So I have been working away most of this year, currently in South America and will be here for another 2 months – before your heads are filled with images of Shakira and endless beaches, i am in a large rural town in a very flat part of Uruguay about 3 hrs from the coast (and its mid-winter so dropped to 3’C last night!).

Back in the UK for some of August and September then back here and/or Mozambique for the rest of the year.

I enjoy the travelling, new experiences etc and it beats UK only travelling which i did for the last 3 years.

Just wondered whether other people on here, did extended trips away and how sustainable they found it in the long term.

I appreciate that compared to people serving and on 6 months tours – that my life is pretty cushy.

Did 4 months in equatorial guinea last year – was an eye opener – i enjoyed the experiance – did alot of running so saw alot of the place whiles folks i was with just saw office accomodation and pub

Did a month in the states earlier this year that was a lonely affair as i was on m own living in a hotel but you soon learn the local ways and meet folk

Goin to holland for 3 months on and off ( i have 1 week in france next month on the bike ) on monday

Enjoy the travel seeing the world – miss the mrs and the bike but im young and its giving us a substantial leg up onto the property ladder – as well as helping me get hands on experiance for my area of work instead o being one of them tits who can do the job on paper but dont understand the real world logistics of the job.

instead o being one of them tits who can do the job on paper but dont understand the real world logistics of the job.

This experience of the real world with different perspectives will be invaluable, IMHO.

Best way to really understand the world imo.

The risk is that it ruins your life by turning you into a braying, sadsack rednosed expat bore who doesn’t have any real friends or family connections.

What Konabunny said.

Your friends all get on with their life together and when you come back you’ve missed out on their life and they don’t care about your slideshow of awesome sunsets/mountains/wildlife. The bitches.

I should be less flippant, perhaps: doing a few trips abroad for work can be very interesting. The risk is that you get sucked into the lifestyle and the “prestige” (the biz class flights, the hotels, the taxis everywhere), and the couple of years turns into an endless chain of short-term assignments etc. And while you’re doing all that, you don’t have a permanent home, you don’t have any permanent friends in the place you’re working in (because you don’t live there or have any connection to the people) and you miss out on your friends’/families’ lives (and your own).

IMVVHO it’s different if you actually emigrate somewhere and build a life in that place with that attitude that that is where you live in the long term OR if you do what trailrat seems to be doing i.e. live somewhere and just have long business trips away.

(I speak as someone whose family has a large number of serial expats/immigrants/gastarbeiter). (And YMMV, obviously).

The risk is that it ruins your life by turning you into a braying, sadsack rednosed expat bore who doesn’t have any real friends or family connections.

Have we met?

Thanks for comments – hope i will never be a braying ex-pat bore but what konabunny says does ring true.
I am single (was married) and i had always wanted to live and work abroad – and for the last 4 years i have done a lot of working away and (tho it is never business class flights) i do enjoy the hotels and the feeling of at least “difference” when i arrive in a far flung office.

Also the comments about moving abroad vs repetitive long term contracts vs short trips but with a proper base – its the middle option which is the most disruptive.

I really enjoy the travelling and meetign people – but as i do most of my work on my own, i really enjoy being able to sit and talk to people about non work stuff and also feeling part of a society- which is a difficult balance to strike.

andybach – you don’t sound like somebody who’s only in it for the cushty lifestyle (often a myth anyway IME!). Seems you enjoy getting out and seeing the places you live in rather than seeking out other ex pats in faux Irish bars, so I would go for it. If you don’t you could find yourself feeling bored with the UK anyway…..

You’ll know best whether to continue with shorter assignments or go for something long(er) term.

I’ve found it’s easy to pick up again with real friends, and family are family regardless of where you are. Good luck and enjoy yourself whatever you choose.

Have we met?

Daddy???

Daddy???

😆

Daddy???

😯

Currently 3 months into a 3 year position in India and I can understand a lot of the opinions above. I came out here to explore and meet new people / experience new cultures (not just Indian)however I am finding it quite difficult to do that. Most of the expats out here tend to fall into the “let’s get pissed every night” catagory and have next to no involvement with the local culture, it’s all about how much you can drink, what large hotel you have done it in and how much you earn.
However having said that I have met a few nice people, they tend to be families who are after a different experience and are trying to get something out of it, interacting with the local people. My wife and 3 year old boy will be joining me next month, and we plan to get more friends through the schools which are not just for the expats. As said above it will be hard to make permanent friendships because everyone seems to be on the move all the time.
It’s my first experience of living abroad and do miss family and friends, however I don’t miss the UK. India is a wonderful country with friendly people, everyone is always happy to help, there are always new experiences to see, you just have to jump in and enjoy it.