lfbb: I`m of the same age and TT, PIC around 5000, sitting in the left seat for seven years, mostly on 737. Happy, spoiled, European baby-captain which was too lucky to experience those golden years in the middle of the first decade after 2001. I was thinking about going eastbound to fly either NB or WB, as well. Now I had an excellent opportunity to try and check those "greener pastures" (North America in my case) for couple of months just to realize how nice the life and flying is at home (other side of the former Iron Courtain, BTW), and how nice my paychecks are. Now I`m gonna stay there, glued firmly to the 73, unless I really have to go abroad for some reason and play the expat`s game. And honestly, 500hrs PIC on A320 or plane like that is not enough to even settle down in your seat, contrary to what you may think, believe me. Way too early to change the employer, country and type at the same time.
But I`m afraid this is not the advice you were looking for
EDIT: and you can hear a lot of complaints about the life in my country as well, only the "drug war" is not there, fortunately. But do I think the life is much better in other countries now? No, I dont`t think so...