Question for expats.

[Sifar zero]

I think that if you migrate to outside the country you will be happier there then in Pakistan. I am not talking about a better job or better living conditions I am talking about mental health and happiness.
Can any Pakistani expat answer this question?

 

[313ghazi]

I've not lived in Pakistan for a long period, so can't really compare, but from what i've seen there are certainly positives to life outside of Pakistan.

I live in the UK, Life is less chaotic. Traffic generally flows according to rules, people queue, you never pay a bribe, information on governance is easily available and local govt functions, although it can be frustrating at times. There is a concept of merit in education and the job market. Healthcare is free. I think i've only experienced 2 or 3 powercuts in my life.

Pakistan cannot provide these things yet. Some of them is a limitation of the state, or of funds, the rest is the mentality of people.

People who move from Pakistan to the UK, especially from rural backgrounds miss large parts of the culture. Life is not so social, people are focused on their 9-5, you don't have ramadan cricket, Qurbani is something donated online or done in slaughter houses where you then pick up the packed up meat - it's little things.

Truth is that we are here because overall the quality of life is better. I watched a video of a Pakistani journalist who was walking through London explaining all the things he saw on the street that he would never expect to see in Pakistan. You learn to appreciate it when you realise that others don't have it. A few examples;

- quiet parks, nobody shouting and selling goods.
- lowered kerbs on footpaths to make it easier for disabled and pushchairs.
- traffic lights for pedestrians
- cycle lanes
- bus only lanes
- building sites which are covered up and not spewing onto the streets

It's not hard for Pakistan to have a lot of these things, but as he pointed out, so few people are aware of what better international standards of living are, so nobody asks for these improvements and nobody bothers to deliver them.

 

[Sinnerman108]

I have lived abroad for most of my professional career.

Priorities change with age and circumstances.

Thus, the OP's answer is not objective unless he spells out the details.

As for me, once i secured my financial future, I am more interested in the fact that in Pakistan i can hire someone to drive, clean, cook etc.

That said; Pakistan's biggest down side is security; crime rate has shot up.

 

[Genghis khan1]

I think that if you migrate to outside the country you will be happier there then in Pakistan. I am not talking about a better job or better living conditions I am talk8ng about mental health and happiness.
Can any Pakistani expat answer this question?

There is a peace of mind that system works, other than that if you take out finincial opportunities, than you have to be an idiot to live a life of a second class citizen. Unlike Arab countries, Where you can atleast break bread together with locals and celebrate holidays, in western countries cuisine is heavily influenced by pork (pig) and wine. So it’s really hard to just fit in. Specially in post WoT islamophobic west. Prejudice and silent discrimination is widespread. There is incentives for those that like to party and have sex, till they are married. Most ABCDs (American born confused Desis) are growing up mentally unstable trying to figure out their culture from country and how to fit in with Gora as a Desi. Those who are financially better and are able to visit Pakistan with whole family every few years are much less confused.

but when you look back to Pakistan, No Gas, No water, No electricity, lack of system than its all worth the khuari . Biggest thing is respect you get in extended family and society, regardless of what you do abroad.

There is a reason why no Emirates or similar level GCC Arabi leave their relatives and migrate to West. They have respectable working system.

 

[Akh1112]

Depends on you as a person really.

I kind of prefer the Pakistani lifestyle, the social and communal aspect, I think it’s great. I’m not really religious so that is a non factor for me, however I would happily take Pakistani life over what I have currently. Unfortunately I’m in the middle of my education but I hope to one day be able to go back and resettle maybe.

 

[Azadkashmir]

i prefer pakistan lifestyle you do as you plz. you can set up small shop easily, land is wide and no fences you can go for long walks and catch fish from lake with out license bullshit. you got motorbike no problem just put petrol and ride but not in uk i have had dirt bikes, to pit bikes, goped you know a goped is a tiny skateboard with engine even for that you can get arested without insurance,, license too much fucking rules will give mental issues. pakistan you can easily buy livestock and organic not in uk plus you can cook it in your backyard but in uk only rich ppl with big gardens. Houses are way too small and overpriced in uk -pakistan you can park your car in side comfortably and work on it. At night you hear piss heads druggies vandals you will not get decent sleep at times unlike in pak village you only hear dogs shaging, frogs crickets. UK has positives too it follows rules and manners, no bribes. In uk you pay you get the product and it does what it says on the tin unlike pak you can get ripped off. Uk has fairly decent education and healthcare, which pakistan lacks.

 

[Jazzbot]

Depends on what makes you happy.

 

[AMG_12]

I’ve lived in Pakistan and now settled abroad. I’d say my life has been much better abroad. Security, crime rate and domestic threats to me are the downsides of living in Pakistan. Haven’t been to Pakistan in the past two years so unaware of any improvements.

 

[313ghazi]

If Pakistan could offer the following i'd move tomorrow;

1. Affordable/free healthcare - Health card is a step towards this
2. Free education (or student loans to cover higher education) - launch of a new curriculum, but results are yet to be seen
3. A decent quality of healthcare and education - HE sector is massively lacking in this regard
4. A competitive, merit based job market - I hope if we continue to grow my children will see this day.
5. Law and order - I'm not holding my breath. This is by far the biggest challenge.

Unfortunately these are all basics of a decent society. What we are asking for, all of us as Pakistani's, is basic human rights. We don't need to be the best, we just need to be good enough - like many countries in the world.

 

[CIA Mole]

Less crowded for sure.

And remember:
White = expat
Non-white = immigrant

 

[Mentee]

That said; Pakistan's biggest down side is security; crime rate has shot up.

we're sorry if you have to face such
security conditions, you better take your concerns to the p.m of swaziland ------- anyhow you guys are just milking cows used to pay for the perks of our civil military combo like 6 million pkr for tea bill of commissioner karachi's offixe this year alone.

 

[TheSnakeEatingMarkhur]

I think that if you migrate to outside the country you will be happier there then in Pakistan. I am not talking about a better job or better living conditions I am talking about mental health and happiness.
Can any Pakistani expat answer this question?

Bro it doesn't really matter a lot. Here you have more headaches tbh but at the same time peace of mind. But Pakistan you get to chill and have peace of mind there as well.

 

[Mentee]

Haven’t been to Pakistan in the past two years so unaware of any improvements.

Bribe rates have gone substantially up since the tabdeeki regime took over. i think its due to the devaluation of pkr

 

[TNT]

I think that if you migrate to outside the country you will be happier there then in Pakistan. I am not talking about a better job or better living conditions I am talking about mental health and happiness.
Can any Pakistani expat answer this question?

I have lived for a long time abroad and though initially i was happy, after a couple of years i hated it. I just couldn't stop dreaming of my country. I used togo on trips to nice places and it disnt give me the pleasure that i had while visiting places in Pakistan. I dont know, maybe because my subconscious knew this place is not mine. I really appreciate their system and their equality (somewhat) but it was not home. The locals will never see u as equal even if they pretend they do.
I used to remind myself of all the flaws of Pakistan and our society and yet i found myself liking the flaws too. The extended family and people are a factor too, i missed the gatherings and the events. People in our society are linked and care about each other while in west, everyone is for themselves.
The other big thing for me was raising kids in that society and no matter how u train them at home, the outside society is western and they will become like them. I just didn't want my kids to miss out a childhood in their own country and people.
i guess in the end it depends on the individual, many of my frnds stayed back and got nationalities and now raising their kids there, i was just not comfortable. The funny part is that many of my frnds there were staunchly in support of staying and even they used to face racism and yet didn't want to go back and i never faced racism (maybe coz i didn't look like south asian), i was also pretty much welcomed and accepted by white ppl but i just couldnt stay there. The happiest day of my life was when i finally returned for good. I have never regretted my decision of coming back.

 

[CIA Mole]

I have lived for a long time abroad and though initially i was happy, after a couple of years i hated it. I just couldn't stop dreaming of my country. I used togo on trips to nice places and it disnt give me the pleasure that i had while visiting places in Pakistan. I dont know, maybe because my subconscious knew this place is not mine. I really appreciate their system and their equality (somewhat) but it was not home. The locals will never see u as equal even if they pretend they do.
I used to remind myself of all the flaws of Pakistan and our society and yet i found myself liking the flaws too. The extended family and people are a factor too, i missed the gatherings and the events. People in our society are linked and care about each other while in west, everyone is for themselves.
The other big thing for me was raising kids in that society and no matter how u train them at home, the outside society is western and they will become like them. I just didn't want my kids to miss out a childhood in their own country and people.
i guess in the end it depends on the individual, many of my frnds stayed back and got nationalities and now raising their kids there, i was just not comfortable. The funny part is that many of my frnds there were staunchly in support of staying and even they used to face racism and yet didn't want to go back and i never faced racism (maybe coz i didn't look like south asian), i was also pretty much welcomed and accepted by white ppl but i just couldnt stay there. The happiest day of my life was when i finally returned for good. I have never regretted my decision of coming back.

I was brought to the West as a kid so I didn’t have a choice.

Overtime you realize it’s not your country no matter how hard you try to fit in.