to those who are considering moving to be with your s/o

[rusty15]

How big of a factor is your family and friends to you moving?

I would love to move to be with my boyfriend and to experience living somewhere else (we both want to come back at some point) but when I think about leaving my friends and family I get sad, I'm scared and know it will be very hard not to see them a lot.

[Moon]

It's an absolutely HUGE factor for me, but that's because I have an adult daughter I don't want to leave. Sure, I'll miss my mom and dad, my brother and my sister, and especially my little nephew Jack, but those I can deal with. My friends I can deal with. My daughter is my only real obstacle and when the time comes, I don't know what I'm going to do about it. I don't think she'll be all that happy with it either, we're really close.

[Minerva]

Pretty big, as my son is still a child, and my mom depends on me. I'd miss my friends and the rest of my family, but those two need me; and even when my son becomes an adult, I'm not sure I could leave him. I want to move to England, I know I will someday, but I don't know how it will work with my son and mom. Maybe they'll come with me...

[Miramaid]

i have been away from my family for a while and tho it doesn't get easy, it does get a bit better. But the most frustrating thing is when you can NOT move in with your SO due to laws and regulations...that really sux

[Bethypoo]

My SO lives in my home town. I dont want to live there for the rest of my life and I moved away for university about a year and a half ago and where I moved to I also dont want to spend the rest of my life. He has told me he is waiting for me to say the word and he will move here knowing that there will eventually be another move. I think it depends but as long as you are in school or working you will meet people. It wont be the same as the friends you have back home but they are still your friends and will talk to them all of the time if they are your real friends. As for you family, we they are your family and will always be there.

[Sora1101]

I could care less about leaving my family but I'm so worried about leaving my friends I mean they've been by my side since I was in dippers literally, but what I have to keep telling myself is that if I'm always trying to stick to my friends and follow them around I'm never going to be able to experience life the way I want to, I love them to death but I can't let them hold me back from the adventures I want to take with my SO just because they don't want to come along with me. I know in my heart they will always be there for me and I for them but we all will move on eventually.

[NaNi]

It's bringing me down as well. I don't have many friends, but I don't like leaving my mom behind. We're very close and have lots of fun together, so it will be really hard not being able to see her all the time. Especially since I still live with her. I do want to move somewhere else and live my own life, but I'm pretty sure it won't be easy in the beginning.

[Lissy]

In my situation, my SO is going to be moving to me. She is extremely close to her family, which is big and consists of three siblings and her parents. Two of her siblings are very young and her other brother is like her best friend. Both she and I know she will miss them very much, but we've talked it over (and over and over, just to be sure) and we want to take this opportunity for her to move so we can be close. I know we'll visit them a lot for holidays and such, and maybe when we're both out of school we'll even move to live closer to her family. But right now, we want to be CD as soon as possible.

[Rosebud]

A very huge deal. My friends not so much since even though I'm close with them, given that we're all separated since high school to attend different colleges I'm used to keeping in contact with them over the phone and only visiting a handful of times throughout the year. But my family? Especially my parents and my Grandma...that's really heart wrenching. And I'll be honest, that's why I won't permanently move to Michigan. After I graduate we're working on a plan for me to move there for perhaps a year or two to live with my boyfriend while he finishes school, but ultimately we're both moving back to California. Hell, I got homesick by the third day of my visiting him the first time we were together. I just don't think I could handle moving away permanently.

[kiara_silver]

This is probably the biggest factor for me. When deciding where were going to move to. Because my family has always been a big part of my life. I've never been apart from them more then... well the summer I spent with my SO. And they all are close. I know if we decide to move out of the US my parents will put up a big fight most likely. (i'll gage this on how they take me leaving for 6 months) But I honestly at this point think I could handle moving away. I don't have very many close friends, so its only family that make it hard. I have 4 younger siblings whom I love very much, my littlest is only 3, so leaving and being hard from him will be hard. But I want to begin my own life. And start it with my SO. So its all just a matter of where we want to be and what we can financially afford, and legally do. I know it wouldn't be never that I would see them, as long as I got to see them for a holiday or long months long visits i think I could handle it.

[Mara]

I've moved away from home twice now. The first time, I wasn't that far away and I was extremely homesick and miserable. The second time, when I closed the distance with my SO for a while, I wasn't homesick at all. I don't expect I will be when we close the distance for good. I think it's hard to think about and to accept the idea of, but once you are actually there with your SO I think it's easier than you thought. If you really just can't stand the idea of being away from your family and friends, the two of you could always move back to where you are from eventually.

[Fyrestar]

For me, it's a choice and decision I've already made. My SO is in Japan. He is a musician and his career is prominent there. My kids are grown. And while I'm extremely close with the oldest who just moved out this year, my son is currently living with his father. The only other factor is my mother - but in their culture - this isn't a worry. I know my SO well enough that she is already accepted.. - and the choice would be hers if she wanted to come or not. Visits wouldn't be restricted. And I intend to tour with him when those times come. When we embarked on this, we both knew we had to be patient due to lots of timing and his career. But we also were very upfront about this aspect - he has a 9 yr old from his previous marriage. I would never ask him to come and live in the US. It is just the logical decision. And honestly - I can't wait for that day.

[Laura_N]

I'm considering moving to Scotland to get near to her and to go to university there - I'm currently working on the application. This was my dream before I even met her, so I have been thinking about it for quite some time. For me, family isn't that much of a factor. My relationship with my father is practically non-existent, and as much as I love my mother, I'd just be happy to get away from home. My relatives... Well, I see them a few times a year and to be honest, I don't think they care so much. With friends I can only keep in touch by the Internet, Skype, phone... And we've thought about making a blog for us all to write.

So I guess I could say family and friends aren't that much of a big deal to me. Obviously I'll miss them, but they're still here.

[LilyChiba]

My sister is pretty much the only one that I would miss truthfully. But even she is starting to wear my patience with how she acts. So there really isn't much keeping me here. That said, things more like how australia is, is more so. Like when it comes time to have kids. It would be better for me to have them here, rather than there. But eh.. I think it would be nice to see what its like to live there.

[Zephii]

Lily, it's the same for me a lot of the time.

I struggled when I was in Canada. I missed my family, especially my sister terribly. When she left after her visit to Canada at Christmas I howled like a wounded animal and cried sporatically for a week. She's my best mate. She also pisses me off like no other and sometimes I question my wisdom at coming back here for a few years
Moving away made me appreciate my friends too, I actually grew closer to many of them. Before I left I was all "I have no/ not many friends here" but now I realise I do, there are a lot of people here who I care about and who care about and miss me.

However, when it comes time to move back to Canada, it wont be leaving family that will give me the biggest pause. I love this country. We really are the lucky country and it will be hard to say goodbye again.