Want to go home to UK
#16
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,100
Re: Want to go home to UK
My mum is 82 in December and in amazingly good health and looks years younger. She only gave up her little part time job in the market when she was 75 and has only given up her line dancing about 2 years ago. She is always going on package tours to Spain and the Canary Isles. She even went to Las Vegas a few years back with her girlfriends. I hope I have inherited her genes and if so that means I have at least another 25 years of living to do..........in my own country....oh I am sooo happy I am going home!!!
Only 13 weeks to go...............
Only 13 weeks to go...............
A friend of mine in Britain who just retired from teaching told me he gets 1,000 pounds a month pension - he's 60. He about fell on the floor when I told him I would receive 1700 pounds a month from the US for my social security and pension combined, so I think I will be okay. I still don't know how much it will buy because I need to pay for housing over there, so I may still need a job until I reach 65 and retire properly. I am 58 now.
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Coming up for air
Posts: 98
Re: Want to go home to UK
Windsong, I am sure you would be able to get a teaching job in the UK, especially if you qualified there in the first place. You probably already know this but just in case you don't, here is the relevant website for info - http://www.gtce.org.uk/ Good luck. I also look forward to walking up those Lake District/Derbyshire/Welsh/Skye hills well into my 70's and beyond! Cheers
#18
Re: Want to go home to UK
Windsong, I am sure you would be able to get a teaching job in the UK, especially if you qualified there in the first place. You probably already know this but just in case you don't, here is the relevant website for info - http://www.gtce.org.uk/ Good luck. I also look forward to walking up those Lake District/Derbyshire/Welsh/Skye hills well into my 70's and beyond! Cheers
I haven't done much of it since I came back here......
I am in Sydney moonsurfer where are you if you don't mind my asking?
#19
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Coming up for air
Posts: 98
Re: Want to go home to UK
Still remember Striding Edge a few years back - scary in the sleet and wind
I'm in Canberra counting the days
#20
Re: Want to go home to UK
Have you seen Quoll's posts lately? She lives there too and is home in the UK for a holiday but dreading going back there tomorrow.
Do you have a date? And do you come on the "Over 50's and 60's" thread or are you a spring chicken?
#21
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,100
Re: Want to go home to UK
Windsong, I am sure you would be able to get a teaching job in the UK, especially if you qualified there in the first place. You probably already know this but just in case you don't, here is the relevant website for info - http://www.gtce.org.uk/ Good luck. I also look forward to walking up those Lake District/Derbyshire/Welsh/Skye hills well into my 70's and beyond! Cheers
#22
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Coming up for air
Posts: 98
Re: Want to go home to UK
Ah yes Canberra, I remember it well, the city where I felt like sticking pins in my eyes LOL!!
Have you seen Quoll's posts lately? She lives there too and is home in the UK for a holiday but dreading going back there tomorrow.
Do you have a date? And do you come on the "Over 50's and 60's" thread or are you a spring chicken?
Have you seen Quoll's posts lately? She lives there too and is home in the UK for a holiday but dreading going back there tomorrow.
Do you have a date? And do you come on the "Over 50's and 60's" thread or are you a spring chicken?
I'll be going in July next year all being well. Certainly have been on the over 50's-60s and am inspired by the courage and determination of the folk on there. I'm not quite 50 but it is looming
#23
Re: Want to go home to UK
Windsong, I am sure you would be able to get a teaching job in the UK, especially if you qualified there in the first place. You probably already know this but just in case you don't, here is the relevant website for info - http://www.gtce.org.uk/ Good luck. I also look forward to walking up those Lake District/Derbyshire/Welsh/Skye hills well into my 70's and beyond! Cheers
It is extremely difficult to get a teaching job at the moment, especially in Scotland, and being out of the system for many years will not help at all. The education system has changed completely over the past 10-20 years and education authorities are more likely to hire an inexpensive, newly trained, up to date teacher than a (potentially expensive/senior) person who is unfamiliar with the current system of education.
Sorry to rain on Windsong's parade, but it's important to be realistically prepared for the potential challenges. I've posted previously on the number of unemployed qualified teachers in Scotland and I'm not sure at all that a returning long-time expat will be able to find employment as a teacher.
#24
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,100
Re: Want to go home to UK
I know this part of the BE site is primarily to give support to returnees, but I think false optimism doesn't help.
It is extremely difficult to get a teaching job at the moment, especially in Scotland, and being out of the system for many years will not help at all. The education system has changed completely over the past 10-20 years and education authorities are more likely to hire an inexpensive, newly trained, up to date teacher than a (potentially expensive/senior) person who is unfamiliar with the current system of education.
Sorry to rain on Windsong's parade, but it's important to be realistically prepared for the potential challenges. I've posted previously on the number of unemployed qualified teachers in Scotland and I'm not sure at all that a returning long-time expat will be able to find employment as a teacher.
It is extremely difficult to get a teaching job at the moment, especially in Scotland, and being out of the system for many years will not help at all. The education system has changed completely over the past 10-20 years and education authorities are more likely to hire an inexpensive, newly trained, up to date teacher than a (potentially expensive/senior) person who is unfamiliar with the current system of education.
Sorry to rain on Windsong's parade, but it's important to be realistically prepared for the potential challenges. I've posted previously on the number of unemployed qualified teachers in Scotland and I'm not sure at all that a returning long-time expat will be able to find employment as a teacher.
#25
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: CHELTENHAM, Gloucestershire, England
Posts: 1,494
Re: Want to go home to UK
Thirty years.....the Britain of 1980 and the Britain of 2010......that's quite a long time in between those two chronological dates......and a lot has changed during those thirty years.....and not all for the good either, unfortunately.
Social values have changed, sections of British society have changed and the way much of that society behaves and attitudes in general have changed quite markedly.
On the other hand, many other aspects of life in Britain during those thirty years have improved greatly. We now enjoy many more material things which are beneficial to us now in many ways which simply did not exist in 1980, so perhaps all those advantages go some way to offset all the negatives currently present in sections of British society today and which are much more apparent these days, and have become more so over the past thirteen years.
But all said and done there are still very many facets of life in the UK which are really good and enjoyable, so I will quite whingeing about the negatives and concentrate on the many positives. We do have much to be proud about in these islands after all, whatever our personal circumstances in the current difficult economic times of cut backs and monetary restraint.
Social values have changed, sections of British society have changed and the way much of that society behaves and attitudes in general have changed quite markedly.
On the other hand, many other aspects of life in Britain during those thirty years have improved greatly. We now enjoy many more material things which are beneficial to us now in many ways which simply did not exist in 1980, so perhaps all those advantages go some way to offset all the negatives currently present in sections of British society today and which are much more apparent these days, and have become more so over the past thirteen years.
But all said and done there are still very many facets of life in the UK which are really good and enjoyable, so I will quite whingeing about the negatives and concentrate on the many positives. We do have much to be proud about in these islands after all, whatever our personal circumstances in the current difficult economic times of cut backs and monetary restraint.
#26
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,100
Re: Want to go home to UK
Thirty years.....the Britain of 1980 and the Britain of 2010......that's quite a long time in between those two chronological dates......and a lot has changed during those thirty years.....and not all for the good either, unfortunately.
Social values have changed, sections of British society have changed and the way much of that society behaves and attitudes in general have changed quite markedly.
On the other hand, many other aspects of life in Britain during those thirty years have improved greatly. We now enjoy many more material things which are beneficial to us now in many ways which simply did not exist in 1980, so perhaps all those advantages go some way to offset all the negatives currently present in sections of British society today and which are much more apparent these days, and have become more so over the past thirteen years.
But all said and done there are still very many facets of life in the UK which are really good and enjoyable, so I will quite whingeing about the negatives and concentrate on the many positives. We do have much to be proud about in these islands after all, whatever our personal circumstances in the current difficult economic times of cut backs and monetary restraint.
Social values have changed, sections of British society have changed and the way much of that society behaves and attitudes in general have changed quite markedly.
On the other hand, many other aspects of life in Britain during those thirty years have improved greatly. We now enjoy many more material things which are beneficial to us now in many ways which simply did not exist in 1980, so perhaps all those advantages go some way to offset all the negatives currently present in sections of British society today and which are much more apparent these days, and have become more so over the past thirteen years.
But all said and done there are still very many facets of life in the UK which are really good and enjoyable, so I will quite whingeing about the negatives and concentrate on the many positives. We do have much to be proud about in these islands after all, whatever our personal circumstances in the current difficult economic times of cut backs and monetary restraint.
It sounds a if you perhaps remember how life was in 1980. Can you tell me about those changes, or some of them?
It appears secondary school teacher jobs are scarce so can you tell me roughly how much personal assistants make over there? Or, where can I go to find out? I want to investigate work opportunities there so I know what I am looking for before I get there. I have given myself two years to plan my move. I was hoping to begin drawing social security at age 60 but it appears it is 62 and, as such, I want to know how much I can make over there so I know I will be able to survive.
#28
Re: Want to go home to UK
But all said and done there are still very many facets of life in the UK which are really good and enjoyable, so I will quite whingeing about the negatives and concentrate on the many positives. We do have much to be proud about in these islands after all, whatever our personal circumstances in the current difficult economic times of cut backs and monetary restraint.
When I was back in the UK I was surprised how little I thought it had changed. I had heard all the dire warnings of massive change, so maybe I was expecting a completely strange place but it all seemed so familiar - only better. The restaurants for one thing - there was nothing like that when I left 20 years ago! The small towns were much more cosmopolitan and I like that. Admittedly I didn't go into rough city centres, but then I have no interest in living somewhere like that.
#29
Re: Want to go home to UK
I also don't have much money to take back with me; however, I can begin to take a small pension from a 16-year long job in the U.S. at age 60 and also social security at age 60. If I do that, though, can I work in the U.K? I don't see why not but I don't know if beginning to receive social security from the U.S. would prevent me from working there. I believe in the U.S. after you start receiving social security you can only earn so much after that.
#30
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,100
Re: Want to go home to UK
Yes, I am a U.S. citizen. I am assuming it is easy to receive funds in another country.