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I did this way back in 1988,packed in a decent job gave up my flat & went living on a kibbutz and did some backpacking around Egypt & Turkey for a year.When I gave my notice in my mates thought I was an idiot,but one of the older blokes there who used to be an engineer on a ship told me "it was the best thing I could ever do".
Looking back on it 22 years later I can honestly say he was right,one of the best decisions I ever made,no regrets.
If it's nagging you,you've just got to do it or else you'll always be wondering "what if"
I moved to Auckland (NZ) in 2007 with wife and two kids. It's pretty tough for many reasons. It takes a while to settle but we live in a nice area, near the beach, you can surf on uncrowded waves, drive to the ski field in winter (3 hrs from Auckland thou)- trails network isn't quite as hot as the UK, but pretty good all the same and the crime is very low compared to where we used to live. It's pretty much laid back compared to many cities in the UK, but it's tough to get work here as they prefer you to have 'kiwi experience' which is a nonsense really.
Now 2 1/2 years on we both have secure jobs and a reasonable income, the local schools are some of the best in the OECD and we have a network of friends, there's worse places to be I suppose. It's not for everyone but if we turned around and went back to the UK tomorrow i'd not have any regrets.
A country is the place you live bit a home can be anywhere and it's what you make of it. Limit the stress in your life and everything else will hopefully fall into place, you may not have to leave the country to find that, just a change of job, city...... The distance from support/family if you emigrate may add a new stress of it's own, something to take into account.
I like it here in many ways, we may not stay here, we may go somewhere else eventually (I love France) but we're here for the kids and the opportunities that are more prevalent here (some will disagree on this I know) but we have more time for them here in an environment that I feel is more in line with my expectations for them.
Good luck!
Limit the stress in your life
A lesson I have learned too late but the best advice anyone could give.
i sold up everything and moved to NZ about 6/7 years ago, got let down badly by someone who I thought was a mate, came back after a year to my old job and hated it more than I did before. It was time to take a long hard look in the mirror, applied to go to Uni, got in and got a 2-1. Did the second year of my degree in Finland which was brilliant. Been at the E.A. for 2 years but packing it in in September to ride from Canada to Ushuaia, when that is done I am moving to Sweden to live with Mrs Pigface.
I will be 47 in July and it is never to late to start again. Go for it what is the worst thing that can happen.
never looked back....
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forwards, left or right... just down into a can... why is every can so god damned empty?
slowmedown - where do you live? We're moving close the Beziers next month.