Moving Abroad Nearly Broke Us Before It Fixed Us
I remember driving away from the airport after dropping my mum off, and I just felt this thing in the pit of my stomach. Not dread exactly. Just sadness. She was crying when I left her, and that hit me harder than I expected it to.

Nobody tells you that bit. Everyone talks about the beaches and the “better life” and the sunshine, but nobody tells you about that specific feeling — sitting in the car, on the other side of the Atlantic from everyone you love, wondering if you’ve done the right thing.

The Euphoric High (And Then the Crash)

Before you move abroad you’re euphoric. You’re excited, you’re thinking about how much better your life’s going to be, and let’s be honest — nobody moves abroad to make their life worse. You romanticise the place, even if you’ve done your research properly

Then you actually get there, and the rose-tinted glasses come off. For some people that takes ages. For me it was pretty quick, because I’m very transparent and very analytical, and I make decisions fast. When we first moved to the Dominican Republic, it just wasn’t the place for us, for loads of reasons I’ve gone into in other videos. And that was stressful, because I was the one driving that move. Nobody else wanted to go. My wife and everyone else were basically just following me, and here we were, moved from England to the Dominican Republic, and nobody liked it.

Immediately I’m thinking, we’re coming off the rails before we’ve even started.

Thank God I’d done the research beforehand and had a Plan B, which was Brazil. We came here, and we love it. My wife has said she’d never want to move back to England. So — be ready for that high before you leave, and be ready for it to crash the second things don’t go your way and your family hates it.

Missing Family Is a Different Kind of Sad

Another thing I wasn’t ready for was realising my family could grow old and die without me being there. That made me properly sad sometimes. I’ve got no family here in Brazil — they’re all on the other side of the Atlantic, and yeah, they’re going to grow old without me for the most part. I see them once or twice a year.

I moved abroad not just for me, but for my family. And yeah, it’s sad leaving mum and dad behind, but they’ve lived their life the way they wanted to. They didn’t want to move abroad, and that’s completely fine — most of the world doesn’t move abroad, and there’s nothing wrong with staying where you were born.

Me, I always felt like I didn’t belong in England. Itchy feet. That little island wasn’t for me, and I’ve been proven right by my own gut instinct — I’m happier here for loads of reasons I’ve gone into in other videos. But I know there’s probably another dip coming at some point, when someone close passes away and I’m not there for it. That’ll be hard. You’ve just got to roll with the punches and remember the bigger picture — my kids can be outdoors, at the beach, living a life the weather in England just doesn’t allow.

Honestly, if England had Brazil’s climate, I’d probably never have left.

The Weather Will Mess With Your Head More Than You Think

This one properly caught me off guard. When we lived in the Dominican Republic, the heat in August was unbearable. Sauna-like. A pressure cooker. It genuinely made me question my life choices. At least here we have seasons.

So be ready for the highs, because everyone wants those, but mentally prepare yourself for the lows too. That’s exactly why having a Plan B — and I still have a Plan C, by the way, somewhere in Spain or Portugal — matters so much. Don’t let the bad days make you throw the towel in.

Kids Make It Ten Times Harder

If you’ve got kids, it adds a whole other layer. It’s hard enough watching your kids struggle in your own country — watching them struggle in a country that isn’t theirs is worse. Me and my wife have cried about this more than once.

My oldest has ADHD, worse than me, and kids can be cruel wherever you are in the world. He’s been picked on here because he doesn’t speak Portuguese properly yet, even though he’s probably at about 50% now. Doesn’t play football as well as the local kids. Doesn’t always understand what’s being said. So they take the piss sometimes.

I’ve taught my kids how to look after themselves, but I’ve also made it crystal clear — you don’t lay hands on someone just for using words you don’t like. So it’s hard for them to stand up for themselves verbally when they can’t speak the language yet. If you’re thinking about somewhere with a completely different language — China, Japan, wherever — that’s a whole different level of difficulty.

We’re actually in the process of changing schools right now because of homework overload and how it’s being handled. The good thing about being here is we’ve got options — private schools, different systems — it’s not just one state option.

So: be ready for your kids to be sad. Do the research on how to support them. Move schools if you need to. Get them into martial arts if it helps them cope. Get them private language lessons if it speeds things up. Whatever it takes.

It’s Not Cheap. At All.

People think Brazil is dirt cheap. It isn’t — especially in Florianópolis, which is genuinely one of the most expensive cities in the country, right up there with Balneário Camboriú and bits of São Paulo. Private school, all the materials, all the hobbies, food that isn’t exactly cheap either. It adds up and takes its toll, watching the money come in and just disappear.

I earn in British pounds, which helps, but the pound’s been all over the place lately with everything going on globally, and that adds its own stress on top.

Ride the Wave, Don’t Fight It

You’re going to get these negative feelings. That’s normal. Think of it like a wave — don’t fight it, ride it out, because there are good days on the horizon too. Just don’t chain yourself to a place that’s making your whole family miserable. If it’s not working, move to Plan B. Or Plan C. Whatever gets everyone happy again.

If you’re an expat and you’ve been through any of this — the highs, the lows, the peaks and troughs — I want to hear it. What did you find hardest? What did your family struggle with? And honestly, if anyone’s got advice on raising a kid who’s growing up as the “gringo” in a foreign country, I’m all ears. Drop it in the comments, I mean that.

Checklist for Families Moving Abroad

• ✔ Create a daily routine immediately.
• ✔ Enrol children in sports or hobbies.
• ✔ Start language lessons as early as possible.
• ✔ Schedule regular video calls with family.
• ✔ Watch for signs of bullying or isolation.
• ✔ Budget for unexpected expenses.
• ✔ Always keep a Plan B.

We’d Love to Hear Your Story

Have you moved abroad with your family?

What surprised you the most?

What helped you overcome homesickness or culture shock?

If you’ve raised children overseas, we’d especially love to hear your advice. Share your experiences in the comments—your story could help another family preparing for the same journey.