I've lived in China for the past three years, and have spent most of that time in a relationship with my local live-in boyfriend. We love each other, we take care of each other, and we make a really great team. I'm happy with everything about him except for his slacker tendencies.

But I need to go back to the US for a year or two for career development and family reasons, and don't know what to do. We could get married so he could come with me, but 1) I'm not ready for that, and 2) He has no English skills, hasn't bothered trying to learn while we've been together, and lacks the work ethic needed to thrive in a foreign country (I know from personal experience doing just that). 

This situation is killing me, but I can't stay in a place that makes me unhappy just for him. How do I tell him that I'm going back to the US? I really don't want to break up, but how can I make a relationship work when it's THAT long-distance and we both lack funds for frequent trips back and forth? And should I even try if I know I'll never be able to be both with him and in my own country?
user
I'm moving away from my boyfriend of 3 years, where I have
assistant
I've lived in China for the past three years, and have spent most of that time in a relationship with my local live-in boyfriend. We love each other, we take care of each other, and we make a really great team. I'm happy with everything about him except for his slacker tendencies.

But I need to go back to the US for a year or two for career development and family reasons, and don't know what to do. We could get married so he could come with me, but 1) I'm not ready for that, and 2) He has no English skills, hasn't bothered trying to learn while we've been together, and lacks the work ethic needed to thrive in a foreign country (I know from personal experience doing just that). 

This situation is killing me, but I can't stay in a place that makes me unhappy just for him. How do I tell him that I'm going back to the US? I really don't want to break up, but how can I make a relationship work when it's THAT long-distance and we both lack funds for frequent trips back and forth? And should I even try if I know I'll never be able to be both with him and in my own country?
user
I'm leaving China in a year, but my boyfriend lives in the
assistant