They moved to Scotland from California with their 3 kids. It’s safer, slower, and they have a better work-life balance.

The timing for their move was right, in part because their kids were still young.

“We knew if we were ever going to make the move, we had to move before our kids established true friend groups and got too far in their academics to where that transition would be difficult,” Annie told Business Insider.

Since Zach is originally from Scotland, and their kids have UK passports, Annie was able to apply for a spousal visa for her stay. This also made it easier for them to buy a house there.

Life in Scotland is slower compared to California, in part due to a better work-life balance.

It’s normal for some businesses to take longer lunch breaks and turn off their phones for an hour or two during the day, Zach said.

It’s also hard to reach people after work hours, Annie said: “I mean, you try to contact someone after 4 p.m., there are crickets until 9:30 a.m. the next day at the earliest.”

Zach now works in an online electronics company that his brother started. Unlike his time in the California Highway Patrol, where he was often on call, he gets to log off on time now.

“When he’s done at the end of the day, that’s it. The computer’s off, and he’s with the family,” Annie said.

Safer for the kids

In 2022, 48,117 people died by firearms in the US, per data from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. That’s an average of one death every 11 minutes.

With lower crime rates and stricter gun laws, Scotland generally feels safer than the US, which means their kids also get a bit more freedom here, Annie said.

“In California, I had different levels of comfort with our children, but I would never really let them out of my sight. You’re always close to someone that you probably don’t want near your kids,” she said.

Here, she feels quite comfortable letting her kids ride their bikes around, she said.

“As for speed limits, things are slower here, so when the kids are by the road, I’m not as scared about them getting hit by a driver,” she added.

They also spend a lot more time outdoors as a family — so much so that they don’t even have a TV in the living room for their kids right now.

“Until maybe when the winter comes, we’re trying to keep them away from that as much as possible and make the most of what’s around us outdoors,” Annie said.