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After the loss of his wife, Lon Sage made the life-changing decision to leave Buckeye, Arizona, and begin again in Langwedel, Germany. What started as a period of healing became a journey of reconnection, love, and building a new home abroad. With the support of friends, family, and Laser Moving, Lon’s international move became more than a relocation; it became the start of a hopeful new chapter.
I moved from Buckeye, Arizona, to Langwedel, Germany, after one of the most difficult periods of my life. After my wife passed away, I visited Germany and spent time with friends we still had there. Being back in Germany after more than 30 years felt right, and during that period of healing, I reconnected with old friends and eventually found love again. Today, I am living here with my friend and current wife.
After losing my wife, I knew I needed a change. Visiting Germany gave me the opportunity to reflect on where I wanted my life to go next. Being back after more than three decades brought back familiar feelings and reminded me how connected I still felt to the country.
That realization ultimately led me to make the decision to leave Arizona behind and begin a new chapter in Germany.
Finding a mover turned out to be the easiest part of the entire process. I used an online comparison site, and a representative reached out to me shortly afterward. From there, everything seemed to fall into place.
The dates aligned perfectly with my travel plans, and the company kept me informed throughout the process. I always knew what was happening with my shipment, and everyone I dealt with was friendly and accommodating. Choosing Laser Moving gave me one less thing to worry about during a major life transition.
Long before moving day arrived, I had already started sorting through my belongings. I downsized significantly and ended up bringing only about 5% of my possessions with me.
The logistics of moving were not what caused me the most stress. The bigger challenge was preparing myself emotionally to move to another country and start a completely new life.
Fortunately, I had a strong support system in both Arizona and Germany. Knowing that people were there for me on both sides of the move made the transition much easier.
When the movers arrived in Buckeye, most of the hard work had already been done. My belongings were sorted, reduced, and ready to go.
The moving crew handled everything well, and the communication throughout the process remained excellent. From pickup onward, I felt informed and supported.
The one thing that stayed in the back of my mind was wondering where all my belongings would fit. I was moving from a very large house into a much smaller one in Germany.
As it turns out, even bringing only 5% of my belongings may have been more than enough.
Because I had visited before and already knew where I would be living, arriving in Langwedel felt comfortable rather than overwhelming.
One of my favorite things about my new location is having a German bakery directly across the street. I can walk almost anywhere I need to go, which is a very different experience from life in Arizona.
My new home immediately felt welcoming, and having familiarity with the area helped me settle in quickly.
Settling in has gone well so far. Much of my time has been spent organizing my shipment and figuring out where everything belongs. Since the house was already furnished, I mainly needed to find space for the few things I brought with me.
A major milestone came when my visa paperwork was completed. That was the moment when Germany truly started to feel like home.
At the same time, beginning a new life with a new partner made this place feel like home from the very first day.
There is still one final step in this journey. In a few weeks, I will return to Arizona and come back with my daughter and cat. My daughter will begin a job here in August, and having both my family and my new family together will make this transition complete.
If I could offer advice to someone planning a similar move, it would be to trust the people who know the process and stay focused on the things you can control.
Moving from Arizona to Germany was about much more than relocating my belongings. It was a decision born from loss, healing, friendship, and eventually love. While seeing an empty house can pull at the heart, seeing a new home in a new country can quickly replace that feeling with hope. For me, this move proved that life can still surprise you, and that sometimes the biggest changes lead exactly where you need to be.
