This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Damien Monel, a 28-year-old recruiter based in Madrid. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
I moved from my home country, France, to Ireland at 19 for a technical support role at Apple, only to burn out in my second year. I was staying at home in bed in the dark, not seeing friends, and I thought, I’m too young to feel this depressed.
I knew I wanted to get into recruiting, so I applied for job after job until I landed a multi-month contract role at Amazon, also in Ireland. It was a pay cut and a temporary role, but I told myself I’d take the risk because there was no way I’d keep letting burnout affect me.
Two years later, after transitioning into a full-time recruiter role at Amazon, I felt like I’d stopped growing as a person in Ireland. I transferred to Amazon’s Madrid office in 2022 without ever having been to Spain, knowing that if I’d moved before, I could do it again.
I had a bit of a weird feeling when I discovered my salary would be 30% lower, but four years later, I’ve more than doubled that lower salary. Along the way, I made mistakes, drained my savings, and spent most of my income on rent, but it was all worth it.
Now, I think I’m ready to close my Spanish chapter and move on to what’s next.
I took two pay cuts without a backup plan
Technical support at Apple wasn’t my dream job, but I assumed it would be a great way to get started in the corporate world. It turned out not to be the Irish life I hoped to experience. I wanted to work on my English and immerse myself in the culture.
I worked alongside a team of French colleagues, receiving angry phone call after angry phone call from unhappy French customers. It felt like I was still in France, and I didn’t have many opportunities to improve my English.
Moving on to my role at Amazon was a step in the right direction, but I still felt limited. Cork, where I lived, is a very small town, and there was so much more I wanted to see.
I started learning Spanish through Duolingo, went on a two-month trip to Latin America, and loved it. The lifestyle seemed amazing, and I wanted to trade Cork’s rain for some sun.
I asked my manager for a transfer to an Amazon office in Spain, and she offered a move to Madrid or Barcelona. I chose Madrid for its architecture, atmosphere, and overall lifestyle. I didn’t care about the 30% pay cut. I had this feeling that I’d taken a risk before and could do it again.
I remember crying at the airport before moving from France to Ireland. It was the toughest decision I’d ever made, but it turned out to be the best of my life. My experience figuring it out in Cork gave me the strength to handle more uncertainty.
When I first moved to Spain, I spent half my paycheck on rent
I watched a lot of YouTube videos about the Spanish lifestyle and got in touch with colleagues living there who could explain the cultural differences and direct me to resources, like a housing website. They also told me about the actual differences in cost of living.
I’ve found groceries to be fairly comparable to Ireland, although some everyday things, such as coffee, wine, and going out for a drink, are noticeably more affordable.
I started paying more in rent to live alone in an apartment. I could’ve shared an apartment to cut costs, but I wanted an upgrade and a place I’d love and feel safe working from home in. I wasn’t saving any money, but sometimes you need to make trade-offs to live the quality of life you want.
I don’t have a plan B. I can’t just go to my parents’ house if I don’t pay my rent because they don’t live in the country. I only have myself, and I have to figure it out.
I made budgeting mistakes, but I’m happy I did
Poor budgeting put me in stupid situations, and I had months where I went completely over budget and was basically living on my credit card. It wasn’t the best decision because I paid a lot in interest and brought my savings down to zero, but it was my choice. I’m happy I did because I’ve had a great experience living alone.
I’ve enjoyed the Spanish life as I wanted to live it. Looking back, I would’ve appreciated making smarter choices by spending and going out less, but I was young and wanted to get to know people. I messed up, but I’m happy I did.
Two years ago, I left Amazon for a higher-paying corporate job and also started a coaching business on the side. Since then, I’ve been in a much more stable financial situation. I figured it out exactly as I knew I would.
Your decisions don’t have to make sense to the people around you
If I have a gut feeling that something feels right, even if it doesn’t make much sense on paper, I try to trust it. People have told me I’m insane for moving or taking a pay cut, but my gut tells me what the right next step is.
I’m already planning my next move: I’ll be in Dubai by the end of the year. The idea came up during a call with my manager, and I’ve set my mind on it.
We tend to overthink our decisions. A move, for example, is a big decision, but what is the cost of you — emotionally, physically, financially — staying in your current situation?
Do you have a story to share about taking a pay cut? If so, please reach out to the reporter at [email protected].
