Being a British expat is not easy in these times, at least not for me and many people I know. Many people who have had successful businesses for several years have seen their life turn upside down in the financial crisis. People who have made their lives in another country which has become their home for decades are now having to give that life up and go back to their home country in the hope that 'home' will provide the shelter and support they need. These are sad times in this case, for both the people who are losing their 'lives' and those who are then affected by that in a secondary way. Something which keeps coming to my mind is all the restaurants and bars that are closing and how that affects these holiday resorts for now and the future. Also all the expat services which are a great support to the expat community are disappearing, again making the expat's life more difficult.
For me, all I seem to hear are stories of problems and distress, not to mention the tough time we ourselves are having, the job market is very small with no support. Some of our good friends have decided to go back to England in the next month and it has put me into conflication. What should we do, what can we do? Should we stay or go? It makes me remember and examine the reasons we came here, it's a big mess in my mind. All the things to consider, quality of life vs cost of living. education, future prospects to name a few. How do you weigh all these different things up?
Then on the other hand I have read a couple of articles, posts lately about people talking about emigrating out of the UK, because of the lack of jobs, cost of living - the complete opposite of what I am thinking. At the moment there seems to be very few people doing well and the people who are surviving here are generally people who have online businesses or can work remotely, such as designers, writers etc, the people who do not rely on the geographical location for work opportunities. I know no where is having it easy at the moment in terms of lack of work, rising costs, austerity measures, the list goes on, but how do you make that decision of what's best without having just a 'grass is greener' mentality. It is a normal reaction when times are hard to want to run home, isnt it?
That must be very tough, but yes, I do think it's a completely normal reaction being torn as to what to do, and wondering whether the grass might be greener on the other side... Good luck with your decision making! Emma
ReplyDeleteThanks Emma, the 'grass is greener' is a very powerful thing when you dont know where to turn and you see others go to 'the grass' and for them it is greener!
DeleteI think you're right on so many levels - I am not sure that anywhere is 'doing very well' at the moment - we are new to Portugal and settling in well, but we have completely changed our way of living - we are living much more simply and cheaply - rather than the 'executive' lifestyle we had in the UK - so far I am not missing that at all - but it is a very different way of life and not for everyone I guess .... who knows how we may feel in the future though? I'm sure the grass in the UK is as patchy, weed filled and bare as anywhere else lately - I keep remembering what mad busy lives we lived there and remember why we wanted to come here instead!
ReplyDeletePS - can't believe I haven't found your blog before now - it's great!
It is so tough. It's human nature to feel that the grass is greener on the other side and also natural to feel that when things get tough, life would be easier in our country of origin. I suppose you have to try to remind yourself of the reasons for leaving the UK in the beginning. Has anything changed for the better there? My parents in law came to France a few years ago and found it tough finding work with the language barrier etc and decided to go back to England where they thought life would be so much easier for them. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to get jobs, the cost of living (rents, rates etc) are much higher and they have ended up in real financial difficulties and verging on bankruptcy. We've decided to stick it out in France - I can't see us going back to the UK, but who knows what will happen in the future. I can appreciate the situation in Portugal is far worse than it currently is in France, it must be really difficult for you. Good luck with whatever decision you make - it's not an easy one.
DeleteHi Alyson, glad you liked the blog, please keep reading! We came here for a better life and I love it here but unfortunately I think we came at the wrong time and things have not worked in our favour at all. I love the calmer, slower life here (although takes some getting used to) but with that comes a lack of opportunities at least for us.
DeleteGood post, and I know exactly what you mean. It's so hard, I worry about having to go back to the UK, but hubby is adamant we will not do that. I just worry if we will HAVE to, I mean if we cannot get work before his unemployment benefit runs out (you only get it for 6 months) and have no money what can we do here? In the UK I guess we would be entitled to help but I don't think it would be easy to find work there either even without a language barrier.
ReplyDeleteI hope the tide starts to turn soon and it becomes a bit easier for all of us.
Hi Emma, its true the appeal of financial support is strong and comforting in a way. I do not want to go back but like you wonder if it is something we will have no choice but to do.
Deletewe too were in this situation, we moved to Cyprus for 4 blissful but extremely hard years.
ReplyDeleteWork was good, until it dried up & we were left with nothing, to even pay for the roof over our heads & the children were struggling in greek school, having 4 young children and another on the way we made the decision to move back to the UK (something I said we would never do)and low and behold its possibly the best decision we have ever made.
We've made a new life for ourselves, hubby works full time, while i look after the kiddos (we may not earn mega bucks but we can pay the bills).
I know we moved away from the UK for various reasons but to be honest I cant reember what they were now (possibly something to do with an itch to live abroad and to have better weather)but whatever they were they really arent important anymore.
Me,the hubby and the kids are so much happier (and they are excelling in school now).
Its the hardest decision to make and everybody has their own circumstances and what they want from life.
Good luck and I hope it all works out for you xx
Thanks for your comments and reply. Having spoken to other expats who have done what you have, the vast majority have gone onto better lives, but then others havent. It such a tough decision to know what is best.
DeleteTotally normal I think, but then is Portugal your home too? It's something you need to weigh up but remember it's a worldwide crisis, nowhere is truly safe.
ReplyDeleteLivi, I know nowhere is truly safe but portugal is in a bad way. We both work in hotels and tourism and live in the Algarve, full of tourism and there is no work, or if there is, it is seasonal and in september you end up back on the job market. Its a horrible tiresome cycle! Looking at job sites, it is minimal here but much more seems available in the Uk. Each job posted here has over 300 people applying within a couple of days, that's how bad it is!
DeleteVery difficult decision, and I want to send you a great big hug over the internet. I understand completely how conflicted you must feel. I have been thinking through very similar issues myself and feel I moved my family to the UK at exactly the wrong time, economically, but whenever I talk to friends and family back home they say things are just as bad back there (NZ and Australia). It's hard to know what to do, but I think gut instinct has a part to play in making your decision. Home, wherever it may be, is always the best place to be when you are feeling stressed, because at the very least you have the support of your family and friends and other social support systems. Big hugs and hope you're ok Vix x
ReplyDeleteThanks Vix, you sound like you are in exactly the same place. The pressure is intense, at least for me to go back is not so far and expensive as for you, something in my favour.
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