Returning to UK after 43 years
May 12th 2013, 10:59 am
#1
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Joined: May 2013
Location: Johannesburg, RSA
Posts: 7
Returning to UK after 43 years
Hi. My name is Karen and I am thinking of moving to the UK in the next year. I was born there but my parents moved to South Africa when I was a year old. So, although I am technically an expat, I have no personal memory or knowledge of life in the UK (besides a few holidays), so consider myself a foreigner lucky enough to also be a British citizen! Given that I am currently getting divorced, I thought I would see this as an opportunity for a life change - I have two young sons (aged 9 and 11), and I would love for them to experience their British heritage and I could do with an adventure of my own. Their father is happy for them to move to the UK. I hope to find a decent job (I am a qualified librarian and currently working as a senior manager in a public library) but am very willing to downgrade and increase the time I can spend with my children and throw in some travel. I hope that this forum can assist in advising on what I should know and do before moving, even which are nice family places to move to (not London!), and especially assist with understanding the multitude of forms, procedures and taxes, etc. I will encounter. 
May 12th 2013, 7:59 pm
#2
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: East Seaxe
Posts: 72,552
Re: Returning to UK after 43 years
Hi. My name is Karen and I am thinking of moving to the UK in the next year. I was born there but my parents moved to South Africa when I was a year old. So, although I am technically an expat, I have no personal memory or knowledge of life in the UK (besides a few holidays), so consider myself a foreigner lucky enough to also be a British citizen! Given that I am currently getting divorced, I thought I would see this as an opportunity for a life change - I have two young sons (aged 9 and 11), and I would love for them to experience their British heritage and I could do with an adventure of my own. Their father is happy for them to move to the UK. I hope to find a decent job (I am a qualified librarian and currently working as a senior manager in a public library) but am very willing to downgrade and increase the time I can spend with my children and throw in some travel. I hope that this forum can assist in advising on what I should know and do before moving, even which are nice family places to move to (not London!), and especially assist with understanding the multitude of forms, procedures and taxes, etc. I will encounter.
I recommend you read through the threads in this part of the forum.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=61
Lots of useful information there.
Welcome to BE.
May 12th 2013, 8:06 pm
#3
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Returning to UK after 43 years
Hi. My name is Karen and I am thinking of moving to the UK in the next year. I was born there but my parents moved to South Africa when I was a year old. So, although I am technically an expat, I have no personal memory or knowledge of life in the UK (besides a few holidays), so consider myself a foreigner lucky enough to also be a British citizen! Given that I am currently getting divorced, I thought I would see this as an opportunity for a life change - I have two young sons (aged 9 and 11), and I would love for them to experience their British heritage and I could do with an adventure of my own. Their father is happy for them to move to the UK. I hope to find a decent job (I am a qualified librarian and currently working as a senior manager in a public library) but am very willing to downgrade and increase the time I can spend with my children and throw in some travel. I hope that this forum can assist in advising on what I should know and do before moving, even which are nice family places to move to (not London!), and especially assist with understanding the multitude of forms, procedures and taxes, etc. I will encounter.
Welcome to BE Karen.
As LIW said do take a look around the Moving Back To The UK Forums. I think you will find many people in similar circumstances to yourself. The people who post in the MBTTUK forums are a very helpful and supportive bunch of folk...so please do not be afraid to ask for help and advice.
Good luck.
May 12th 2013, 9:36 pm
#4
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Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,662
Re: Returning to UK after 43 years
Not to be "raining on your parade", what happens if you don't get a decent job?
There is still relatively high unemployment in the UK, its more expensive to live in than South Africa, and you have never lived there for any long periods except vacations.
Would it not be more sensible to take a sabbatical from your job (if possible) and try say a six month stint over there?
There is still relatively high unemployment in the UK, its more expensive to live in than South Africa, and you have never lived there for any long periods except vacations.
Would it not be more sensible to take a sabbatical from your job (if possible) and try say a six month stint over there?
May 13th 2013, 9:13 am
#5
...............
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Far North Queensland
Posts: 17,625
Re: Returning to UK after 43 years
Hello and welcome to the forum.
Do plenty of research before you burn your bridges. What SanDiegogirl says is very wise. It's all too easy to think that the grass is greener (in another country) but so many problems in UK and mainland Europe these days.
All the best with your planning and research.
Do plenty of research before you burn your bridges. What SanDiegogirl says is very wise. It's all too easy to think that the grass is greener (in another country) but so many problems in UK and mainland Europe these days.
All the best with your planning and research.
May 13th 2013, 11:55 am
#6
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 567
Re: Returning to UK after 43 years
You might want to have a look at the CILIP website and see whether your qualification is recognised. There's a whole Jobs and Careers section. Librarianship is a tough career in the UK right now as public libraries are being closed down and other areas are making qualified staff redundant and replacing them with much lower paid, unqualified people.
