Smart people learn from their own mistakes, but even smarter people learn from the mistake of others.
I more or less knew what I was getting into when I left for the middle east but I just wanted to see it for myself and take some tax free money. I ended up staying almost four years before I quit. Initially it felt better than I expected but the pay and conditions progressively worsened in terms of bonus, overtime, roster etc and generally I would never feel at home in the country. It was hard work in an inhumane and culturally different environment with terrifying rosters, at least in my experience. You know, there always seem to be a few people that can make it work in some situations, for a defined period of time, for whatever reasons they come up with.
I'm back in Europe for less money but I see my kids growing up in a country where I am a citizen again and not a disposable foreign worker. A country that has given me education, healthcare and everything else that is important to me and where I want to be now and not after I have maybe saved enough cash to retire later. I'm no longer a mercenary in this middle east foreign legion but I came back as a better person. For this im thankful.