries' affordability, tax environment, friendliness, climate, and healthcare systems. Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand all placed within the top 10.

2. “I job-hopped to three jobs in one year because I didn’t want to waste my time being miserable.” Gen Z has a job-hopping reputation. But the generation’s quirks are helping to change the standards of professionalism.

3. Most high-paying college degrees are held by men. A new study found college degrees that can lead to six-figure salaries (like electrical engineering) are overwhelmingly held by men. Meanwhile, women made up the majority of degree holders in some of the lowest-paying fields, like nursing.

3 things in

Business

Red Antler Processing

1. What happened to the record-breaking 800-pound gator caught in Mississippi? Nearly 400 pounds of its meat was donated to soup kitchens. Meanwhile, its massive hide will become leather for goods like purses and shoes.

2. Mistakes people make about eating fiber. Fiber helps people lose weight and live longer. But only 7% of Americans have enough of it in their diets. Assuming that fruits are a good source of fiber is among the five common mistakes people make about it.

3. “I broke up with my boyfriend of two years in a Google Doc.” The author and her ex-boyfriend lived a two-hour drive apart. So instead of breaking up in person, she wrote a letter in a Google Doc and shared the link. Now, she realizes that it deprived them both of a proper breakup.

In other news

Gabbi Shaw/Insider

For your bookmarks

Tate's actual Bake Shop

Tate’s Bake Shop is a real place you can visit. The crispy cookie brand still has its original bake shop in the Hamptons — it sells merch, in-store exclusives, and tons of cookies. 

The Insider Today team

Dan DeFrancesco, senior editor and anchor, in New York City. Diamond Naga Siu, senior reporter, in San Diego. Hallam Bullock, editor, in London. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York.

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insidertoday@insider.com

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