I was sick of barely surviving crime-ridden UK – I packed my life in a shipping container & moved to Turkey with my kids
SUNNY SWITCH UP I was sick of barely surviving crime-ridden UK – I packed my life in a shipping container & moved to Turkey with my kids
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A MUM-of-three ditched the doom and gloom of crime-ridden Britain for a soft life with her kids in Turkey.
Fed up with grey skies, scary streets and a constant daily grind to make ends meet, one British mum said 'enough's enough' and packed her entire life into a shipping container to start fresh under the Turkish sun.
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A British mum was sick of UK crime and decided to move her family abroad
Credit: Tiktok@jod1383
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The family now live in Alanya, Turkey
Jodie, aka weather girl on TikTok, is a mum-of-three who swapped her depressing old life for dazzling coastlines, cheaper living, and a whole new outlook in sunny Turkey.
'I was sad. Depressed. You never saw me smile,' she admitted in one of her now-viral videos.
But claims she's now significantly happier and "full of life".
Jodie had had enough of struggling to stay afloat in the UK.
She and her husband were working round the clock just to scrape by – no holidays, no savings, and zero chance of buying a home thanks to what she calls 'stupid little things' constantly going wrong.
And as if the money stress wasn't enough, the rising crime in her area tipped her over the edge.
She claimed she wanted a better life for her and the kids and so packed up her life, three kids and the dog and moved abroad.
With her husband's family already settled in Turkey, the couple decided to give it a go.
He flew out first to find a rental for a year, just to see if it would work.
Meanwhile, back in Britain, Jodie was packing everything – furniture, clothes, kids' toys, even the kettle – into a shipping container bound for their new life abroad.
The Spanish region undiscovered by Brits despite seaside views and ancient Roman cities
She claimed it took months to organise and said whilst it was difficult, it was definitely worth the hassle.
While their belongings were at sea, her husband drove their car and their massive German Shepherd all the way across Europe – a three-day trek – while Jodie, the kids and her mum hopped on a flight.
Their first year was spent in a peaceful Turkish village far from the tourist spots and Jodie absolutely fell in love.
She said it was a beautiful, local area that wasn't too touristy.
When their tenancy was up, they made the move to Alanya, a more buzzing coastal area, and Jodie's never looked back.
'I love it. I really love it here,' she beamed.
She says she wouldn't return to the UK unless she absolutely had to.
She explained that her kids are thriving and their lives have all infinitely improved since the move.
While Jodie's Turkish hubby sorted most of the boring paperwork, she says she's now 'retired from admin' and doesn't miss the stress one bit.
And for anyone else dreaming of ditching the UK for a new life in the sun? The Tiktoker is here to help.
'Drop me a DM,' she says, promising to share details to help with paperwork and all the tricky bits.
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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