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

[LilyChiba]

It's not so much that I'm best friends with her. It's that I feel responsible for the way she has turned out in a way and that leaving her again won't really help. But I need to do what is right for me yet again. She is in a place in her life that she is miserable, yet does nothing to help herself. I'm just tiring of seeing it and the advice thrown out the window. She, like my mum, will end up pushing everyone she loves away. So yeah, as much as I love my baby sister, it's getting easier in theory to leave this place. And yeah, Australia really is beautiful. But as far as I know, a lot better off than the states. I was told by a mutual friend of mine and my SO that I should bring him here. That he would be better off. But I made the decision, there really wasn't any talk on it. I think about that sometimes, how we never really discussed it and wonder if he might have wanted to say something different or that I might be forcing that on him rather than giving him the option... But I guess that's just what happens. I thought it would be easier for me to come to him, than for him to come to me. I have little to no friends, only really the ones I live with and a few others. But he has a whole entire group of people that are like family and a job. -shrugs- Simple.

[kat4301]

When I move to my SO, it will technically be the third time I move and don't get any closer to home. I'm lucky because I have chosen places that are usually about a two hours drive from home. My first move was hard, I lived with my SO and we were both away from home, I remember crying in the shower so my SO wouldn't see me cry. It does get somewhat easier after awhile. If you haven't made permanent plans forever, being away helps you determine either how badly you want to go back or if you can live away from home.

[snow_girl]

It wasn't such a huge deal cause I know its only for a couple years max that I am away. The hardest part is leaving my Grandparents, I am extremely close to them and scared to death that something will happen to them while I am away. I bought them a laptop before I left and it makes it easy to skype with them and feel like I am not so far away. I also skype a lot with my friends and family so it isn't so bad.

[princessmeg1328]

My family is very important to me, but they understand that I have to do what's best for me. One day that's going to be to move to my SO. It's as simple as that. As for my friends, they all wanted an excuse to visit England anyway.

[Dziubka]

Not a big one really. I'm a very independent person and I've moved around too much to be very attached to one place (or maybe I'm just not that type of person and moving has nothing to do with it).
I've moved about 10hours away from my home when I was 19 and now it's about 5hr by train. I visit maybe family three times a year max. In fact this year I've been there twice and I'm not planning on going again until... err I have no visit planned actually.
I love my mum and even though we don't really have a lot of contact these days (We talk on the phone maybe once a week), I know I can always count on her. But she and I both know that we have our own lives and that they're not always easy to combine. Being apart from my mum is really that last reason for me not to move anywhere.
My friends *shrug* they're not going to stay in the same city/region/country forever either. They're already scattered all over Europe, so that depending on where we eventually end up, we might live closer to them than we/I do now. If the friendship is good then it's going to last despite of the distance. I'm meeting a really good friend for the first time in 3.5yrs on my next visit to my boyfriend.

[SDPersona]

It's also an issue with me when thinking about moving to be with my SO in his home country. Especially because of my strong ties to my grandparents and my very young siblings. I love them so very much and I want to be there for my baby siblings, protect and nurture them the way a big sister is supposed to do. They also don't want me to move far away. So, I know there'll be a lot of heartache if I do decide to move and have definite plans. As for friends, I don't worry so much about them. Sure, I'll miss them but I'll also be in contact with them, visit with them as often as possible and meet loads of new people at the same time with whom I might also have bonds of friendships. So, I'm not afraid of meeting new people, but I'm afraid of losing the bonds and the support I've got so used to depend on. I know I can depend on my boyfriend and his family, but I still want support from the people who have been part of my life much longer than them.

[lucybelle]

The thing is, someone is going to have to move. It was very hard for my SO and I, as we both are extremely close with our families. We both have a great, supportive circle of friends in our respective countries. But, someone had to leave. It was me. Do I miss my friends? Of course I do. Do I miss my family? Every day. But I want to be with my SO. Round trip flights are only around $550 which isn't bad considering some other international LDRs.

I love Costa Rica, but it sucks to be out of my home country. In the end though, it's worth it to me.

[HollzHeartsChris]

I could cope with leaving behind my friends in the UK. I don't have any family apart from my parents. I'm extremely close to them. They're also extremely needing of me, and I can't leave them because it'd be cruel and I also love them too much. As much as I want to go to Arizona, I cannot leave them behind. One, my dad is going blind, he has depression and diabetes and he's disabled. Two, my mum is also disabled and suffers from severe knee problems and back problems. I have to help look after them and keep an eye on them, but I seriously don't mind. Chris has a larger family than me, he has his brother, his mum, his dad, all his uncles and aunts, his grandparents, his cousins, and despite the serious family issues he has involving his parents, he's fairly close to the rest of them and it would be very difficult to leave them behind. He also has a lot of friends.

We've both agreed that if I can't go over there, he would come over here. That's the only thing we can say for now.

[books]

Not really a factor at all. I lived overseas away from my US-based friends/family for 5 years, so being away from home is not a big deal to me. The lack of internet in my SO's country is a little concerning to me, as when I was living in his country before it was hard to keep in touch with friends/family back home via internet. I know it will be the same deal when I move to be with him. I don't live close to my family now (even though we're in the same country) and actually haven't seen them since February. So to live in my SO's country and take a flight to the US every year would be okay with me.

[andrewcarlson1]

This is one of the preliminary questions I ask before getting into an "official" relationship. I like to move around and can move around due to the industry I'm in without losing work.

I love the fact I can move when ever and where ever I want to. Family is important and I keep in contact via the phone but I want to live my life. I want to see what the world has to offer.

I love my close friends but I can make friends anywhere. It's just a matter of being with someone who is similar to me and I just recently found that. (different person than from when I first joined) so I'm excited about the future. Just because you aren't around family doesn't make them any less of family. I do miss my family dearly but I also love my career path/lifestyle that I wouldn't have without being courageous enough to leave everything I know in MN for LA. I'm blessed.

[LeilaniJoi]

I left my mother and family behind. My youngest daughter moved with me and my friends I'm still in contact with as much nearly as ever. For me, it was time to move on. Too many bad memories in that place. I wish I could go visit more often, I miss my family especially and the animals I left behind... but this is the right place for me. It wasn't a hard decision to make the final choice to move.

[Xanahtas]

Its the one thing stopping me from being happy about moving. I'll miss my parents and siblings and my grandparents on my mums side. Ive spoken to them all and they said they're happy for me, but i know they're sad deep down and dont want me to move. Kinda hate myself for moving >.< But i'll make sure i see them as much as i can.

[Malaga]

Yeah it's a big thing for me. I often worry about it. It'll likely be me to move to him. I have a brother but he got a permanent job overseas and is likely to stay there... Now as the only 'remaining' child I feel like I have a responsibility to my parents. After seeing how much they miss my brother, I know how hard it would be for them if I moved too.

Also, they're still fairly young, in their fifties, but in about 15-20 years they'll need someone to be there for them and it's something I have to count on. They're happy for me and supportive of our relationship, and I know they'd never ask me to stay if I decided to go. But I know how hard it would be to them.

Then again, he's an only child so he's pretty much in the same position. Except his parents are already used to seeing him no more than 5-6 times a year, whereas I see mine 5-6 times a week...
:-/

[bethanymkeegan]

I love my family and friends, but my daughter, who just turned four, is the only one I actually get upset about leaving (for a little while until I get situated).

[Dauntedpoet]

I would move in a heartbeat. I love new places and I love love love England especially his family, and the small villages being so self sufficient. My SO has said "there is always, always room for you and Emma in my life, in my home" so I would be taking my daughter with me. HOWEVER, I would be leaving my 22 year old son here. He and I have always been very loving and close, but since he has been out and working in his chosen field the last 2 years we spend most of our time catching up on the phone or text, so that wouldn't have to change. He would also come visit.

My parents have both been gone since I was 24, and one of my brothers and both sisters have passed away. I have one brother but I only see him a couple times a year in the summer, other than that we keep up with each other on facebook or phone.

I am far more homesick for my SO than I ever was for my home even when my parents were alive. Though never been in a different country, I have moved across the USA, so I know the difficulties that exist 'creating' a new life for yourself in a new place. I just wish work visa's to the UK were easy to get because I'd be there now if they were.