@pallisers
I did emigrate so not saying no one should move away but I think it is simplistic to say moving away is all opportunity and adventure and staying home is hobbling and limited. There is good and bad in every choice.
This. ^
There does seem to be a general attitude - from some - that if you stay in your home town, (or move 'only' 40 or 50 miles away,) that you are a boring, stagnant failure... Many people have fulfilling and successful lives staying in their home town, (or only 40-50 miles away,) and many people move away and feel lonely and isolated, and life is no more 'fruitful' than if it would have been at home. Difference is, they have no extended family there.
I know a young woman who went to live in Oz 3 years ago.
She was in her mid 20's, and she met a man in early 2013 (10 years older than her,) who had had a bee in his bonnet about moving to Oz since he was a young teen. He whipped her up and made her excited and as desperate to move there as he was. He had visited 3 times in the previous 10 years, (for 4-6 weeks at a time,) and decided he wanted to be there forever.
So she told her mom and nana, that she was emigrating with him. They were devastated. They never told her this though.
Her mom cried herself to sleep every night for weeks (she was the only child, and her dad had passed several years before.) And the nan was very upset as she was her only grandchild. Her aunt (mom's sister,) was close to her too, and was also very upset. Still, it was her life, so they didn't want to stand in her way and clip her wings.
Although she was initially excited about it, when the big move came closer, she did umm and ahh a bit about it as it was a big move, and she was leaving her (very close) family, but they were very supportive...and didn't try and talk her out of it. (Even though it was killing them inside.)
So she sold her house, and poured all £90K equity she had into moving, and helping her man start up a business in Oz. The properties were expensive over there; she and he managed to get a small 1-bed flat in the city, when you could have got a 5-bed detached in much of the UK for the same money.
She was a qualified teacher, but found it hard to get a full time permanent job there. She quite liked the people, and the sunshine etc, but she said something didn't feel 'right.'
She tried to make it work.
8-9 months after moving, it got back to her that her mother and nana were devastated, and her mother still cried herself to sleep some nights about her daughter moving so far away, and knowing she was basically losing her. Due to health issues, the mom and nana could not do the long-haul flight, and the woman I know couldn't afford to travel back very often.
She was incredibly upset, and said if her mother, nana, and aunt had said something at the time, she would not have gone. And 9 months into being there, it was too late to undo things. She then got really upset and told her man she wanted to go back. He wasn't having any of it and said he is here to stay!
Her family and friends all had a suspicion that he just wanted her £90K equity in her house to put a deposit on a house in Oz,and start his business up.
Long story short, she came back six months after finding out how upset her family were, but she lost the entire £90K. It was 'tied up' in the business, and in the house, and the whole situation was incredibly complicated, and she came back penniless.
But yeah, I don't think anyone should try to stop their loved ones going, or 'kick off' etc. But surely you have to speak up if you don't want them to go, and it's upsetting you. FGS, you're talking about virtually losing your family, and possibly only seeing them every 4-5 years, and your own grandkids not knowing you. Why would you not speak up?
As I said, the woman I know said if her mom and nana had spoken up, and said how devastated they were, she would not have gone. She would still have her house, and her £90K equity!
I also agree with the people who have said that for many people, it's not the exciting and fulfilling dream that they expect it to be.