I need to read more about Narrative Psychology, it seems that a number of ex-patriates have personal myths which help justify why they left their country of birth. While similar to buyer's regret (finding reasons to explain your decision after it was made, e.g. people watching the ads for their car more intently *after* they bought the car), perhaps the depths of the arguments just signify the import people attached to their birth country.

Or perhaps they just caught a lot of flack on leaving, so they had to dig some defensive trenches.

And I need to get these stories down...