Curious questions of motivation to move abroad

After reading the poll results on this blog, immigration seems to be a concern for some people. I agree with this concern. I have always asked myself why do people move abroad and what is their main reason for moving? As I have said before, in my opinion, the main driving force for relocating abroad is economic. When I say economic, I mean people move abroad to chase the Dollar, Ruble, Pound, Yen and so on.

Although I also worry about immigration in my own country, people move abroad to gain wealth and to offer themselves and their family financial security for the short term. I am no exception to that as a temporary immigrant rather than a permanent one in Russia.

Job contracts for 'movers', 'expats' or whatever you wish to call them, vary from a few months to a few years. It also depends on who you work for and on what your position is. Relocation packages differ. For example, at the British embassy, families often get a very large flat (approximate rental cost 4,000 to 5,000 euro PM unless it's owned by the embassy) in prime city locations, free kindergarten and free flights, however pay is not as high as it would be for some expats abroad not working for the Foreign Office. To be honest, they deserve the job and all its sweeteners. The job application form to get into the Foreign Office is over ten pages long and very exhausting, I know as I tried and failed, not that I'm bitter. It is usual for expats in Moscow to have an on call driver and families often have a nanny. Moscow is often seen a golden honey pot for many expats where they can enjoy a lifestyle that would be totally impossible back home. This is a well known fact and Russians grasp at this situation, charging high rents for their flats. At the end of the day, we are all out to make a living no matter where we live.

People often move abroad to chase a dream and to escape the monotony of their daily lives in their birth country. The United Kingdom has seen vast numbers of immigrants entering its territory over the last ten years or so, while vast numbers of people indigenous to the United Kingdom, have left to move abroad. France has seen an explosion in foreign settlement. Thousands of Brits sold up at the height of the property boom before the bubble burst and moved to France and other European countries, buying land and building large houses with pools. That bubble has now burst.

The social and economic situation in a country often pushes people to up root and settle in another country. The United Kingdom has been on steady downward decline for a number of years, socially, morally and economically. People are tired of crime, false promises and anti social behavior and want to raise their children in a safer more harmonious environment. According to published figures, last year 207,000 British citizens , one every three minutes  left the country while 510,000 foreigners arrived. Over the last 20 years, the white British population has decreased slightly while the number of ethnic minority Britons has doubled. The United Kingdom still holds a romantic ideal for many people from other countries and is also seen as an easy entry point for a new life. To some extent this is true with benefits, free or cheap housing and a visa/citizenship entry system with more holes in it than a Swiss cheese. The official bodies that run British Visas and citizenship will scream 'this is not so, how dare you', however we can see the results with our own eyes, year by year.

You can't blame people for wanting to leave their own countries when they feel all hope is lost. You can't blame people for wanting to offer their children a better way of life. I personally would not choose to live in my own country again and I find it hard to believe why anyone would choose to move there. I feel it has slipped too far down into a black hole to ever recover in my life time.

For what its worth, if I could choose where to live, if I had enough cash, I would choose the countryside or by the sea every time. After careful research, I would choose any of the following: Greece,  Australia, Canada, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Sweden or Denmark.

I and family are temporary immigrants, nomads, gypsies. We are in Moscow for set period of time and try hard to enjoy it here. I would not have chosen Moscow as a destination to move to if there had not been any other choice. I can think of far more interesting and easier countries to move to than Russia and I am sure many Russians would agree with me. Where to next and when? I simply don't know.

Please take part in the survey poll on this blog. You can do so here. You may find this a help on being a successful expat. and on how to meet new people when abroad

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