I still call Australia home... I just have to dial international!

So many of the friends that I love have turned their back on the easy life in Australia, and travelled to places far and wide to live, work and play. What is driving them from the sea, sun, surf and sand that we've all grown up with?

The list is long - of my closest friends I can name 12 who have moved overseas or lived overseas in the last 3 years - Fiona, Marina, Lish, Gavin, Larry, Dion, Eric, Don, Po, Terence, Ivy and more recently Tony. And the list is only getting longer... They've moved to places such as London, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. And spent countless weekends on Jetstar flights to exotic cities around Europe and South East Asia.

But what has driven these young, bright, 20-somethings (and tony) out of their native country? Is it the urge to see what lies on other continents? Experience other cultures? Live a life of luxury? Lots and lots of money? Endless weekend mini-breaks ala Bridget Jones?

Most of these friends vowed that, despite leaving, they "still caaaalled Austraaaaalia hoooome", and would return in "a few years". So why did all these people decide to give up two years in the prime of their life, living in a country they aren't comfortable calling home?

My suspiscion is we're all wishing that we could refresh our lives, as easily as I can refresh this blog! Thinking back on my uni days, I remember I used to dream of working in the "great outdoors" (outside Australia that is) to:
1. Earn heaps of money that I would spend on extravagant items both while overseas and when I returned to Australia
2. Travel around the continent at the drop of a hat and have mad adventures with extroverted strangers
3. Move out of home
4. Meet a rich fella who would pay all my bills and would hire me to become his professional tai-tai

Bottom line being - I wish I could make all aspects of my life dramatically better and lose the pragmatic constraints of money, career and family. Replace these with endless parties, holidays and friends in an alien landscape and you've got the onestop formula for "rediscovering yourself", "taking control of your life" and "realising your dreams".