I'm a captain as a US Legacy. I would have no problem downgrading to FO just to eliminate 90% of the bs that a captain has to deal with. But for now they don't fly me much so I tolerate it. LHS isn't all it painted to be. I would stick with your home airline over a foreign one any day and if LHS is really what you want, ask for a leave of absence, one where you retain your seniority, then go fly in Japan or China. Find a month on, month off gig out there.
I have a lot of friends flying for ME carriers. Not one of them is happy.