By Trendsetter Tribune 
Mikayla McGhee, 29, has traded life in the United States for a new adventure in Bahrain, a small island nation in the Persian Gulf. Born to U.S. Navy parents, McGhee grew up moving from base to base and spending much of her childhood abroad in Japan. That upbringing sparked her love for travel and a desire to create a life beyond the United States.
From Military Brat to Global Explorer
“My life was moving around from military base to military base,” McGhee tells CNBC Make It. “Once you’ve experienced growing up abroad and you’re exposed to that, you continue to search for it.”
After returning to the U.S., McGhee says she always knew she wanted to live overseas but wasn’t sure how to make it happen. That opportunity came in 2020, when she visited her parents in Bahrain, where her father was stationed at the U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain.
She recalls her initial impressions of the country: “The culture shock was that, actually, things were better, not worse. Don’t just believe what you’re told or what you see in the media because it’s nothing like that at all. It’s so calm. It’s so peaceful.”
Falling in Love with Bahrain
During her three-month stay, McGhee fell in love with Bahrain and its people. “I didn’t want to go home, and as soon as I got home, I started planning how I was going to move because I knew I had to leave,” she says.
She made the full-time move in December 2022, initially staying in her parents’ three-bedroom home for six months before moving into her own residence near Manama, Bahrain’s capital. The home is a three-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom property with a pool and a one-car garage, renting for $2,200 per month. She shares expenses with her partner, who contributes the majority, while she focuses on savings and travel.
Lifestyle and Work
McGhee works as a senior performance marketing manager at an IT company, earning $140,000 annually. She works remotely on Eastern Standard Time, starting her day locally at 5 to 6 p.m. and ending around midnight to 1 a.m.
“Finding a role that allowed me to live anywhere and work across time zones was my biggest priority,” she explains. Despite living in Bahrain, she still pays U.S. taxes and relies on her company’s health insurance, which covers care in Bahrain.
Her monthly expenses include groceries ranging from 25 to 60 BHD ($66–$158 USD) multiple times a week, nails for 20 BHD ($53), hair up to 30 BHD ($79), a cellphone bill of $150 USD, and a storage unit in Atlanta for $125.
Sharing Life Abroad
Outside work, McGhee enjoys working out, grocery shopping, and creating content. She regularly posts on TikTok, where her 64,000-plus followers get a glimpse of her life in Bahrain. “It is my duty to make sure that Americans know how great this country is,” she says.
Plans for the Future
While McGhee isn’t sure how long she’ll stay in Bahrain, she is already investing in real estate there and hopes to secure a permanent home. “My life is 10 times better here. My happiness has skyrocketed. Even the weather alone has increased my mood,” she says.
She adds that Bahrain felt like home from the day she arrived: “In order for me to leave, another place would need to do the same.”
Conclusion
For Mikayla McGhee, a childhood spent traveling the globe as a military brat prepared her for a life without borders. Her move to Bahrain has allowed her to merge professional success, personal happiness, and a love for international living, creating a life that she says she could truly call home.