Alternatives to emigrating
 

Things you might want to consider doing in the UK before you take that psychological and financial leap of emigrating to another country.

Change jobs/profession
Move to another part of the country
Go on a long adventure holiday
Buy a new car
Get a new hobby
Study for a degree or diploma/self-enrichment course
Volunteer for charity
Buy some new clothes
Exercise
Get a dog
Adopt a child
Meet with a financial planner/advisor
Have an affair/get a divorce
Get involved in local, regional or national politics
Eat different/healthier food – Learn to cook
Take a university course in the sociology of crime
Start/stop drinking or taking recreational drugs
Become spiritual- change religions
Don't visit your parents for a year or two
Get rid of all your friends
Stop reading/listening/watching tabloid media
Move to Europe

This is all I have off the top of my head. Please feel free to add any other helpful suggestions of things one might consider doing before deciding to emigrate.

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

Create a GIF avatar

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

I thought would that might have been covered under the general notion of higher education but you’re right, learning new skills would be considered self-enrichment and could be just the tonic someone needs. Thanks for the suggestion. :thumbup:

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

We considered relocating to the West Country. Ironically, a good proportion of the Brits we knw in Canada are from the West or South West. Often wonder what life would be like if we had done that. Be better off that's for sure.

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

:confused:

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

Speak to your neighbours.

Find a new local pub.

Drink spirits instead of lager.

Buy a Hooters franchise.

If I knew then what I know now.

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

Let me restate this one then, move to a country where you don't have to apply to an immigration service to live there.

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

I agree, that seems a bit extreme.

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

Closely examine the country your moving too: The USA is not all Friends, Baywatch, movies, adverts and exports like Coke and MacDonalds.

Take a long roadtrip through the heartland of USA 4 weeks but 2 will suffice and stay local not major hotel chains to discover what your really getting into.

Don't rely on the fashionable 'luvvies' who have done the roadtrip thing as a good example.

Have a medical emergency in your country of choice - something simple like a skin rash should suffice to highlight the differences.

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

Lose interest in Indian food and roasts.

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

Take up fishing
Take sarcasm/ fascetiousness lessons if needs be and participate on a forum (classes optional):cool:

The second has certainly helped me- I did the former as a kid but only caught gudgeon, perch, slimey bream and carp- nothing you would want to eat:(

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

Shift your income around if possible and allocate money towards more frequent vacations outside the UK or your current country of residence...Unless I get a stellar job offer with lots of euros I won't be heading home anytime soon, jobs are simply better here, and the college program I want is here, but Canada is more bearable if I can manage to get away 3-4x a year.

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

That's covered under the holiday topic. Young people today are too busy on their electronic devices to pay attention to things. :thumbdown:

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

I didn't suggest that only one suggestion would be a panacea for all thats troubling them but maybe a combination of things. For example, get a new job and a dog. Anyway I feel I've put them out there so I think I've covered most of the alternatives so if it all goes tits up and you didn't try implementing some these suggestions before, don't come on here crying that you had no alternative choices.

Re: Alternatives to emigrating
 

I meant make it a regular part of your life...have regular interludes that you can put on the calendar and look forward to. Although I suppose if you have to do that to get you through life in the UK or wherever you live then you should consider emigrating anyways. But for those where it isn't possible to emigrate or they don't want to take the risk of less PTO / less money / other career/money related things then its a good option.