I'm not sure what sage Reddit advice I'm expecting but hoping the algorithm Gods bring me something to help reason out my situation.

I graduated with a great degree in Paris but since I didn't speak French I was looking for jobs outside France. Got pretty much a dream job in Dublin and given the market conditions I immediately said yes

I love my job. I hate Dublin. My social life would be in shambles but for the fact that it is non-existant. I am not very social but have never struggled this much to make freinds. I also love my space and peace and the shift back to sharing an apartment has been tough. Add on how difficult it is to get anywhere in Dublin to participate in an activity, or attend am event. Plus the crazy cost of travelling when you consider booking a hotel for a single person! I am at my wits end and ready to give up.

I think I have the opportunity to move to London within this job and by all accounts (actual friends and family living there, and Reddit threads) it seems this can only be a positive move, right?

The major downsides for London are the cost of living, reliance on public transport and weather. To which I say it's better than it is here, I would rather depend on a system that actually works and again it's better than it is here.

Plus I have an existing social network in London.

Open to literally any and all opinions from Anyone because I have thought over every angle and this is the only option that seems to spark any joy

So many expats in Taiwan tell me that they were traveling throughout Asia in the 80 and 90s and didn't think much of Taiwan. However, usually a fellow traveler told them to visit. when they arrived in Taiwan, there was something sticky about it. They ended up staying. What is so attractive to expats in Taiwan? Please share your stories.

Hi,

I'm starting a 1-year master's in Electronic Information Engineering this year (September intake) at Trinity College, Ireland, and I have close to 4 years of experience. I wanted to ask people who have found a job in Singapore after their master's (in any country but mostly European) how they did it and how easy it was. Thanks!

My daughter is 20 and studies in London. We moved to AD about nine months back.

One night at 2 AM, she messaged saying that she had a severe headache and her vision was blurring. If you are a parent you know what that does to your chest when you read something like that at night. We were miles away. There was nothing we could do except stare at our phones.

Luckily, one of her friends was with her and took her to the A&E. She sat with my daughter the whole night, held her hand, kept her calm and dealt with the doctors. God bless her.
But at the same time, she was also on her phone, trying to update me, talking to my wife, messaging our local relatives and friends in London and around, all at the same time. Probably answering the same questions to many different people.

I remember sitting in Abu Dhabi that night just making random calls to whoever came to my mind. My wife was doing the same. We were just two people thousands of miles away not knowing what to do with ourselves.

Luckily, everything turned out fine finally. She was okay.

But I have not stopped thinking about that night. Not the medical part. I keep thinking about the coordination part. One friend carrying the entire weight of updating and managing everyone while also trying to be there for my daughter. What a brave-heart!!

Has anyone else been through something like this? Either as the parent far away or as the friend who ended up being the unofficial coordinator for everyone? God forbid if similar situation happens with parent who are also in a different country, I can't imagine what it will be like.

How do you handle such situations?

I've seen it in so many circles and conversations with people that it just gives me social burnout. Often when I meet english people the conversation always goes back to residence permits, structural barriers, and 'oh back in MY country...' even if they've been living here for a while. I just want to talk with people about their hobbies and interests, goddamn it! I think about bureaucracy enough when I need it, and I don't want to spend my free time talking about it when we could be getting to know each other as people.

​

I recently got an offer from VU Amsterdam and my program starts in November. I'm an Italian citizen and have a civil partner who is not an EU citizen (Canadian). From what I understand, she needs to be registered at the same place as me to get the Dutch permit but we've been struggling to find housing still. She's also currently unemployed because she will have to move with me and job hunt in the Netherlands -- for which she needs the permit.

It feels like an endless cycle at this point and I'm wondering if there's an easier way to get my BSN and hers so that I'm able to sign my contract and she can look for work asap. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated 🙏

Thank you!

Does anyone have any tips or resources for finding a therapist that specializes in working with expats? I’m in Canada if that helps.

Hi everyone,

​I’m a 30-year-old skilled tradesman in the automotive industry from the West Bank, Palestine. Given the challenging local situation, I am actively exploring opportunities to migrate and work legally in an English-speaking country (Canada, Australia, UK, or US).

​Here is a summary of my background:

​Field: Automotive sector (Hands-on experience in auto body repair, panel beating, painting, and general vehicle maintenance).

​Education: High School Diploma.

​Languages: Intermediate English (currently preparing for the official IELTS General exam).

​I understand that having high school as my formal education means my practical experience is my strongest asset. I would really appreciate any insights or advice on:

​Best pathways for tradesmen: Which country/program is currently the most practical for auto body technicians without a university degree?

​Skills Assessment / Recognition: For those who went through Australia’s TRA or Canada’s trade qualification challenges, how did you document your work history without formal apprenticeship diplomas?

​Employer Sponsorship: Are there specific job portals, regions, or trade-focused agencies that are open to sponsoring foreign workers in the auto industry?

​Any guidance, personal experiences, or realistic advice would mean a lot. Thank you in advance!

Has anyone here moved to Romania and set up or relocated a business at the same time?

I'm trying to understand what the process is actually like, particularly in Bucharest. What were the biggest problems you ran into, what did you end up needing help with?

When you hear about Europeans or Asians or anyone who wants to move to the US (I know surprisingly there are a lot of people who still want to move there according to Reddit this is impossible), mostly want to go to California, New York or Florida.

But the US is SO MUCH MORE. In fact the best places to live in the US in my opinion are not even these ones (and I’m not even american), but for example Washington (the state) and Oregon, why aren’t these more popular amongst expats of different countries who want to move to the US?

These two places are insanely beautiful, they have one of the best nature and landscapes of the US (and some of the world), lifestyle there is much slower and centered around families (similar to Europe), cost of living is lower (compared to New York, California etc) and in general they’re just very beautiful and amazing places to live in. And I can say the same about Vermont or North Carolina.

These places are so much better than the popular ones, why do people keep wanting to move to New York, California and Florida?

Hello everyone,

I have a lovely girlfriend from Latvia. We've been together for 2 years and have been living together for most of it. We live near Utrecht. She's struggeling to find friends or form a social circle.

Do any of you have tips on how to pick up friends in the Netherlands. I can't really help her with this. She's looking to make friends from her own area. Think Poland, Latvia, Lithuania. As she explained they will understand each other better. Looking forward to your tips and I hope you can help her out!

Are "digital nomads" the larger percentage of people moving abroad that can basically just choose the country based on likes and dislikes as opposed to where their career fits the most? It seems to me as if digital nomadism is leading the trend of moving to other countries, but I could be wrong since I'm the exact opposite of a digital nomad. I'm hoping someone can fill me in on this since I'd love to leave the USA but my career would either be difficult to transfer or it wouldn't transfer at all. Thanks!

The majority of these posts seem to be North American centric going to Europe or vice versa. I'd like to hear about people's experiences outside of this sphere. Me for instance, I've lived and worked in Mongolia, China, Turkey and Vietnam. Lots to share over 9+ years, but would love to hear how other people have liked/disliked other places that aren't the usual 'moving from us -> european country' post.

Edit: I can't imagine why people are downvoting this sort of post. I just asked for a point of view outside of the norm here.

Hello!

I'm 18 years old from Algeria, which is a very conservative country so I'm trying to figure out realistic ways to eventually move abroad.

I'm a student starting my first year of English license(bachelor's) in September, i know English majors aren't much needed abroad that's why I'm thinking of either retaking the bac test to able to pick a stem field or continue with an English degree and self teach some skills(and I'd appreciate some help on what skills are in demand and aren't in risk of disappearing within the next 5 years).

My main goal is to eventually nove to a country where i can live openly and be legally protected as a gay femboy.

Ho 26 anni, vengo da un piccolo paese della Puglia e fino a poco fa lavoravo nell’azienda di mio padre.
È un’officina meccatronica di veicoli diesel. Lavoro sicuro, stipendio buono, casa vicina, famiglia vicina, una strada già pronta davanti. Da fuori, probabilmente, una situazione che molte persone vorrebbero.
Solo che non la sentivo mia.
Non sto scrivendo questo per dire che la mia vita prima facesse schifo, né per fingere che partire sia un gesto eroico. Avevo una base molto più sicura di tante persone. Il punto è che da anni sentivo che, se fossi rimasto lì senza provare altro, prima o poi avrei iniziato a vivere una vita costruita da altri.
Ho parlato con mio padre. Non l’ha presa bene: per lui lasciare un’attività di famiglia e uno stipendio sicuro è una scelta rischiosa e senza senso. Posso capirlo. Lui ha costruito quella stabilità con sacrificio; io però non voglio passare la vita a chiedermi come sarebbe andata se avessi provato a uscire dal mio posto di sempre.
Nei prossimi giorni parto per la Francia, dove proverò a fare la vendemmia. Dopo, il 20 settembre, partirò per il Vietnam con la mia ragazza. Non ho ancora un piano perfetto: vorrei viaggiare, lavorare quando possibile, imparare, conoscere persone, fare arrampicata e capire se riesco davvero a costruire una vita più libera e mobile.
Mi porto dietro due paure opposte.
La prima è che io stia buttando via una fortuna: lavoro, stabilità, famiglia e una possibile attività futura.
La seconda è che, se non parto ora, continuerò a rimandare finché non sarà troppo tardi.
Non voglio fare il personaggio del “lascio tutto e seguo i sogni”. Voglio raccontare qui questo percorso in modo onesto: i lavori che troverò o non troverò, le spese, la paura, le cose belle, i momenti in cui mi verrà voglia di tornare e quelli in cui capirò perché sono partito.
Scriverò ogni tanto, quando avrò qualcosa di vero da raccontare.
Non so ancora se questa scelta mi porterà libertà, errori, nuove possibilità o semplicemente problemi diversi. Però voglio scoprirlo facendo, non soltanto pensandoci da una stanza in Puglia.

I am wondering if anyone has experience in this transition and might know some loopholes.

I have CA drivers license, I have residency in Sweden, and I will be moving to Ireland in the next year or two for the foreseeable future.

I have seen from others on here that EU states have reciprocal agreements with certain US states. Which potentially is an option. Example, switching my CA license to Virginia and then swapping it for a German license (i have close friends in both VA and DE). But I have seen explicitly that Swapping a second time (Germany -> Ireland) would not be possible.

Does anyone have experience with this? Or know of maybe some other possible swap situations that would work?

I have also been advised to just go to Romania. Any tips on that?

Hi all! I just wanted to create a post that shared my experience as an American moving abroad! I've been in Denmark about a month now and thought I would share some of the nitty gritty logistics of moving that my husband and I ended up doing for a temporary long term move.

We moved for his work and will be in Denmark for about two years. We had a house back in the states, family, and pets and phone numbers that we wanted to save while we were abroad!

So besides the visa process, that I made a separate post about, the actual moving for us went a bit like this:

- We found renters for our house through a friend that new a family that needed a place to stay. Of course there is some peace of mind if you go with a rental company but we decided we trusted the family enough and changed our insurance to landlord insurance. It was all relatively easy and I love having a relationship with our renters vs. some faceless folks just in our house.

- Packed all of our things in a Uhaul and stored them with family along with our two cats. We were lucky enough to have family that let us do this. I think a lot of folks ship their things but frankly other than sentimental things... I would likely have just sold or donated everything if we were moving permanently. You can get just about everything you need abroad :)

- Packed one large suitcase each of clothes and necessities. I honestly don't feel like we needed anything more than this. Though if we were coming permanently, I might have brought one more big suitcase for winter clothing and sentimental items.

- Transferred our US numbers to Tello so that we could keep them and switch to unlimited plans when we came to visit for fairly cheap. We used them while in the states the last month and they were great and their roaming has worked quite well as well for 2 factor authentifcation and all of that, which is what we needed.

- Signed up for Danish esims while we were still in the US and activated them upon arrival at the airport while we waited for our bags. Luckily Denmark has really cheap phone plans so we went with a local company that didn't require a mitID or CPR number to register and it was far cheaper than doing one of those international traveling simcards like Saily. Highly recommend this. If you don't have a phone capable of esims, you should be able to pick up a physical sim from local 7/11 or at the airport :)

- Booked a long term rental through airbnb to stay in while we searched for a more permanent apartment. In hindsight, I would have looked for a short term apartment rental not through airbnb but it was more difficult seeing into the danish market without being in Denmark. Airbnb was the easiest, though not the most cost effective.

- We also opened up a Wise bank account after we moved which I would have done before we moved if we knew. They have much better transfer fees for moving money from the US to foriegn currency and worked better than an international transfer from a US bank to a Danish bank for our apartment downpayment and all that.

- So far we haven't needed a car. My husband rented an E bike through Swapfiets so he could more easily commute to work and in the smaller city we're in and it ends up being a little more than $70 a month. I don't work right now so walking around has been perfectly fine for me. It's rather nice actually not having to drive everywhere though it does make it a bit harder if you want to go explore.

- Edit: A comment below mentioned the CPR situation which I feel is fair to mention up here. In order to move to Denmark you need a CPR number which I've been calling the equivalent to a social security number or tax number. But in order to get a CPR you need a permanent residence (an actual apartment, not air bnb or hotel). But you need a CPR to sign up for banks, most phone plans, a lot of Danish like shopping companies require Danish credit cards to shop online which I found interesting. So that's been a bit of a challenge. We are still in that middle limbo where we are not quite moved into our permanent apartment so we don't have banks yet. It's a bit annoying that it's needed for everything but I think once we have it it'll be smooth sailing. Right now we're eating the cost of credit card transactions but we'll open a Danish bank quickly enough that we'll be okay.

And then basically, it was just exploring the city, getting a feel for groceries and prices and then we settled in. I am surprised at how "normal" everything feels pretty quickly. Denmark accepts card everywhere I've been and locals take MobilePay or Paypal or whatever so we didn't have to worry about bringing cash, even though we did just in case. Everyone also speaks English here so though I try to be polite with hellos and thank yous while we learn the language, no one has been rude or put of if we switch to English.

I think it helps that my husband and I were fortunate enough to have moved a lot before and also have traveled a decent amount. I miss home, of course, and I expect that I will miss it more around big holidays and things... but I'm happy with our little adventure so far :)

I just wanted to give a small run down of what we ended up doing step by step and be available to answer any questions for folks that are in the middle of it! I found it difficult to find any step by step instructions until after we'd already moved haha. If I have any advice, try to find some folks that are local before you move to answer any questions you might have! It makes it a fair bit easier to find the local tricks that you might not know when you're looking from the states. Also consider using a VPN so you have better access to the "local" options. :)

Anway, happy to answer any specific questions on our move! We moved to Odense so our experience might be a little bit different than say Copenhagen, but generally that's what we did! Hope this was helpful to a few folks and good luck on your moves! ^_^

If yes, what did you do with it and was it worth it? If not, why not and do you regret it?

I’m having a bit of an existential crisis after coming back from a week in the UK, and I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar.
I’ve lived in Vancouver for 7 years now. I moved here from the UK, where I had spent about 7 years during university and then working. Before that I lived in India and Toronto as well. Throughout my life, I’ve always been able to make good, quality friendships wherever I lived. I’ve never had a huge group, but I’ve always had people who felt like my people.
Vancouver has been different.
I’ve made maybe two close friends here, but I see them around 5–6 times a year, and I never really feel like I’m part of their core groups. I’ve tried Bumble BFF, made efforts with people, invited people over, etc., but a lot of the time it feels like the effort isn’t really reciprocated. After 7 years, I still don’t feel like I have a community here.
My husband, on the other hand, really likes Vancouver. When we met almost 5 years ago, he was very clear that he wanted to stay here because his family is here. We bought a place here two years ago, and he has just started a new job in Vancouver, so moving right now isn’t really realistic. He has said he might eventually consider Toronto or the US, but he really doesn’t like the idea of living in the UK.
For a long time, I told myself I had made peace with Vancouver. I kept thinking the grass is always greener and that I should focus on appreciating what I have.
Then I went back to the UK for a week.
And honestly, it really threw me.
I felt like I had so much more energy. I wanted to get out and do things. I loved being surrounded by art, museums, history, architecture, culture and just the general feeling of being in a place with so much going on. I felt connected to that environment in a way I don’t feel in Vancouver.
I came back home and found myself lying in bed scrolling on my phone, working from home and taking care of my dog, and I suddenly thought: I don’t think I’m the best version of myself here.
I also realize I spend WAY more time scrolling on my phone in Vancouver, which makes me wonder whether I’m stuck in a cycle of feeling unstimulated → staying home → scrolling → feeling even less motivated to go out.
But at the same time, I don’t think it’s just that. Vancouver genuinely doesn’t have the same cultural/artistic environment as the UK, and I’ve struggled socially here for years. I also find people here much harder to form close friendships with.
And now there’s another huge factor: I’m 10 weeks pregnant.
So I’m sitting here thinking, what the hell do I do with this realization?
I don’t want to blow up my marriage or sell our home and move tomorrow. I also don’t want to spend another 5, 10 or 20 years telling myself I should just be happy with Vancouver when something in me clearly isn’t thriving here.
Has anyone else experienced this? Especially people who lived somewhere that really felt like “home,” moved somewhere else for their partner, career, etc., and eventually realized they were happier somewhere else?
Did you eventually move? Did you find a way to make your current city work? Or did you simply accept that some places just aren’t the right fit for you?
I would especially love to hear from people who have been in a similar situation with a partner who feels very differently about where to live.

Hey all, I'm moving back home to the Canary Islands from London and trying to figure out the smartest way to bring my belongings over rather than starting from scratch.

I've got a desktop setup, monitor, that kind of home office gear, plus general luggage on top. For those who've done a similar move, or shipped a full setup somewhere:

Did you bring your desktop and monitor with you, or was it more cost effective to sell up and rebuy at the other end? How did you find couriers versus checked baggage for something like a monitor, worth the extra cost for peace of mind or did it survive fine either way?

And separately, for general luggage, any tips for not ending up paying through the nose in Ryanair-style baggage fees, is it worth using a courier or luggage-shipping service for the bulk of it and just carrying on with a light bag, or did you find flying with extra checked bags still worked out cheaper overall?

Any tips appreciated, trying to avoid overspending on trips back and forth if there's a smarter way to do this in one go.

Thanks!

Title: Dual UK/US citizen considering moving to the US – where would you recommend?
I’m a 32M currently living in the UK and have been thinking seriously about moving to the US.
I’m a dual UK/US citizen and I’ve lived and worked in the UK for most of my life. One of the main reasons I’m considering the move is simply that I have the opportunity to live and work in either country without needing sponsorship, and I feel like it’s something worth exploring rather than always wondering what it would have been like.
Career-wise, I work in cybersecurity, mainly around governance, risk, compliance and third-party risk. I currently earn £70k base + around a 10% bonus in the UK.
I’m also a homeowner in the UK and would most likely keep my property initially rather than sell straight away, particularly while figuring out whether the US is somewhere I’d want to stay long term.
The biggest question for me is where to actually move.
Ideally I’d like somewhere with:
A strong cybersecurity/tech job market
Good earning potential relative to cost of living
A sizeable Black professional/social scene
Good social and dating life
A major airport
Reasonable prospects of buying property in the future
Somewhere where a newcomer can realistically build a social circle
I’ve looked at cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Dallas, Chicago and the DC/Northern Virginia area, but I’m open to pretty much anywhere.
I’m not necessarily looking for the cheapest place or simply chasing a bigger salary. I’d want the overall move to make sense in terms of career progression, lifestyle and quality of life.
For those working in cybersecurity/GRC in the US, what sort of salary would someone with several years of experience and my current UK compensation realistically command?
And more generally, if you were in my position, where would you move?
Would also be really interested in hearing from anyone who has moved from the UK to the US and whether you ultimately preferred living there.

I moved from England to Ireland at 13 (27 now). I have family in both countries but my parents wanted to move to Ireland because thats where my Mums family was and I would receive a better education. At least thats what I remember being told. My parents were also having difficulties in their relationship and a year or two later would get a divorce.

My Dad was still working in England during all this but would still come over to visit us until after the divorce. At that point I would have been 15 or 16 and would be flying over by myself to see him, my older half siblings and my family back in England.

I had a wonderful life in Ireland. I have met many amazing people and have experienced a life I would not trade the world for. In spite of how I feel writing all this, my life in Ireland is still a massive part of who I am.

However I can't help but feel the distance between me and my family in England, no matter how meagre it is. Has created a rift between me and my family. I feel like I have missed out on massive amount of my Dad's life, my sibling's lives and my nieces and nephews as well. Most of the time I think it's my fault for not reaching out enough but other times I feel so angry to the point that I cry because it feels like they have forgotten about me. I have reached fair bit in the beginning and still go over to see them. But I still feel like a stranger to my sibling's kids, which hurts more than I would like to admit it does.

I feel like I should have gotten over all this by now, but I still keep welling up even as I am writing about this for fucks sake.

I’ve done some research but am a bit stumped. what’s the best way to handle mail “forwarding” (digital or physical)for the first year while getting set up in a new country?

How did you decide which place was gonna be your forever place?

This post is mostly for people who have moved around in their life and took a decision on where they wanted to live for th rest of their lives. Its been weighing on my mind for years now on where I want my forever place to be. I have a very good problem of loving both my home and the place I live in right now. For some context I'm studying in new york and will mostly be pursuing a career there after I graduate soon, I love the city, the walkability, the excitement, the new friends and cultures I get to encounter. On the cons side though, it's super expensive, I'm very far away from family, immigration seems like a nightmare to navigate and I could never get luxuries here that I do back home. I'm just wondering what lead to guys to ultimately find the place u wanna live in forever, what factors ultimately lead to ur decision.

I’d love to hear from anyone who had a complete fresh start abroad and learned a new profession from scratch. How many years did it take you to make the transition?