would you move to Pakistan?

[admylin]

My DH is maybe going as assistant professor to his home country of Pakistan. I am british and the kids are both brought up in england and germany. Would you be brave and move to Pakistan? Our son who would be then 9 years old is saying he would definately not want to go there. I guess we would otherwise be separated for 2 years with us in UK and him on the campus in Karachi! I mean what would he be earning, do any of you have experience? What can you live on and I worry mostly about health insurance and getting good treatment. He says it doesn't matter coz half his relatives are doctors but any way I would like to hear your opinions - I am not so into adventures and travelling but when you marry someone with a foot in so many countries..!

I think you are right to be concerned about things such as health insurance. What about your son's education? Would he be attending International School in Pakistan (to ensure continuity with the British system he is currently in)? Fees for international schools tend to be high too!

Your DH also needs to factor in the fact you would be in a foreign country and therefore might not be allowed to work? Would his income there support all of you comfortably and allow you to return home to the UK for a visit?

What about security? What sort of a lifestyle would you have in Pakistan? Would you be able to move around fairly freely or would you need to be accompanied?

very good advice from Rojak, they would be the main questions I would ask

Also, are you used to the restrictions placed on women on Pakistan? Would you be happy living that way or do you think the other Professor's wives would be more liberal?

kneejerk reaction? No I wouldn't, like you I am not adventurous.

Its a tough one - being separated for 2 years would be no picnic. Could you manage a trial run, see how it goes?

I am living in this country for only five years and i would think a lot before moving back to pakistan. dh is british so no chances apparently. Most important thing is money. If money is not a problem then i think it is better to live in pakistan. Just think you dont have to work like a dog, the weather will be better and there will be servants for the house work. The second thing is about your dh it is imortant for him to have a successful carer.

no way...
even with lots of friends and family being doctors, there is more to it, some medical facilities just not available in Pakistan. Although Karachi may be better than Lahore?
We also have a friend who was a consultant surgeon in Karachi and who moved to the UK to a lesser job because of security problems.
Must admit, extra issue in my case that would not survive with in-laws, nme not being religious at all etc.

I wouldn't move anywhere without having a good look, or if I thought DS would be unhappy, or his schooling affected for the worse. But I would defintely consider a short-term move to somewhere very different, if I could have a reasonable and safe lifestyle. Can you go for a short trip before you decide?

Have you done some googling for Karachi? I am very attracted to anywhere that has rare turtles on the beaches, and the surrounding country and coast look spectacular. \link{http://newark.rutgers.edu/~au/tourist.htm\here}

Pomi - it is also important for admylin and her dc to be happy too - not just dh's career!!!

I think it is difficult, both ways. My parents - my mother is Indian and my father is English/Scandinavian - moved us between different continents a fair bit. So did DP's (his mother was English and his father was Bangladeshi). I found it profoundly disruptive, complicated by the fact I don't look remotely Indian; but two years, I think, would be different from one. And it would be a good opportunity for your son to experience some other aspects of his family and background.

I'm just offering this as my experience.

And I'd say in retrospect I'm quite glad it happened, despite the inevitable Aunty-fest

joolstoo To me career is life and if you are not happy with your job then your life will definately suffer specially for men.

Admylin, I don't want to scaremonger but the last time I was in Pakistan, Karachi wasn't considered very safe, so much so that we stayed in Lahore and didn't go to see my father's side of the family who live in Karachi. This was a couple of years ago, but Karachi does have a history of civil unrest. Don't know if someone else who knows the city better can fill you in or put your mind at ease.

wow, thanks for all the advice, infact you all wrote pretty much what I have been thinking so now I know I am not the only one to think like that - I would not go to Karachi because of security and for my kids sake, I think it would be too much for them after living in europe so long. I would also be scared for them as they look too european. Any how, with a DH who works like mine we hardly get to be with him any way he has 7 day weeks and is happy to get home before 9pm! Family life might not suffer if we were in UK !

What happened? We need to know.

@newbohemian , well we've waited 16.5 years. We can probably wait a bit longer.

What if you split up
While living there
How would you get back to U.K. with kids

@Summersnake

What if you split up While living there How would you get back to U.K. with kids

Sixteen years ago the OP posted.

Not on your life, no chance women are 2nd class citizens do you want to take that risk.

Zombie thread 🧟‍♂️🧟