Would you move abroad?

[stella139]

If you had the chance, would you move away from the UK?
Where to and for what reasons?
Just curious :)

YABU - yes I would move
YANBU - no I like living here

I did - to a progressive town in the southern US for a job and 26 years on, am still happy here. But I come back to the UK at least twice a year, more when my mum was alive, and am going to attempt a 6 month UK/6 month US sort of existence when I retire. The only problem is how to get my cats back and forth.

We are!

We are moving from London to Portugal in July.

So sick of England.

I am Canadian by birth and lived there until I was 18. Since then i have lived in London, then Melbourne Australia, back to Canada, stints in Turkey and Greece, and then back to the UK (Brighton and then London).

DH has only ever lived in the UK so may be a shock for him!

I did move away and have never regretted it. The one positive about Brexit is I’ve let go of the idea of returning to the UK. When DD has flown the nest, I would love to move to Singapore.

We moved to Copenhagen 3 months ago- EU centric business so Brexit a biggie for us. Bit hard to judge at moment as life unreal here too in lockdown and not possible to meet new people or join the expat meet ups (there’s lots of them) . Standard of living is high, great food, less rain but more sleet and when it’s sunny it’s glorious. Missing my friends as normally would have been back in uk every 6 weeks or so for a few days and work stuff. We are older too (late 50’s) and work for ourselves. The UK has some good things but at the moment We don’t like the vibe or the government so decided to have a change and see how it goes. Certainly they’ve handled covid better and it feels safer.

I’ve worked in numerous countries and I lived in Southern France until I was 14 but I was always glad to get back to the UK. You’d be shocked at the costs and bureaucracy in other countries. I also experienced blatant racism in Australia and abuse in France. In fact the only country I felt welcome in was the US.

I would love too yes. however lots of the countries I like aren't that safe to live in :(

I have lived in the Middle East, Japan and Greece but all before children. And I probably always thought while I was in this fab places that I would come back to the UK.

I loved living in all these places but it was only for a few years. Longer term, I'm not sure, I like having family and friends around.

Yes, I've done it three times. I lived in America and France before marriage and DC on short term contracts. Didn't want to leave America, hated France and couldn't wait to come back home.

I then moved to America four years ago with DH's job. We all loved it, DC's schools were fantastic and we had a great lifestyle. Unfortunately due to visa issues we had to move back here.

We won't move again now until DC have finished school. DH and I would jump at the chance to move abroad again after that though.

@stella139

I would only leave the UK and move overseas permanently, if there was no-one here in the UK who meant anything to me. Everyone I love is here in the UK. I have no reason to leave.

I never understand why people move abroad permanently, if they have their loved ones, relatives, friends etc here in the UK.

Puzzles me greatly, especially when it's New Zealand or Australia!

I wonder why they want to move away abroad at all, let alone so far away. I wonder what they're trying to get away from.

Travelling is wonderful, and holidays are great, but moving abroad permanently??? Never in a million years would I do that.

Absolutely. Italy or Portugal when the kids up and leave which is only a few years away now really! I'm self employed which was a deliberate move to make the transition easier when it does happen.

Have lived in US and Middle East. Prefer here.

I never understand why people move abroad permanently, if they have their loved ones, relatives, friends etc here in the UK.

Could be all sorts of reasons- marrying a foreigner (I did, so one of us had to move away from family), having the kind of job that isn't available everywhere (have one family member who is a very niche academic, another who is training to be a musician- they have to go where there is a job).

@Catflapkitkat

I moved from London to live in Scandinavia with scandi husband. I would move back to the UK in a heartbeat but have been outpriced in the property market. Also, kids are in the local school system now which is very different (worse) to the where they were in London. One day.

I think THIS scenario is more likely than a 'move abroad and live happily ever after' scenario for people who leave the UK to live abroad.

I have known quite a number of people move overseas in the past 25 to 30 years or so. Three quarters of them have come back here to the UK. Some after 3 to 8 years, some after 20, but they came back.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side, and many people find life no better in another country. AND you don't have your family and friends with you.

@corythatwas

I never understand why people move abroad permanently, if they have their loved ones, relatives, friends etc here in the UK.

Could be all sorts of reasons- marrying a foreigner (I did, so one of us had to move away from family), having the kind of job that isn't available everywhere (have one family member who is a very niche academic, another who is training to be a musician- they have to go where there is a job).

Re, the kind of job that isn't available anywhere (thought I can't imagine what job that would be!) That's fine, to move away for work, for several years maybe... But the OP is talking about moving permanently. No way in hell would I do that, ever.

I’m planning to get a boat when retired and sail around the British isles, Scilly, the French canals, Med then hopefully around the world in stages. So that’s kind of a compromise between having a UK base but still living wherever the heck the wind takes me.

This little island is expensive, racist and rebellious but nowhere else in the world compares to it for homely Enid Blyton style cutesie-ness.

Some people just want to experience and do something new or they just don't fit where they are or don't like it for some reason. Some people go somewhere and find out it suits them much more.

Not selfish btw. That was bit rude.

I mean the kind of job that isn't available EVERYwhere!

I would move back home to Canada in a heartbeat. One day!

Definitely. Most of my family are overseas but I was born here and too late to convince my children unfortunately, I think DH would be up for it.

No, I get pissed off on holiday when no one can make a cup of tea properly. I can't imagine living in a country where tea wasn't the priority at all times!

Yes.

France or Germany probably.

Re, the kind of job that isn't available anywhere (thought I can't imagine what job that would be!)

Musicians (depending on instruments), opera singers, academics (depending on specialism). Areas where hiring will be very much looking for one particular thing.

My db has never been able to work in his field in his own country for more than a couple of months (got a job but shortly afterwards they closed the department and made him redundant). But he's done well for himself abroad. His partner lives in a different country- because their disciplines overlap it is very difficult for them to get a job in the same place.

That was also one major reason for dh and me deciding to live in the UK: he had work and I knew nothing would come up where I'd be the preferred candidate within the next few years in my own country.

Acting is another one. You may find you can't make it at home, but you can somewhere else.

Moved to France just over 14 years ago with XH and DD who was then just 9.

Just been through the horrors of an abusive French divorce, but wouldn't move back. Only have 1 relative in the UK who's 98 and French.

Since the Brexit vote, I've experienced the most horrible racism and xenophobia from both government agencies and from complete strangers including being told to fuck off out of the country.

Despite all that, it's home.

I think that perhaps if you come from people that were pioneers and immigrants, it's a different perspective than if you've always lived in the same country/county/village. It's more part of your normal, and less unfathomable. It's part of your family story.

Get bored and move every few years 😂

Longest I’ve stayed in one place since turning 22 is about 4 years - been in London now almost 5 years - will be moving on once all this Covid stuff calms down