Awful experiences we get from a place stay forever in our hearts, and we never feel like going back once we come out of it. Have you experienced such a thing?
A user asked the forum, “Where in your expat life wouldn’t you consider returning?” Here are the top responses.
SEOUL
“I lived in Seoul, South Korea in 2019. It’s a lovely country to travel to, but I would be depressed if I ever lived there for a long time. It is probably the most materialistic and pessimistic country I have ever been to among the G20 developed ones.”
TAIWAN
“Taiwan: work culture that’s just as bad as Japan without the benefits of being organized, racism from the government, growing nationalism makes hanging out with locals tedious, no retirement, an unwavering dedication to traditionalism that hurts, shockingly low pay.”
NETHERLANDS
“The Netherlands. It was fine at first, but the more I learned about how the country and its society work, the less I liked it. It was the opposite of what I was looking for.”
CHINA
“Sadly, China. Things have gotten worse for both Chinese and expats. I can’t even imagine going as a tourist and am worried about the expats still there.”
JAPAN
“I’ve lived in Japan since 1991. I love the country, but the people, not so much. I have some good friends here to keep me sane, but it’s a 1950s mindset with 1990s technology. The future will be a real challenge for the younger generation; the older people have lived under a rock for too long.”
MURCIA
“‘Murcia. The fact that the country does not have socialized healthcare and that you can quickly go bankrupt by following a medical treatment for a chronic illness was the main reason.”
ITALY
“Italy, it was just a horrible experience all around. Everything I’d heard about it was proven false, and integrating was almost impossible. My only bastion was other expats who had realized they’d made the same mistake and were also making plans to leave.”
IRELAND
“I lived in Ireland for ten years and loved it. Then I got sick, and healthcare costs were just insane, so I moved back to my birth country.”
THE UNITED KINGDOM
“The United Kingdom for the main reason that it is no longer part of the European Union, the working culture, housing, the regular check-ups by estate agents if you rent an apartment.”
GERMANY
“Germany. The people were my biggest problem. Add the population density and lack of nature, healthcare, salaries, and taxes. I wouldn’t even return as a tourist.”
RUSSIA
“Russia. It was great when I lived in Moscow, but now, I cannot imagine going there as a tourist or living there without diplomatic protection.”
CHIANG MAI
“Chiang Mai, Thailand. I lived there for ten years. The driving and air pollution are awful. The people are friendly and polite, especially if you have money.”
CANADA
“Canada has a great quality of life, terrible work experience(s).”
UNITED STATES
“I’d never move back to the United States because the work-life balance is horrific, and I hate car dependency.”
COSTA RICA
“Costa Rica. At least right on the beach in a tourist trap. It was a wonderful country, but no matter how long I was there, as a white person, I’d get accosted every time I went to the beach or the stores to try to sell drugs, tours, and everything else.
Also, mostly non-functional mail delivery and a ton of internet problems were some things that over the long run start to miss.”
PHILIPPINES
“The Philippines because Duterte murdered my friends, and I was repeatedly scammed by law enforcement, immigration, and grifters.”
SRI LANKA
“Sri Lanka. I lived there for four years. I wouldn’t say I liked it for the lack of things to do. There were a lot of sad faces and a lot of political & religious things.
On top of this, I had a lot of days where I got bored as I didn’t know what to do. Every full moon day is a holiday. At some point, I decided this is not the country where I would like to settle.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.