<$80k for >5 years, but pay in the long long run seems to be higher than home, particularly if I become especially successful in my career. The pay-off if that happens seems to be better than in Asia too where there is less social mobility. It sound silly but ambition-wise I would really want to take up some space on Earth that I've earnt and that seems more achievable in America.I can always choose to go home after my training in the US (which is not unlikely). But for those ~5+ years I would have to be locked in.Go back to AsiaPay now - would be immensely better. If I dropped what I was doing now and took up a job back home I would make $120k pre-tax annually. And tax is *much* less than in the US. It is important to consider this for setting up financial success by earning more earlier on, and financial autonomy is really important to me as well.I would be objectively better off financially for the time being. If I moved back I can stay at home and not pay rent. A lot of life expenses will be eliminated if not just way cheaper. I can even get on the property ladder due to my high income (down borrowed from family).Pay later - I touched on it above but after training it jumps massively but take-home will only be marginally more than the equivalent job role in Asia due to taxes. This being said the ceiling of income in the US is much higher if I was to be especially successful later on whereas in Asia there is less cope to be a business owner for professional services.Family - my parents are hitting ~65. And my siblings have children. Both of which would hurt for me to watch them grow old/up from afar. I don't want to regret not being there for my parents as they grow older and need help and that idea really haunts me.I do feel incredibly privileged and lucky to even be able to consider these two options. I feel like a huge brat for not taking the safe route that I know a lot of people would die for, for so-called "ambition" but I also don't want to grow to 60 and frequently think about what my life could've been. This debate does frequently cloud my mind.So I really appreciate any comments/suggestions. I probably did miss out some information, partly to try to anonymise this so please feel free to ask and I'll try my best to clarify and correct as I go." title="Should I try to stay in the US or go back home to Asia? (Career/Family/Life)">full image - Repost: Should I try to stay in the US or go back home to Asia? (Career/Family/Life) (from Reddit.com, Should I try to stay in the US or go back home to Asia? (Career/Family/Life))
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Hi everyone! Using a throwaway because the industry is small and I don't want to be identified. I also apologise for being unnecessarily vague for the same reason.I'm a 25M originally from a major metropolitan city in Asia currently living in NYC. I'm having some trouble making a major life decision for whether I should continue to pursue my career here in the US or head back home.Some context (but not all):I'm a professional who grew up in a middle-income family in Asia and completed my professional qualifications in the UK. I want to pursue further training in the US.The competition to get into my intended field in the US is incredibly fierce. Hence I am currently doing an unpaid internship at a prestigious institution to build my CV and build a network, while studying for the licensing exams required for me to work here.Realistically to get into further training here, I will have to score very highly on my exams as well as work this unpaid internship for 2-years (in an expensive city). And even then it may not work out due to the competition.I am practically alone in the US. My family is in Asia and I don't have many friends in NYC (Just a couple from high school that ended up here). Though I am managing well in terms of mental and physical health.I am professionally qualified to work back in Asia without further exams and recruitment is quite manageable. I have relatively established family and friends in the city I'm from and I'm somewhat used to the culture/lifestyle there.I've been stuck on this endless debate in my head of whether I should keep fighting for this ambition of mine or just head home? Below are some points on the 2 options:Stay in the USI grew up in an international background so I feel I vibe with the culture/mindset/thought processes here a bit more.The training in the US seems subjectively better? I do strive to be competent in my work and my experience so far is that I could become more competent in my work by training here. The scope of what I could do professionally is a lot wider in terms of different types of work, public/private, own business etc.It is hard to quantify but life seems genuinely more exciting to me here. The connections I make here seem genuinely deeper and seem to align with what I envision my life to be. Life in Asia comparatively feels a bit too comfortable and most people stay within their cliques/professional circles. Most professionals I've observed don't think too much outside of their mortgage and their next travel plans to Thailand/Japan.I'm unpaid at the moment. I'm living off some savings that I've made in the UK and some help from family but living costs are super high in NYC (essentially burning cash which I feel awful about). My parents are almost retired and despite them being very supportive, I know it poses financial strain on them to support this "endeavor" of mine.If I carry out my training here the pay is still <$80k for >5 years, but pay in the long long run seems to be higher than home, particularly if I become especially successful in my career. The pay-off if that happens seems to be better than in Asia too where there is less social mobility. It sound silly but ambition-wise I would really want to take up some space on Earth that I've earnt and that seems more achievable in America.I can always choose to go home after my training in the US (which is not unlikely). But for those ~5+ years I would have to be locked in.Go back to AsiaPay now - would be immensely better. If I dropped what I was doing now and took up a job back home I would make $120k pre-tax annually. And tax is *much* less than in the US. It is important to consider this for setting up financial success by earning more earlier on, and financial autonomy is really important to me as well.I would be objectively better off financially for the time being. If I moved back I can stay at home and not pay rent. A lot of life expenses will be eliminated if not just way cheaper. I can even get on the property ladder due to my high income (down borrowed from family).Pay later - I touched on it above but after training it jumps massively but take-home will only be marginally more than the equivalent job role in Asia due to taxes. This being said the ceiling of income in the US is much higher if I was to be especially successful later on whereas in Asia there is less cope to be a business owner for professional services.Family - my parents are hitting ~65. And my siblings have children. Both of which would hurt for me to watch them grow old/up from afar. I don't want to regret not being there for my parents as they grow older and need help and that idea really haunts me.I do feel incredibly privileged and lucky to even be able to consider these two options. I feel like a huge brat for not taking the safe route that I know a lot of people would die for, for so-called "ambition" but I also don't want to grow to 60 and frequently think about what my life could've been. This debate does frequently cloud my mind.So I really appreciate any comments/suggestions. I probably did miss out some information, partly to try to anonymise this so please feel free to ask and I'll try my best to clarify and correct as I go.
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