Whos given up everything to follow a dream ?
Discussion
Munka01 said:
Left the UK in Aug last year to take a dream job in Sydney. Was 25, single, no mortgage so thought it was best to take the risk rather than regretting it in later life. Hardest thing I have ever done, leaving friends, family and everything you know.
Moving to a country I had never been to and where I knew not one person Was tough but 15 months on a life couldn't be better, been seeing someone for the last nine months (23, PE teacher, back of the net)and have got a good group of friends around me now.
Not wishing to put down anything you have said, just use it as a positive example.Moving to a country I had never been to and where I knew not one person Was tough but 15 months on a life couldn't be better, been seeing someone for the last nine months (23, PE teacher, back of the net)and have got a good group of friends around me now.
Edited by Munka01 on Tuesday 6th November 09:00
Every story like this results in someone being happier down the road after making a move. I think that because we made thought about making a move in the first place suggests we were not happy, so any change would tend to work out well. Since we can't ever go back and not do it to see what happened, we generally are happy that things have turned out well. Any outcome that changed unhappiness will be seen as good
So I'm happy you made the move and it worked out ok
I think more people should follow their gut and just go with things that feel right. Life is too short and usually if you are thinking about changing things then you are not happy, so no matter what happens the change will be a good thing!
I quit my job almost a year ago to work freelance and I'm still not sure exactly where I want to be or what I want to do when I grow up (hehe), but I'm making my own path and I'm in total control.
Not much money, jobs are hard to find, but every day feels great again. I wake up with a brain full of ideas and possibilities! It can only get better, and even right now as things are not so great it's still great if that makes sense
Life is short so get living. Following a grid that makes you question what you are doing is not living
Dave
Munka01 said:
shibby! said:
Funny you mention this, i was going to write a post on here about my experience....
I have dual nationality US/UK, and have been living in the UK for damn near all my life, i have wanted to move to the US for many years now, i suppose to do with the perceived benefits etc.
Its really only been the right time to go, i am married, have a good few years experience in chosen fields which are now in demand, have cash saved up and equity in the house so that we can sell it, or rent it.
So in the past 5 months or so we have been doing the whole due dilligance thing, checking out finances, job markets, specific areas to live and compiled a list of places to go, in the end it has come down to Raleigh/Duram in North Carolina, and the Wayne/Philidelphia area in Pensylvania, my wife has just got her visa through now too.
My wife was having second thoughts about it all, which is understandable before we jack in our jobs and sell our house and move, we decided to take a trip to check out these areas, drive around a bit, speak to folk, check out the commuter areas to where we would potentially work.
It became quickly apparent to us after arriving in Raleigh, that it wasn¡¦t for us, then the Hurricane hit while we were in Washington DC. Philidelphia however I quite enjoyed. However again it wasn¡¦t for us¡K. It was a mixture of a major thing for me, time. Or lack of, when working/living in the US, then lots of small things which added up. Distance to shops, gym¡¦s, work, activities. The fact, im not really too keen on Americans, on the whole (my perception I suppose) they live in constant fear of things, and are more concerned with their work instead of living a life, along with other personality/culture traits which just get on my nerves.
Now we are back, and glad we didn¡¦t give everything up for the so called dream, we are now possibly a little lost as to what to do, we may still move house within the UK, have a baby (wife REALLY wants one) and have all the holidays we are entitled to, and enjoying our friends, family, free time, hobbies. I may just have to buy a new car to cheer myself up! ƒº
I suppose the point in going to the US was for money, paid more, taxed less, and things are cheaper on the whole. But then no time to enjoy them would hurt me. So staying here for now, as the bloke said earlier in this thread, not all about money, more about relationships etc.
So here we are, I suppose in a kind of limbo, which is almost nice, we are not aiming towards anything and feeling pressure to get things done on time etc. Now I can spend my money doing random things I have not done before or enjoy doing, that was put on hold so I could save¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K. Going climbing for the first time in a few days, hit up snowboarding real soon, and might go check out a few new cars!
Have you not thought about Aus? If you work in an industry that is in demand the pay is very good over here. And from the sounds of it it has exactly the lifestyle you are looking for.I have dual nationality US/UK, and have been living in the UK for damn near all my life, i have wanted to move to the US for many years now, i suppose to do with the perceived benefits etc.
Its really only been the right time to go, i am married, have a good few years experience in chosen fields which are now in demand, have cash saved up and equity in the house so that we can sell it, or rent it.
So in the past 5 months or so we have been doing the whole due dilligance thing, checking out finances, job markets, specific areas to live and compiled a list of places to go, in the end it has come down to Raleigh/Duram in North Carolina, and the Wayne/Philidelphia area in Pensylvania, my wife has just got her visa through now too.
My wife was having second thoughts about it all, which is understandable before we jack in our jobs and sell our house and move, we decided to take a trip to check out these areas, drive around a bit, speak to folk, check out the commuter areas to where we would potentially work.
It became quickly apparent to us after arriving in Raleigh, that it wasn¡¦t for us, then the Hurricane hit while we were in Washington DC. Philidelphia however I quite enjoyed. However again it wasn¡¦t for us¡K. It was a mixture of a major thing for me, time. Or lack of, when working/living in the US, then lots of small things which added up. Distance to shops, gym¡¦s, work, activities. The fact, im not really too keen on Americans, on the whole (my perception I suppose) they live in constant fear of things, and are more concerned with their work instead of living a life, along with other personality/culture traits which just get on my nerves.
Now we are back, and glad we didn¡¦t give everything up for the so called dream, we are now possibly a little lost as to what to do, we may still move house within the UK, have a baby (wife REALLY wants one) and have all the holidays we are entitled to, and enjoying our friends, family, free time, hobbies. I may just have to buy a new car to cheer myself up! ƒº
I suppose the point in going to the US was for money, paid more, taxed less, and things are cheaper on the whole. But then no time to enjoy them would hurt me. So staying here for now, as the bloke said earlier in this thread, not all about money, more about relationships etc.
So here we are, I suppose in a kind of limbo, which is almost nice, we are not aiming towards anything and feeling pressure to get things done on time etc. Now I can spend my money doing random things I have not done before or enjoy doing, that was put on hold so I could save¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K¡K. Going climbing for the first time in a few days, hit up snowboarding real soon, and might go check out a few new cars!
We actually thought about AUS in the first place, my wife is in an industry which is very location specific... Pharmaceuticals, me, im an accountant so can live anywhere i suppose.
The locations that popped up for AUS was around the Melbourne area which i was excited about, looked very cool, nice city. Always places well in best places to live etc etc.
It came down to money i suppose, the cash for us both is pretty decent, but it would appear the cost of living is quite high in Melbourne judging from the property/rental prices etc. But thats even if my wife could get a job, she may not.
We may still move i suppose, but right now the US is not in the running, unless i find a job thats a reasonable distance from the commuter towns, and i got 30 days holidays a year!
We have a really good thing going here to be honest, that could change in the future, i suppose i know now what to expect should something happen and we have to move, and decide to move in the future!
You never know, communist Scotland may become a reality!
MrBrightSi said:
.....My problem is im living back home and as much as i love my parents and appreciate beyond description what they've done for me, the thought of spending the rest of my life in my home town around when something deep inside says i can be so much more......
I lived with my folks until I was about 23, and they hinted I was getting a bit old to live at home.... I hear what you say about spending the rest of your life on your home town. I worked in the same factory for 13 years, after I left school. The guys I worked with were nice enough, but just dead end, no interests, the typical factory workers happy to do 9 hours a day for the rest of their life as long as they could have a pint on a Saturday night and a good bet on the horses.
Their idea of a good way to spend the summer fortnight off work was to redecorate their house....every year.
They had no conversation, other than darts, horses, and imagine sexual activities with any female they could think of.
I was into cars, bikes, travel, parties, bike rallies, etc, but had only the factory wall to bounce ideas off, everybody in the shop just glazed over if I tried to chat about such things.
The idea of spending my whole life in that environment horrified and depressed me.
Be sure the groove you are in isn't really a rut.;)
Edited by King Herald on Tuesday 6th November 14:24
I gave up a mediocre job in the UK to join another financial services company in Luxembourg in March 1998.
Until then I'd had a rather 'stuck in a rut' role in my hometown, and had a live in girlfriend of about 3 years. She was lovely, but not "the one".
Like A lex, I found Lux quite dull in the dark weeks here, but as soon as Summer came around, life was great.
I married a Brit, who I'd incidentally worked with in my hometown for years before (!), and we have 2 children who were born in Lux and have grown up in a multi-lingual environment from birth - speaking English at home and Luxembourgish, German & French at school.
Some dumb family members still ask me if we're "settled" where we are. Of course we are!! I did ihave an inkling to move to Illinois at the beginning of this year, but that's out of the window now.
I don't think I'd ever move back to the UK when life's as relaxed as it is here, but then I have to fly to Laaandon almost every week anyway!
Until then I'd had a rather 'stuck in a rut' role in my hometown, and had a live in girlfriend of about 3 years. She was lovely, but not "the one".
Like A lex, I found Lux quite dull in the dark weeks here, but as soon as Summer came around, life was great.
I married a Brit, who I'd incidentally worked with in my hometown for years before (!), and we have 2 children who were born in Lux and have grown up in a multi-lingual environment from birth - speaking English at home and Luxembourgish, German & French at school.
Some dumb family members still ask me if we're "settled" where we are. Of course we are!! I did ihave an inkling to move to Illinois at the beginning of this year, but that's out of the window now.
I don't think I'd ever move back to the UK when life's as relaxed as it is here, but then I have to fly to Laaandon almost every week anyway!
It's interesting to read differing viewpoints on this - and I note that many who had the cajones to up and leave to try something new state that it's not about the material things and that the grass isn't greener etc.
That isn't my experience.
I didn't give up any dream job - my job was the vehicle that created the emigration opportunity. I did 'give up' (sell) a nice house in a nice neighborhood and parted with a great bunch of friends.
It was my wife who made the sacrifice - her career was developing very nicely and she loved her work (acute surgical nursing). The choice for her was, sacrifice that career and move to the US, or insist on staying put and risking a lot of potential selfish resentment from me, because I would not have gone without her. My daughter was at Hendon, training to be a Met copper - but the opportunity was there for her to come with us - but put the brakes on her career choice.
It took her and my 19 year old daughter a long time to aclimate to a new life in FL - neither could work initially and my daughters college fees where a struggle for us - but and this is a kind of pivotal 'but' as far as I'm concerned, the opportunities that become available to those who are determined, reasonably intelligent and prepared to work very hard are bigger here (for me, at least) than they ever could have been in The UK.
With time, we've all grown to consider this to be home. My daughter is a US citizen and I'm proud to say, a highly regarded Orange County Sheriffs Deputy. My wife single handedly re-trained herself to qualify and register as a nurse manager, all through disciplined home study and sheer brain-power. She now earns around 4 times what she would in the NHS and does something she really enjoys.
I quit the job that got me here, not through any lack of loyalty - but because the owner of the company tried to take advantage of my visa limitations and renagued on agreements we had.
I now work in a fairly specialised field of marketing research, that required me to learn some new, quite scientific concepts fast - but the rewards have been significant as a result. The fact that we are able to save most of our earnings, where we used to take a lot of care with budgeting makes life so much less stressful.
We live in a beautiful environment and have a very comfortable home that is way beyond anything I could ever have aspired to in UK. Although I love the steamy climate, it's not for everyone - but when I'm not working, it's shorts and flipflops all year round. I travel extensively and don't get much in the way of holiday compared to what some have in Britain (15 days + stat) but every weekend is like holiday when you have almost guaranteed sunshine, huge lakes, boat, jetskis, motorcycles, fun cars, year-round motorsport and very green grass.
Perhaps I'm just shallow and materialistic - but that is the benefit as far as I'm concerned. I recognise that people a lot smarter than me have not had to move elswhere to surpass what I enjoy in terms of security and comfort - and I admire and respect them. I'm by no means wealthy, in US terms, but we're so far ahead of where we'd have been if we'd stayed put.
If the opportunity arises to try something new and challenging somewhere else - sometimes the grass really is greener.
That isn't my experience.
I didn't give up any dream job - my job was the vehicle that created the emigration opportunity. I did 'give up' (sell) a nice house in a nice neighborhood and parted with a great bunch of friends.
It was my wife who made the sacrifice - her career was developing very nicely and she loved her work (acute surgical nursing). The choice for her was, sacrifice that career and move to the US, or insist on staying put and risking a lot of potential selfish resentment from me, because I would not have gone without her. My daughter was at Hendon, training to be a Met copper - but the opportunity was there for her to come with us - but put the brakes on her career choice.
It took her and my 19 year old daughter a long time to aclimate to a new life in FL - neither could work initially and my daughters college fees where a struggle for us - but and this is a kind of pivotal 'but' as far as I'm concerned, the opportunities that become available to those who are determined, reasonably intelligent and prepared to work very hard are bigger here (for me, at least) than they ever could have been in The UK.
With time, we've all grown to consider this to be home. My daughter is a US citizen and I'm proud to say, a highly regarded Orange County Sheriffs Deputy. My wife single handedly re-trained herself to qualify and register as a nurse manager, all through disciplined home study and sheer brain-power. She now earns around 4 times what she would in the NHS and does something she really enjoys.
I quit the job that got me here, not through any lack of loyalty - but because the owner of the company tried to take advantage of my visa limitations and renagued on agreements we had.
I now work in a fairly specialised field of marketing research, that required me to learn some new, quite scientific concepts fast - but the rewards have been significant as a result. The fact that we are able to save most of our earnings, where we used to take a lot of care with budgeting makes life so much less stressful.
We live in a beautiful environment and have a very comfortable home that is way beyond anything I could ever have aspired to in UK. Although I love the steamy climate, it's not for everyone - but when I'm not working, it's shorts and flipflops all year round. I travel extensively and don't get much in the way of holiday compared to what some have in Britain (15 days + stat) but every weekend is like holiday when you have almost guaranteed sunshine, huge lakes, boat, jetskis, motorcycles, fun cars, year-round motorsport and very green grass.
Perhaps I'm just shallow and materialistic - but that is the benefit as far as I'm concerned. I recognise that people a lot smarter than me have not had to move elswhere to surpass what I enjoy in terms of security and comfort - and I admire and respect them. I'm by no means wealthy, in US terms, but we're so far ahead of where we'd have been if we'd stayed put.
If the opportunity arises to try something new and challenging somewhere else - sometimes the grass really is greener.
I'm in the process of 'living my dream' so to speak at the moment.
I've been wanting to properly travel for as long as I can remember. I've decided to travel South East Asia with a couple of friends for 9 months, with a view to then do casual work in Australia for a year or so.
The reason for this is that I'm 25, not really going anywhere with my job, prospects aren't great and I'm just generally bored with life here. I also had some good news health wise, in that I will not develop the same neurological disease that killed my father and grandfather (and god knows how many before them). The trip was planned regardless and my view has not changed. I couldn't look myself in the eye in 20 years and wonder what the experience of backpacking with two great friends would be like if I didn't do it.
Currently still in the planning stage, as the trip isn't to happen until September next year but the route has been planned and various places we want to see/things we want to do put on a list. I cannot wait. I spent most of my teenage and adult years looking after my terminally ill father until he passed away just before my 19th birthday and it really makes you appreciate and take stock of how precious life is.
For anyone doubting whether they should pursue their dream, don't think 'what if so and so happens', if you think like that, you'll never follow anything through. Life's too short to worry about silly things getting in the way of something you know deep down you really want to do. If it doesn't work out the way you planned, at least you know you've attempted it and will be stronger for the experience.
I've been wanting to properly travel for as long as I can remember. I've decided to travel South East Asia with a couple of friends for 9 months, with a view to then do casual work in Australia for a year or so.
The reason for this is that I'm 25, not really going anywhere with my job, prospects aren't great and I'm just generally bored with life here. I also had some good news health wise, in that I will not develop the same neurological disease that killed my father and grandfather (and god knows how many before them). The trip was planned regardless and my view has not changed. I couldn't look myself in the eye in 20 years and wonder what the experience of backpacking with two great friends would be like if I didn't do it.
Currently still in the planning stage, as the trip isn't to happen until September next year but the route has been planned and various places we want to see/things we want to do put on a list. I cannot wait. I spent most of my teenage and adult years looking after my terminally ill father until he passed away just before my 19th birthday and it really makes you appreciate and take stock of how precious life is.
For anyone doubting whether they should pursue their dream, don't think 'what if so and so happens', if you think like that, you'll never follow anything through. Life's too short to worry about silly things getting in the way of something you know deep down you really want to do. If it doesn't work out the way you planned, at least you know you've attempted it and will be stronger for the experience.
marcosgt said:
No, like most I gave up my dreams for everything...
M.
Or gave them up for nothing, like most... M.
Weather. Weather was the final straw that made me decide to pack up and move overseas for the second time. It was a beautiful sunny March morning, time to go for a ride on my Harley. Went upstairs, got my gear on, jacket, sweater, bike trousers etc, and by the time I got downstairs and opened the garage door it was pouring down with rain!!! At that point it was all over, British weather had beaten me.
Mr Whippy said:
Not wishing to put down anything you have said, just use it as a positive example.
Every story like this results in someone being happier down the road after making a move. I think that because we made thought about making a move in the first place suggests we were not happy, so any change would tend to work out well. Since we can't ever go back and not do it to see what happened, we generally are happy that things have turned out well. Any outcome that changed unhappiness will be seen as good
So I'm happy you made the move and it worked out ok
I think more people should follow their gut and just go with things that feel right. Life is too short and usually if you are thinking about changing things then you are not happy, so no matter what happens the change will be a good thing!
I quit my job almost a year ago to work freelance and I'm still not sure exactly where I want to be or what I want to do when I grow up (hehe), but I'm making my own path and I'm in total control.
Not much money, jobs are hard to find, but every day feels great again. I wake up with a brain full of ideas and possibilities! It can only get better, and even right now as things are not so great it's still great if that makes sense
Life is short so get living. Following a grid that makes you question what you are doing is not living
Dave
I see what you're saying but that doesn't really apply to me. I was happy in the UK but for my career and future it was the logical decision (my pay was doubled).Every story like this results in someone being happier down the road after making a move. I think that because we made thought about making a move in the first place suggests we were not happy, so any change would tend to work out well. Since we can't ever go back and not do it to see what happened, we generally are happy that things have turned out well. Any outcome that changed unhappiness will be seen as good
So I'm happy you made the move and it worked out ok
I think more people should follow their gut and just go with things that feel right. Life is too short and usually if you are thinking about changing things then you are not happy, so no matter what happens the change will be a good thing!
I quit my job almost a year ago to work freelance and I'm still not sure exactly where I want to be or what I want to do when I grow up (hehe), but I'm making my own path and I'm in total control.
Not much money, jobs are hard to find, but every day feels great again. I wake up with a brain full of ideas and possibilities! It can only get better, and even right now as things are not so great it's still great if that makes sense
Life is short so get living. Following a grid that makes you question what you are doing is not living
Dave
I am on a 4 year visa but still plan to come back to the UK.
Mobsta said:
I have. But I regretted it from that moment onwards. It was 1989, and a very good friend of mine offered to swap my peanut butter sandwich, for a beef and mustard one, which at the time was my dream sandwich because my mum never made them for me. What I didn't realise was that his mother had buttered the sandwich, and I abhor butter on sandwiches. I lived to regret it and still look back, imagining how much he probably enjoyed my sandwich that afternoon. Ive never taken that risk again.
Hahahahaha shirt said:
Ice
What sort of work did you find in Japan? I was applying for the JAPAC scheme a couple of years ago before this gig came up.
I wouldn't say I gave up everything to come here (Dubai) and it also wasn't to follow a dream. Saying that, the expat life agrees perfectly with me and it may facilitate a move/green card for the US if I play my cards right.
Originally as a receptionist for a British themed hotel. There is a whole mini British village built (tutor/victorian houses et al) in the mountains of Fukushima that I wish they attempted to advertise a bit more as it's a nice place. After the earthquake though customers died and it was time to move on, so I did a few odd teaching jobs in Tokyo and moved in with the mrs.Xaero said:
Stuff
Nice!What sort of work did you find in Japan? I was applying for the JAPAC scheme a couple of years ago before this gig came up.
I wouldn't say I gave up everything to come here (Dubai) and it also wasn't to follow a dream. Saying that, the expat life agrees perfectly with me and it may facilitate a move/green card for the US if I play my cards right.
The Academic year starts in March/April so the job market is quite dead at the moment though unfortunately. Teachers get paid less and less each year too it seems. It's quite annoying going on the Japan forums and seeing them easily knock back $100k a year in the early 00s, now the salary is just about comfortable enough to live on.
Back in 2004 I took my girlfriend (at the time) to Canada and proposed, started making plans to move there soon after.
I wanted to move from the UK and lived in Ireland for a bit, and also Australia, but it was Canada for me. We got married in 2005 and started making preparations, but it took ages. We sold our place and rented for a couple of years, but still nothing. Then finally in 2008 I got a job here and we upped sticks and moved within a few weeks. By that time I had two kids, so it wasn't easy!
After being here four years I absolutely love it. Yes the first couple of years were hard, on one salary with two kids, but it got easier over time. When you move countries you really need to give it a few years to settle in and make friends, otherwise you can be back in the UK before you know it, wondering why it didn't work.
I love visiting my home town as a tourist now, it's great! But I definitely wouldn't want to live there again. You can get stuck in a rut so easily, Canada was my dream and I managed it. Now I'm busy building up the rest of that dream by working my ass off to buy a rental property. Hopefully in a few years I will have a property or two, and can look forward to a good quality of life as the family gets older.
I may have been able to do the same in the UK, but I felt the opportunities were better in Canada. Plus I love the weather here, and the value for money is better than the UK, although not as good as the US.
I earn a modest income, and this is our new place, can't wait to finish the garage!
Front by rob smith photography, on Flickr
Side by rob smith photography, on Flickr
I wanted to move from the UK and lived in Ireland for a bit, and also Australia, but it was Canada for me. We got married in 2005 and started making preparations, but it took ages. We sold our place and rented for a couple of years, but still nothing. Then finally in 2008 I got a job here and we upped sticks and moved within a few weeks. By that time I had two kids, so it wasn't easy!
After being here four years I absolutely love it. Yes the first couple of years were hard, on one salary with two kids, but it got easier over time. When you move countries you really need to give it a few years to settle in and make friends, otherwise you can be back in the UK before you know it, wondering why it didn't work.
I love visiting my home town as a tourist now, it's great! But I definitely wouldn't want to live there again. You can get stuck in a rut so easily, Canada was my dream and I managed it. Now I'm busy building up the rest of that dream by working my ass off to buy a rental property. Hopefully in a few years I will have a property or two, and can look forward to a good quality of life as the family gets older.
I may have been able to do the same in the UK, but I felt the opportunities were better in Canada. Plus I love the weather here, and the value for money is better than the UK, although not as good as the US.
I earn a modest income, and this is our new place, can't wait to finish the garage!
Front by rob smith photography, on Flickr
Side by rob smith photography, on Flickr
Not all property is a bargain and remember the other costs. For example, my property tax is 3.125% of assessed value each year. So, on the example above you would pay $11k in tax a year. That house in my neighbourhood would cost $800k so they would be paying $25k a year in property tax. There is a doctor down the road from me that pays over $100k a year property tax. Eye watering amounts that you may not be aware of when doing your sums to move to another country.
I don't think I've given up everything to follow a dream but I have twice jumped well out of my friends, family and job comfort zone just to see if I could survive.
The first time I was offered a very good job in motorsport after I had graduated, I said thanks but no thanks as I wanted to travel for 6-12 months. Did that, saw some fantastic places and met some very cool people only to come back to find out the company no longer existed. The disappointedment was short lived as I ended up getting a better job than I had said no to.
Roll on 17yrs later and the 2nd go was a bit more complicated as by this time I had a lot more responsibilities than just myself, I now was married with children, a house with mortgage, and managed a design department in a good company. The easy option would have been to stay put.
We had to do it as a move to Italy was offered on a plate for the taking, we thought if we don't do it, we will never do it and always regret not doing it. Its not all been perfect pasta and sunshine but we are so glad we made the jump as the whole experience has been life changing for the whole family. It was quite hard leaving everything and everyone we knew to try something we knew very little about.
I didn't leave everything but we have found a dream as we now own a small house in a beautiful, unspoilt part of the world. On my door step are fantastic driving roads, snow with mountains in the winter and sun with mountains in the summer. A perfect place to escape the bleak UK summers and winters. I've also started looking for local business opportunities as I'm now chasing another dream.
None of this would have happened if I stayed on my sofa enjoying an easy life. All I can say is if you are thinking of doing it, then go for it as its better to have had a go at life than still sat on your sofa 10yrs from now wishing you had.
The first time I was offered a very good job in motorsport after I had graduated, I said thanks but no thanks as I wanted to travel for 6-12 months. Did that, saw some fantastic places and met some very cool people only to come back to find out the company no longer existed. The disappointedment was short lived as I ended up getting a better job than I had said no to.
Roll on 17yrs later and the 2nd go was a bit more complicated as by this time I had a lot more responsibilities than just myself, I now was married with children, a house with mortgage, and managed a design department in a good company. The easy option would have been to stay put.
We had to do it as a move to Italy was offered on a plate for the taking, we thought if we don't do it, we will never do it and always regret not doing it. Its not all been perfect pasta and sunshine but we are so glad we made the jump as the whole experience has been life changing for the whole family. It was quite hard leaving everything and everyone we knew to try something we knew very little about.
I didn't leave everything but we have found a dream as we now own a small house in a beautiful, unspoilt part of the world. On my door step are fantastic driving roads, snow with mountains in the winter and sun with mountains in the summer. A perfect place to escape the bleak UK summers and winters. I've also started looking for local business opportunities as I'm now chasing another dream.
None of this would have happened if I stayed on my sofa enjoying an easy life. All I can say is if you are thinking of doing it, then go for it as its better to have had a go at life than still sat on your sofa 10yrs from now wishing you had.
Edited by marine boy on Wednesday 7th November 22:06
King Herald said:
And the most painful part of all, leaving my parents behind, in their mid seventies. 
They lived not ten minutes walk from us, we'd seen them probably once a week for years, and our daughter got on great with them. I went back to visit last year, but my daughter and wife haven't been back for nearly three years.
Thats whats stopping most people I think.They lived not ten minutes walk from us, we'd seen them probably once a week for years, and our daughter got on great with them. I went back to visit last year, but my daughter and wife haven't been back for nearly three years.
PAULJ5555 said:
King Herald said:
And the most painful part of all, leaving my parents behind, in their mid seventies.
They lived not ten minutes walk from us, we'd seen them probably once a week for years, and our daughter got on great with them. I went back to visit last year, but my daughter and wife haven't been back for nearly three years.
Thats whats stopping most people I think.They lived not ten minutes walk from us, we'd seen them probably once a week for years, and our daughter got on great with them. I went back to visit last year, but my daughter and wife haven't been back for nearly three years.
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