Which country shall I emigrate to?

[Pitaramus]

Is the grass actually greener?

I’m so fed up of perpetual winter / work / our education system! Is there anywhere better than the UK or am I looking for something that doesn’t actually exist?

The only other country I’ve lived in for any meaningful amount of time is Italy and, although lovely, it’s not somewhere I think I would raise my children. Also, DH couldn’t work there because of the language barrier so that would put a spanner in the works anyway.

At the moment I am so down in the dumps about the UK. House prices are ridiculous so we’re all crammed into houses that are too small for us. We can’t make use of the beautiful outdoors for periods of the year because of Storm Dennis et al. My kids go to the local state primary which is average - the state secondary that they will be condemned to is dreadful. And we all spend our lives working and our weekends tidying and cleaning and trying to keep the kids entertained in the cold and wet.

What are the other options, if any? Or does anyone live the same life as me and love it?

Apologies for the miserable post, February half term is the worst of all the school holidays!

Most of that you will take with you wherever you go

Australia? New Zealand?

I enjoy the sensibility of The Netherlands - public transport, use of bikes with bike tracks, quality in services, relaxed atmosphere, still seem to have independent shops, markets and shopping ( rather than the internet) and a sense of community. Also easy access to the UK and multi-lingual.

Wouldn't improve the weather for you though.

I have lived in Italy too and love it there.
But are you an EU citizen? Do you have the right to live/work in Europe?
If not, would you be able to get a work visa? Or sponsorship? All this is unknown at the moment.
Italy has a problem with unemployment. I have Italian relatives, some who have moved to Eastern Europe to find work.
Do you have enough points to qualify for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, etc?
Learn the local language.

You can find a better quality of life somewhere else certainly, but if you go somewhere with no ties, no real knowledge of the place, you may just find a new set of issues.

Is it even possible for you to go? Do you have dual nationality or an EU passport? Do you have the kind of jobs that might allow a work visa?

We left the UK but are now moving back so I can see both sides of it.

Op I can’t comment on the emigration part of the post but am feeling the same as you!
My s.a.d has reached its peak today ,fed up with the weather , how everything seems to be doubling in price yet my wages aren’t.
Tesco has given me the rage today !
But yep feeling like it must be better elsewhere?!?!

To some extent, OP, I think it will be a case of which countries will have you, visa/nationality-wise, and which ones use languages you/DH speak.

And then it's worth thinking about whether DC would be at international schools (i.e. taught in English) or whether you're envisaging that they would slot into whatever state education exists in that country. Also, if you're worried the teaching will be sub-standard for your DC in the UK, you don't want to give them the added burden of a language barrier as it will negate the benefits of good teaching, so you'd want to choose a country where education is taught in a language they're already fluent in.

Everyone gets a bit down when the weather's like this - personally, when I get like that, I take it as a sign I need a holiday!

I think that might be right! I should have gone away for feb half term. It just feels so claustrophobic stuck inside with the kids climbing the walls.

I think if we emigrated it would have to be Oz or NZ but then we’d be too far away from family. The US or Canada are the other two options I toy with. It would need to be somewhere English speaking as DH only speaks English and I don’t want to work full time. To be honest I think I’m stuck where I am so I should try and make changes to make the best of what we have. I’ve already gone part time to make a better work / life balance.

I just feel there is a complete lack of indoor activities for kids to account for our abysmal weather for 6 months of the year - the only indoor stuff seems to be eating out or the cinema which is expensive and pretty sedentary. We’d rather be active and outdoors.

Canada and the US, depending on where you are, may not be better with cost of living, or education, and may actually be far worse with weather and brutal hot/cold extremes, natural disasters, etc...

You could move to a smaller city in Australia (it’s really not that far, only a day flying). But you’d have to send your kids to a private school, although private schooling is much more affordable there so it shouldn’t be an issue.

When your children get older the weather becomes less of an issue.

IME it only really matters when they're very small. I now send my DC (secondary age) out in all weathers - rowing, rugby, riding, you name it, and they seem fine about it.

Some people move to Oz for the weather - I couldn't think of much worse but that might be an option if British weather really is a problem for you.

I love living here (have also lived in France, which made me appreciate home all the more), but if I had to go elsewhere I'd go to Denmark as it's so civilised. Suspect Holland would be similar, as suggested by PP.

February is always the worst - the end of a long winter, no immediate end in sight. Do you garden? I plant bulbs in the autumn and they bloom around now which is hugely cheering. I also love log fires, stews, hot baths, hot water bottles - think maybe I'm trying to say look for things to enjoy in each season. Endless summers would be awful I think!

but you’d have to send your kids to a private school, although private schooling is much more affordable there so it shouldn’t be an issue.

Why would you have to? Genuine question.

But does your DH want to move abroad? Is he likely to be employed abroad? What work do you do? Have a look at the immigration credentials you need for Australia, NZ, Canada and the US. Do you qualify?
This half term the weather is being particularly foul.

I work from home. I asked my boss if I could still work for him if I moved to Barbados (dual citizenship). He said yes so watch this space ....

Forgot to mention I was half joking when I asked him

I just feel there is a complete lack of indoor activities for kids to account for our abysmal weather for 6 months of the year

NZ has even less indoors and weather there can be an issue just like here. Roads are good generally but there are a lot of 4wd only roads in rural areas and a lot of high hills and mountain driving with sharp bends, huge drops and a lot of snow and ice in my part of the South Island, plus everything is further away, the nearest big supermarket was an hour away, I used to go once a month.

Right now, DH and I are seriously wondering why we left SE Queensland... 🤔👙🌴🌞

You're asking for the moon, OP.

Pom in Perth here! We love it - not that everyday is easy though.
Confused re the private school comment? Plenty of decent public schools ?

What jobs do you have OP?

Am currently in Germany, where the weather is not any better, but people here have a very different attitude towards the outdoors, they go out in all weather. You just need the right clothing! Ok maybe not Storm Dennis but just general cold and wet is fine.

It doesn't sound like its really possible for you to emigrate but you can change the way you feel about where you are.

Our jobs aren’t really transferable overseas. I think we’d have to both start at the bottom again which again isn’t really feasible. I think we’re stuck where we are!

We have a garden, currently almost completely flooded / mud pit. We are actually in the process of making it more all weather friendly so engage diggers in there ripping it apart so it’s a complete no go area this week!

You’re right about the bulbs. Once the landscaping is done I need to get loads of spring bulbs that start around now, like tulips and daffodils. Sometimes it’s the simple things that can brighten up life.

As someone said upthread, it is harder with young kids. Mine still need supervision all the time so I can’t even pop out without them for half an hour or let them play outside without me being out there getting cold and wet with them!

@CommunistLegoBloc states schools aren’t particularly good outside of Sydney/Melbourne unless you’re in a really really nice suburb. There were about five good state primaries in the city where I grew up (population of 1 million or so) and a similar number of good secondaries. It’s also not very socially acceptable the way it is here but obviously not everyone would care about that.

@Cordial11 to be fair I don’t know what it’s like in Perth as I don’t know anyone who has used public schools there, it might just be some cities?

Where are you in UK OP? Maybe a move to a cheaper area would be better than leaving the country?

How old are are your children? No matter where you are and whatever the weather, if they are so young they have to be supervised it's tiring.

Things will get better.

You can’t just pick a country and emigrate. US is impossible to get into. Canada and Australia will have a strict points and age system. Now we’re out of the EU you’re screwed as regards Europe. EU citizens would be priority.