Happier Abroad Forum Community

For me, two things:

1. Death of a relative (to attend the funeral)
2. To fulfill something on my bucket list- spend 6 months hiking the Appalachian Trail. After that, I may or may not hike the Pacific Crest Trail. I love nature and the scenery in parts of the U.S., just not the culture.

That's all I can think of.

So are you talking about long term or short term? Short term the family issues are obvious for most. Long term, only needing to make money which is what I am doing now.

I'd probably return to the US after moving abroad if there was a death in the family or if we're on vacation.

Living here long term? Nope.

After moving abroad, what would make you return to the U.S.?

Good question, you should extend it to all Western countries.
The answer depends likely on the individual.

In my case, 40 years away from Europe, I can only say nothing will make me return to EU.

I do not have any relatives in EU, either dead or unknown. It also depends on distance, it's about 12 hours flight from Far East Asia to Europe.
I am now living in Japan, with a second home in Thailand, and visiting some Asian countries nearby for my vacation - Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia...

Simply said, I left EU and see no reason why I should return, even not for a short visit.

I've never really had a place to call 'home' since being born. Is Chongqing home to me? I'm semi-fluent in the dialect (though it's awkward speaking it), but I only spent the first five years of my life there. Is Beijing home to me? I spent my formative years there, but I don't click with its vibe. Is Vancouver home to me? The answer's obvious. Once I leave the Anglo-Saxon world, I'll never return, it's not even like I'd have any reason to return even for a visit. I don't have close family, I'm basically considered a loser by both Anglo and Chinese immigrant standards for the way I am, and yeah.

Bao3niang wrote: ↑

March 17th, 2018, 4:00 pm

I've never really had a place to call 'home' since being born.
.....
The answer's obvious. Once I leave the Anglo-Saxon world, I'll never return, it's not even like I'd have any reason to return even for a visit. I don't have close family, I'm basically considered a loser ...

Much in this comment could be written by myself, just add 'EU' to the Anglo-Saxon world. No way for me ever to return to Europe.
I will continue to live in Asia, most time in Japan and Thailand and some other countries nearby in that region.

I'd only return to the States short term, like to pick up a new debit card or a new laptop. Long term I'm not going back.

I'd only return to the States short term, like to pick up a new debit card or a new laptop. Long term I'm not going back.

if prostitution was legalized, i'd consider moving back to America

I returned to the US from Japan because teaching English was the only prospect I saw for myself there, and prospects for making a respectable living in that field were awfully slim at the time. I heard that there was more space to build a teaching career a decade before I arrived, but I missed the boat. The Japanese TEFL world I experienced was mostly people hustling to get online MA TESOLs so they could ascend to college jobs that would be capped at 3-5 years. I knew people who branched out into other fields like photography, but they too left within a few years. The only English teachers who have much likelihood of staying are the females who married Japanese men.

I still want to go back, but things need to be right. I'm not going to get another conversation school job and try winging it from there.

AkitaMan wrote: ↑

March 24th, 2018, 11:32 am

I returned to the US from Japan because teaching English was the only prospect I saw for myself there...

Living as an European man in Japan, Tokyo since almost 40 years, I can assure you that nothing changed and English teacher is not a good long-term job, it is merely a start for the first year or so to find a company which can offer you visa support, accommodation, and a small income, but working conditions are rarely good and there is a lot of competition going on among foreigners themselves.

Within that time - I would say one year but not longer than three years - you have a chance to look around for a better job and to improve your Japanese knowledge. If not successful, better consider to move on to elsewhere, let's be realistic.

The only good teacher position I know is within the international schools in Japan, but to enter into such a job you need excellent qualification and expect a long waiting time for a vacancy.

Most Western foreigners I know here in Japan since many years are not English teachers, including myself.
They are working in international government related offices, upper class restaurants and hotels, shipping companies and airline offices, staff in large import/export trading companies, management offices for fairs and exhibitions and so on.