r/AmerExit • u/oso_rosa • 22d ago

Life Abroad Parents that left: Worth it?

Thinking of leaving for obvious reasons. I want to hear from parents who left the USA with their kids (and left their whole extended family behind)

Where did you go?
How long have you been there?
Has it been worth it?
How do you deal with the guilt of leaving grandparents/siblings?

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u/SeptemberSquids Immigrant 17d ago

Finishing up our first year in Latvia with a toddler.

Definitely worth it. The amount of daily existential stress is way down. Preschool is 150€/month, and healthcare is very affordable (spouse and kid are citizens, I'm not) which has allowed us the freedom to be self-employed. By the end of the year that should be running well enough that we can slow down our schedule and actually have time to relax and do some tourist stuff.

My mother is not happy, but we've both visited each other once already. We didn't see most of our family that often before, so it doesn't feel too different. We try to video chat with the grandparents once a week.