alicat26

Hello All,

Well I'm here to post my 1 month update.

In brief I left Florida after living there for 7 years - I even ping ponged back to USA during that time, so this is my second time 'back' in the UK.

I decided to leave the US because I missed the UK alot and couldn't see myself wanting to stay there long term. The work situation was a joke. Just low paying, no benefits jobs for people who treated me like dirt. No healthcare, no holidays what so ever. I just felt trapped into working a job that I hated. I applied for many other jobs in the area and couldn't find one. After 2 years of this nonsense I really decided to act and to get back to the UK where I knew I would at least get health care and paid holidays no matter what.

Back in England - For the past month I applied for jobs in CAD drafting up and down the country. I'm a free agent and I was willing to go whereever the work was. I was hoping to find work outside of Sheffield, not because I hate Sheffield, but I have spent most of my life there and felt ready for a change of scenery.

Before New Year nothing moved on the job front. But the day after New Year the phone just rang off the hook from agencies asking about the kind of work I wanted and if they could forward my CV on for jobs they had.

To cut a long story short - I had one job interview for a large confectionary company. I start the job this monday

The job is in Burton on Trent (near B'ham).

The rate of pay is literally x3 what I was making in Florida - for NO benefits what so ever. So to say i'm thrilled is an understatement, I'm so excited!! The role also involves going to work in Switzerland, all expenses paid for 3 months! I wasn't expecting that curve ball, but i'm up for that adventure too.

I'd urge anyone seeking work in the UK to place their CV on CV Library - thats where I got the call for this job and many others.

Aside from the job hunt, I have been out into the Peak District on some walks - so beautiful! Went out walking around Chatsworth House and all the scenery and rolling hills dotted with sheep and deer was just stunning.

I'm loving the changeable weather too. A day can start out cloudy and rainy, then a few hours later it's bright sunshine and clear blue sky. The weather in FL was so stagnant and predictable - nothing rarely changed - no seasons, just hot, and really hot with thundershowers!

I look forward to my new adventure and new start here. I definitely made the right decision!!

britwhore

Glad to hear everything is going so well

All the best for 2012 and the new job!

Brigette

Congrats! So happy for you. Seems like everything is working out. You now have an amazing job with the opportunity of working in Switzerland! Fantastic.

Thanks so so much for the tip on CV library. I just googled and found it. I most certainly will give it a try when I move back later this year.

Look forward to hearing more updates from you

bandrui

I so enjoyed your update and am very happy that things are working out so well for you. You sound like a real go-getter and I am sure that you will create a good future for yourself.
I remember walking in the peak district, which was also one of my Mother's favourite places to hike when she was young. Beautiful.

Have a great time in Switzerland and be sure to tell us all about it.

Alfresco

Sounds awesome!

Travelling to Switzerland is a bonus.

Fish n Chips 56

I'm so thrilled for you Alicat, only a month and already life is changing for the better, and No more No Vacation Nation.

It just goes to show that the UK has jobs and good jobs, this lady has a good attitiude and was willing to give up everything here for a chance of a better life back in the UK and it worked for her.

I bet it feels wonderful every morning when you wake up and know you have healthcare coverage for the rest of your life, I dream of such things and it will happen for me too but Im stuck here at the moment.

Chatsworth house is lovely and the Peak District too, It all sounds so lovely, Good for you, I wish you all the luck in the World...

I hope others have the guts to follow in your footsteps.

coedyddinas

that's awesome, I will look up CV library - thanks for the tip - we have decided to make the move back in 2013 after what will be 19 years in Australia for me, my husband is australian so it will be a change for him but your story is encouraging. All the best

shelley748

Great news !!! So happy for you!! Certainly an encouragement for the rest of us!!

jemima55

Thrilled! Thats fantastic, and gives hope to all who are moving back or thinking about it.

sirscotsalot

What a great update. SO glad things have worked out for you . Moving back in April.

graphicsgal

Great to hear it's going well, I'll be moving back during the Easter Hols with my two kids while my US husband sells our stuff. Thanks for the info on the CV library, I'll be passing that info onto him. He has applied to some head hunters but they all said come and see us when you come over. He is a high end developer, and most of the jobs seem to be around the London area, but I'd be open to some nice country side. I'm a early childhood educator and i have to get my info to NARIC site so they can translate my degrees.
All the best
Alexis

alicat26

Thank you everyone for the replies

For anyone looking to move back and find work, definitely look at CV Library, I got my current job from there and I had another phone interview from an agency who found my CV there. Another anecdote is that a friend of mine recently secured a job in purchasing from CV Library and also had 3 other phone calls from agencies since then.

I put a landline number and my mobile number on my CV. I noticed that recruiters always called the landline number first, not sure why.

Fish - yes it's great to have health care, something so fundamental and something that I went without for 2 years!

I went to my GP the other week, it was an interesting experience......
While I was standing at reception a member of staff came up to the front and told the receptionist to call the police! I thought what is going on here? Then I saw two men in a wrestling match in the corridor. It turns out that it was a patient who had stolen a blank prescription from a doctors desk. It was a younger male doctor who was grappling with the man who had stolen the prescription. The doctor was saying give it back and ill let you go, the police have been called and well charge you with assault. We were all told to stand in the corner out of the way.

The man ran off and the police arrived and went after him. It was quite a scene. The lengths people will go to in order to write their own prescriptions (probably for their drugs of choice) is amazing.

In a typically British fashion after it was all over the receptionist said to me "I'm ever so sorry about that" I said there's nothing to be sorry about, I feel sorry for the staff who have to deal with people like that. She said "it's all part and parcel of the job". I suppose it is.

Well aside from that I'm still loving being back. I've had my first week at work which went well. Everyone has been so friendly and no one has questioned me as to why am I back here, which is nice. I love the office banter and humor which was none existent in my US jobs. Can't beat that British sense of humor!

NiHao

Thanks so much for the updates, please keep them coming! Glad things are falling into place for you. I'm curious does it feel like home to you or do you feel, don't know the right word but maybe slightly an "outsider" looking in? I'm not sure how long you were in the US for but we've been here a long time and I'm wondering what it would feel like. I've been home a few times in the last 18 years and felt very comfortable but its been a long time and living there is different to visiting.

Fish n Chips 56

Hi Alicat...

I'm glad your first week at work went well, a totally different experience to what you had to deal with here, I love British humour and Ive always missed it...

Ahhhh I love the apoligies, Druggies are everywhere, the world would be a better place without them...

Enjoy next week and keep smiling...
Fish...


the British humour is one thing I really miss, its harmless fun and everyone loves it.

alicat26

NiHao yes I do feel at home here and I am not secretly pining to go back to the US. It's nice to have that feeling that this time it's not a visit and that I don't have to get back on that plane again.

I find things to be pretty much as expected, I was away for 2 years this time but previously I was away for around 5 years. I have been watching Brit tv in the US (sanity saver!) so had been more up to date with news from the British POV and of course British programs and documentaries.

I will share with you a few less positive experiences just for balance and to help those returning.

Driving - in a word, a nightmare. I drove a manual car in UK what I thought was fairly recently, around 2 years ago. Of course the past 2 years I have been driving in the US with its wide roads and idiot proof junctions and grid system streets.

I recently rented a car here in UK and I opted for an automatic thinking that would ease the transition, well it helped but I found the whole experience of driving stressful. Everything seems to come at you quicker, like cyclists come out of nowhere, roundabouts appear, steep hills and parked cars on both sides of the road. Having to negotiate your way down roads where only one car can pass, and at the same time having to judge whether you can fit through the gap with out crashing! And suddenly realizing your in a right turn only lane and can't get out! Or realizing your in the wrong lane on a busy roundabout.

No driving is stressful in any large town or city, don't enjoy it yet I'm afraid.

I don't know why but since being back I've found simple things like ordering a drink at a bar or paying for something at the till very disorientating. I know it sounds bizarre, we speak the same language and it's a simple transaction, but I've found myself getting flustered or not quite catching what someone is saying and feeling silly. When you pay for something at a supermarket you have around 7 seconds to pack your bags (which you should have brought with you) and get the hell out the way, lol. If you haven't brought your own bags you will then spend 15 minutes prying apart those crap plastic bags at the end of the conveyor while everyone continues checking out.

Maybe it's that the pace of things seems fast compared to Florida.

Maybe I've got too used to the routine that every shop assistant or bar attendant or waiter goes through at every place you visit. How are you today? Did you find everything ok? Is plastic ok? Have a great day! Is there anything else I can help you with? And so on.....

Here it's ok thanks, bye! In a nice way, but the experience is faster and doesn't follow the American flow of things, if you know what I mean.

The workplace, a definite improvement for me. Aside from the benefits and pay being worlds apart, like I said the office environment is very different. There's always banter, rounds of coffee and tea. In America it was usually bring your own drinks, none of this put the kettle on and make a cuppa lark, lol. And then when the tin of biscuits comes out, well, what an event that is....oohhh I really shouldn't, ooh lovely, oooh are there any chocolate ones left? In the states someone might bring in doughnuts to share but the last few jobs I've had nothing of the sort happened. Oh and then there the traditional run to the chippy or butty shop on a friday for something incredibly greasy and unhealthy. Or maybe that's a northern thing?! .....but it's traditional!

So there we go! My second week of working awaits then I'm supposed to be going to Switzerland for 3 months....goes to check the moving to Europe section of Be.....