SarahFM

I've been back in the UK for six months today, sometimes it feels like a I've been here a lot longer and yet sometimes it feels like only yesterday.

Thanks to all the good suggestions I had researched from this site and others, within three weeks of landing I was lucky enough to have a job (albeit contracting) and a house share. I put my CV up on all the usual internet sites, including monster and reed and got approached by a company. It's not ideal but for now it pays the rent. Using spareroom.co.uk I was lucky enough to find a house share close to work.

For the first three months, I was using public transport and then found myself a little banger on the AA website. I got insured through Direct Line and although it is eye wateringly expensive as I can only exchange my SA Drivers licence for a UK one in the middle of May it is worth it. I was lucky enough to have a Barclays wealth account in SA, so as soon as I moved I changed my address with them and was then able to open up a bank account with Barclays here in January. Also, they have a new product which is a credit card for people like us moving around. All you have to do is prove employment and apply, as soon as they see the salary being paid into your account they issued the card. It's not a large credit limit but it is a start on the road to rebuilding credit history. And the cellphone, I had bought my iphone for cash before arriving in UK so started out on a pyg sim which has now been converted into a sim only contract with 02. Once I've been on this for six months, then I'll be able to have a full contract with a new phone.

My family have behaved like a lot of other families I read about, I haven't seen any of mine since Christmas. And boy do the English love a good moan. Especially about the cost of everything and the weather Perhaps because I have moved from a developing country, I have a deeper appreciation for things.

I am so glad I moved back. I live 10 minutes from our local train station and I spend most weekends wandering around London, I am amazed at how drawn I am to the city, my original plan was to live out in Cheltenham but the more time I spend in London the more I think I may be a city girl at heart.

It's still a process, granted and there have been tears by the bucketfull. After all the careful planning and research, who would have though I would be having a panic attack in Sainsburys because I did not know which brand of bread to buy It is indeed the little things that hit you out of leftfield.

But for now, it's all an adventure and there are loads of places to be explored.

elgin

Thanks for your update. I love reading about peoples returns and how they get along. I can only imagine if I were to return I would feel like a fish out of water at times and if I were to return it would mean leaving my kids and grandkids, although they are going to be moving to another State within the year and chances of visiting them much will be slim considering my car is on its last legs! Sounds like you figured things out well and were lucky to get a job and then a car. Well done. I hope you continue to enjoy your move back. Congrats.

Sally Redux

Great update!

NiHao

Thanks for the great update, loads of useful info and I'm so glad that you are feeling good about being back in the UK. It's such a big move but it sounds like things have been starting to fall into place for you.

I love London and Cheltenham, you can't go wrong with either location as your home base and the other for visiting

Snap Shot

Excellent update. It has really cheered me up. How you were able to get work, get a place to live, use public transport then get a car, get insurance, get a phone. Generally get yourself all set is a good journey.

I envy you walking round London, entranced by most of what you see. Albeit when the weather is good.

Englishmaple

Sarah thanks for that update - I really needed to read it as I head back this weekend ... so worried about getting employment and hoping it works out okay.

BTW I can completely relate to panic attacks in Sainsbury's about bread to buy! It's the little things that undo us ... some years ago I lived in Sweden for a little while and supermarket shopping stressed me out until I figured things out! The thing I remember from that was that I used to buy toilet paper called Krap (honest!)

windsong

I have had similar panic attacks after selling off everything I own and moving to another part of the USA to find employment so I could save to go home. In ways, I am now thankful for these experiences because I know full well that anything I could experience "on the other side" I have already experienced here. If I can survive it here, I am darned sure I will survive it back home.

SarahFM

Nihao - I am lucky enough to have family in Gloucester, so if I feel the need to have a Cheltenham fix I can viist. I've also visited Bristol, Bath and Oxford - all places I could live.I live in Reading at the moment, funnily enough where I grew up all those years ago. I have come full circle.

English Maple - The weather is expected to be glorious this weekend, you couldn't have picked a better time to head back. If you DM me when you are back, depending on what work you are looking for I could perhaps help with more specific advice.

There is one sure fire way to shut the doubting thomas up that lives inside your head once and for all. Once you have moved a country, you know that you are capable of anything. Although, I have to say there is much to be said for a nice comfortable rut. I firmly intend to dig my self a new one and bed down - no more midlife crisis

Englishmaple

Thanks Sarah - it's snowing heavily here (I kid you not!).

I'm looking for employers who can accommodate a good employee with RSI - so are happy to offer good keyboard ergonomics and Dragon naturally speaking software.

I've worked as a librarian (love health libraries and public libraries), yoga teacher, meditation teacher (am a long time meditator), researcher and done social work placements in canada (have a Canadian social work degree but not yet registered with HPC). I have good research skills, good people skills (people tell me this!) and can write well professionally (I graduated with a distinction in my Canadian degree and have written journal papers/reports in my research career). I've also done retail in the past and lots of contract research work. I am open to most things but can't do a job at the moment which requires 100% keyboard work all day as I'll be in too much pain. But I think I can do a job with about 50/60% keyboard work (or possibly a bit more) if the ergonomics are set up right. I like working with people, doing research, public speaking/presentations, group facilitation and individual counselling.
Aside from health stuff, the only thing that I have to consider is my math ability - I suck at math!
You are right that once moving country it's possible to do anything! (am repeating that as my mantra at the moment!).

Snap Shot

Comin' right back at ya ! (It wasn't my mid life crisis, honest guv'nor, it wasn't.)

sallysimmons

Ain't that the truth! I have a lovely neighbour who has become a good friend, but I swear he'd object to any price for anything. If you told him that a brand new BMW would cost him 10 pounds, he'd say "10 pounds?! For that?!"

And everyone around me is moaning about winter, even though it was mild and hardly snowed even up here in the northern hills. Yes it was grey and rainy - it's England in winter! What did they expect?

Oy!