Thinking about heading home - help please

[on my way]

I have just about decided to return to my home country after 4 years here with my family. The main reasons are to be closer to extended family, and for my career. I am seeking reassurance that I am making the correct decision, and would appreciate feedback. Has anyone had to make a similar decision recently - ie should I stay or should I go? What were the determining factors that made you decide to stay, or to go? Thank you.

[pray]

God only knows. Laugh if you will, but who on earth knows your situation, not even you. Who knows your future? Not even you. Who knows how your family will take it? Not even you. Who knows what will happen to this job? Not even you ...

Everyone can chip in with their views but that's just their perspective, their life circumstances and their own future.

[$Pripps]

frankly i think that for the career it is often more useful to stay foot near HQ than to get posted as an expat.

[do you]

have enough savings to last you and family for at least 1 year in case things do not work out back home?

[Uh Oh No]

have enough savings to last you and family for at least 1 year in case things do not work out back home?

Are we assuming the OP is returning home without a job?  I would have taken the fact that he/she is moving back home for career means a transfer ...

[well, you never know]

have enough savings to last you and family for at least 1 year in case things do not work out back home?

Are we assuming the OP is returning home without a job?  I would have taken the fact that he/she is moving back home for career means a transfer ...

well, you never know what might happen few months down the road. a transfer back to home country doesnt guarantee a secured job especially if the economy back home is not doing well. so having sufficient saving is definitely important. it is up to op and family to decide what is best as we ain't in his situation and know nothing about it. so just my 2 cent worth of advice. cheers

[Old Mike]

As you do not say where home is and what your job is it is not possible for anyone to make a sensible comment.

[Here for now]

Both reasons you stated are good reasons to consider returning to your home country and combined moreso.  If you have completed 4 years here and are not staying indefinitely this may be the right time to return as you probably have experienced what Singapore has to offer and have not been away so long that your family have forgotten you.  Careerwise, who knows what is around the corner but if there are good opportunities to be had at home then that is a good reason in itself. 

Lifestyle may be another reason to consider, would your lifestyle improve or diminish (or possibly be the same) at home as in Singapore. Depending on your situation, interests only you can decide this.

We personally evaluate the situation regularly but are starting to see that the longer we are away the harder it will be to repatriate (mentally) as we have formed fabulous friends, connections and roles in the community which would be hard to replicate back home.  We also see opportunities here that would never exist at home so for us right now we are staying. 

Honestly my biggest issue here is lack of freedom - speech, opinion, rights, controls ................. that one day will send me home.

[on my way]

Thanks all for your comments, especially PP.

And yes, I would be transferring back with my company.

PP - the absence of an informed and mature debate in Singapore politics and the local media drives me crazy. The relative safety and low tax rate will be missed, though. Everything's a trade-off, I guess!

Old Mike - what does it matter where I come from and what I do? Some generic thoughts would be welcomed.

[Digerata]

I have visited Singapore three times in the last two years, and have been rather astonished by this amazing social experiment undertaken by so many people from across the planet, coexisting rather peacefully in this "Disneyland With A Death Penalty."  (quote by William Gibson)

Are you from the US, like me ?  Good luck.. taxes headed much higher there and the politics are simply awful.  Pending some unfortunate decisions of mine that might get me barred from SG, I am looking foward to making the move.

I live in gritty Los Angeles, so perhaps my opinion is rather skewed.  But I have come to understand that in all places, great and small, the urge to move is something that afflicts all of us.  Give in to the urge, and don't regret your decisions.  Perhaps just find a way back, when the world beyond Sentosa seems a little too scary.

Good luck.   

[Old Mike]

Old Mike - what does it matter where I come from and what I do? Some generic thoughts would be welcomed.

Let us suppose that you are an aircon salesman.
If your home is Greenland the job opportunities there would be few and far between.
On the other hand, if home was Brazil, you would do quite well.

[Queue Heavenly Chorus]

Old Mike is the real deal. The voice of wisdom on this b.o.a.r.d , along with a select few (Silverchime springs to mind).

[Kapitan Obvious]

Everyone's situation is unique.  No one can reassure you based on the limited info you've given.  If you want to do it, do it.  Why would anonymous people on the internet sway your decision either way?

[we have]

I have just about decided to return to my home country after 4 years here with my family. The main reasons are to be closer to extended family, and for my career. I am seeking reassurance that I am making the correct decision, and would appreciate feedback. Has anyone had to make a similar decision recently - ie should I stay or should I go? What were the determining factors that made you decide to stay, or to go? Thank you.

We've decided to stay.  I'd quite like to go but the rest of the family are keen to stay.  There are many pluses and minuses for both home and here and I think that things you'll miss from here you'll find something else to fill the gap with back home.

Being closer to family is one of the reasons I'd like to go back, another being cash here and everything costing so much more these days.  I'm also feeling a bit like a fish out of water these days, not part of Singapore and no longer a part of home - perhaps that comes from spending almost a decade away.  I wonder if other people start to feel like that after an extended period as an expat.

[$Pripps]

I  wonder if other people start to feel like that after an extended period as an expat.

I can definitely attest to that, I have been living abroad close to 25 years with some short interrupts in between but every time I go home I get extremely bored after a couple of weeks mainly due people's attitude, so narrow-minded. Maybe it is just that I never got over the culture shock which one also gets when returning home. I will have a go again in a couple of years :-)