Packing up your lives and starting afresh in a new country together is a huge move for many couples.
But Patricia Mahan and Dan Matarazzo, from the U.S., have opted to do it twice in the past two decades.
The retired pair, who鈥檝e been married for 37 years, left the States for Mexico in 2006, before swapping Mexico for Greece last year.
鈥淭here鈥檚 some soul searching about what it is you鈥檙e looking for in the last third of your life,鈥 says Mahan, a former flamenco dancer and teacher.
鈥淲e wanted to move by the sea, for one thing. In an affordable place.鈥
According to Matarazzo, from New Jersey, 鈥渆conomics鈥 was a major factor in their decision to move to Mexico over 20 years ago.
鈥淲e realized how much more economically we could live in Mexico if we found conditions that were going to be comfortable,鈥 he says, adding that they were also influenced by other factors.
鈥淯.S. politics were getting in an area I wasn鈥檛 nuts about, and I鈥檝e always wanted to live by the ocean.鈥
The couple, who were previously based in Tucson, Ariz., bought a property in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and threw themselves into life in the colonial-era city, known for its baroque Spanish architecture.
While they were happy there for many years, the pair say that things changed when the city鈥檚 popularity began to grow, bringing 鈥渕ore traffic鈥 and 鈥渕ore air pollution.鈥
鈥淎fter a number of publications in American magazines, its popularity grew so rapidly it lost its small town ambience and became a city overnight, with all the hustle and bustle that goes with it,鈥 says Mahan.
Craving something different once again, Mahan began searching for a destination where they could continue to live by the sea and experience a different culture in 鈥渁n adventuresome but simple way鈥 once again.
鈥淪he kept searching,鈥 says Matarazzo, who previously worked as a massage therapist. 鈥淎nd one day I said to her, 鈥楲ook, you find me a place where our life could be as good, or better than it is here in Mexico, and I鈥檒l go.鈥
Although they considered different parts of Mexico, spending a year in Santa Fe, N.M., Mahan and Matarazzo were tempted by the idea of moving much further afield.
Mahan, who Matarazzo describes as a 鈥渢enacious researcher,鈥 soon started looking into potential destinations in Greece, a country they鈥檇 visited a number of times, and came across Kritsa, a village in Crete, the largest of the Greek islands.
鈥淲e wanted village life, but we needed to be near amenities like state of the art medical facilities, nearby airport, weekly farmers鈥 markets and supermarkets and stores of all kinds to furnish our house,鈥 explains Mahan. 鈥淜ritsa was that village for us.鈥
After a little more research, the couple found an affordable property in the area and traveled over to view it in April 2023.
鈥淲e came here about a year and a half ago to find this one little house,鈥 says Matarazzo, explaining that while they didn鈥檛 end up buying that particular property, they knew almost instantly that they wanted to live in Kritsa.
鈥淚t was peaceful and tranquil. We felt at home.鈥
They went on to purchase a two-bedroom stone house, which had previously been a bakery named Sofia鈥檚, in the village for 137,000 euros (around US$148,200.)
鈥淲hen the villagers couldn鈥檛 afford to buy bread, they traded Sofia for other foods,鈥 explains Mahan. 鈥淲e liked the vibes of the house and felt it maybe had some good 鈥榶easty鈥 karma.鈥
In September 2023, the pair left Mexico behind and moved to Crete, entering with Type D Visas, which would permit them to stay for up to a year.
While they were incredibly excited about the prospect of living somewhere new, they were also apprehensive.
鈥淭here鈥檚 the financial crisis and the emotional crisis,鈥 says Matarazzo. 鈥淎 lot of our connection to what we were doing is being taken away.
鈥淥ur whole social circle is gone. That familiarity of (knowing) where to get a good pizza, or places you鈥檙e guaranteed to get a bad pizza.
鈥淭he basic things鈥 We have to start all over. And you know, there鈥檚 that old saying, 鈥業t鈥檚 tough to make new old friends.鈥欌
Once they arrived in Kritsa, the pair were bowled over by the 鈥渒indness and generosity鈥 of the locals, who warmly embraced them.
鈥淲hen we first moved to our little stone house, all our neighbours brought over gifts of food and produce,鈥 says Mahan. 鈥淭hey continue to do that.鈥
Their home, which has around 2,900 square feet of land with plenty of carob, lemon and pomegranate trees, as well as a vegetable garden, didn鈥檛 need much work.
The couple say they鈥檝e tried to put their own stamp on it while 鈥渉onouring its traditional style,鈥 adding skylights and repainting the walls.
They quickly settled into life in the village, located around a 12-minute drive from the city of Agios Nikolaos in eastern Crete, and immediately felt safe there.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful little village that we live in,鈥 says Mahan, describing Kritsa as 鈥渁 traditional village with traditional values鈥 where people look out for each other and crime is pretty much non-existent.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a sort of word of honour鈥 These are very proud people. They鈥檙e proud of who they are.鈥
Mahan and Matarazzo regularly go on hikes and spend their afternoons at the beach reading and swimming before heading home for dinner.
They say they love the quietness of Kritsa and feel that their lifestyles are much healthier now.
鈥淭he food we eat here is all local, and it鈥檚 seasonal,鈥 says Mahan, before describing how they can collect mountain spring water 鈥渇rom taps all over town.鈥
However, there are some things about living in the European country that the couple have found difficult to get used to 鈥 the Greek language being top of the list.
鈥淚鈥檓 learning a lot of vocabulary,鈥 says Mahan, explaining that her 鈥減atient鈥 neighbours have been helping her improve her Greek.
鈥淎nd I鈥檓 learning to string some sentences together, but it鈥檚 a difficult language. First you have to learn to read it, and then the pronunciation.鈥
Mahan and Matarazzo have made many new friends, including some from other parts of the world, mainly the U.K., Scandinavia, and France, who鈥檝e relocated to the area.
One of the things they appreciate most about living in Greece is the fact that it鈥檚 鈥渁n older culture.鈥
鈥淭hey have traditional ways that are tried and true,鈥 says Mahan, pointing to venting in public as an example.
鈥淚n America, it鈥檚 not really easy to vent 鈥 that鈥檚 why we have sports. If you get mad, especially in public, you鈥檙e considered crazy鈥
鈥淣ot in these older cultures. People understand that people need to vent. So they let them鈥
鈥淎nd I appreciate that. I appreciate that there鈥檚 a place for people to be people.鈥
Mahan goes on to stress that Crete is 鈥渄ifferent from the rest of Greece,鈥 and she and Matarazzo feel a strong affinity with Cretans.
鈥淐retans are more rugged people. They鈥檙e free spirits. And we are realizing that we too are free spirits. We can have fun at the drop of a hat.鈥
Although they have found some things, such as appliances, to be more expensive, they say that life in Greece is more affordable for them overall.
鈥淥ur house was very affordable for us,鈥 says Mahan, noting that their household utilities are cheaper, and eating out costs less than it did in both the States and Mexico.
鈥淲e could easily have a very good meal for 30 euros (around US$32) for the two of us.鈥
The couple have medical coverage in Greece 鈥 the country has a universal health-care system, and say their experiences have been 鈥渆xcellent.鈥
Mahan and Matarazzo still return to the U.S. to visit their family and say they haven鈥檛 ruled out the notion of moving back one day, particularly if they were to need long term medical care.
鈥淲e have free health care in the United States鈥︹ says Mahan. 鈥淲ho knows what the future will bring? But right now it鈥檚 working.鈥
The couple, who are in the process of applying for a two-year visa, are pleased with their decision, pointing out that they know many people who talk about moving away, but have never worked up the courage to do it.
鈥淥ne of my best friends has been talking about leaving the U.S. for years,鈥 says Matarazzo.
鈥淎nd he鈥檚 talking even more now about it. But all that鈥檚 ever happened was talking. And I keep telling him, it鈥檚 kind of a leap of faith.
鈥淓ven though people don鈥檛 like what they鈥檙e used to. Doing something different is just too frightening for them.
鈥淐ompletely changing, throwing out the baby with the bathwater is the fear, I suppose.鈥
While they admit that their new life hasn鈥檛 been without its challenges, the couple feel incredibly lucky to have been able to seek out new adventures while they are both still fit and healthy.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to seize whatever aspects of life you can while you can do it,鈥 adds Matarazzo.
鈥淲hen we came here the first time, I said to Patricia, 'Let鈥檚 do it while we can walk. And maybe remember what we did.' Cause we may get to a point where we can鈥檛.鈥
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