American living abroad considering moving back to the states.

As the title states, I'm looking to move back to the U.S. after seven years abroad. I've been flipping back and forth between staying where I am and making the jump, but am (I think rightfully) nervous about how much the social, financial, and political climate has changed (especially for women).

While I am very stable where I live and don't have any major complaints, as an expat I am limited in ways I've never been back home. My job has been putting more and more strain on me as of late, and though I'm able to take off up to six months comfortably after my contract is up at the end of June, this hasn't stopped me from daydreaming about leaving. I've spent a large portion of my life working toward leaving the states, so it's insane to me that I'm starting to miss it so much.

Here is a list of the pros and cons of me staying where I am:

Pros:

• Affordable housing

• Affordable health care/ability to be seen by a doctor right away

• Great public transportation

• Convenience (ease of ordering groceries, take-out, clothing, and essentials, online)

• Access to extremely affordable mental health services (of which I use)

• The ability to take months off work for sabbaticals

• Travelling to and from the county is affordable

• More public holidays off than the U.S.

• Less stress (when I'm not at work)

• I rarely, if ever, worry about money or paying my bills

Cons:

• The feeling of not having privacy due to nosiness being embedded into the culture

• The culture and people are very chaotic and loud. Noise pollution is a big problem (to the point of stabbings happening because of it)

• A growing feeling of resentment by locals toward expats since COVID

• Horrible dating environment if you aren't white (I am mixed race (Irish, black, and Latina), which comes with it's own issues, i.e.: "You're so exotic"). It's next to impossible to find anyone HV if you're "other"

• A lack of job opportunities and options though I speak the language

• Not a fan of the weather

• Difficult to build long-lasting friendships and relationships with locals due to flakiness and a lack of wanting to delve outside their close inner circles. It can get VERY lonely

• Covert racism (I am aware that racism exists everywhere, I've lived in multiple countries. But it exists in different forms depending on where you are. It can have an impact on you mentally, financially, or in a variety of ways that make it difficult to exist with your mental health intact. The kind that exists in the U.K is different from the kind experienced in Asian or African countries, for example)

• Toxic job culture that leaves me exhausted and unfulfilled at the end of every day/week

• There are no discrimination laws, especially for expats. Same goes for sex crimes.

• As much as I do follow the culture, a lot of it goes against who I am as a person, and lately it has been difficult to go along with the majority because I value individuality and having the freedom to fly my "freak flag" if I want

I know how privileged I am to have been able to move abroad quite easily, so I hope this post doesn't come off as me whining. I guess I'm looking for some advice or perhaps some insight on what you lovely ladies in the states would do if presented with a similar situation.