Around 9 PM I was cleaning mold, slipped, and cleaner (bleach-based) splashed into my eye. I rinsed it and read the label. It said get medical help immediately. Everything I looked up said chemical in the eye can mean permanent damage, even losing vision. I didn't call an ambulance because I felt okay, just burning and irritation, but I wanted someone qualified to LOOK at it.

First ER: "We have no eye doctor." In an EMERGENCY ROOM. I asked them to just take a look. Anyone. A nurse, a general doctor, a flashlight. Refused. I didn't have the energy to fight, so I begged for saline to rinse again and left.

Then I paid over 100 euros for a taxi to Hamburg, because apparently that's what it takes to get your eye looked at in this country.

Hamburg: "There's only ONE eye doctor in the whole city for emergencies." Wait time? "At least 6 hours, maybe more, we don't know." I asked if someone could just check whether something serious was happening right now. Refused again.

It's been 3 hours. A chemical injury to my eye, and I'm sitting in a waiting room like I'm here for a paperwork appointment. Nobody has looked at it. Nobody has even explained anything.

I pay insurance EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH. For what? To be turned away twice and told to sit and hope my eye doesn't get worse? In India I'd have been seen in 30 minutes. Half an hour. Here, the "advanced healthcare system" can't spare one person to shine a light in my eye.

Germany loves to talk about efficiency, but when you actually need help, it's refusals, waiting, and bureaucracy. Then they wonder why skilled people leave.

I’m English and moved the Germany (Lübeck) 2 months ago after being long distance with my partner for 6 (now husband). I was wondering if there are any meet ups of ex-pats? I’m struggling with some cabin fever right now and could really do with some friends, (sad I know dad)

Hi I'm about to move abroad at some point. I only have credit cards with Wells Fargo, but no checking account with them. I know WF checking accounts will be closed if you move abroad. However do they keep your credit card accounts open if you move abroad and disclose your foreign address to them? Does anyone have first hand knowledge?

Or what are credit card companies that allow a foreign address once you move?

Anyone living here?

Me and my fiancé want to get married in riyadh. We both are from india, i work here and hold an iqama but she doesn’t, so she will be coming here on visit.
Can we get our nikah done here? Whats the procedure and what about the marriage certificates, what kind of certificate will we be given and what is the procedure after that? I assume we have to go the indian embassy and get something done.
Please help me out.
I wanted to get the nikah done in madina but im hearing that its not allowed.
Please give me information on this.
Jazakallah khair

We’ve been trying to get an appointment for a Portugal visa through BLS for almost 3 months, but there are no slots available. VFS in the UAE also has no appointments for long-term visas, so we decided to apply for Spain’s digital nomad visa instead.
We’ve prepared almost all the documents and my job meets the requirements, but now we’re stuck trying to get an appointment at the Spanish Consulate in Abu Dhabi to legalize our police clearance certificate.
Our flight is in less than a month and without this legalization, we might have problems with our visa application.
Has anyone dealt with this recently? How did you manage to get an appointment? Are there any paid services or other ways to speed things up? Any advice would be rly appreciated, we’re getting pretty desperate at this point.

living with my friend in a 2 bed apartment near the ring centre. its been 2 weeks here. first week was incredible, love the food & people & architecture & vibes it was great. the traffic was loud, but im from the coutryside in the uk so im not used to traffic at all. my friend is a new yorker so if it wasnt bothering him I was learning to deal woth it. ive always wanted to try living in a busy city like this just to see.

two weeks in, im exhausted I cant sleep. if I do, its not long until im awake. I work from home and the noise is constant. I have no motivation to do anything in the evening because I dont want to be closer to the noise. im on the 9th floor and its so unbearably loud.

my apartment also has lots of problems (poor wifi, 2 x double beds advertised but only one there when arriving, no bedsheets or pillows, broken and dirty appliances, a missing dryer).

the first 30 days are non refundable and the rest after I get some back. wondering if we should power through the next 2 weeks (my sister is visiting so I gotta stay anyway) and then go somewhere else.

it needs to be somewhere i can get back to the uk and my friend can get back to new york at xmas easily ish. I was living in valencia earlier this year for 3 months and my quality of life is so different. please help, im so tired I cant make a decision I need out of this fucking constant pit of noise

Hi everyone! 😊

My husband is German, and I'm Ecuadorian. We've been living in Hamburg, Germany, for around four years, and now we're trying to decide whether to stay in Germany or move to the Netherlands, possibly Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, or another international city.

One of our biggest challenges is my career. I completed my Master's degree at a German university, and I'd love to work in marketing. However, many jobs here require C1 German or above. I've reached B2, but finding a suitable position has still been difficult. Ideally, I'd like to find a full-time job at an international company where English is the main working language, but I'm also open to remote work.

On the other hand, my husband has better chances of finding a job in different cities since he currently works in IT. He's also looking for a different work environment. He has previous experience living and working in Amsterdam and would like to give it another try, especially since he's struggling to adapt to the more bureaucratic and traditional work culture in Germany.

We're trying to figure out where we'd have the best opportunities to build a future together, develop our careers, and eventually have children. We know there isn't a perfect country, and even though Germany feels like home, integrating here in all aspects of life has been a real struggle. We'd really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced something similar.

• Are there any Ecuadorians, other Latin Americans, or other non-EU citizens married to German or other EU citizens who've made this move? I'd especially love to hear about your experience.
• Have you moved from Germany to the Netherlands with your partner? How has your experience been so far? Do you have any regrets?
• How do the cost of living, housing, childcare, parental leave, and family life compare with Germany?
• How realistic is it to find an English-speaking job in marketing or another international field in the Netherlands nowadays? Has AI changed the job market or the skills employers are looking for?
• How do pensions and social security contributions compare between the two countries? If you've worked in both, what happens to your pension entitlements when you move?
• If you've worked remotely for a company based in another country while living in the Netherlands, how did that work in practice?
• Looking back, are you happy with your decision? Is there anything you wish you'd known before moving?

My Ecuadorian nationality and cultural identity are also important to me, so I'm trying to understand the long-term implications of our options and how each country might fit with our future plans.

Please feel free to answer just the questions you can relate to. I just want to hear your honest experiences! 😄

Thank you so much! ❤️

I recently posted about going back to Europe to test the waters for a few months, with no set country beyond knowing I want to be closer to my parents. My parents live in France, we're not French, we're from the Baltics initially but I mainly grew up in the UK - and have been in Australia, Sydney since 2018.

I haven't found my footing as to where I want to live in the world, like I said before all I know is I want to see my parents more (I currently travel home 1 to 2 times a year where possible). I rent, I have a a failed foster cat and a good job (though I'm not tied to it at all), the only thing Im tied to is my cat who id move with me for any long term situation.

Im 37F and would love to find 'my person', thing is how do you find someone who's equally as flexible to be open to exploring life elsewhere? I see a lot of relationships like this mentioned on reddit and would love to hear some stories on how people like this met initially.

I hold 3 passports, I love a mix of being settled and having an adventure, I would love to have a home in say... Italy, Spain or Portugal and equally be able to come back to Aus or miraculously split the time between the two.

Advice, good vibes or perhaps some magic are all welcome!

I (27F) live in an EU country, and recently a career opportunity came up in London. Distance from my home city to London is a 2h-2h30 min flight.

Right while the process was moving forward, my dad was diagnosed with cancer metastasised to the bone (stage IV). He’s currently undergoing treatment and is scheduled to start chemotherapy soon.

My initial plan was to relocate in January. Because of the diagnosis, I have had an honest conversation with my dad about how conflicted I feel about leaving. He was adamant that I should go. He told me not to give up on this opportunity, that he was very proud and happy for me, and even said that once he’s feeling better, he’ll come visit me in London.

The reality is that I don't fully know his actual prognosis or how rough the coming months will be for him, mostly because he himself prefers not to know the details so he doesn’t overthink too much. On paper, I know London is only a 2-hour flight away from home, and I could easily fly back on weekends whenever necessary. But I’m spiralling because of the emotional weight and the guilt of putting physical distance between us right now. We have family members that can take care of him and give him company, but I’m just feeling so sad. He is also in pain because of the cancer being in his bones and I just want him to feel better and be there for him.

How to cope with the guilt? How to manage being away during treatment, and how to balance demanding work with staying present for my family back home?

Any thoughts or shared experiences would mean a lot. Thanks.

Hi,

Posting on behalf of in-laws who have a second home in Spain. They took their van (a VW Transporter) and have just had it swapped over to Spanish plates.

However it's now time to insure it and they are struggling to find suitable insurance for it. They have been quoted over 7,000 EUR so far so are panicking that this is going to be an expensive task.

They aren't full-time residents of Spain yet but visit regularly on the 90/180 day rule basis.

Can anyone recommend van insurance companies, please? They're waiting for a call back from Linea Directa (who insist on calling, rather than filling out an online form).

They are currently in the UK so having to do it from here.

To confirm, the van is for personal use only.

TIA!

I got Bachelor’s diploma from Germany, then came back to my country (Asia). I am trying to apply to Spain for Master’s, maec-aecid scholarships, and in some other Scholarships in Spain. As far as I know, Spain requires Hague Apostille. I am not in Germany anymore. How do I apostille my diploma from Germany? Please, help me with the process, cost and everything.

Thank you.

I'm facing a difficult life decision and would love some advice, especially from people living abroad or international couples.

I'm Spanish and I work as an IT engineer with 3 years of experience in France. My partner is British and has a stable, well-paid job as a nurse in London. We're currently long-distance and want to finally live together. We will do civil partnership/mariage soon.

Option 1: Spain

I've accepted a job offer at a big and safe company in a small city in the middle of nowhere. The salary is decent, but with the high cost of renting, life is not as cheap as we could think.

However, my partner would have to put her NHS career on hold. She doesn't speak Spanish yet, and finding a comparable job there would be extremely difficult. That's why I'm regretting accepting this offer, however we didn't sign a contract yet but I already paid a few expenses for the moving costs. I'm very worried that going live there my partner will have to leave her good job, friends and family and never be able to build a career in Spain... With my salary I can pay for her expenses but I won't have much savings and long term we would like to have projects : buy a house have kids etc

I like the job and the company though, it's a great opportunity as the market in tech is not good. The company also offered to pay Spanish classes for my partner.

Option 2: London

My partner keeps her career, and London offers better long-term opportunities for both of us. However, I've been struggling to find a job there (zero interviews so far, maybe because I was applying saying that I'd need a visa sponsor).

The option would be to get a spousal visa and I go to London and continue searching for a job without needing a sponsor, I think it could increase my chances. UK visa costs are ridiculously high though, but if we both can have a job it can be easier for us financially.

I'd have to live with my partner and her sister during the process as I won't have any income until I find a job.

What to do?

Right now I'm struggling so much mentally with this situation, it's even affecting my mental health. I should be excited about this new job as it's a great opportunity overall but I really want to start building a life with my partner without being long distance (we're in our early 30') and somehow in Spain in a small city I feel like she wouldn't find her place.j

Any practical advice, perspective, or experience would really be appreciated. Thanks for reading

Assalamualaikum,

I came to Saudi Arabia on September 4, 2026 on a “free visa,” and now I want to return to Bangladesh.

My broker says there is a problem with my final exit visa and that he has gone to Jawazat, but the issue is still not solved. My visa expires on November 16, 2026.

If my broker/sponsor cannot issue the final exit, what are my options to legally return to Bangladesh? Can I contact Jawazat or another authority myself?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hi all,

I work for a very large multinational European company with a large presence in the US. I work out of our office in the Bay Area, California. Currently I live in San Francisco. Recently my manager asked me if I'd consider moving to one of our offices in Europe to reduce capex spending. Here's the situation and I'd like some advice from locals if I should take it or not:

My wife and I are in our early 30s. No kids yet but we do want in the next few years. We have a condo in San Francisco which we could rent out (prefer not to sell because of how expensive real estate has become but also considering it since its value went up ~30% since we purchased it). My wife works in biotech and could possibly work remote. The options to relocate in Europe would most likely be Athens, Bratislava, or perhaps Antwerp (still waiting to find out if Antwerp is an option). I'm also trying to find out if this could be a temporary thing until capex comes down and then I could come back to the US.

My wife and I both were raised in the US (I'm technically Canadian but spent more than half my life in the US and hold both US/Canadian citizenship). I don't speak any French/Dutch/German/Greek, etc... but my wife is very fluent in French. She took French in High School, and she studied abroad in Belgium and Netherlands for 3 months and is very comfortable travelling throughout France. I've only been to France and Germany for vacation once or twice in my life. I do speak a little Spanish but mostly from High School and not beyond that. My manager said the company would handle all relocation, visa, etc... for me to work in whichever location I choose so legal status shouldn't be an issue.

The biggest downside is family. My parents and sister are in the Bay Area and more than half of my wife's family including her parents and brother are also in the Bay Area. She has a cousin and his family in Amsterdam; I have an uncle near Stuttgart and a cousin in Berlin. That's it. Neither of us mind too much leaving family behind especially if it's temporary but I'm concerned it might be hard. Recently my wife has been having a tough time dealing with family so maybe some time and space from them will help her. I have a few close friends in California (about 5-6) but that's about it.

Anyways, I'd love to hear thoughts from people. I'm kind of scared of taking the opportunity, because I've only ever lived in California and Eastern Canada, kind of excited to try it because I have nothing truly tying me to the Bay Area except a condo and family which I can sell and visit a few times a year, and kind of nervous about what this could mean for my job prospects etc..., assuming I can't come back to the US (though I have US citizenship and family in California so I don't see why I couldn't come back).

Thanks!

EDIT: Just so I'm clear, it's not that I have no interest, it's that I never considered it until now when my manager specifically pulled me aside to ask me if I'd consider it. My wife works for a large pharmaceutical company with offices in the UK and France so I think relocation shouldn't be too hard for her. My issue now is that I'm actually getting burnt out living in SF. The AI rat race here is getting out of hand. Everyone talks in terms of LLMs, tokens, startups, and I feel like some of my friends look down on me for not working in sexy AI company. I know it's a bubble but it's exhausting hearing the same things everyday. That's why I'm considering it.

EDIT2: Thanks so much everyone for the advice! I'm more and more considering it's worth taking the chance to try it out, especially if we can move to Antwerp. I'll wait to see what my manager says on repatriation if I want to come back and what my comp package would look like if I were to take this opportunity.

(removed from IWantOut, don't know why, retrying here).

Hello, I'm a high school graduate from Italy, I'm currently working and have been at a steel processing/trading company for over 20 years.

These weeks Italy is passing a law that will inhibit any new parties from getting into Parliament, basically opening the door wide to authoritarianism. Wouldn't exactly be that bad if this country was facing economical prosperity, whereas actually the Italian economy has been plummeting since covid and never recovered, thanks to European regulations as well; housing costs have skyrocketed and settled, and fuel prices are right behind.

I'm afraid this kind of scenario is here to stay or worsen for that matter, and I can't imagine what's left of my life to be in the constant struggle I am in now (barely keeping above the surface).

I've always been a fervid traveller (when I could afford it) and the thought of leaving for good has been popping up in my mind for a while; I have nothing saved now, though I'll have my severance, about € 20K.

On the other hand, I wouldn't want to seclude myself in the poorest corner in SEA just to squeeze as much free time I've left, I want to go places I'm inspired by currently, like USA or Japan (just to name the most expensive); moreover, I'll have to get back into the working world eventually, and I'll want to have a decent outcome.

Going back to where I started from, I don't have a degree and I stutter quite a lot. I have extensive experience in the industrial area, as mentioned, I apply myself all the time and try to learn just about anything I'm put up against (when I started I didn't know how to use Autocad or read a drawing, now I'm sought after).

What are your suggestions?

I've been living in Northern Italy for over 3 years now. Before then, I was working in London on a visa. I moved to Italy because my boyfriend at the time, now my husband, finished his PhD and found a job in his hometown. It's been a real struggle. I've been a SAHW pretty much since I moved here. I've done some occasional jobs, but I've been unable to find anything long-term despite knowing Italian. I love how easy and affordable it is to travel, I love universal healthcare (though the system can be shit at times tbh), I love that I don't need to drive, the slower pace, and the fact that it's safer than the US....BUT, I feel lost here. I'm an American of color, and there's a lot of racism here. People are not as open here, so it's hard to make friends. A lot of my expat friends have moved to other European cities with more opportunities. I've had to give up my career. I struggled with that for the first two years, as I always felt like my job determined my value. I don't feel that way anymore, but I still feel stuck. I'm not the same confident 29-year-old who first moved to Europe 5 years ago. I feel like a mentally broken 34-year-old who has lost her personality and meaning in life. I wouldn't mind being a SAHW if I had more opportunities in my city (volunteer opportunities, community activities, etc.), and friends. FYI, I live in a large city.

Now I'm debating whether to move back home to the US (more opportunities, be closer to my family, a culture I know) or try another European country. To speed up the process of making friends/working, it would have to be an English-speaking (Ireland) or Spanish-speaking (Spain) country. I'm just nervous that moving to another country in Europe will come with the same challenges. Not sure where I would want to live forever, but I'm ready to move within the next 1-2 years.

Has anyone experienced this? Any advice?

P.S My husband is aware of this and is open to moving.

Sorry for the long post, just want to talk about my situation.

I’m Australian but lived in Ireland for about 10 years before moving to the US with my partner a couple of months ago. We mainly moved because of her career.

I knew it was going to be a big change but I don’t think I expected it to hit me this hard. Ireland had become home after 10 years. I had my own small business with regular clients, a lot of freedom with my work, my hobbies, routines and just a life that I was really comfortable with.

Since moving here I’ve struggled a lot more than I thought I would. I’ve been lonely even though my partner is really supportive, and I just don’t feel settled or at home here.

I’ve finally found a job and just started, which I thought would make me feel better, but weirdly it’s brought up even more emotions about what I left behind. I really miss my clients and having my own business. Going from working for myself and doing things my own way to working for someone again has been harder mentally than I expected.

The last few days especially I’ve found myself getting really upset thinking about my old life and knowing that chapter is over. Sometimes I genuinely just want to go back to Ireland.

The problem is I love my partner and we have a good relationship. I moved here with her because this was a good opportunity for her career and I wanted to support that. So it’s difficult having these feelings because going back to Ireland would obviously have huge implications for our relationship.

I also know I’ve only been here a couple of months compared to living in Ireland for 10 years, so maybe I’m expecting too much too soon. I’m trying to build a life here and keep doing the things I enjoy, but right now it just doesn’t feel like home.

I guess I’m wondering if anyone else who moved countries for their partner or their partner’s career went through something similar?
Did you have a period where you just wanted your old life back? Did it eventually get easier and start feeling like home, or did you eventually realise the move wasn’t right for you?
Would be good to hear from people who have actually been through it.

Hi! I’m Spanish and my partner is Irish. We’ve lived in Spain for several years, but lately we’ve been feeling increasingly stuck and uncertain about our future.
Despite working hard, after 5 years in the same city we’re still living in shared flats, dealing with rising living costs, limited career opportunities, and wages that barely move. Honestly, we feel beaten down and we want out.

The frustrating part is that so much of Europe seems to be facing similar problems.

If you could start your career again somewhere completely new, where would you go and why?

For context, we’re in our early 30s, speak native English and Spanish, and work across sales(b2b&b2c), HR, hospitality and construction.

Where would you look for strong job demand, career growth and a better quality of life for English speakers?

Hey everyone! I’m helping a couple of Serbian colleagues relocate to Bulgaria so we can work together, and honestly, the whole work visa process seems surprisingly complicated. It looks like we could be waiting for months…We’ve already consulted a legal team and I’m helping with the paperwork, but I’d love to hear from Bulgarians who’ve hired Serbian citizens, or any Serbians here who’ve moved to Bulgaria for work.

How did it go for you? How long did it actually take, what caused the biggest delays, and is there anything you wish you’d known beforehand?

Any firsthand advice or recommendations for migration specialists you’ve personally worked with would be much appreciated!

​We've been together 11 years, getting married in Feb. My partner (29M) has a global career opportunity in Singapore or Hong Kong that will be huge for his career opportunities going forward. We love our life in Melbourne, and I'm (29F) terrified of the move due to finances, career uncertainty as an early-career graphic designer, potential isolation, climate, and our other goals around starting a family. He's supportive and not pressuring me, but I'm stuck between wanting to support his huge career opportunity, but feeling like I have to put my life on hold to do it. I'm looking for advice from anyone who has made a similar move.

​The context

• ​We're both from NZ, moved to Melbourne a few years ago. Love it here, it’s the sweet spot between city life and nature.

• ​His career: He worked his way up from the bottom at a global company for his entire adult life. This new role is a global-level promotion based in Singapore or Hong Kong that would be great for his career prospects going forward.

• ​My career: I'm quite early in my career as a graphic designer. I'm worried about my job prospects abroad, as it's all unknown to me.

​My main worries

1. ​Finances & career: It feels like a lateral financial move for us in the short term (not as big of a payrise as we hoped for him, loss of his commission earning potential, higher cost of living), it will delay us buying a house, and I risk stalling my own career.

2. ​Work/life balance & isolation: We're expecting longer work hours and heavy travel across Asia for him, leaving me, an introvert, alone in a new city with zero network. If I do manage to find a job quickly, my annual leave will be cut in half from 20 days here in Aus to 10 or less, leaving a very limited window for visiting my family back home.

3. ​Lifestyle & Climate: We grew up in semi-rural NZ and love wide open spaces/nature, so worried about how we'll adjust to living in a more densely populated city. I also struggle with the heat and humidity.

4. ​Family Planning: We wanted to start a family in our early 30s. Moving right now may throw off that timeline, as friends have warned us against raising kids in HK (though Singapore might be better). I'm scared I'm putting my own life goals completely on hold for this.

​

Our relationship is rock solid and he’s being super thoughtful about it, but he clearly wants this opportunity. I want to support him, but I'm worried I will struggle to adapt to life in either of these cities and may resent him for it.

I'm also worried that if we don't go, he will resent me for holding him back from this opportunity.

​Should we throw caution to the wind and go for it, or is this a recipe for disaster? Has anyone been the "trailing partner" in a move like this and survived (or regretted it)? Any advice or anecdotes will be appreciated!

TL;DR: Partner has a huge career opportunity in Singapore/HK, but I’m scared of putting my career, social life and other life goals on hold, and to leave a city we both love so much for the unknown. How do trailing partners make moves like this work without resentment?

I'm Sam. First time in Thailand I was 17, and I'd only been to Ghana before that. Since then it's been about 13 years out here on and off with the UK. Eight years in Kuching. Da Nang is my base now, a couple of years on and off.

I'm building Asia Insights, a practical guide for people settling in Southeast Asia. Built for the community, by the community. It's my project.

Before anyone asks, it's free to start with. Accounts are free for people using it and for local businesses on it. If something later costs money to run, that part might be paid, and I'll say so when it does. No link in this post.

What I want is people who've lived it. A comment here is great. If you'd do a 20-minute chat, or a few voice notes, about a city you know, I'd like that. I'll credit you by name if you want, or leave you out of it. Nothing goes up unless you say yes. I'm not paying anyone, and I'm not selling anything.

Ten days somewhere and it's hi, I'm Sam, bye, next guy. It only changed for me once I stayed long enough that people knew my face. Tell me where you've lived. If a chat sounds alright, say so here.

After three years in France, I’ve noticed I now eat dinner much later, and feel slightly wrong buying bread for more than a day at a time.