How long were you away? I have an aunt who emigrated to Canada a few years ago. I have friends who live in Bali and some who work and live in Singapore. They don't seem to be any happier. Oh yes, and a cousin lives in Dubai at the moment. But the problems of each country seem to bounce off them. My kids are looking at a farm in Denmark next week. Simply because it's cheaper than anything they've seen in Germany so far. Let's see.
Discussion
Happiness is often more of a personal-situation thing, than something about the country.
I know people who moved away and stayed happily gone and others who also returned.
Moving across the border, like Denmark or Switzerland, seems to be more successful than moving to China or Brazil or whatever.
Probably true. I just have the impression that people in a "foreign" country are not so interested in the deep structural and social problems. You create your own world.
Yeah, they're expats. They have an incentive to not be too critical.
Sort of the way tourists travel all around the world and say, "I would love to live here!" while they're being waited on, hand-and-foot. 🙄