Slaboli

So your choice would be Portugal? and not Albania or Turkey? LATAM although heard it's nice there I've narrowed down my options to these 3 places. Thanks!

Interesting advice, thanks! I have lived in Lisbon so far but have travelled to Porto. I'm assuming it's much more affordable in housing. There are lots of places a 1 hr drive to Porto, have you experience in any of them? So, you say its worth trying Portugal given these options?

Yes, Portuguese people are warm and kind. While Albanian's and Turks are also like this. So for you, a life in Portugal in my situation is worth the relocation and not choosing Turkey(home country) or Albania for a life? Thanks!

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!

Thanks for your input! I think I overvalued the prospect of Portugal from the start. I see now that it’s an ideal place for wealthy Western retirees who want to enjoy the weather, beaches, and EU mobility. For someone like me who isn't poor but isn't wealthy either it doesn't offer much in terms of career growth.Even for the Portuguese themselves.

When you say "better luck elsewhere" I assume you mean both Portugal and Turkey?

Thanks for the advice! The position is taxed in Portugal. Tt's a US company with a local base, (paying 1100 monthly lol) so everything is legally compliant regarding taxes and residency. I spent 10k EUR in total, including my stays in Lisbon, just to handle the paperwork (it took six months for them to process my residency card)

That is precious insight about stability. You're saying Portugal, while in a better position, isn't significantly more stable than Turkey in the long run. For EU, I agree that it probably won't improve much over the long term.

Great advice, thank you sir!

It is indeed a very personal decision. However, hearing others' opinions is helpful to challenge my logic and highlight any gaps I might be overlooking. Thank you for chipping in!

The situation is that while Portugal seems great for the short term, I don't believe the long-term job prospects and career growth will match what I have at home.

On the other hand, I try to remind myself that no one knows the future and that I should take it one step at a time. But at 36, this is highly taxing, as I feel way behind my peers regarding being rooted and starting a family and raising kids.

Thanks for your comment! You’re right that Portugal is full of "maybes." On one hand, having a job offer makes it feel within reach, but I worry about spending months with no professional or financial growth. However, I’m confused because I know millions in Turkey would love to be in my position.

Regarding my career, my CPA technical capacity is portable. I can convert it to US or UK equivalents with just a couple of written exams.

I definitely do not want to be 46 years old, holding onto a menial job or worse, being laid off and forced into call center work in Portugal.

My real struggle is deciding which battle is worth fighting. I need to choose the path that is painful now but will compound into greater value, stability or status in 5 years.

Is it the pain of career building (Turkey) or the pain of geographic isolation (Portugal)? Your insight forces me to ask: which pain is more likely to yield the best long-term return?

THANK YOU!

Thank you! So in my situation, would this look like getting my CPA license in Turkey and then weighing my options for geographic mobility afterward? I initially need to commit to one path, as legally (and location-wise) I’m unable to pursue both at the same time.

I only speak the basics of Portuguese for now, but I’m open to learning it. I do think language plays a big role in building real connections and friendships, especially outside expat circles. In smaller towns, it’s true that finding English speakers, let alone Turkish speakers lol is extremely hard. The trade-off is that rent is dramatically cheaper. In Lisbon or Porto, even tiny studios are above 1,200 EUR, while in smaller towns I can find something decent for around 700 EUR.

The remote role offers 1,100 EUR. It’s a content analyst position for YouTube ads. I don’t see it as something I would do for year, more like a starter job to enter the market. Without Portuguese, job options are mostly limited to call centers or similar roles where Turkish and English fluency is an advantage. Salaries in Portugal are generally low even highly experienced managers earn around 2,000 EUR.

As for stability, the turmoil in Turkey doesn’t affect me directly, but indirectly it does. The general atmosphere and economic situation make things feel uncertain and heavy. The remote role itself isn’t something I see as long-term stable either, so I’m aware that I’d need a plan B and to improve my language skills to expand my options. I can only work in Portugal as I just have the temporary residence, after 5 years of stay can I start working in other EU nations. Thank you for your message!

Yeah, I receive rent from the apartment in Turkey. I also have some savings and similar income streams. They’re not amounts that make me rich, but they make me more or less comfortable. I live above average in my hometown. I worked in humanitarian aid NGOs for years, but with funding cuts, jobs are extinct.

I also want to start my own family (by finding someone first lol), so I have lots of conflicting criteria, which makes it difficult to come to a decision. Trying Portugal seems logical at first, but then again I ask myself how many years I would live with such (entry level basic) job opportunities and whether I would regret not being a CPA at age 50, for example. Thank you man!

Thank you! I appreciate the honesty. That is the one variable that haunts me. My parents are actually encouraging me to go; they think the quality of life in Europe, the experience is worth the distance, especially given our local economic instability. Also, I am currently unemployed at home, which adds a layer of 'stagnation' to the closeness.

Did you move back because you felt lonely abroad or because your family actually needed you there?