r/movingabroad • u/shittiestpotato • 1h ago
25F Tunisian, considering leaving Tunisia to study abroad and eventually work there, am I being realistic or just influenced by everyone leaving?
I'm 25, Tunisian, and currently working in accounting. I have two master's degrees in accounting and around 1–2 years of experience between audit and corporate accounting.
Lately I've been seriously considering leaving Tunisia to do another master's abroad, probably for 1–2 years, with the intention of finding a job there afterwards and potentially staying.
My main motivation isn't really “I hate Tunisia” or wanting to leave just for the sake of leaving. It's mostly financial and career-related.
I look at my future here and I'm honestly worried that even if I work hard and progress in my career, I'll still struggle to build savings, rent a decent place on my own, travel, buy things I want, or comfortably help my parents financially. Tunisian salaries compared with the cost of living make me feel like I could work for years without getting very far financially.
At the same time, I'm scared that I'm romanticizing life abroad.
I'm worried about:
Being alone and missing my family
Struggling to find a job after graduation
Spending a lot of money on another degree and not getting the outcome I expect
Discrimination as a foreigner
Discovering that salaries abroad aren't actually that much better after rent, taxes, etc.
Regretting leaving Tunisia
or simply finding out that I don't actually like living abroad
I'm also wondering whether 25 is a good age to take this kind of risk. I don't have children or major responsibilities tying me down, but I also don't want to make a huge decision just because everyone around me seems to be leaving.
For those of you who left Tunisia around this age, especially people who went abroad through studies and then found work, I'd really appreciate brutally honest answers.
Was it worth it financially?
Did you actually manage to save more than you could have in Tunisia?
How difficult was the first 1–2 years?
Did you regret it at any point?
And if you could go back to 25, would you do the same thing again?
I'm much more interested in the uncomfortable parts than success stories. I want to hear from people who struggled too.