To be leaving this country.

[xiaozhu]

I'm 28, I live in London and have a good job in the City, which I've been doing for about four years now.

I've recently decided to relocate to Dubai for a much better-paid (tax-free) position.

My reasons: Aged 28 and after four years of (very hard - 100 hour weeks etc.) work I'm still not even close to paying off my debts, and at least another four or five years away from scraping together an OK deposit to put on a flat within commuting distance of my office. By the time I do save enough, I will be wanting to start a family and don't particularly relish the idea of raising my first child in a one bedroom flat in Catford (which is about what I could afford).

Perhaps my expectations are too high? My parents (the baby boom generation) had me aged 23, had no student debt and already lived in a three bedroom semi in the countryside. They had OK jobs but not on as high salaries (or hours) as I am now. By the time my mum was 32 they had four kids, and they have just retired aged 55 and have two houses, their dogs, cars and final salary pension schemes. I can only dream of this if I stay here.

I feel quite bitter about it, and I know I'm in a much better position than many people my age! But some have implied that I am putting money before 'soul' and contributing to the UK's brain drain.

What do you think?

everybody i know who has been dubai said how amazing it is i say go and they are very westernised over there i think this is a great opportunity

yabu to be disappointed & compare to previous generations. Since you asked.

My parents were richer than we are and I am still so happy not to have the hassles they also had. They took bigger risks than I ever could, too.

Still might be a good opportunity to go live in Dubai, I'd probably try it if young & not tied down.

I sympathise with your situation. I live in London but could no way do it if i was your age. We bought in very late 90s. I know the salary for the (city) job I was doing then has barely changed in that time but we could in no way afford our pretty modest first flat on that salary now.

But seeing as you've made up your mind about Dubai it won't hurt to say wild horses wouldn't drag me there! We had the opportunity to go with DH's work before DC, we went, we looked, shuddered and came home. Even though financially it would have been amazing and set us up for life.

wowfudge: Totally understand the decision not to go into corporate, and of course it means you don't need to live in London and I do think that a lot of the issue comes down to living in this city. Perhaps my post should be 'AIBU to be leaving London'?

But the thing is that, despite the long hours, I do love my job and find it fulfilling. It's not completely soulless as I specialise in the renewable energy industry which I personally think is a good cause.

Anyway, rather than moan about it I thought I'd go and do something about it, and aside from giving up this job one of the solutions was to move abroad. Which is a shame in some ways.

Don't think worrying about a brain drain to Dubai is an issue though! Many people there couldn't achieve the same levels of seniority there as they can here due to the amount of competition here,not just homegrown but from all over the world. London is a major world centre, Dubai really isn't appealing to an awful lot of people.

muggle: Yes Dubai isn't for everyone! And ragged: I actually thinking moving countries is a much bigger risk than anything my parents ever did.

Ragged: What sort of hassles were you thinking of?

Mypost was completely back to front - not a brain drain issue as many people working in Dubai couldn't reach the same levels of seniority here that they can there, due to the levels of competition in London.

I'm so glad there are quite a few people saying they enjoyed Dubai! Obviously I am also quite nervous to be moving there...

you need to change your expectations, get a better paid job and stop being bitter about the baby boomers
your not the only 23yr old who cant afford to buy property you know

Muggle: I knew what you meant

If you are happy to live in a place built on slave labour - then go to Dubai. If you have an ounce of compassion for people who are stuck in slavery and can't return to their home countries - then don't.

Moving countries not such a risk. You can come back, although you might find getting back at the same level a bit more difficult. London is an arse of a city for lots of things. You can live here all your life and find yourself unable to compete for a house or top level jobs as its such an international draw now.

Somewhere: I'm 28 not 23, and I'm well aware that the vast majority of people my age can't afford to buy a house - which is precisely the point and why it's such a huge problem.

My job already pays top whack for my level of seniority: I work for a Magic Circle law firm. Still can't afford to buy a house, which just illustrates the nature of the housing issue here in London.

PS I'm aged 69 - does that make me a baby boomer? If so let me tell you that I saved until I was in my early 30's to afford a deposit on my one bed flat in London and for the first five years, lived in one room so I could afford the mortgage by renting out my bedroom and the interest rate was 15% at the time.

We left to live in the Middle East for a few years- fantastic experience short term, an adventure and a good opportunity to make some money!

But after a few years once the newness is over you might realise we have it good in the UK.. womens rights, seasonal weather, orderly driving, religion not shoved in your face, humour, availability of things.. All things you can put up with not having on a short term adventure.

Go and have a great time! It will make you appreciate the UK more and realise we have it good

Bye then

[Hmm] I'm pretty sure the Brain Drain is more of a worry when we are talking about Doctors, scientists, dentists... Corporate lawyers? I think we'll manage.

YANBU to go to Dubai or to be disappointed. Its each man or woman for him/herself these days and if you need to work abroad for a bit to get to where you want to be financially I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

I also agree with you that the govt is shafting the younger generation in order to favour the boomers who vote and it makes me sick as that generation is the one that has already had so many opportunities and windfalls. They're the ones who had lots of jobs to choose from, free tertiary education, cheap homes that massively appreciated in value, gold-plated pensions and they're still having everything their way. It was in the paper yesterday how what's happening immigration-wise is that all the bright young, British educated things are going OS to earn a good salary and what this country is getting in return is low-skilled migrants from poor countries. We are reaping what we've sown and it sucks. Good luck to you.

OMG are young people not allowed to vote any more? Outrageous! When did that happen?

Yadnbu, sadly

I would have serious moral issues with living and working in Dubai.

and YABU about the baby boomers - they played the hand they were dealt. You would do the same - the world has moved on. My/our (I am 31) generation have been a bit shafted but bloody hell, look at the grandparents! It could have been worse! We live in the golden age of travel, technology and enlightenment apart from in Dubai

So - try to be happy!

Don't let all those human rights abuses stop you as you line your pockets.

Pure greed.

The old adage "money can't buy you style" comes to mind.