I'll never go back to ‘depressing UK' – I quit my waitress job to jet off & now rake in £120k a year living in paradise
Kelly Wickramasuriya, 24, packed her bags and moved to Thailand at just 21, expecting to run out of money within weeks.
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But now she lives between Bali and Dubai, enjoying year-round sunshine, luxury apartments and a life she says is miles away from her old one.
Kelly said: 'I find the UK super depressing.
'People are always complaining and have a victim mindset.'
Originally from Essex, Kelly says she was stuck in a rut, working long shifts at an Italian restaurant in Covent Garden, scraping by on low wages and only going out for special occasions.
'I couldn't afford the amount of hobbies I have right now,' she said.
'Back then, my big treat was going to the pub at the weekend. Now, I do acroyoga, take singing classes and learn languages – all under the sun.'
After graduating from uni in 2022, Kelly booked a one-way ticket to Thailand, hoping to travel for the summer before reality pulled her back home.
She added: 'I had £1,000 in my account. I thought I'd be sofa-surfing back in the UK by the end of the month.
'But I was desperate not to go back.'
Instead, she scoured the internet for ways to make money remotely and stumbled across user-generated content (UGC) creation, filming videos for brands to post on social media.
Strictly star reveals she's quitting UK to live in Dubai without boyfriend who grew up there
Kelly explained: 'I started creating content for brands and it just took off. I'm now earning five times what I made as a waitress."
These days, her 'office' is wherever she wants.
It could be a sunbed in Bali, her Dubai apartment balcony or a beachfront café in Thailand.
She also travels regularly to Australia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
Her day-to-day routine is a far cry from her old life in grey, chilly London.
She added: 'I wake up with no alarm, meditate for an hour, then hit the gym or grab breakfast at a cute café.
"I work a few hours and then I'm off to a class or hobby, whatever I feel like.'
Kelly says the shift in her mental health since leaving the UK has been huge and it's not just the sunshine that's helped.
'The people and the energy are totally different.
"Everyone is friendlier and happier. It rubs off on you. In the UK, it's cold and people are just miserable.'
Despite missing her loved ones, Kelly insists her relationships haven't suffered.
She said: 'We FaceTime all the time, and they come out to visit me. My best friends are now scattered all over the world and I love that.'
She's even inspired her family to follow in her footsteps.
She said: 'My mum started UGC too, she's 55, has a full-time job and managed to fly herself out to see me. If she can do it, anyone can.'
And while she'll occasionally pop back to Essex to visit, Kelly says her future is firmly overseas.
'I'll go home to see family for a month every year or two but that's it. The UK is one of the most depressing countries in the world.
"After living abroad, I completely get why.'
She added: 'It's really not hard to change your life. If it doesn't work out, you can always go back – but I know I never will.'
She's not the only Brit trading dreary, concrete skylines for golden sands.
A young woman recently revealed how her health improved after she moved from the UK to Dubai, saying life at home was 'making her sick'.
Ela Reeves was struggling with a series of health conditions prior to the move, including chronic fatigue, sore joints and acne.
With her body 'crying out for change', she decided to try life in sunnier climes and jetted off to Dubai for a new life in January and has never looked back.
How easy is it to move abroad?
Brexit means British citizens now have to apply for visas to move to countries within the EU. While some countries residency restrictions are easier than others, here's what you need to do at home before moving:
Notify HMRC about your upcoming move.
Let your local authority know and provide a forwarding address.
Contact your mortgage and utility providers and bank before leaving.
If you have paid enough UK national insurance contributions, you can qualify for a state pension abroad - contact the International Pension Centre.
You can sign up to the Royal Mail's redirection service.
If you have outstanding student loans, contact the Student Loans Centre.
If you have children, give due notice to childcares and schools.
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