MissBetty

Hello everyone! Well it's been a while since I've been on here but today is the third anniversary of me being back in the UK and I wanted to pop in and say hello to everyone

Well the story so far, I went off and worked on the cruise liners last year, it was fun but very long hours for very low pay. I knew it wouldn't be all that but I had to try it and get it out of my system, saw some great places but I decided not to renew my contract this year.

Now I'm permanently back in the UK, I'm still a paramedic practitioner and I am still self employed. I do out of hours work for an agency, mainly home visits dealing with elderly people which I love. My main aim is to keep them out of hospital and treat them at at home unless they actually want to go to hospital but, of course, they would rather not! The firm I work for is ok, there's a lot of bitching and politics going on but I stay well out of it, had enough of that to last me a lifetime. I go in, pick up my paperwork, drugs, laptop and car and out I go for the day only returning at the end of my shift.

I only work part time now as I can afford to live on less money and, hey, I'm not getting any younger ha ha!!!! Tbh I couldn't do this job full time now, I never really regained my confidence after all the bullying I suffered in Australia, I don't trust new people anymore and I don't socialise at all with my colleagues. I only spend time with my family and a few close friends, I have the odd bout of depression - usually in the winter - but generally I'm very content. I've found it's taken me three years to deal with everything that happened to me and now I've finally put it behind me at long last. I made some really good friends here now and I have a good social life, it seemed like it took forever but I got there in the end.

I've had a couple of trips this year already, I've been to Malta, Barcelona and Dublin so far. I do love the cheap flights and the fact it only takes a few hours to end up somewhere interesting - and warm!!! Off to Paris in August and again in October for my birthday, the big five oh this year - gulp! My Mum and sister are coming with me and we have rented a great apartment for a few days, there will be plenty of champagne and I might even dance on the table - just once for old times sake

Well I won't bang on, as you all know I've had my ups and downs since I've been back but I still think coming back was the right thing for me personally. I'm sitting here now drinking a nice cuppa, the window is open and the sunshine is streaming through this afternoon. I can hear a blues band playing 5 doors down in my local pub and two seagulls are having a heated discussion on the window ledge opposite - noisy devils - it's my idea of heaven!

Hope you're all doing ok, will have a good read now and a catch up with what you've all been up to, hugs to you all! Betty xx

fulwood

Lovely to hear from you MissBetty..

easty1976

Hi MissBetty,


I wasn't around when you were going through hell with the bullying and am really glad to hear that things are going well for you now. It can be a real shock to the system working in the Australian workforce.


Really pleased that life seems to be working out for you. I will probably be going back to the UK in the next 12 months and stories like yours make it a little more hopeful. Thanks for sharing, and sorry you had to go through so much anguish!!!

feelbritish

Great to hear from you again with your news. I think that friendships here are much more genuine. I connected up with two friends I had in the town I lived in before Canada and we have settled back into and it was like reconnecting as if we had not been away! These two girls I had lost touch with for 15 years but it made no difference. We are all just the same. Watching "Britains got talent" last night made me really proud of my roots and happy here amongst my own people. Winter is when I also get depressed but we have made a decission to go to Cape Town every year to be with my family for 3 months so I can now look forward to that when the grey skies get to me too much! Love the short breaks you can get here and I spend a lot of time on sites with cheap holidays. When in Canada it was always so expensive to travel. Like Australia it was so far from everything. Thanks for coming back with an update and look forward to more postings from you. You ever start that book?

Lorry1

Hey MissB, it's great to hear from you. It sounds like you have had an amazing adventure back home. WOW I am jealous of the cruise ship work...although I know it's long hours and the pay is indeed crap, but you got to see so many gorgeous places.

It does take a while to get over being bullied as it certainly knocks your confidence, but it sounds like you are well on your way and starting to enjoy life again.

We are hurtling towards our 3 year anniversary too! I just can't believe time really does fly when you're happy and having fun. I will post my update in July

Take care MissB!

MissBetty

And you! Hope all is well

MissBetty

Thanks for the lovely reply mate, until you've experienced it you wouldn't read about it would ya?!!!

Yeah it was pretty bad, first time I've ever been bullied by colleagues not managers - was so happy to leave! I grew up in Oz and came here when I was 14, kept longing to return for good then I got offered a great job and off I went!

I don't have any regrets, I met some amazing people and had some great experiences but it really truly made me appreciate what I had back in the UK. It took a while to settle back in and I still say the two things I hate here and can't deal with are the cold in Jan/Feb and the bloody traffic

I look at the UK with fresh eyes now but it really did help that I had my own home to come back to and a very supportive family back here. Good luck with it all if you decide to make the move, I always found people on here to be really good with help and ideas and even - dare I even say the word - if you just wanted a bloody good whinge ha ha ha!!!

MissBetty

Oh wow so you are back now too?! That's great news and glad that you are happy and settled in, the winter breaks sound just perfect

Actually I have started that book! I've written the first chapter and I've made some rough notes but yes, I can assure you I have made a start!!! Lovely to hear from you

MissBetty

Hello my Phish Food loving friend ha ha! Yes nearly three years for you too isn't it? Most days I feel like I've never been away, I'm reallly happy and totally settled here now.

A good friend of mine was over from Oz recently and I met his new fiancée, she's a really lovely girl and we got on famously. They have invited me to their wedding in Qld next year and, I'm sorry to say, I have no intention of going. I am so happy for them as its a 'late in life' relationship but I just hate the thought of going back, it holds no appeal for me whatsoever.

Well I'll be looking out for your update in a few weeks then, great to hear from you x

MissBetty

Oh and there's something I forgot to say! Do you all remember when my Dad got cancer and I asked for time off to look after him and the offshore company I worked for let me go?
Well how's this for karma - they went BANKRUPT!!!!! Just goes to show eh?!!

vikingsail

Hello MissB, thank you for the update. Its great see how things have evolved for you and to read your story over the last 3 years. Tinged for me with a little sadness for what could have been...yes I'm still here! Working slowly toward my adjusted plan 36 months left now

MissBetty

Hello, nice to hear from you! I just think, for whatever reason, it just wasn't the right time for you. Also I didn't have a child to consider so my situation was completely different to yours. It's only three years and they will fly by, everything will work out for you just fine - you'll see! Keep me posted on how you're doing and I know you'll get there in the end

vikingsail

Indeed, timing is everything, I often think of that old 'ignorance is bliss' statement, most people miss off the second line 'tis folly to be wise.

Perth

Hi Miss Betty! (this is Monique - slight change of user name)

Great to see you back I was just thinking about you the other day and almost sent you a pm. Really great to hear everything is going well. I knew you would settle into something eventually.

I remember when you were going through all that bullying. Just last year I quit a job because of something similar. Not so much bullying, but back stabbing. It almost broke me. It turns out that quitting was the best thing I could have done.

Now I am busy getting the house ready to sell, and OH has a couple of people interested in buying our business. We are on track for coming back in the fall

MissBetty

Hello M! Wow not long for you now, so pleased for you as I know it's been such a long process!

It's funny isn't how nasty people can be and for no reason, it seems so many people mistake kindness for weakness, they think they can treat you like crap and get away with it. That's why I love working with my elderly patients, they're so stoic, polite, grateful and generally just lovely - they have a wicked sense of humour too!!!! There will never be another generation like them - sadly!

Like I said before, even though it was an awful experience it made me quit that job and place and, like you, it's the best thing I could have done. I got to spend that last year with my Dad and now my life is pretty good while they're all still there, bitching, fighting and being evil to my replacement. I'm still in touch with Gay Boss and he tells me all the news, nothing's changed and I'm so glad to be away from all those toxic people!!!

Good luck with everything I'll be looking out for your news