me me

I have been reading this blog, about the dilema faced by a TEFL teacher who is also a budding writer, on wether to go back to UK or stay in Spain.

It makes an interesting little read.

http://spainforpleasure.com/2013/02/...advice-needed/

rugbymatt

They should move to Madrid... loads of TEFL jobs there apparently....

pete_l

I pride myself on putting happiness before everything

You can't help people who only have a "holiday" mind-set about being in Spain.
(And having read the piece in question, that's the most complimentary thing I can think of about this individual)

andyrich666

Its also a comparison to London, and that is a love it or hate it place, If I could afford to live back in London albeit it a more attractive area to where I lived before then I would prefer to stay in UK, but I can't so we wont.

For others I imagine they would hate living in London, we really tried in the last 4 years to find somewhere in London but it has not worked so we said we will try a year in Spain, and reflect this time next year.

cricketman

London is great and is the only part of the UK I would consider moving back to

However, you need to earn £100k per year plus to have a good family lifestyle there, and then you need to work long hours to earn that, so that I would never get to see my family

So Oviedo is still the choice for me

jackytoo

TEFL Teacher and budding writer and he uses the word Career

Retired in Euskadi

The blog is all about "me, me me".
What's the use of advice, when all he needs is to think through the pros & cons himself.

casa del sol

I do not agree and I have lived in London for more than 45 years, and no you don't need to earn £100k to live there, London has good cheap transport, a car is not essential, everything is within a few miles radius, food can be cheaper than other places, the water and council taxes are often cheaper than other places in the UK.

But it is overcrowded, the traffic is bad, the pollution is poor, not all services such as schools and health are as good as other places in UK. Lack of open spaces, fresh air, nature, everyone running around like headless chickens, busy,busy, shopping, shopping. For quality of life there are better places in the UK to choose to live.

cricketman

Crickey, we earnt close to £100k 7 years ago, lived in a 1 bed flat, had no car or children and barely scraped by

I actually think £150k would be a minimum for having a family in London. Nursery fees are £1,200 per month for a start. State schools are generally terrible. And a family home is £2,500 per month rent or £600k plus to buy.

Yes there are "cheaper" places in Greater London, but the cheaper places are horrible. The difference between a nice and a horrible street or neighbourhood in London is immense.

And transport isnt that cheap. £150 per month per person for a zone 1-3 travel card. You can run a nice car for £300 per month. I also wouldnt fancy getting two small children onto a train or tube

andyrich666

Depends what the quality of life you want it, I don't have a good quality of life where I am but I feel in London it would be much better.

Other than having some type of social housing I don't know how you can afford to live in London. Even say where I used live in Hendon, id say for me to be happy there now in a development of my choice Id have to be on £75k p.a.

jackytoo

London of course is more expensive but don't forget most reputable jobs pay a London allowance. About £4000pa. If you do get on the property ladder there is plenty of room to move out and get a nice property. A modest house in London would sell for a million which would buy a nice pad in Hampshire or Surrey...of course, there would be no going back....if you wanted to that is

I wouldn't like to live in London now but I loved it when I was 20+. I certainly wouldn't have considered going to the club med countries for a career choice when I was young. Wanted to be with the movers and shakers

rugbymatt

You do make me laugh....

pete_l

Millions of Londoners and visitors do this on a daily basis.

Rotor

Hence a family man on £50k living in Cornwall or Devon would be far better off

jjh

Or in Brighton, where we lived? It´s London prices there but not London wages and if you work in London, you´re paying a fortune in rail fares for a 1 hour journey.