This master’s thesis focuses on a group of young Slovenians who found the courage to leave their homeland and start a life abroad in their desire for new opportunities and in hope of fulfilling their personal goals. Since the number of young people abroad is increasing, but their stories and experiences have not yet been explored, this makes it for an interesting research topic.
The theoretical part begins with a definition of migration and continues with different migration theories. The next subchapter describes the reasons and motivations for migration. Finally, the entire chapter on migration concludes with adjustment theories. The second chapter discusses identity as a dynamic construct because postmodernism is known as the age of identity loss, which also affects migrants in their own way. This chapter talks about differentiation as a necessary compound of identity, defines ethnic identity, offers an insight into the migration acculturation process and describes the different forms of capital and how they influence a migrant’s life. In its conclusion, the chapter explores modern hybrid identities. The third and fourth chapter focus on the brain drain phenomenon as one of the most frequent reasons for international migration of young people. To better understand the current state of affairs in Slovenia in the area of international migration, the fifth and final theoretical chapter summarizes statistics from different surveys.
The empirical part is based on a qualitative research, which descriptively analyzes half structured interviews with eight young people that moved out of Slovenia for different reasons and created a new life for themselves outside of the country. The research tries to represent their stories and experiences in the highest detail possible. The results are presented in the form of tables, on which the interpretation of the responses of all eight interviewees is based on. The thesis offers insight into the decision process of this very important step, the reasons for their move, the personal experience of leaving, their goals abroad, the lifestyle differences at home and abroad, the maintaining of contact with their family and partners, the possibilities for a life with a partner and/or family and their vision for the future.
By conducting research, I came to the conclusion that the most common cause for the migration in an analyzed sample, was of economic nature. The interviewees were looking for better working conditions and higher wages for their work. Also the opportunities to acquire new skills, experiences and the possibility of independence from their parents, had encouraged them to start living abroad. In foreign countries, most of the interviewees have managed to find suitable employment, which has been resulting in their regulated economic status and living conditions. But there is absolutely no doubt, that living abroad also marked the life courses of my interlocutors in different ways. They need to know very well how to organize their free time due to longer workdays. Also, living abroad brings higher independence and greater self-confidence, which both play an important role in young people’s transition to adulthood. When it comes to the plans for the future, all interviewees agree, that they don’t have any intention to create a family of their own yet. And their answers to the question of a possible return to Slovenia, clearly indicate that our country is currently not sufficiently promising to attract young emigrants back home.
The empirical part strives to incorporate as many aspects of the life of young people abroad as possible because that’s the only way to understand the background of brain drain and migration and to understand, at least to some degree, how the countless choices influence the course of our lives.
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