I just spent 2 weeks in Mexico City, first time in 4 years thanks to covid (I live in Japan).
My parents are so loving and caring, it hurts me that I won’t hug them until next year. My brother started a new job and is doing great, I’m so proud of him. My friends, it’s like time stopped (I’ve been 8 years in Japan) and we still have a blast just hanging around. I was in tears playing Drawful 2 with some of them earlier today. Mexico City is beautiful and crazy and I love it so much, I’m jealous of my friends living here. Food in Mexico is so good I’ll have to go on a diet once I’m back in Tokyo. My dog loves me and won’t stop begging me to pick her up.
I love Japan, my life in Tokyo, and my friends there too. I know I’ll feel better soon enough, but I had never felt this sad about leaving Mexico before.
I really don’t want to go back now :(
This is just the issue that’s been on my mind a while now and will probably take a few years to really figure out. I posted it to the retirement sub but they deleted it.
I’ve been debating retirement overseas and considering which countries would be best, but ultimately the first decision is leaving in the first place or not. It’s one thing to have a family going with you, but another thing when you’re on your own.
Live in another country, have a much higher standard of living, better weather, as many or more luxuries than home and all that. And while sure you can make friends elsewhere, still nothing really compares to having family around. A brother and a couple cousins I could be close to if I stayed, yet it would mean a getting-by lifestyle in weather I don’t like.
The brother floated the idea of putting up a tiny home in his back yard which he’d be fine with. So far the best solution seems to be something like that, and I go back to visit 2-3 months out of the year.
But it’s tough, though. Family is great, of course, but it’s also not a small thing to go from getting-by to upper-middle-class and having more to do elsewhere, either.