Wildduke,
you say that you live 'somewhere civilized'...
Well - good for you then. Because you're in a much better position than some of us.
You've read some of the posts above and there isn't much to be added.
His dudeness did mention a renowned flight department of a highly respected company (that everybody would have sold her/his grandmother for to get a job with) that got suddenly closed and reopened and then eventually sold to an investor. Rumor is, that not everybody is happy about this. No surprise here.
There are some flight departments which suffered a similar fate of at least were close to that. My point is: the CEO (or CFO) of any given company can get rid of his airplanes within a blink of an eye and with a single signature. Has happened before and it will in the future.
Then there are the rather exotic places that Mutt can tell you about. Working there ain't a dance on roses every day either.
There is a saying in a certain European country that 'your neighbor's grass always tends to be greener than your own'.
I even hear LH-guys worrying about their future (but I'm not sure how serious I should take them).
On the one hand there are the absolute cheap buggers, not respecting duty regulations, taking away off days, you'll never see a SIM once you've done your Initial Course, no write-ups in the tech logs (what's an MEL anyway?), make you proceed from duty with cheap airlines in Economy, making you stay in ****ty hotels and asking you to virtually fly for food.
Then there are real decent companies which follow (most of the) rules, which send you to recurrent training twice a year, provide you with okay hotels and C-class rides on long-haul proceedings and pay adequately.
(I cannot overemphasize this
Do not pay for any type rating!
A decent employer who really is interested in
you will take care of that. They might bond you, which is only fair.
Good luck!