Colby Gray, 24, grew up in a really rural and conservative group in San Luis Obispo, California. It wasn’t till transferring two hours away to attend the College of California, Santa Cruz, that he traveled that far for the primary time.
It was the start of a brand new life for Gray — he simply did not understand it but.
“Not many individuals in my city had passports. You did not actually journey a lot and also you did not go to high school very far both,” Gray tells CNBC Make It. “I used to be one of many ones that went additional after which after I studied overseas, I used to be one of many first to depart the nation.”
Gray lived on campus at the beginning of his freshman 12 months however the covid-19 pandemic utterly disrupted his time there. By the second semester, Gray was pressured to maneuver house for a few 12 months. It was throughout this time again in San Luis Obispo that Gray explored finding out overseas.
Gray studied in Copenhagen for six months. When that point was up, he did not need to head again to Santa Cruz.
“[Denmark] managed the pandemic very well and had a really excessive vaccination charge,” he says. “I fell in love with it and determined I wished to do extra.”
Gray accomplished a Semester at Sea earlier than lastly going house to California.
“Once I got here again to Santa Cruz, it was an actual reverse tradition shock for me,” he says. “There was no housing left there. The town is basically not constructed for college students.”
Since first visiting Europe in 2021 and relocating in 2023, Gray has traveled to twenty totally different international locations.
Colby Gray
Again in Santa Cruz, Gray lived off campus in a two-bedroom condo with three different roommates and labored as a examine overseas advisor. Gray’s share of the lease was $1,340 a month, in line with paperwork reviewed by CNBC Make It.
“I used to be paying extra to dwell in Santa Cruz than I had been paying to dwell overseas. I stated to myself I could not do it anymore,” Gray says. “I knew that after I used to be performed [with undergrad] I might apply for a grasp’s diploma in Belgium.”
Gray says his main motivation for wanting to depart america is that life within the cities there by no means resonated with him — and he hated driving.
“That was one of many issues that I cherished about dwelling in Europe, I by no means felt like I wanted a automotive to dwell,” he says.
Gray was additionally sad with the standard of schooling he acquired at UC Santa Cruz, primarily due to the price. For the 2024-2025 college 12 months, the common value for in-state college students dwelling on campus is $44,160. Gray’s lessons had been canceled for greater than half a semester one 12 months and he nonetheless needed to pay for the whole factor.
“It simply did not seem to be I used to be getting what I paid for even with a ton of federal and state funding,” Gray says. “I knew there needed to be a greater system and a greater approach to get an schooling. By my examine overseas job, I spotted I may simply get a visa and examine as a world pupil for a sixth of the worth.”
“I wished to proceed my schooling, however I wished to make use of that as a pathway in the direction of residency.”
Gray and buddies attended the well-known EDM pageant, Tomorrowland.
Colby Gray
Gray determined to go for his grasp’s diploma and thought of applications within the UK, like at Cambridge College, the College of Oxford, and the College of Edinburgh in Scotland, however he could not justify the price.
That led Gray to Leuven, Belgium, which appeared like the proper selection. Leuven was constructed to be a “15-minute metropolis,” an city planning idea the place most every day requirements like buying, healthcare, and extra will be reached inside a 15-minute stroll or bike experience. The idea is gaining traction in different Belgian cities like Brussels and Mechelen and exists in main cities like Paris, France, Barcelona, Spain and Melbourne, Australia.
In Leuven, vehicles are banned within the metropolis middle and it’s straightforward — and inspired — to get round on bike.
“I fell in love with it and cherished that Belgium was centrally positioned, so I may journey, too,” he says “There are 4 totally different international locations round me inside a three-hour prepare experience, and that was very distinctive.”
The KU Leuven college in Belgium affords a program for degree-seeking college students referred to as a search allow. This allow permits college students or researchers to remain for a 12 months and work unrestricted so long as they get hold of a grasp’s diploma from a college within the nation. It is a one-year program, and the tutoring value is about 3,800 euros a 12 months or $4,310 USD.
“As a pupil, although, there is no such thing as a higher value of dwelling. There’s nothing higher economically than being in Europe. There is not any purpose to enter debt right here, so it simply is sensible at this stage in my life,” he says.
Gray’s household came visiting him in Belgium and so they took a visit over to Italy collectively.
Colby Gray
Gray arrived in Belgium with two checked baggage and a backpack, and transfer right into a four-bedroom home with three different folks. He paid 500 euros or $567 a month in lease: “It was implausible. I imply I used to be paying a 3rd of the worth to get my very own room.”
He set out instantly to construct a life in Leuven.
“Once I first received right here, it was daunting. I used to be conscious of the truth that I had no buddies right here and I used to be completely by myself,” he says. “I feel that was the primary time I ever felt like that in my life. I labored actually onerous to make buddies and make a group right here.”
After graduating from KU Leuven, Gray took a motorcycle journey from Andermatt to Basel, Switzerland.
Colby Gray
Gray graduated final summer time and moved a few 10-minute bike experience exterior town. He pays 420 euros a month in lease, together with utilities. His present housing additionally gives some toiletries and a few meals, too.
Gray’s further month-to-month bills embody 236 euros in groceries, 154 euros in consuming out, 11 euros in medical health insurance and medical visits, 48 euros in transit, 50 euros for the health club, 30 euros on wellness, 20 euros on visa charges, 20 euros in clothes and 10 euros in subscriptions. Together with his lease, Gray’s complete month-to-month bills are about $998 euros a month or $1,132.
Gray has lived in Belgium for nearly two years now, and says he loves the work-life stability he is been capable of finding there.
“The group feels so sturdy right here and I’ve a extremely nice stability between my work life and my house life,” he says. “It is such a slower tempo of life right here and it is actually stunning.”
Gray says he loves the work-life stability he is been capable of finding since leaving america.
Colby Gray
Since first visiting Europe in 2021 and relocating in 2023, Gray has traveled to twenty totally different international locations. His household and buddies have all come go to, too.
In 2024, Gray’s household got here to Belgium and so they took a visit over to Tuscany. He returned to the U.S. for the primary time that December.
Gray has seven months left on his search allow and he is enthusiastic about his subsequent steps, which may embody a second grasp’s diploma and traineeship in Brussels or Portugal.
The one factor Gray does know for positive is that he is not able to return to America simply but.
“Residing within the U.S. I felt there was a ticking clock within me the place I needed to get into the workforce, get a home, have a household and I feel now I’ve slowed down somewhat bit and sort of simply smelled the roses somewhat bit extra,” he says.
Conversions from euros to USD had been performed utilizing the OANDA conversion charge of 1 euro to 1.13 USD on Might 8, 2025. All quantities are rounded to the closest greenback.
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