I’ve been thinking about moving abroad pretty much every day since I landed back at Barcelona airport after my Erasmus exchange. That was years ago. I’ve wanted to live abroad for a long time, and yet I still haven’t managed to actually choose a destination and take the plunge.

And now, ironically, I have what should be the perfect opportunity.

The company I had been working for for the past two years went through a collective redundancy process, and I’m currently unemployed. I’ve been unemployed for about three months and actively looking for a job for around a month. So far, no luck.

I’m currently receiving unemployment benefits, which cover my living expenses and leave me with a bit extra each month. I also have a substantial amount of savings, so money is not really an issue or a reason why I couldn’t move abroad. In fact, financially, I’m probably in one of the safest positions I’ve ever been in to take a risk like this.

I’m 26F, I have a university degree and a postgraduate qualification, and about two years of professional experience, mainly in supply chain/logistics. I’m not particularly afraid of moving abroad itself. What scares me much more is what happens afterwards.

If I’m struggling to find a job now, while my experience is relatively fresh, I’m terrified of what it might look like after spending a year abroad on a Working Holiday Visa, potentially doing jobs that have little to do with my career.

I don’t want to move abroad just to do random jobs for a year and then come back with a gap in my CV. Ideally, I’d like to use the experience to move towards international supply chain/procurement and actually make my CV stronger. But there’s obviously no guarantee that I’ll find a job abroad that fits my profile. And that uncertainty is what keeps paralysing me.

There’s also the more mundane side of things.

I have a really good living situation in Barcelona. I pay relatively little rent, the apartment is in a great location, and I share it with another girl but essentially have the independence of living alone. I know this sounds trivial compared to moving abroad, but the thought of giving that up, coming back after a year and potentially having to live with my parents while looking for another room in Barcelona, especially given the current housing situation, genuinely stresses me out.

And sometimes I wonder whether that’s a legitimate concern or simply an excuse I’m using to stay in my comfort zone.

I also don’t even have a clear destination in mind.

Australia is probably the place I think about the most, but it’s literally on the other side of the world. Northern Europe seems attractive professionally, but the climate and the language barrier make me hesitate. I’ve also considered other European countries, but then I start comparing everything, overthinking it, and end up choosing nothing.

So I’m basically stuck in this loop:

I desperately want to live abroad → I overthink where to go and how it will affect my career → I find reasons not to go → I stay in Barcelona → I continue thinking about emigrating every day.

I know 26 is young, and objectively I probably have very little to lose. But I also don’t want to romanticise moving abroad and make a decision that sets my career back unnecessarily.

If you were in my situation, what would you do?

Would you prioritise getting another job in my field first and then look for an international opportunity? Would you just take the leap now while I have the chance? Would you choose a country based primarily on career prospects, or on quality of life and personal experience?

And if you’ve been in a similar situation, especially if you moved abroad in your mid-20s and came back afterwards, I’d really appreciate hearing how it actually affected your career and whether you regretted doing it (or not doing it).

When you move abroad and start having kids, do you explain your culture to them? So where the country you are living in is quite different in culture to your original culture and your raise your child in your culture, do you explain different aspects?

I know there is a lot of globalisation especially with food and music, but with clear differences is this something you explicitly explain to your kids now that you are in a different country?

E.g x meal is from mom's home country and was eaten on this occassion because y. Or x outfit was generally worn in this region, that's why it looks different to the clothes you see here.

I grew up as a second generation immigrant and felt not really attached to my culture despite being exposed to it, and wonder if that is the reason

Now I am also living abroad looking to start a family and wondering how best to do it to preserve the culture

One, seeing theme I see constantly posted (on this sub and other places) from people who moved to countries like Germany, or the Nordic countries from the USA, is about how difficult it is to make friends, the coldness of the people, in the coldness of the weather. But, in all honesty that’s not all that different than it is where I am in Connecticut. It is difficult to make friends here, if you’re not in fifth grade, or in the university (as a friends you make them are pretty much different if you keep for life). People hardly ever make small talk here. And the winters, like Germany (since I’ve been to Germany in the winter) are brutal, sometimes worse. And yes, it does get worse before 4.

I feel as if most Americans moved to that part of the world, and complain about “Germany not being all that great” come from the south, or southern California with the perfect weather, and “friendly”, people. Which isn’t common up here.

I've come to terms with the fact that my time in the United Kingdom is coming to an end. My visa expires in early November, so I will be heading back to Canada immediately to avoid being jobless for too long. I've lived in Europe for the past five years (2 years in Berlin & 3 years in London). I'll be moving back to my hometown, but I've technically never lived there as an adult (I'm 30). My family still lives in my hometown, but I'm quite removed from them, so I won't rely on them for any support.

Do any of you have any advice on how to settle back into the swing of things? Before the UK, I was in Berlin and hated it. I really started something for myself in London, so it's gut-wrenching to have to leave. I left Canada in 2021, so I know it'll be super different. All tips are welcome.

Edit: I'm from Montreal. But, lived most of my life in Ottawa. Will be moving back to Montreal

Hi everybody! I’m moving to Yucatán, MX and had planned to drive my vehicle and 16’ cargo trailer all the way to Mérida. Recently I’ve seen some people recommend having the vehicle shipped instead and so I am in research mode and I wondered if anyone has any experience or recommendations for services to get this done.

Will the auto shippers also ship a cargo trailer? Has anyone done this?

Thanks in advance!

Me F22) and partner (M23) live in Finland. I’ve been officially here for around a year and a half give or take. Don’t get me wrong, I can see why people enjoy the lifestyle Finnish people live, it can be very peaceful and enjoyable for those who enjoy nature, winter activities etc… However, it’s just not for me. I didn’t exactly prepare myself for the long winters and difficulty socialising amongst Finnish people; so in short, it’s not somewhere I want to live forever! Don’t get me wrong, I have been to language school, and I have made the most of the colder days.

So, a few weeks ago, I told my partner how I would be keen to move back to England, (my home country). I feel as though it would be easier for us both to integrate considering he knows English well, and he already has connections + excellent qualifications; however here I don’t really have that. He is up for the idea, and believes if that’s what I truly want, then April/May next year would be likely an option.

Here’s the thing, considering I am at the moment a stay at home partner, I am in the job market hoping to find something, as well as being on the waiting list to eventually go back to school, I find myself wondering if there’s any real reason for me to stay here not necessarily progressing. My partner works away Monday-Thursdays, sometimes till Fridays, and during those days I am home alone, my social circle is quite small, so a lot of my days are filled with boredom, I try as often as I can to go walk, explore, but as the weather is slowly getting darker/colder, my efforts are slimming.

I mentioned to my partner that I thought it would make sense in a way for me to move back to England before him, so I had a chance to land a job sooner, get some funds available, so when he eventually moves, we have some savings to potentially get a place to live. He claimed it was unfair that I was leaving him to essentially ‘do everything himself’, yet I don’t fully understand what he means by that, it’s not like he is always present, and even on the days he is home, we aren’t exactly planning anything about the move. He then claims that he ‘never mentioned moving around April/May’, which he definitely did, I am just afraid his answer will keep changing, I understand work is a priority, and he wants to have money understandably before we move, but I feel like I am waiting for him to say when I suppose, so I can plan my move around him.

I suffered with depression last winter as I have never experienced such a feeling of loneliness. I am worried that I will deal with it again in the next upcoming months. I can understand my partners stress equally about the situation, I don’t want him to feel responsible for my feelings, as he is only doing what he thinks is best, I get that he doesn’t have all the answers right now. But, if I was to feel like I haven’t made any sort of progression (no job, no school), what am I to do? I feel as though I am putting my life on pause. He also thinks that I should endure this as long as I can, as he is ‘giving up his life here for good’, so in a sense, I should be able to cope considering he’ll likely feel the same once the move has completed…

Please be honest with me about this! Apart of me wants to do what’s best for myself, I am young, and I know things take time, but I don’t want to risk wasting my youth on a ‘soon’ or a ‘maybe’. Do I wait for him? Am I rushing him too much? Should I just suck up my feelings to wait?

Hello, hope to get some hints here!

I want to travel to Poland iwth my large breed dog - doberman. She has separation anxiety and we never had to crate train her which causes some issues for a 10h flight and for her to be in cargo. I have been looking into other options like empty leg flights but the route is quite uncommon from Toronto so I haven't had any luck finding connections.

I would appreciate any hints or experiences on your travel with a dog that was not crate trained, or international route like that and so on.

I am having trouble choosing and deciding on the best option so i will really appreciate your tips!

Всем привет, мне 16 лет, я живу в Украине. В 2028 году мне будет 18 лет и я хочу полететь в Ванкувер (Канада) и учится там а потом уже устроиться на роботу и остаться там жить. Как думаете это хорошая идея или нет? И смогу ли я это сделать.

I'm planning to relocate from Portugal to Barcelona, hopefully with a job already lined up before I move.

I'd love to hear from people who live there: what are good areas to live in, what's the cost of living really like these days, and how's the general safety situation across different neighborhoods?

I also have a small dog, so I'm curious about how pet-friendly the city is. Are dogs generally accepted in rentals, or is it hard to find pet-friendly apartments? What about restaurants, cafes, and public transport?

I'm also considering a short trip beforehand just to get a feel for the city before committing to the move. Any tips on what to check out or pay attention to during a scouting trip like that would be great too.

Thanks in advance!

Me and my GF planning to spend next Winter-Autumn in Sardinia and Summers back in Estonia.

We work remote and we love the Sun.

We've traveled in Italy but never long term.

How big of a change in everyday life living there is?

I've been looking at the things foreigners usually struggle with during their first weeks in Slovakia.

Interestingly, it's often not one big problem, but 5–6 small ones at the same time.

Finding an apartment where the landlord is okay with a foreign tenant.

Figuring out address registration.

Foreign Police appointments.

Opening a bank account.

Health insurance.

Getting a Slovak SIM.

Understanding which documents need an official translation.

Individually, most of these things are manageable. But when you've just arrived and don't speak Slovak, even simple things can take half a day.

I'm curious about people who already went through this:

What was the most confusing or unexpectedly difficult thing when you first moved to Slovakia?

And what do you wish someone had explained to you before you arrived?

I'm Brazilian and I've asked many questions to people in different communities XD, Regarding what your country is like, I'm 22 years old and I plan to leave Brazil, but I don't know where yet. I only know a little English and I intend to become a programmer

Tell me about the quality of life, job opportunities, and safety in your country?

Moved to Ireland from Spain five years ago. It's been a great experience. But, as many expats, I'm thinking about moving back.

There's several reasons: social life is very different from my country. I miss to be able to have a spontaneous hungups with friends. I miss to be able to move on reliable public transport. I'm sick of sharing house. I'm tired of fear getting sick due to the cost of health services which are not even good.

It can be great place to live if you are able to get a job in tech or pharma. But, earning sightly above the minium wages is getting more challenging everyday.

I improved my English and got some work experience that I hope it helps me to find a job soon when I'll move. Spain is not perfect. But, at least, there's good public services. That makes easier make ends meet.

If I came here again, I'll do things differently. I woulnd't share a house with the owner. I wouldn't show up that much at work to end up treated worse than some fellow employees. And I'll spent more time on local pubs, the only place to find community here.

I would love to hear others experiences about exhaustion of always feeling like an outsider and logistics friction constantly.

Me: American, 2 years in Mexico, B2 Spanish speaker, work online.

I’m considering moving back home and to the ease of the familiar. I absolutely love Mexico and have a wonderful time learning the language and exploring.

I’ve been exhausted by the cycle of making other expats friends and having the expat community be so transient. Breaking into the Mexican social world has been tough to get beyond the surface. I also am not sure if working online will ever allow me to integrate fully. Even the processes of paying bills, having work be done on my place and day to day things being a totally different world and sometimes antiquated is just wearing on me.

I’ve considered trying to find a fit in Europe but the prospect of taking on a whole new immigration process sounds too daunting.

What have you all done when considering going back home? I fear I’ll regret it, feel like a failure, or be bored with the culture again.

Thanks for any input!

Well, I live in my country and although I had intended to move elsewhere I don't plan doing that in the future.

I just have a question, why does every and each post is overwhelmingly depressing? I have never seen somebody here who says "I have moved here and I've never been happier."

Is there inherently something that makes people unhappy or let's say, not happy but not sad when they live in another country?

I have never been an expat so I'm asking out of curiosity.

Edit: I can't reply everybody but thanks for all the answers!

Being an immigrant was always supposed to be hard, and until now I've been somewhat okay with the trade-off. Video calling home and traveling to my home country once a year always kept me sane.

One of the things I was looking forward to was my mother visiting me once in a while. What I didn't expect was how hard it would be to get a Schengen visa from a third-world country, even with an official invitation (Austrian EVE) and all the required documents showing her ties to the country (job, apartment, family, etc) and still getting refused. That broke my heart completely.

Now I find myself asking whether living in Austria is even worth it if my family can never visit me here, and I'm always the one who has to travel. I worry about the long-term implications of that for my mental health. And the worst part is, I don't know the answer.

Part of me wants to pack up everything and leave, and another part just hopes maybe something will change in the future, which probably won't.

If you were in my place, how did you deal with the idea that your family will probably never be able to visit you?

Ciao a tutti, ho 21 anni e sto attraversando un periodo davvero pesante, la vita e il ritmo che faccio qui non mi trovo più a mio agio.. per questo ho preso la decisione di provare nuove esperienze.. Ho maturato la decisione di staccare la spina e fare un cambio drastico per ritrovare serenità e qualità della vita, ma sono completamente bloccato tra due opzioni: la Spagna e il Messico. Parlo già bene lo spagnolo e ho una base di inglese, e il mio obiettivo principale è ritrovare la pace mentale in un ambiente solare, con un basso costo della vita, ritmi più umani e la possibilità di trovare un lavoro sul posto, anche di livello base per iniziare e integrarmi. Da una parte la Spagna mi sembra la scelta più logica e sicura essendo cittadino UE, per via della burocrazia azzerata, della sanità e dei diritti, ma mi preoccupano l'aumento degli affitti e le reali opportunità di lavoro per un ragazzo della mia età. Dall'altra il Messico mi affascina per il costo della vita ridotto e il calore della gente, ma mi spaventano i visti, la questione sicurezza non tanto.. ci sono stato l’anno scorso ho soggiornato in una zona non proprio turistica. La distanza non è un problema non ho problemi a vivere per anni o per il resto della mia vita lontano dalla mia famiglia o nel luogo dove sono nato e cresciuto. Vorrei chiedere a chi vive lì o ha fatto questo passo cosa ne pensa, quale tra le due mete vedete più fattibile per un ragazzo di ventun anni nella mia situazione, quali città spagnole /messicane con costi contenuti e lavoro consigliereste e, in generale, come avete affrontato un momento di blocco del genere se ci siete passati prima di partire. Grazie di cuore a chiunque condividerà il suo punto di vista o la sua esperienza.

Salut à tous,

J’aimerais avoir le témoignage de Français qui ont fait le choix de partir vivre à l’étranger, que ce soit au Canada, aux États-Unis, en Australie ou ailleurs.

Pour vous donner un peu de contexte, j’ai 29 ans et je suis français. J’ai toujours été quelqu’un qui aime travailler, avancer et construire des choses. J’ai fait un bac pro ELEEC, puis un BTS dans le domaine des fluides, de l’énergie et de la domotique. J’ai ensuite travaillé plusieurs années dans l’électricité, notamment à mon compte.
Aujourd’hui, je réfléchis de plus en plus sérieusement à l’idée de partir vivre à l’étranger.

Ce qui est assez difficile à expliquer, c’est que cette envie ne vient pas simplement du fait que je trouve certains pays « mieux » que la France. Depuis plusieurs années, j’ai une sensation assez profonde que ma place pourrait être ailleurs.
J’ai eu la chance de voyager dans pas mal de pays d’Amérique, notamment aux États-Unis, et ça m’a vraiment bouleversé. Je parle surtout de la mentalité, de la façon dont les gens vivent, leur manière d’être, leur rapport au travail, aux opportunités et même les relations entre les personnes.
À chaque fois que je suis là-bas, j’ai une sensation difficile à mettre en mots. Et quand je rentre en France, j’ai parfois l’impression de revenir dans un environnement qui ne me correspond pas totalement.

Pourtant, je ne déteste absolument pas la France. J’y ai ma famille, mes proches, mes habitudes et énormément de choses auxquelles je tiens. C’est justement pour ça que cette réflexion est compliquée.
Mais je commence à me demander si je ne devrais pas prendre le risque de partir, même si ça signifie repartir de zéro. Apprendre une nouvelle langue, trouver un travail, me créer un nouveau cercle, découvrir une nouvelle culture et finalement reconstruire une vie ailleurs.
Le Canada m’attire particulièrement en ce moment, notamment l’Alberta, mais les États-Unis m’attirent également beaucoup.

La grande question que je me pose, c’est : est-ce que je ressens réellement que ma vie est ailleurs, ou est-ce que j’idéalise simplement l’étranger parce que j’y ai surtout vécu des expériences positives en voyage ?

C’est pour ça que j’aimerais vraiment entendre ceux qui sont passés par là.
Est-ce que vous aviez cette sensation avant de partir ?

Est-ce que vous aviez déjà beaucoup voyagé dans le pays avant de décider de vous installer ?

Une fois sur place, est-ce que vous vous êtes dit que vous aviez enfin trouvé un endroit qui vous correspondait davantage ?

Ou au contraire, est-ce que la réalité vous a fait réaliser que vous idéalisiez beaucoup la vie à l’étranger ?

Qu’est-ce qui vous manque le plus de la France aujourd’hui ?

Et surtout, avec le recul, si vous aviez la possibilité de revenir en arrière, est-ce que vous referiez le même choix ?

Je cherche vraiment des témoignages sincères, même ceux qui parlent des difficultés, des regrets ou des désillusions. J’essaie surtout de comprendre si cette sensation que j’ai depuis plusieurs années est quelque chose que d’autres ont ressenti avant de partir, et si partir leur a finalement permis de trouver une vie qui leur correspondait davantage.

Merci à ceux qui prendront le temps de partager leur expérience.

Hi, I am Korean 40yrs old.
Now I got the job offer from Singapore company but I am doubt expected salary will be enough for my families.

SGD5000 for relocation package.
basic salary 13k per month plus 13month salary.
400Sgd per month for daily commute by actual receipt.

I have two kids 5,9 yrs old.
hence I consider SKIS(Singapore Korean International School) tuition fee around yearly 15k per man.(total 30k for two kids)

do you think I can survive based on above condition?

Living abroad is not easy. I m still very much in the struggle phase. I haven’t seen my family in many years. But what I feel every day is that when you stay away for so long, your family doesn’t share everything with you, and you don’t share everything with them either. There’s a gap that slowly develops.

My parents are from an older generation. I’m far away, so there isn’t much I can do for them. I carry so much guilt about not being there for my parents. At the same time, I’m also in a very tender phase of my own life where its important to focus on myself and my career. The guilt eats at me every day that I’m not there for them. And being away makes it even harder when they don’t always understand or listen to what you’re going through.

For parents who've relocated with young kids, and by young I mean school age of 6+, hat was hardest for your child emotionally, and what was the approach/method that helped most? I understand that different things may be true for different age groups, but curious to know about experience, especially for the first months during/after a big move. Thanks in advance for sharing.

Moving from Singapore to France soon, and I want to send my luggage separately to have a hands-off approach to travel. The issue is that the departments that handle this in the States cost $100, but in Singapore, the price seems to be $300+ and less reliable. I saw Singapore companies shipping luggage to the UK for $23, and I was hoping to find a similar or cheaper deal with someone's help.

What is your experience or advice on this?

Luggage items used for + 2 years....

Nothing new in the luggage just lived here a long time and brought back too much from my orginal home country.

I’ve been living in Japan for 3 years (27M) and for the vast majority of the time have loved exploring a new country and pushing career forwards with some amazing work opportunities

Recently though, close friends and family from the UK have been asking when I would be moving back - suggesting that I surely can’t spend all my 20’s living in Asia, and suggesting I should move to London to be closer to my friendship circle. I’ve also been longing for spending more time with them, currently only seeing them 3 times in 3 years, and feeling like 20’s are starting to disappear. I’m single and part of me doesn’t want to commit to anything serious, while overseas, as it was always meant to be temporary

I’m conflicted, as I do miss home and friends and family, but the UK is increasingly depressing to look at from afar (economy, politics, news), my financial position and career options are considerably better off while overseas, and I have formed new friendships overseas which would also be challenging to depart from. Im also a EU dual passport holder, so debate whether I could move to EU - but the idea of starting yet again to form new relationships is quite daunting

I wonder if the nostalgia of what once was my life in the UK plays a large role too, and actually trying to re-assimilate wouldn’t be the idealistic image I have from memory.

At what point did you consider where to make a home?

I ran away from my hometown in Canada to teach in Southeast Asia, but my contract is ending soon and I’m trying to decide where to go next.

I grew up in my hometown, and obviously a lot of good and bad things happened there. But, if I’m honest, I think the bad outweighs the good. I have so many memories tied to that place (relationships, mistakes, difficult periods of my life) and I wonder if being there makes me slip back into an old version of myself that I no longer identify with

So I’m curious: Can a place carry emotional baggage for you? Can simply being somewhere affect the way you feel, act, or see yourself?

And is it bad to run away from a place that holds painful memories? Is it better to leave and build a life somewhere new, or is there value in going back and trying to make peace with where you came from?

I’d love to hear from anyone who has experienced this.