Right now I have conflicting emotions. To make long story short, I have been away from my home country and parents for around 15 years now, basically to get my education. Now, I have the chance to work abroad, and get a decent life where there is freedom, quality life, security, ... etc. On the other hand, my parents are implying their wish that I come back. I want to be around them, but at the same time, I want my life to be better. Is it selfish of me to think this way?

These days I spend my time thinking a lot between these two options, and even cry because both decisions are difficult for me. My parents sacrificed a lot for me to get my education, and they have made my life easier, yet I'm looking for a better opportunities. I'm afraid to make a decision that I will deeply regret in the future.

Has anyone been in a similar situation, where there is a conflict between family and work or something similar?

For those who have children but they don't live around you or close to you, how do you feel about that, namely, your children are far away from you?

[MickeyCheeky]

It's definitely an hard decision.. I have no personal experience, but my parents left my grandparents for work reasons, and we went throught that just fine. We visit them a lot.

Are you an only child? Do your parents have some other people in the family that lives there?

You have all my support

[gayleggg]

I am an only child and when my parents health started failing I didn't live close enough to be of much help. I regret the time that I wasn't able to spend with them during their time of need. It's hard to make those decisions but I wish I had stayed closer to them but that's just me.

[Thunder Bow]

Work abroad, and live your life. Both you and your parents will be happier.

[Unrigged64072835]

Don't let your parents guilt trip you into coming back. You'll be missing out on life experiences that you'll won't get back.

My parents let me go at 18 and I joined the military. I lived very well. My brother, on the other hand, stayed with my parents until they died. He didn't do much. He now wishes he had.

Thanks everyone. I'm not an only child, but I have another older brother who is also living outside the home country, and I think my parents feel we are abandoning them somehow, which isn't the case. We just have the opportunity to establish better lives.

I just wish I feel they are OK with me being abroad, and feel that they are happy. Feeling guilty isn't something easy to deal with.

If I stay abroad, I'm planning to visit them every year, and bring them to visit me, as many times as possible.

[Thunder Bow]

No need for guilt. They are quite able to continue living with you abroad working. Even if they are not OK with it, you still need to go. In the long run, they will be happy for you.

This might be a stupid question but can your parents come to live where you are living? Will your new and better opportunities provide you with enough income to visit or pay for them to come visit you?

I'm in my 40's and my parents are aging....it's crossed my mind to move away a few times over the years but in the end I always choose to be close to my parents and I doubt I will regret that decision but you never know.

When I moved a few hours away, my parents ended up following me which was nice.

I have 2 sons and if either or both of them decide to move away to better their life, I would support them. Sure I would miss them and wished they stayed but I didn't have children to control their life and geography until I die. I just want my kids to be happy and would support any decision that helped them in that endeavor.

Don't feel guilty for wanting to better your life. You have a tough decision to make and my heart goes out to you. Good luck.

I'm still not completely settled down, but once I am, I believe I will be able to visit them, and bring them to visit me each year. For them to stay with me permanently would be difficult for them, because I have a brother and sisters back home; it would be difficult for them to choose to stay with me over staying there close to my siblings. Also, where I live is a different culture and they speak a different language, so, I think this will make them feel isolated.