I've done the expat/migration thing myself, there are some upsides for sure, but it can also be quite draining being a bit of a social misfit, not having a much of network/connections, dealing with the linguistic/cultural/administrative issues of visas, etc... in many ways you're just forever at a disadvantage to the locals.
I also don't see Portugal as being a big step up from Turkey in the grand scheme of things. Both basically europe, mediterranean, decent standard of living but kind of second-tier economy, etc. If anything, Turkey is obviously bigger, has some bigger cities, more of a range of lifestyles, etc.
I think migration/expat life can be worth it if you're moving to silicon valley, tokyo, new york, shanghai... or somewhere that is a centre of gravity for your industry (like australia for mining, texas for oil, shenzhen for hardware manufacturing, etc...), and the income/growth potential is many multiples of what you can get at home, but I wouldn't be doing it for a modest, largely sideways move.
As for your 10k EUR... obviously, beware the sunk cost fallacy. Also, these things aren't permanent, if you want you can do it for 6 months or a year, see how it is, if it's great, stay, if it's not... go back (or somewhere else).
I appreciate your perspective! The social misfit issue is definitely amplified in towns where local Portuguese life is dominant. No matter what I do, I will likely remain an outsider, even though the Portuguese people are genuinely friendly and understanding.
You're right that Portugal isn't a step up in the same way moving to a global hub like London or New York would be. It’s starting to feel like a lot of mental effort for a "sideways move," especially when I already have an established network at home.
Regarding the 10k EUR, I’ve definitely been thinking about the sunk cost fallacy. It's a lot of money to leave behind, but throwing another year of my career away just to justify the spend might be the bigger mistake. I suppose this is where I’ve been feeling trapped financially.
Taking it one step at a time seems like the only way to avoid burnout.Maybe a very short trial as you suggested at least until I find a suitable accounting role back home can be attempted. Thank you!
The other thing I would say is, for this kind of decision, you're looking for a "hell yes!" / "this is a no brainer" / "i can't afford to miss this opportunity". It's like hiring someone, buying a property, getting married, or even changing jobs... If it's not that, then it's a no, stay where you are, sit on your hands, keep waiting for something better.
If you're comparing option A and option B, and comes down to 48% A vs 52% B... if it's toilet paper or car insurance, fine, choose option B, but if it's moving countries buying a property or something, then the right answer is do nothing, keep waiting for option C, option D, etc to come along.
I've done the expat/migration thing myself, there are some upsides for sure, but it can also be quite draining being a bit of a social misfit, not having a much of network/connections, dealing with the linguistic/cultural/administrative issues of visas, etc... in many ways you're just forever at a disadvantage to the locals.
I also don't see Portugal as being a big step up from Turkey in the grand scheme of things. Both basically europe, mediterranean, decent standard of living but kind of second-tier economy, etc. If anything, Turkey is obviously bigger, has some bigger cities, more of a range of lifestyles, etc.
I think migration/expat life can be worth it if you're moving to silicon valley, tokyo, new york, shanghai... or somewhere that is a centre of gravity for your industry (like australia for mining, texas for oil, shenzhen for hardware manufacturing, etc...), and the income/growth potential is many multiples of what you can get at home, but I wouldn't be doing it for a modest, largely sideways move.
As for your 10k EUR... obviously, beware the sunk cost fallacy. Also, these things aren't permanent, if you want you can do it for 6 months or a year, see how it is, if it's great, stay, if it's not... go back (or somewhere else).