First post - be gentle

[Devo1982]

Hi all,

I was searching around the internet and came across your little community here. It seems the perfect place for me to get some advice and hopefully encouragement in what I want to do.

I'm James, 27 and currently work as an IT Manager for a large financial services company in London. About 4 years ago my father took an early rertirement at the age of 50 and emigrated to the Philippines. He spent his life working hard in the Uk; had his own business, made lots of money etc, but he was never happy. In fact, he actually told me that if he hadn't emigrated when he did then thhe would have probably killed himself. He's now happier than I can ever remember and he pretty much owes it all to the fact he had the b***s to emigrate.

Here comes my dilemma...
I earn a very good wage doing what I currently do, but hate my job and have had just about enough of the UK. My father is currently building a mall in the Philippines in which he will also build a bar/restaurant. He is very keen for me to move out there with him and manage his bar/restaurant for him. At first I dismissed it, but more recently (after a recent trip to see him) I am thinking more and more about doing it.

Now I know i'm relatively young, but I don't want to reach a point where I think 'what have I been doing for the last 20 years!?'. I have no real commitments in the UK e.g. I don't own a house, have any children or debts so it seems an excellent opportunity. I could move there with a guaranteed job, somewhere to stay and my best friend in the world nearby (dad).

I just wanted to hear if anyone else has been in a similar situation and any other advice really. I was watching a TV programme the other night in which they were interviewing a guy who had moved to Australia from London. He said that he would rather be poor & happy in Aus than rich and miserable in the UK. That just about summed it up for me...

Sorry for the rambling...