Forced to return to the UK
 

I only just discovered this forum yesterday and have spent hours reading up on the different threads.

My situation is as follows. I came over to South America with my family almost 30 years ago, I grew up in this South American country (I would prefer not to name it) got married, have three kids and a career. My parents and brothers returned to the UK a few years ago but I stayed on here. The current situation is that due to grave social and political unrest in this country (and I mean terrible, such as bombings, major strikes, rioting etc.etc.) I consider that it is now extremely dangerous for me and family to remain here. The government of this country has over the last few months started an anti-foreigner campaign which has made the situation even worse, because although I and my family have dual nationality here and speak the language to perfection we are physically very foreign looking (blond, blue eyed etc.) and are therefore the target of slurs and actual violence in some parts of the city.

I have returned to Britain on two occasions and failed to get a job, having to come back here (literally defeated) the last time this happened was three years ago when I sold everything I owned here and returned with my three kids only to have to come back after four months, penniless. This country does not allow foreign currency, it is actually a crime to have any foreign currency whatsoever the only way to travel is to apply for a sort of card which allows you a maximum of three thousand dollars other than that you cannot carry any money with you at all.

My question would be, has anybody ever been in a similar situation?, I feel now that I have to return to the UK for my own and by family´s safety. My husband is a doctor and he would be staying on here for a while because he is doing a post graduate course. He would be unable to send me any money at all since it is illegal. I am hoping to get a job, even if it was menial. I am a paralegal specialized in trademarks and patents but for some reason I have been unable to obtain any work in Britain ever!!

I would be staying for a while with my parents but of course the idea would be to get a job and get on!!!

I would love to have your thoughts on this because I am literally terrified of failing yet again.

Thanks

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

I'd hoped to get immediate and interested replies, I've never been in this sort of forum before so I am whoefully inexperienced in this sort of thing, should I be waiting for inspired insights to my plight, or is South America so far away that - Ho-Hum who cares - ??? are Brits "insular" all over the world then???

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

No, I think people here are generally extremely helpful, but your question is likely to be outside most people's experiences.

Also, I feel you are being a bit optimistic in expecting an immediate reply? (Those of us in 'America' are only just waking up...)

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

Gosh Ilene give us a chance to have a coffee at least. :) Welcome to the forum by the way. Right down to your question about the UK. I have not lived there for 2 years however I know that when I left jobs were plentiful (although I wouldnt know in your particular field) I lived in the South of England. The companies I've ever worked for had trouble filling positions. So if you are prepared to open yourself to different opportunities I wouldnt see you would have a problem. What area are you planning on living? Maybe someone who came from that area would have more specific advice on that. I guess that if you are living with your parents some of the financial pressure would be off for the short term which would give you a chance to get yourself established.

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

Hi Ilene.
I cant say my situation is anything comparable to yours, except that I have not been living in the UK longer than you! it does seem that you should leave soon though as you and your children being in any danger is not worth you staying there! I am going back with my husband and children and I have the same fears of finding a job, especially as all my job experience has been here in the USA. But from what my relatives in England have said, there are jobs to be had!! so I am going with full confidence. Surely you will be able to find something even if its in a different field from what you do now. You can always change jobs again later if the opportunity arises.
The good thing is you do have your parents and a brother there to help you get started. Ihtink you will be able to find a job, just dont give up!
Good luck to you and let us know how you are faring.
Oh, and welcome to the forum! :)

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

Sorry everybody, it's just that I'm getting desperate. My parents are pensioners and live in a static caravan in Burgh Castle (just outside Great Yarmouth) so the financial side will be dire.. I have investigated some job opportunities in Norwich and surrounding areas and they seem to be promissing, however my last experience was the same, I had lots of initial offers but then things just sort of came to a grinding halt. I am still committed however to returning to Britain because I feel at this point that I have no option. I would just like to know how people survive when they don't have pots of money (the only money I will have to survive until I get a job will be a little under about 1.000 pounds!!) it seems to me that most people on this forum have money from sales of houses or fabulous jobs or husbands who make lots of money so the financial side doesn't seem to be a big problem, I'm just worrying about not ending up on the street. I'm not entitled to any government benefits at all because I've been out of the country almost all of my life. However I still feel very much a Brit.... Thanks to all and sorry for my impatience!! :)

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

I'm not sure this is the best forum to answer your questions. Why not try the discussion boards on the Motley Fool: www.fool.co.uk.

They have boards on just about every topic related to life in the UK, not just financial things, and are generally very helpful. The 'Does Anybody Know' board is usually a good place to start with a general question (just keep it brief, at least initially!). The ''Comfort Cafe' is full of people willing to listen and lend moral support.

Good luck :)

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

Sounds like you're possibly in Colombia?

My husband's former colleague (a British expat) married a woman from Colombia - she was a journalist with the Washington Post. They have moved to Cambridgeshire in England and she teaches Spanish at the local secondary school. Maybe teaching Spanish/Portuguese could be an option for you to explore?

Have you got a UK National Insurance number? You will need to arrange this if you haven't got one yet and it would be helpful if you have a UK bank account.

As you are a paralegal (which isn't a job title in the UK as far as I know) you would probably need to look for jobs as a 'Legal Secretary' or "Legal Executive".

Just look up the temporary recruitment agencies...I've just looked up Office Angels and Kelly Services - they're not just in London and the South East, they have offices in most major cities... and by looking at their websites there are *loads* of office jobs of all kinds and categories throughout the country....take a look here for instance, but do go to yahoo.co.uk or google.co.uk and type in 'Temporary employment agencies' and you will get lots of hits. You may argue that you don't want a temp job...but it's a way in to getting UK job experience and temp jobs frequently lead to permanent jobs anyway. I'm sure you would be in demand as you're obviously bi-lingual.

Good Luck:

http://www.kellyservices.co.uk/epris.../en/index.html

http://www.office-angels.com/content_static/splash.asp

In London:

http://www.secsinthecity.co.uk

+ there are many, many more!

(Just wondering...maybe it's your attitude which has prevented you from finding work in the UK? Your second post certainly indicates that you are quite opinionated and impatient....maybe it comes across in job applications and interviews?)

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

You say that you've had some interest on the job front but it's ground to a halt when you've got here. If the interest is there and has been expressed, then don't quit too quickly, as it does take a little waiting, and you may take a month or two to get employment, but once you're in the loop, that's it!

I realise it's much easier said than done, but in the meantime you can always take any job which comes along, in order to put a roof over your head and food on your plate. With the job title you gave, I'd be extremely surprised if you couldn't find a well paying job, and quickly, in the UK.

It's a trap that people often fall into, looking under A for Accountant in the job pages, instead of A thru Z looking for anything which matches their skills and abilities.

All the best and I wish you every success.

jamie

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

[QUOTE=Ilene] My circumstances are very different to yours but the job situation did ring a bell, I am finding that the uk is not very good at employing people who are still overseas, most actually want to meet you face to face so that they can judge you. In my job my references say it all but still most people are saying no until I can be available for interview. So don't give up or get desperate, keep trying and wait and see how it goes when you get over there. Also not all of us who sell houses will have loads of money when we get back, if you read alot of these threads you will see that most of us spend what money we have made getting back due to the high costs of flights and containers, so we are all in the same boat of going back to nothing and starting again. Keep talking about it and you will feel better, and realisticly life in the uk must be better than where you are living now so feel opptomistic.

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

Pop down to your local council when you get there & see if they can help, I don't know if you can claim asylum as you're a Brit, but you can at least find out if there is anything they can do to help. Here is their website http://www.great-yarmouth.gov.uk/ Here are some links to job sites:
http://www.jobsgopublic.com/ http://www.norfolkccjobs.com/norpog/

Hope everything works out for you.

Re: Forced to return to the UK
 

Thank you to everybody for your help and thoughts. No. I'm not in Colombia,(very near though) unfortunately most people don't know what is going on in the country I live in because it is not on the news and we live under the illusion of a Democracy. And no I'm not an impatient person in general (I've lived in South America for 30 years, patience is learned due to the "mañana" culture out here). It just seems to me that maybe I've had a bit of bad luck on the job side of things. I have been looking into qualifying as a legal executive which would be roughly the equivalent of my "paralegal" status here. I have also looked at the council sites and found them promising, and yes getting a temporary job to start with would be probably be my best bet to get the necessary experience in the UK. I'm just waiting to get my car sold in order to buy the "dollar" card which will keep me alive until I get my stuff together. I'll probably be travelling around the end of April, I'll keep you posted on things. Thanks again to all.