Kat Moore and her husband bought an apartment in Sicily. Courtesy of Kat Moore

Kat Moore is a 38-year-old teacher living in San Clemente, California.

Moore and her husband visited Sicily and decided to buy and renovate an apartment.

Kat says the "adventure" has connected her to her mother, who moved from Cuba to start a new life.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kat Moore. It has been edited for length and clarity.

In 2022, my husband and I visited Sicily for the first time. I fell in love with the island and told my husband I wanted to buy a house there to live in one day. He thought I was insane, but I was adamant.

People in Sicily tend to lead a slower pace of life. In the US, there's a huge emphasis on work as your identity . It's stressful and overwhelming, and I craved a different way of life.…