Never Retire: What Spain's Daily Quality of Life Reveals About Aging Well

In Spain, the basics are built in. In the U.S., they’re made impossible by cost and culture.

We’ve only lived in Spain for just over four months, but—as being back in the US has made clear—we already feel distant and detached from American culture.

I never thought I’d say this in a million years, but going from Valencia, Spain to San Francisco, California feels like going from a vibrant city to a sleepy suburb. The difference says more about what we’ve gained in Spain than what San Francisco has lost.

Maybe San Francisco isn’t as lifeless as it seems right now. Maybe it just feels that way because I’m holding it up against Valencia. But I do know—without question—one glaring difference between the neighborhoods here and my barrio in Spain: