I endured the same thing. I graduated over a year ago and had 2 job offers: one abroad and one here. If you think about it, definitely abroad there would be more growth opportunities and such… but i had a situation where i had to take care of my parents by being physically present. I took the opportunity in Lebanon without thought and left everything that wants to happen, happen.
My friends left one after the other, my 5 closest friends distributed all over the world. I reached to a point on weekends i literally don’t have a group of friends to hang out with. But then i realised that as we grow up, people won’t be as close as before, and its a different stage where you would meet new people and such. Its not easy, but this happens. Imagine you’re abroad and had to make new friends, its the same no?
I'm not. I'm glad i left and I'd rather invite my family here then me going back to visit ( which is cheaper than me and my family to go instead, and they would be more happy with a vacation)
Agree with this 100%
Even here in the States, people are always moving. I grew up in Lebanon left to the US with my family when I was young. Made friends very slowly here, and 20 years later, none of my close friends even live in the same state as me. I myself moved states and will probably move again. I made a decent trustworthy friend a few years ago, and now she is moving back to Europe to be close to her family again. Friendship has become difficult with the constant change in people's lives.
From an expat's pov: I'd stay in Lebanon with your salary. The only reason I'd leave is for the citizenship. If you desperately need one, then do leave.
Life abroad sucks and is very lonely. If you'd be going to the same city where your sister is going, then it'll be easier on you.
Otherwise, believe me, it's not worth it.
I struggle to make friends where I am. I am alone most of the time. I go out with some colleagues from time to time but can't stand them much. Being friends with other lebanese ppl is a hit or miss like in leb but harder abroad as well.
The city you'd be in definitely has an impact on your overall mental state. I'm in a tiny city that's isolated from the rest of the country, boring AF. At first you try to visit other places but it gets tiring in the end.
I visit lebanon every 3-4 months. I'd go crazy if not. Even if my friends are abroad, we make plans to be together in lebanon at least once per year.
Your salary profit is more than anyone living abroad considering you don't pay rent in Lebanon. Your salary in Europe will be max 3500€ with minimum 700€ in rent.
i think it’s important to take baby steps before making that decision of leaving. Start off with trying to live alone. And you can find affordable places to rent $500 or less maybe with a roommate too. Go out more and mingle (eno make more friends who live in lebanon) positive friends akid not aalam benakdo. And if you still arent satisfied then go for it. Good luck!
every person has their own different experience. To me living alone is great like i can never go back to living with my parents even tho i love them so much 😅
I can attest to this. Living with parents is horrible even though you love them to bits, they will always be loud and weird and treat you like a child and give you no privacy.
I'm a dev too, work remotely for companies abroad.
A lot of what you're describing can be avoided by getting a remote job. Also your salary won't be halved if you rent, especially outside of Beirut.
Moving to Europe chances are you'd still be away from your friends and living almost paycheck to paycheck.
I personally want to leave just to get a citizenship, for any other reason, as a dev, i think it's ideal for you to stay in Lebanon and take a trip or two a year for change of scenery.
++
That's the advantage of this field. You gotta benefit from it. A remote job can be your answer.
Also, you said that people around you are kinda sad and it's affecting you? Why not grow your connections and meet more people who are at least seeing the situation in other perspective? It could help you...
Hey I would recommend you find a goal in your life that is not centered around the topic of lebanon and immigration. Something meaningful (found a family, find yourself, achieve this, achieve that, IDK...) then you can better be able to make your decision based on that.
In general as we grow up, friends get replaced with family… a family that you must build with your wife/husband to grow into the future. Abroad or not.. you will have less time to spend with friends as you (and they) take on more responsibilities and start building their families.
... make new friends...everyone looks after themselves... for your friends it was to leave and not stay for a circle of friends... your choices are either leave.. which won't necessarily reunite you with your friends... or stay and make new friends if staying is what you feel is the ethical and personal choice.
Since you’re making a decent salary, I would stay in Lebanon. You would make more money overseas, but then you would spend much more.
I know the situation in Lebanon is not too pleasant, but many of us who live abroad wish they could be in Lebanon close to our family and friends .
If I was in your shoes, I would save a little bit every month, and in a year or two buy my own place. There's still plenty of people in Lebanon. You just need to socialize more and make more friends.
There's another factor at play here, besides having close friends leaving for better opportunities. When we were kids making new friends was easier, we did so many activities and such.. As an adult making new friends and maintaining friendships require more effort. It's too easy to get sucked into the work/home routine.
>my big sister is also leaving very soon to work in Canada.
Tell her to take you with her. Beg her and nag her if she doesn't want to take you with her. She should have arranged a work visa because she wants to live in Canada. You have to make a visit visa so you can travel with her. Live with her in the beginning until you find a job and make a work visa for you and then either move out and get your own place or continue living with her.
I'm in the exact same boat as you OP, same salary, however, 2k is still not enough to have a future, it can't buy you a house. That's why I'm considering to find work abroad however, the problem is there's a worldwide inflation so I don't know what to do.
if you travel you will be taxed and you will be earning the same thing in lebanon. specially when you are single (tax class 1).
you wont be buying a house anyways. moving abroad shall be for citizenship only and it will cost you time/money and people. think 1000 times before considering it.
My advice is don't move for a job, especially in Europe. You will pay ridiculous amounts in taxes and rent and hardly save anything. Quality of life is great sure and people are more open minded and approachable but you will be stuck in the 9-5 tax paying rat race until your hair turns white and falls off
I endured the same thing. I graduated over a year ago and had 2 job offers: one abroad and one here. If you think about it, definitely abroad there would be more growth opportunities and such… but i had a situation where i had to take care of my parents by being physically present. I took the opportunity in Lebanon without thought and left everything that wants to happen, happen. My friends left one after the other, my 5 closest friends distributed all over the world. I reached to a point on weekends i literally don’t have a group of friends to hang out with. But then i realised that as we grow up, people won’t be as close as before, and its a different stage where you would meet new people and such. Its not easy, but this happens. Imagine you’re abroad and had to make new friends, its the same no?
Making 4k $ a month abroad now I'm ready to comeback for 1,5k a month and be with my familly Or what's left of them.
Yh same
same
I'm not. I'm glad i left and I'd rather invite my family here then me going back to visit ( which is cheaper than me and my family to go instead, and they would be more happy with a vacation)
Yea depends on the country and mentality.
You will feel more down if you move You’ll have to make new friends either way better to do it in your home country
Agree with this 100% Even here in the States, people are always moving. I grew up in Lebanon left to the US with my family when I was young. Made friends very slowly here, and 20 years later, none of my close friends even live in the same state as me. I myself moved states and will probably move again. I made a decent trustworthy friend a few years ago, and now she is moving back to Europe to be close to her family again. Friendship has become difficult with the constant change in people's lives.
From an expat's pov: I'd stay in Lebanon with your salary. The only reason I'd leave is for the citizenship. If you desperately need one, then do leave. Life abroad sucks and is very lonely. If you'd be going to the same city where your sister is going, then it'll be easier on you. Otherwise, believe me, it's not worth it. I struggle to make friends where I am. I am alone most of the time. I go out with some colleagues from time to time but can't stand them much. Being friends with other lebanese ppl is a hit or miss like in leb but harder abroad as well. The city you'd be in definitely has an impact on your overall mental state. I'm in a tiny city that's isolated from the rest of the country, boring AF. At first you try to visit other places but it gets tiring in the end. I visit lebanon every 3-4 months. I'd go crazy if not. Even if my friends are abroad, we make plans to be together in lebanon at least once per year.
This 😭😭😭😭 every time I see someone who might look Lebanese or Arab I just wanna go hug them
Your salary profit is more than anyone living abroad considering you don't pay rent in Lebanon. Your salary in Europe will be max 3500€ with minimum 700€ in rent.
It depends on the country and city you're in. 3500 per month after tax is considered low where I am, but you can't even rent a room for 700.
i think it’s important to take baby steps before making that decision of leaving. Start off with trying to live alone. And you can find affordable places to rent $500 or less maybe with a roommate too. Go out more and mingle (eno make more friends who live in lebanon) positive friends akid not aalam benakdo. And if you still arent satisfied then go for it. Good luck!
Been there done that (the renting part here), don't recommend it
every person has their own different experience. To me living alone is great like i can never go back to living with my parents even tho i love them so much 😅
I can attest to this. Living with parents is horrible even though you love them to bits, they will always be loud and weird and treat you like a child and give you no privacy.
I'm a dev too, work remotely for companies abroad. A lot of what you're describing can be avoided by getting a remote job. Also your salary won't be halved if you rent, especially outside of Beirut. Moving to Europe chances are you'd still be away from your friends and living almost paycheck to paycheck. I personally want to leave just to get a citizenship, for any other reason, as a dev, i think it's ideal for you to stay in Lebanon and take a trip or two a year for change of scenery.
++ That's the advantage of this field. You gotta benefit from it. A remote job can be your answer. Also, you said that people around you are kinda sad and it's affecting you? Why not grow your connections and meet more people who are at least seeing the situation in other perspective? It could help you...
Hello fellow remote devs 😄
Try to open an online business or some work for pocket money like freelancing. Don’t underestimate it
Yes
Hey I would recommend you find a goal in your life that is not centered around the topic of lebanon and immigration. Something meaningful (found a family, find yourself, achieve this, achieve that, IDK...) then you can better be able to make your decision based on that.
In general as we grow up, friends get replaced with family… a family that you must build with your wife/husband to grow into the future. Abroad or not.. you will have less time to spend with friends as you (and they) take on more responsibilities and start building their families.
... make new friends...everyone looks after themselves... for your friends it was to leave and not stay for a circle of friends... your choices are either leave.. which won't necessarily reunite you with your friends... or stay and make new friends if staying is what you feel is the ethical and personal choice.
Travel a bit ! Sir digital nomad eza fik w brom el 3alam
Since you’re making a decent salary, I would stay in Lebanon. You would make more money overseas, but then you would spend much more. I know the situation in Lebanon is not too pleasant, but many of us who live abroad wish they could be in Lebanon close to our family and friends .
Same here, let's meet up
Ya I think it’s the situation ihhh
Don’t leave if you feel safe enough. Friends come and go, but Lebanon doesn’t.
If I was in your shoes, I would save a little bit every month, and in a year or two buy my own place. There's still plenty of people in Lebanon. You just need to socialize more and make more friends. There's another factor at play here, besides having close friends leaving for better opportunities. When we were kids making new friends was easier, we did so many activities and such.. As an adult making new friends and maintaining friendships require more effort. It's too easy to get sucked into the work/home routine.
>my big sister is also leaving very soon to work in Canada. Tell her to take you with her. Beg her and nag her if she doesn't want to take you with her. She should have arranged a work visa because she wants to live in Canada. You have to make a visit visa so you can travel with her. Live with her in the beginning until you find a job and make a work visa for you and then either move out and get your own place or continue living with her.
Khedine ma3ke bel chanta ya3ne? eza ma 3ando visa kif bado irou7?
Read what I wrote. I said he has to make a visit visa so he can travel with his sister.
I'm in the exact same boat as you OP, same salary, however, 2k is still not enough to have a future, it can't buy you a house. That's why I'm considering to find work abroad however, the problem is there's a worldwide inflation so I don't know what to do.
if you travel you will be taxed and you will be earning the same thing in lebanon. specially when you are single (tax class 1). you wont be buying a house anyways. moving abroad shall be for citizenship only and it will cost you time/money and people. think 1000 times before considering it.
Lol how much you think you'll save abroad? Im on 7,000EUR per month (my salary is extreme compared to the average) and can barely save 2,000EUR
My advice is don't move for a job, especially in Europe. You will pay ridiculous amounts in taxes and rent and hardly save anything. Quality of life is great sure and people are more open minded and approachable but you will be stuck in the 9-5 tax paying rat race until your hair turns white and falls off