4 ms·

It's a deeply personal thing. I'm contemplating moving the family to another country and the biggest emotions I feel are connected to the financial freedom nec

It's a deeply personal thing. I'm contemplating moving the family to another country and the biggest emotions I feel are connected to the financial freedom necessary to move. I grew up in a low-income household, my grades weren't amazing, never got a stipend to study anywhere or go abroad, so being able to make this jump as a result of my own personal development is huge. Luggage or not is beside the point for me though.

culturestate 5y ago
> being able to make this jump as a result of my own personal development is huge. Yeah, I know exactly what you mean here - I got the same "I made this happen" feeling when I boarded that first plane. The part that I can't easily empathize with is the idea that leaving home and going somewhere else represents some kind of cosmic upheaval of your life. I get it, academically, but I just can't put myself in that headspace. To give an example, one of my friends back home is going through a quarter-life career crisis. For a variety of reasons I suggested that he take a couple of months off and spend it in Amsterdam - this wouldn't be any problem for him financially or harm his career progression, but it's just a bridge too far for him personally. When I brought it up, he said "I wouldn't even know where to start." What seems natural to me - grab your passport, book an AirBnB and a plane ticket - is for many people an emotionally overwhelming roadblock.
- piva00 5y ago
  I think I do relate a little to you and also a lot more to the parent comment. I've managed to emigrate due to my own personal development as well, my family didn't have the means for that and my home country's society is very geared to rich folks getting opportunities: in school, universities, time enough to go through a good higher education, etc. I had to fight against all that and other odds stacked against me and finally "made it" out. At the same time I felt like you sometimes, people would be fretting a lot about how I'm going to move, all by myself, to a new country, continent, hemisphere, culture and language. And it never phased me, I knew I wanted to do it and the thought that someone would be even a little reluctant on doing it was a bit alien. Nowadays I can empathise with both mindsets, I'm a bit stuck in the middle: moving out was definitely an amazing and enlightening experience over time but I didn't have that awe about it until hindsight kicked in. Most of the feelings I had when moving were all about excitement and getting to experience new things, people, places. I share the feeling when boarding the plane for moving and thinking "I made this happen" but I feel it much more intensely and beautifully during moments in my new city (that I've been for about 6 years now) where I look around and realise "I'm here and it's surreal I've made it here". This is the feeling I love the most, and it's constant, since I moved I never stopped catching these moments.
- ghaff 5y ago
  I suppose it depends for how long. I do own a house and moved around a bit when I was younger. But I fairly routinely travel for 3 or 4 weeks and, while a couple months would be unusual for me, it wouldn't be anything remarkable and, work-wise, spending some of that time working from Europe wouldn't be an issue other than working some later hours.
- PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
  > What seems natural to me - grab your passport, book an AirBnB and a plane ticket - is for many people an emotionally overwhelming roadblock. I too find those 3 steps are pretty easy. The problem is that what comes next - "step out of AirBnB and go to a local restaurant" - is total mindkiller for me.
  - culturestate 5y ago
    Because of social anxiety or some other reason? I used to be pretty awkward about this too until I really got it through my head that we’re all just characters in someone else’s play.

culturestate 5y ago

> being able to make this jump as a result of my own personal development is huge. Yeah, I know exactly what you mean here - I got the same "I made this happen" feeling when I boarded that first plane. The part that I can't easily empathize with is the idea that leaving home and going somewhere else represents some kind of cosmic upheaval of your life. I get it, academically, but I just can't put myself in that headspace. To give an example, one of my friends back home is going through a quarter-life career crisis. For a variety of reasons I suggested that he take a couple of months off and spend it in Amsterdam - this wouldn't be any problem for him financially or harm his career progression, but it's just a bridge too far for him personally. When I brought it up, he said "I wouldn't even know where to start." What seems natural to me - grab your passport, book an AirBnB and a plane ticket - is for many people an emotionally overwhelming roadblock.

piva00 5y ago
I think I do relate a little to you and also a lot more to the parent comment. I've managed to emigrate due to my own personal development as well, my family didn't have the means for that and my home country's society is very geared to rich folks getting opportunities: in school, universities, time enough to go through a good higher education, etc. I had to fight against all that and other odds stacked against me and finally "made it" out. At the same time I felt like you sometimes, people would be fretting a lot about how I'm going to move, all by myself, to a new country, continent, hemisphere, culture and language. And it never phased me, I knew I wanted to do it and the thought that someone would be even a little reluctant on doing it was a bit alien. Nowadays I can empathise with both mindsets, I'm a bit stuck in the middle: moving out was definitely an amazing and enlightening experience over time but I didn't have that awe about it until hindsight kicked in. Most of the feelings I had when moving were all about excitement and getting to experience new things, people, places. I share the feeling when boarding the plane for moving and thinking "I made this happen" but I feel it much more intensely and beautifully during moments in my new city (that I've been for about 6 years now) where I look around and realise "I'm here and it's surreal I've made it here". This is the feeling I love the most, and it's constant, since I moved I never stopped catching these moments.
ghaff 5y ago
I suppose it depends for how long. I do own a house and moved around a bit when I was younger. But I fairly routinely travel for 3 or 4 weeks and, while a couple months would be unusual for me, it wouldn't be anything remarkable and, work-wise, spending some of that time working from Europe wouldn't be an issue other than working some later hours.
PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
> What seems natural to me - grab your passport, book an AirBnB and a plane ticket - is for many people an emotionally overwhelming roadblock. I too find those 3 steps are pretty easy. The problem is that what comes next - "step out of AirBnB and go to a local restaurant" - is total mindkiller for me.
- culturestate 5y ago
  Because of social anxiety or some other reason? I used to be pretty awkward about this too until I really got it through my head that we’re all just characters in someone else’s play.