Brits abroad: Asia-Pacific

The BBC asked Brits abroad to tell us why they decided to swap the UK for another country and what has kept them from returning.

Here, expats in countries across Asia-Pacific tell us their stories.

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PETER LOGAN, BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA

NAME:Peter Logan AGE: 37 WORKS:Consultant in emergency medicine LIVES:Brisbane, Australia

My wife and I came to Australia 3 years ago. We decided to move because we did not feel valued in British society. We were poorly paid and worked excessive hours.

We can afford a nice house here. My wife is an intensive care nurse. She is respected by the patients and is able to deliver the quality of health care that she is trained to. She can also take more time off to care for our children.

We miss our families and the old historical buildings in the UK.

NICHOLAS CLARIDGE, SINGAPORE

NAME:Nicholas Claridge AGE: 27 WORKS:Financial sector LIVES:Singapore

I came here a year ago. My quality of life in London was poor. Nearly half of my earnings went towards income tax, national insurance and student loan repayments.

In the UK I had to wait two weeks to see a GP; here I can have an appointment within 15 minutes.

I earn far are less now than I did in London but I pay only 10% tax. The cost of living here is very affordable. I live in a 5 star condominium (with pool, gym, tennis courts etc), in the best district of the city for £200 per week.

Rising crime in London worried me. I thought it was only a matter of time before someone tried to mug me. Here, there is virtually no crime.

What do I miss? I miss my family the most, and my season ticket at Chelsea Football Club! I do actually miss the food - despite my travels I have not come across breakfast that can beat a full English fry-up. The first thing I do when I travel home to London is head down to my old 'greasy spoon' where I was a regular.

MICK STIMPSON, PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA

NAME:Mick Stimpson AGE: 39 WORKS:Health worker turned businessman LIVES:Phnom Penh, Cambodia

I left the UK five years ago, for several reasons. I was always miserable while living in the UK.

My partner and I are keen travellers and wanted to live somewhere a bit more exotic. We were also interested in doing humanitarian work, particularly in my field of prosthetics.

I can be myself here. I am not concerned with the car I drive or the clothes I wear. Although I do miss shopping, I don't like consumerism culture in the UK.

I can be more creative here, there are less boundaries and regulations. On the other hand, getting things done here is much harder than in the UK. Employees are not always well educated and their frame of reference is limited.

I miss a lot of the food that I grew up with; comfort foods like Cadburys chocolate, cakes (which I now bake myself), and a decent cup of tea!

I don't miss the weather but I do miss talking about it. Here you can only say "hot and sunny again, Bob".

NEIL MARSHALL, TAUPO, NEW ZEALAND

NAME:Neil Marshall AGE: 52 WORKS:Assistant Principal LIVES:Taupo, New Zealand

The break-up of my marriage made me want a complete change.

I had always wanted to live overseas so I got a twelve month visa and came here to see if I liked it.

Within three months I got a job in a good school in a beautiful town and never looked back. I now have residency and have applied for citizenship.

Though the journey was painful and frightening, I would not swap where I am now for the world.

New Zealand is a fabulously beautiful country. It's safe and green and it offers me everything I ever wanted to do: skiing, kayaking, hiking, mountaineering and lying on the beach.

The lifestyle is so much better than in England, and so is the weather and the people. The only things I miss are my family and the beer!

JOHN KEERS, HONG KONG

NAME: John Keers AGE: 36 WORKS: Corporate training LIVES: Hong Kong

I've lived in Sha Tin, which is in the New Territories area of Hong Kong, for the last two years. I am from England and my wife is from Hong Kong.

When my wife visited the UK she suffered from racist taunts and never felt safe. Although she has a degree, we knew that it would be difficult for her to get a good job in the UK. I, on the other hand, knew that my experience and adaptability would allow me to make my mark in Hong Kong.

Another consideration was high house prices in the UK - purchasing a house there would have been a nightmare.

Life in Hong Kong has been like having a blank canvas and a new set of paints - a completely new start. I do miss my family but I am happy.

DAVID RAHO, JAPAN

NAME: David Raho AGE: 40 WORKS: Elementary School Teacher LIVES: Okinawa, Japan

I have lived in Okinawa, Japan, since July 2005. There were a number of compelling reasons for wanting to start a new life in Okinawa for myself and my family.

Apart from a brief stint as a teacher and photojournalist I spent the previous 18 years working for the National Probation Service.

My job in the National probation service had changed so much that I could no longer reconcile my own personal values with the way the service was being run.

My wife is from Okinawa and every time we visited the UK we could find fewer reasons to stay. I also wanted my children to be properly bilingual and benefit from the Japanese education system.

The climate here is sub-tropical. There are stunning beaches, rare plants and animals and great food. I enjoy my teaching job and in my free time I do some writing. Each day I wake up I am thankful that I am here and not doing a stressful job in the UK.

I love life in Okinawa. I know my family is having a good life in a safer place. I have fewer worries about crime and feel more relaxed. My children are getting a good education and have more opportunities for play and getting closer to nature. I also love being in a more technologically advanced country.

I miss food in the UK. Its very odd but I get cravings for Marmite or PG Tips. I miss being able to communicate in my own language. I miss British TV and radio - Japanese TV seems to be very poor quality. I like the sense of community here and the fact that you are never far from a Police station.