Five months ago, Grace and Brad Dickason made the intentional decision to leave California and relocate their family to Sanur, Bali. Life back home was full — established careers in tech and global education, a supportive community near Big Sur, and the kind of stability many families work hard to create. Yet somewhere between long daily commutes and the fast pace of Silicon Valley, they found themselves questioning whether comfort alone was enough.
Instead of simply adjusting their circumstances, they chose to zoom out completely.
The move was rooted in values — stepping away from corporate security and into a chapter shaped by creativity and a more intentional approach to family life.
In this conversation, Grace and Brad share what led them to Bali, why Sanur felt like the right fit, their schooling journey at The Garden and Bali Island School, and what raising young children in Bali truly looks like day to day.
If you’re considering a move to Bali with your family, their story offers a thoughtful perspective, practical insight, and an honest look at what this chapter can really entail.
Tell us a little about yourself and life before Bali
Before Bali, we were building our lives in California with our two young boys. We both separately lived in New York City for a long time before we met, where Brad’s work spanned from 3D printing by day to nightlife DJ by evening. His love for emerging technologies brought him to CA, where he worked at Meta and immersed himself in the world of virtual and augmented reality.
I spent a decade in NYC in global education and international development, designing cross-cultural programs that promoted empathy and dialogue. After becoming a wife and mom, that work evolved into something closer to home and led to the founding of Homebound Honeymoon, a couples retreat experience designed to help partners pause, gain perspective, and think intentionally about their next chapter. In different ways, we’ve both always been drawn to creating spaces that connect people.
Our life in California was robust. We lived along the California Coast, steps away from Big Sur and not too far from the bustle of Silicon Valley. We achieved work-life balance and had lots of family around to support us with the kids. We had a wonderful community that kept our schedules full and fun.
As much as we enjoyed the comforts of CA, we both felt a pull to leave what was secure and comfortable to see who we are outside of it. We wanted our kids to see the world through a wider lens outside of our beautiful bubble.
When did you move to Bali?
We’ve been here for five months and plan to stay a minimum of 2 years. We believe the first year is settling in, and the second year will give us a more accurate picture of life here.
What were the key reasons or turning points that led you to relocate to Bali?
Honestly? Traffic. Ironically, traffic is all anyone ever talks about in Bali.
We were commuting up to three hours a day so our then four-year-old could attend one of the best schools in our community. We loved the school. We loved our village. But somewhere between the time in the car and the fifteenth round of the same kids’ song, it started to feel misaligned with the values we often discussed at home.
We hit a fork in the road: move closer to shorten the commute or zoom out entirely. The former meant Brad would have to continue with the tech job indefinitely until retirement. If we really believed in giving our kids a broader, non-Western lens on the world, this felt like the moment to offer them that reality.
At the same time, Brad was ready to step outside the golden handcuffs of the lucrative tech industry and return to his creative roots. I wanted to build my retreat work in a place that naturally invites reflection. So we did what people probably thought was crazy- we left stability and our wonderful community to live into our values- a life steered by passion and curiosity while orienting around global citizenship.
How did you come across Our Year in Bali, and why was the service valuable to you?
We actually found Simone on Instagram. The algorithm served us a video of an American family who had moved to Bali, and Simone was being interviewed. From there, we went down the rabbit hole.
Purchasing her guide was like stepping into a jacuzzi on a cold day. It was warm, inviting, and gave you all the confidence you needed to take the next step forward. You can hear Simone’s distinct voice as you move through each page. She has literally thought of EVERYTHING. From the more obvious things: visa agents, school contacts, budget guides, to the less obvious: scheduling your goodbye party, your first day, week, and month. As the days approached closer to the move, I found myself referring back to the guide quite often, and it really felt like your bestie in Bali was awaiting your arrival and giving you all the tips for a smooth landing. You can tell she really put her heart and soul into ensuring your move would be as smooth as possible because she knows this island moves at a different pace and with a different rhythm of predictability.
At the risk of sounding cliché, Simone’s sincerity is what makes Our Year in Bali so valuable. She has cultivated a network of like-minded individuals who are ready to help. When moving your family halfway around the world, the quiet relief of not being scammed and being supported by genuine people is worth every penny.
Where do you live in Bali?
Like many families with young kids, we live in Sanur, and we cannot be happier with settling in this little corner of the island. For New Yorkers, I’d reference it as the “Park Slope” of Bali- the place where you go when you have a family. The water is calm, which means we don’t have to worry about the kids being clobbered by the waves. Yet, we are a short boat ride away from a good surf.
Compared to Canggu or Uluwatu, it’s definitely sleepier, which at this juncture we don’t mind. The community can become very tight as you start seeing the same people everywhere you go. Soon enough, you’ll become a regular at a cafe where everyone knows your name (shout out to Brother Goose Sanur). Every time we go to the playground at the beach, we are bound to run into at least one or two families we know. What we love most about this area (especially if you live west of the highway) is the immersion into local Balinese/Indonesian society. During school drop-offs, you can feel the movement of the day beginning as the Balinese prepare and put down their offerings. We see locals gather around the fresh fruit stands, the food trucks, or even chicken butchers. Sanur doesn’t feel “exclusive” but is a place where locals and immigrants are interwoven.
What have you decided to do for schooling and education? Please share your experiences and also talk about raising children in Bali.
Leaving our school in California was hard. We genuinely loved it. The teachers were incredible and the school culture was really special. But if we were serious about giving our boys a broader, non-Western perspective, we had to be willing to stretch.
Simone connected us to two schools after a free intro call, no pressure, no expectation. That alone built a lot of trust.
We actually enrolled the boys in different schools based on who they are.
Our youngest (4) goes to The Garden in Sanur. It’s warm, creative, and play-based. We love the amount of art he gets to do every day. The director sets a warm tone every morning as she greets all the families. In the last five months, he’s been learning phonetics and showing eagerness to read. The educators are wildly creative and resourceful. They don’t just “talk about sustainability,” but they practice it through the projects they create in the classroom.
Our oldest (5) attends Bali Island School. We were drawn to the IB program and the focus on character, not just academics. We experienced our first International Day and were blow away. The gym turned into a world fair with over 50 countries represented. But what stood out wasn’t just the costumes and food, it was the curiosity. The kids were encouraged to ask why. Why this flag? Why this tradition? That matters to us. Critical thinking and diversity are pillars in our family, and that day reflected the kind of global education we had always hoped to find.
Raising kids here feels expansive (and expensive, ha!). They hear different languages daily. They see different religious rituals. They understand early that the world is bigger than the one they were born into. And their friends come from all corners of the world.
How does the cost of day-to-day life in Bali compare to the USA?
This question is always tricky because it can reduce a very complex place to a cost comparison.
There are certainly everyday expenses that feel lower than in California, like coffee or local dining. But Bali is not inherently “cheap,” especially if you are paying international school tuition, visas, or trying to build a life responsibly here. The financial structure is simply different. Some things cost less. Some things cost more. The more important shift has been how intentional we are about what we spend on and why.
A lot of people assume a move like this is about slowing down or lowering costs. For us, it wasn’t. Bali hasn’t been dramatically cheaper. It hasn’t been easier. We are unusual in that we actually had more help and date nights in California than we do here. In many ways, daily life is more hands-on.
We thought we were moving for ease. It turns out we were moving for perspective.
Are you working in Bali?
For me, I run intimate couples retreats that help partners step out of their daily routines and intentionally reflect on the life they’re building together. We aim to normalize “off-sites” for your relationship, similar to how teams step away from work to plan and strategize. The retreats focus on values, vision, and strategy, combining practical, outcomes-focused exercises, and couples are excited to bring home with the wellness practices Bali is known for. The work is personal as it’s a practice Brad and I have implemented since the first year of our marriage. It’s helped us design our life and articulate our shared values with deep intention, which actually led us here.
Brad is in a creative chapter right now. He is reconnecting with music production and DJing while also exploring content around technology and innovation. Bali has a strong creative pulse, and it has been energizing for him to build in that space again. He is also working on Homebound Honeymoon and taking on more of the “invisible labor” to run our household. We’re trying to find more time for him to dig into the fun stuff 🙂
Financially, we made a conscious choice to prioritize this chapter. We’re investing in ourselves and our work rather than taking the “traditional” path. Honestly, it’s been a destabilizing nervous system for me, but it’s also exciting that Bali allows us to “bet on ourselves.”
What does a typical day look like for you and the family in Bali?
Bali has given us more routine and more breathing room than we had in California. Back home, the only predictable rhythm was Monday through Friday when the kids had school. We had a deep, beautiful community there, but it meant our weekends were often booked months in advance. We would drive one to two hours to see friends and family for birthdays, holidays, and gatherings. It was full, but it was a lot.
Here, we finally have a steadier cadence. Weekdays start with school drop-off, then surfing or the gym, breakfast and coffee, and then work. Living on this side of the island means the ocean is right there. As a former Santa Cruz surfer, having waves this accessible is everything. After pick-up, the boys have their activities: soccer, taekwondo, and swimming. Evenings wind down earlier, which means we have more time to ourselves.
Weekends are the biggest shift. Often, we have no plans. No long drives. No weekly Costco haul. We wake up and decide that morning whether we’ll head to the beach or the park. We might text a friend to see if they’re free. Sanur feels small in the best way. We see the same families through school and activities, and it’s common to bump into someone we know. There’s a lightness to being able to opt into plans rather than feeling obligated months out.
The hardest part at first was how contained our world felt. Without extended family nearby, it was just our nuclear unit absorbing all the big feelings. That stretched us. But it has also softened us. We are learning patience. We are meeting the Bali versions of ourselves, and of each other, in real time.
What are some common misconceptions about Bali, and what would you say to set the record straight?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that Bali is either a cheap tropical escape or a permanent vacation. It’s often portrayed that way online. But living here is very different from visiting.
Bali is a real place with its own systems, rhythms, and cultural context. Infrastructure can be unpredictable. Bureaucracy requires patience. International schooling and visas are not inexpensive. It is not automatically a low-cost life, especially if you are trying to build something sustainable.
I would also say: don’t expect to overlay your existing worldview on top of Bali and have it function the same way. This isn’t a backdrop for your old life. There are different norms, different expectations, and a deeply rooted culture that deserves respect. The adjustment requires humility.
Another misconception is that life instantly slows down. It can, but only if you are intentional. You can just as easily recreate the same busyness you had at home.
For us, Bali has been less about escape and more about perspective. It has required us to constantly revisit what we value.
How have you immersed you and the family in the local culture? What have you learnt from the Balinese?
We’re immersing ourselves slowly. We chose a more residential pocket of Sanur, where we experience the daily rhythms differently than in the more tourist-heavy areas. The small, repeated interactions… our morning greetings with our neighbors, the security guards at school drop-off, the baristas at local shops, the familiar faces we pass each day… that’s how the immersion is happening for us. We also live on a great block where our kids are able to bike and scooter with our local neighbors.
There’s much to learn from the Balinese: how easy it is to slow down, be jovial, and embody a warmth of spirit. We love how alive and integrated culture and spirituality is here. We live next to a cemetery, and instead of feeling hidden or solemn like it usually does in the West, there is so much life and gathering that happens there. Full moons, ceremonies, and community coming together. It feels less compartmentalized than what we were used to and is a visceral reminder of the circle of life.
And yes… once you learn five names, you’ve basically learned them all (ha!)
What should other families think about before making the move?
Through the hard way, we learned many problems are actually quite simple to solve once you find the right local person, who has the local cultural fluency and contacts, to support you. We took longer than most (maybe through stubbornness) to figure this one out.
Take the time to determine what’s important based on your family values because the location can set you up for success or stress.
Every family’s story is different, so what’s important to you may look very different from someone else’s priorities. Guides like Simone’s cover the basics, but ultimately, experience will be your best teacher.
Is there anything else about your Bali experience you’d love to share?
If you’ve read this far, maybe the island is already calling you, so just take the leap. There will be plenty of people who are willing and ready to help you with your transition and befriend you once you get here. Experience will quickly show you what works and what doesn’t. And like any relationship, Bali isn’t a place to run and hide; it’s a mirror that reflects what’s already inside you.
