Bright side of life ...
Aug 4th 2004, 2:52 pm
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Bright side of life ...
Originally posted by Duncs
Shit that sucks, hang in there though.
As for the postives here. Nope not for me. I came here because my wife seemed keen to come home and according to IND it was going to be upto 18 months before she could get further leave to remain in the UK. I had a lot of debts in the Uk and we had money problems as i was losing my job in august 2003. We figured what the hell take a chance on the USA she has 2 masters, i have a masters we are bound to find work right? HA!. Its now 12months since i had a job which is the longest period of unemployment in my whole life. Ended up enrolling for grad school because i just dont know what else to do, but as you can tell from my 2.05am post i cant sleep for worrying about whether its really worth it. I left the UK partly because i had around £40,000 in debts i couldnt pay off and now after a couple of years here i will have around $70,000 in new student debts to weigh me down. Right now i am sorely tempted to just say 'screw it' and drop out of school and just go back to the UK (assuming i could even scape up the money for a flight). I hate living here i had hoped Boston would be better than living in Mississippi, and it is a lot better, but i still dont like living in America. I cant quite put my finger on it but i just dont feel comfortable here and i miss so many things. There is very little about the USA that is better than the UK, in fact so far for me none of it is. The housing i have is clean yes but its a third the size of the house i had and costs twice as much in rent as i paid in mortgage. The cost of gas is lower but my car gets around 20 miles to the gallon and cost me far more to insure than my BMW did in the UK. Nobody respects me here, no body gives a crap about who i am here and i have no ****ing clue what i will do for a career. No sorry i just cant find a good thing at all. Personally i hate living in the USA and want to go home. When i look back on it i just wish i had shot myself last august when i still had 2 decent life insurance policies to take care of my wife. Now i dont even have that option. I say **** America.
Shit that sucks, hang in there though.
As for the postives here. Nope not for me. I came here because my wife seemed keen to come home and according to IND it was going to be upto 18 months before she could get further leave to remain in the UK. I had a lot of debts in the Uk and we had money problems as i was losing my job in august 2003. We figured what the hell take a chance on the USA she has 2 masters, i have a masters we are bound to find work right? HA!. Its now 12months since i had a job which is the longest period of unemployment in my whole life. Ended up enrolling for grad school because i just dont know what else to do, but as you can tell from my 2.05am post i cant sleep for worrying about whether its really worth it. I left the UK partly because i had around £40,000 in debts i couldnt pay off and now after a couple of years here i will have around $70,000 in new student debts to weigh me down. Right now i am sorely tempted to just say 'screw it' and drop out of school and just go back to the UK (assuming i could even scape up the money for a flight). I hate living here i had hoped Boston would be better than living in Mississippi, and it is a lot better, but i still dont like living in America. I cant quite put my finger on it but i just dont feel comfortable here and i miss so many things. There is very little about the USA that is better than the UK, in fact so far for me none of it is. The housing i have is clean yes but its a third the size of the house i had and costs twice as much in rent as i paid in mortgage. The cost of gas is lower but my car gets around 20 miles to the gallon and cost me far more to insure than my BMW did in the UK. Nobody respects me here, no body gives a crap about who i am here and i have no ****ing clue what i will do for a career. No sorry i just cant find a good thing at all. Personally i hate living in the USA and want to go home. When i look back on it i just wish i had shot myself last august when i still had 2 decent life insurance policies to take care of my wife. Now i dont even have that option. I say **** America.
I really can't take any serious knocks right now without borrowing money from relatives, which I am loath to do and anyway they have their own bills to pay and two have children. I am not from a rich family, blue-collar and poorly educated father, painter and decorator. We were a family of six living on a council estate, a pretty bad one and moved around to get onto a better one. What saved us is my father who lost his job and moved the entire family to London, did a council house exchange. I don’t suppose many know what that that is, it involves working with two council authorities, I know because my mother wrote the letters and I read them.
It is only by the sweat on my brow that I will clear my debts and finally be in a position to get a decent place, but this will take time that really I don't have, I need a decent place right now. I need a string of mechanical or biotech patent projects and I will have enough money to pay a whole year’s rent in advance, on an apartment with a balcony. If I can pay the whole year in advance my stretched credit should not be an issue. I am making payments on time - bankruptcy is not an option for me, lawyers can’t take that route without very serious consequences; specifically, the Bar authorities de-activate lawyers who are bankrupts. License to practice law gets whacked.
I am planning to do a business trip to the UK to recruit new biotech start-ups as clients. This means I have to be a salesman and organize seminars, working on a PowerPoint presentation and tip sheet style handouts, got new business cards printed with a DNA double helix printed across each card, looks cool. I need repeat business. But need to set up a new web site geared for the hi-tech end of patent/trademark work. Just registered a new site: www.newbiotek.com; its parked on www.godaddy.com. When our budget permits we will set up the web site, fill it with content geared to biotech startups, and hoist up the flag. I’ve got to get into the more technical end of patent work and leverage more effectively my biotech background and our firm’s close proximity to the U.S. patent office in the DC metro area (actually in northern Virginia, on the VA side of the Potomac).
Aug 4th 2004, 3:58 pm
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Bright side of life ...
Originally posted by rincewind
(he still claims they are married in the eyes of god and no-one can divorce them
)
(he still claims they are married in the eyes of god and no-one can divorce them
):scared: :scared: :scared:
Aug 4th 2004, 4:00 pm
#19
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Originally posted by snorkmaiden
I've recently found an upside to living in the Bible Belt - our local gym pool is practically empty on Sunday mornings as a lot of the locals are in church
Means me hubby and the kids get the pool to ourselves, fabulous!!
I've recently found an upside to living in the Bible Belt - our local gym pool is practically empty on Sunday mornings as a lot of the locals are in church
Means me hubby and the kids get the pool to ourselves, fabulous!!
Aug 4th 2004, 4:08 pm
#20
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Bright side of life ...
Originally posted by Duncs
Shit that sucks, hang in there though.
As for the postives here. Nope not for me. I came here because my wife seemed keen to come home and according to IND it was going to be upto 18 months before she could get further leave to remain in the UK. I had a lot of debts in the Uk and we had money problems as i was losing my job in august 2003. We figured what the hell take a chance on the USA she has 2 masters, i have a masters we are bound to find work right? HA!. Its now 12months since i had a job which is the longest period of unemployment in my whole life. Ended up enrolling for grad school because i just dont know what else to do, but as you can tell from my 2.05am post i cant sleep for worrying about whether its really worth it. I left the UK partly because i had around £40,000 in debts i couldnt pay off and now after a couple of years here i will have around $70,000 in new student debts to weigh me down. Right now i am sorely tempted to just say 'screw it' and drop out of school and just go back to the UK (assuming i could even scape up the money for a flight). I hate living here i had hoped Boston would be better than living in Mississippi, and it is a lot better, but i still dont like living in America. I cant quite put my finger on it but i just dont feel comfortable here and i miss so many things. There is very little about the USA that is better than the UK, in fact so far for me none of it is. The housing i have is clean yes but its a third the size of the house i had and costs twice as much in rent as i paid in mortgage. The cost of gas is lower but my car gets around 20 miles to the gallon and cost me far more to insure than my BMW did in the UK. Nobody respects me here, no body gives a crap about who i am here and i have no ****ing clue what i will do for a career. No sorry i just cant find a good thing at all. Personally i hate living in the USA and want to go home. When i look back on it i just wish i had shot myself last august when i still had 2 decent life insurance policies to take care of my wife. Now i dont even have that option. I say **** America.
Shit that sucks, hang in there though.
As for the postives here. Nope not for me. I came here because my wife seemed keen to come home and according to IND it was going to be upto 18 months before she could get further leave to remain in the UK. I had a lot of debts in the Uk and we had money problems as i was losing my job in august 2003. We figured what the hell take a chance on the USA she has 2 masters, i have a masters we are bound to find work right? HA!. Its now 12months since i had a job which is the longest period of unemployment in my whole life. Ended up enrolling for grad school because i just dont know what else to do, but as you can tell from my 2.05am post i cant sleep for worrying about whether its really worth it. I left the UK partly because i had around £40,000 in debts i couldnt pay off and now after a couple of years here i will have around $70,000 in new student debts to weigh me down. Right now i am sorely tempted to just say 'screw it' and drop out of school and just go back to the UK (assuming i could even scape up the money for a flight). I hate living here i had hoped Boston would be better than living in Mississippi, and it is a lot better, but i still dont like living in America. I cant quite put my finger on it but i just dont feel comfortable here and i miss so many things. There is very little about the USA that is better than the UK, in fact so far for me none of it is. The housing i have is clean yes but its a third the size of the house i had and costs twice as much in rent as i paid in mortgage. The cost of gas is lower but my car gets around 20 miles to the gallon and cost me far more to insure than my BMW did in the UK. Nobody respects me here, no body gives a crap about who i am here and i have no ****ing clue what i will do for a career. No sorry i just cant find a good thing at all. Personally i hate living in the USA and want to go home. When i look back on it i just wish i had shot myself last august when i still had 2 decent life insurance policies to take care of my wife. Now i dont even have that option. I say **** America.
Duncs,
I'm so sorry to hear this from you. I had hoped things would get better for you. Its funny, I'm the American in our relationship and I truly miss the UK tremendously. I miss our home, our life, etc. My husband left a good job, he'd never been unemployed, and moved here to unemployment. We moved because of family reasons, and I truly thought America would be a better country to live in.
I am thankful that we are here for family. But in the long run you need to be happy where you're at and I think some day we will move back to the UK. Unfortunately we burnt bridges on our way out of there, so rebuilding them will take some time. But I'm sure you probably know how that is. Take care and try and think positive. Nothing is forever and see this as a learning experience.
Aug 4th 2004, 4:09 pm
#21
British/Irish(ish) Duncs
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Cambridge MA, via Mississippi and Belfast Northern Ireland.
Posts: 700
Re: Bright side of life ...
Originally posted by Patent Attorney
Yep, life right now is a serious struggle. But I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I don't know if my parent will see me win-out and pass on knowing that things worked out fine in the end, which is the bad part. The divorce cost a packet and what little I had left over went towards paying down debt, but the debt has grown and is now around 100k (with credit cards and tuition). Since I am now self-employed it is very hard to get a new apartment, the apartment people consider me a higher risk and though I manage to make all my credit card and loan repayments on time I am almost maxed out, one of the credit card companies actually reduced my maximum credit; I was keeping that in reserve, I was pretty upset about that, I lost my security blanket so to speak.
I really can't take any serious knocks right now without borrowing money from relatives, which I am loath to do and anyway they have their own bills to pay and two have children. I am not from a rich family, blue-collar and poorly educated father, painter and decorator. We were a family of six living on a council estate, a pretty bad one and moved around to get onto a better one. What saved us is my father who lost his job and moved the entire family to London, did a council house exchange. I don’t suppose many know what that that is, it involves working with two council authorities, I know because my mother wrote the letters and I read them.
It is only by the sweat on my brow that I will clear my debts and finally be in a position to get a decent place, but this will take time that really I don't have, I need a decent place right now. I need a string of mechanical or biotech patent projects and I will have enough money to pay a whole year’s rent in advance, on an apartment with a balcony. If I can pay the whole year in advance my stretched credit should not be an issue. I am making payments on time - bankruptcy is not an option for me, lawyers can’t take that route without very serious consequences; specifically, the Bar authorities de-activate lawyers who are bankrupts. License to practice law gets whacked.
I am planning to do a business trip to the UK to recruit new biotech start-ups as clients. This means I have to be a salesman and organize seminars, working on a PowerPoint presentation and tip sheet style handouts, got new business cards printed with a DNA double helix printed across each card, looks cool. I need repeat business. But need to set up a new web site geared for the hi-tech end of patent/trademark work. Just registered a new site: www.newbiotek.com; its parked on www.godaddy.com. When our budget permits we will set up the web site, fill it with content geared to biotech startups, and hoist up the flag. I’ve got to get into the more technical end of patent work and leverage more effectively my biotech background and our firm’s close proximity to the U.S. patent office in the DC metro area (actually in northern Virginia, on the VA side of the Potomac).
Yep, life right now is a serious struggle. But I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I don't know if my parent will see me win-out and pass on knowing that things worked out fine in the end, which is the bad part. The divorce cost a packet and what little I had left over went towards paying down debt, but the debt has grown and is now around 100k (with credit cards and tuition). Since I am now self-employed it is very hard to get a new apartment, the apartment people consider me a higher risk and though I manage to make all my credit card and loan repayments on time I am almost maxed out, one of the credit card companies actually reduced my maximum credit; I was keeping that in reserve, I was pretty upset about that, I lost my security blanket so to speak.
I really can't take any serious knocks right now without borrowing money from relatives, which I am loath to do and anyway they have their own bills to pay and two have children. I am not from a rich family, blue-collar and poorly educated father, painter and decorator. We were a family of six living on a council estate, a pretty bad one and moved around to get onto a better one. What saved us is my father who lost his job and moved the entire family to London, did a council house exchange. I don’t suppose many know what that that is, it involves working with two council authorities, I know because my mother wrote the letters and I read them.
It is only by the sweat on my brow that I will clear my debts and finally be in a position to get a decent place, but this will take time that really I don't have, I need a decent place right now. I need a string of mechanical or biotech patent projects and I will have enough money to pay a whole year’s rent in advance, on an apartment with a balcony. If I can pay the whole year in advance my stretched credit should not be an issue. I am making payments on time - bankruptcy is not an option for me, lawyers can’t take that route without very serious consequences; specifically, the Bar authorities de-activate lawyers who are bankrupts. License to practice law gets whacked.
I am planning to do a business trip to the UK to recruit new biotech start-ups as clients. This means I have to be a salesman and organize seminars, working on a PowerPoint presentation and tip sheet style handouts, got new business cards printed with a DNA double helix printed across each card, looks cool. I need repeat business. But need to set up a new web site geared for the hi-tech end of patent/trademark work. Just registered a new site: www.newbiotek.com; its parked on www.godaddy.com. When our budget permits we will set up the web site, fill it with content geared to biotech startups, and hoist up the flag. I’ve got to get into the more technical end of patent work and leverage more effectively my biotech background and our firm’s close proximity to the U.S. patent office in the DC metro area (actually in northern Virginia, on the VA side of the Potomac).
Aug 4th 2004, 4:13 pm
#22
Thems the Vagaries
Joined: May 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 661
I too have no job, and no degree either.
My wife and i do not make much (well she doesnt, i am not working).
America is different to Britain, not better, and by no means worse.
One day i would love to return to the UK, just becuase it is my homeland.
Plus points to living in the usa (well maine anyway)
1. cheaper gas
2. cheaper ciggies
3. beautriful scenery
4. my wife
5. friendlier people
6. real seasons
plus points for the UK
1. i am used to it
2. uhmm, my friends live there.
3. i had a job, crappy one.
4. thats it, no more plus points.
i sympathise with all of you having a hard time, but list the plusses and minuses for each country, then perhaps you will rething moving, or wishing to move back.
My wife and i do not make much (well she doesnt, i am not working).
America is different to Britain, not better, and by no means worse.
One day i would love to return to the UK, just becuase it is my homeland.
Plus points to living in the usa (well maine anyway)
1. cheaper gas
2. cheaper ciggies
3. beautriful scenery
4. my wife
5. friendlier people
6. real seasons
plus points for the UK
1. i am used to it
2. uhmm, my friends live there.
3. i had a job, crappy one.
4. thats it, no more plus points.
i sympathise with all of you having a hard time, but list the plusses and minuses for each country, then perhaps you will rething moving, or wishing to move back.
Aug 4th 2004, 4:23 pm
#23
Lurk Lurk Lurk
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 689
Wow, so sorry to read of so many people's misfortune and bad experiences.
Life is so much better for me in the USA. I'm here, like many, because of my other half, but things are so much better here. I have a better job, we can afford a better house, and the quality of life is way higher. We have a lot of friends here, whereas in the UK I didn't have many friends because I always felt like I didn't fit in there. For the first time in my life, I've truly felt like I belong somewhere, since I moved to Florida.
The only thing I don't like about the US is the right wing government, can't stand Bush or most of his policies. But hopefully that will change at least a bit in November.
Life is so much better for me in the USA. I'm here, like many, because of my other half, but things are so much better here. I have a better job, we can afford a better house, and the quality of life is way higher. We have a lot of friends here, whereas in the UK I didn't have many friends because I always felt like I didn't fit in there. For the first time in my life, I've truly felt like I belong somewhere, since I moved to Florida.
The only thing I don't like about the US is the right wing government, can't stand Bush or most of his policies. But hopefully that will change at least a bit in November.
Aug 4th 2004, 4:47 pm
#24
You Are All Diseased
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Farnham, UK
Posts: 4,511
Originally posted by LuTziE
Plus points to living in the usa (well maine anyway)
1. cheaper gas
2. cheaper ciggies
3. beautriful scenery
4. my wife
5. friendlier people
6. real seasons
Plus points to living in the usa (well maine anyway)
1. cheaper gas
2. cheaper ciggies
3. beautriful scenery
4. my wife
5. friendlier people
6. real seasons
Aug 4th 2004, 5:14 pm
#25
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Bright side of life ...
Originally posted by Duncs
You seem to have a powerful drive and that bodes well for future success. Heres hoping your gamble pays off big time sometime soon.
You seem to have a powerful drive and that bodes well for future success. Heres hoping your gamble pays off big time sometime soon.
... yes, I don't take "no" for an answer and will just find a work-around or legitimate back door to solve a problem, and will brain storm to come up with ideas that might just pay off, it comes down to a numbers game.
What is different now is the amount of heavy weight financial baggage that I am attached too. I am making such heavy payments each month just to stand still; I can't buy and run a vehicle until I have paid off at least one of the credit cards.
Need to run faster or leverage better; can only run so fast and for so long, so need to leverage better.
Last edited by Patent Attorney; Aug 4th 2004 at 5:18 pm.
Aug 4th 2004, 5:37 pm
#26
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 112
You seem to have a great attitude PA and that's half the battle. It sounds as if you have a very sound plan for your business and, slow times always cause us to doubt if we are on the right track but it seems that you really know what course to steer so stick with it!
At the risk of incurring the inevitable flames from Duncs and or Patrick - a piece of advice. I went through a period of despising the US for not "recognising" my experience, talent, call it what you will until I saw it was pointless negative energy to fight what couldn't be changed. I simply had to get past what I had been in my previous life and career in Europe (a highly respected professional with a top level career) and start again. I accepted I couldn't just expect respect for what had been, I had to earn it all over again. In some ways it has been an enormous challenge but few people have the real opportunity to reinvent themselves and start from scratch. Once I accepted this things got easier, I stopped hankering after what I had had in Europe and accepted that was then, this is now. 3 years down the road and I am just about back where I was in terms of career but personally, I am streets ahead because of what I've learned.
Duncs, you appear to have a tremendous opportunity in front of you and I wish you every success. To have the chance to study at one of the world's leading educational institutes is incredible, don't let your bitterness at the US infringe on this experience.
For me, I will certainly head back to the UK in a couple of years, my husband is a complete anglophile and can't wait. I am grateful for the experiences here not so much in material terms but that as a female in my late forties I am grateful to have had the chance to start again, one more time and to learn so much more about myself and find abilities I never knew I had.
Steppke
At the risk of incurring the inevitable flames from Duncs and or Patrick - a piece of advice. I went through a period of despising the US for not "recognising" my experience, talent, call it what you will until I saw it was pointless negative energy to fight what couldn't be changed. I simply had to get past what I had been in my previous life and career in Europe (a highly respected professional with a top level career) and start again. I accepted I couldn't just expect respect for what had been, I had to earn it all over again. In some ways it has been an enormous challenge but few people have the real opportunity to reinvent themselves and start from scratch. Once I accepted this things got easier, I stopped hankering after what I had had in Europe and accepted that was then, this is now. 3 years down the road and I am just about back where I was in terms of career but personally, I am streets ahead because of what I've learned.
Duncs, you appear to have a tremendous opportunity in front of you and I wish you every success. To have the chance to study at one of the world's leading educational institutes is incredible, don't let your bitterness at the US infringe on this experience.
For me, I will certainly head back to the UK in a couple of years, my husband is a complete anglophile and can't wait. I am grateful for the experiences here not so much in material terms but that as a female in my late forties I am grateful to have had the chance to start again, one more time and to learn so much more about myself and find abilities I never knew I had.
Steppke
Aug 4th 2004, 5:41 pm
#27
British/Irish(ish) Duncs
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Cambridge MA, via Mississippi and Belfast Northern Ireland.
Posts: 700
Re: Bright side of life ...
Originally posted by Patent Attorney
Hope things work out for you Duncs. When it rains it pours, but this rainstorm seems to be immortal! Just won't go away.
... yes, I don't take "no" for an answer and will just find a work-around or legitimate back door to solve a problem, and will brain storm to come up with ideas that might just pay off, it comes down to a numbers game.
What is different now is the amount of heavy weight financial baggage that I am attached too. I am making such heavy payments each month just to stand still; I can't buy and run a vehicle until I have paid off at least one of the credit cards.
Need to run faster or leverage better; can only run so fast and for so long, so need to leverage better.
Hope things work out for you Duncs. When it rains it pours, but this rainstorm seems to be immortal! Just won't go away.
... yes, I don't take "no" for an answer and will just find a work-around or legitimate back door to solve a problem, and will brain storm to come up with ideas that might just pay off, it comes down to a numbers game.
What is different now is the amount of heavy weight financial baggage that I am attached too. I am making such heavy payments each month just to stand still; I can't buy and run a vehicle until I have paid off at least one of the credit cards.
Need to run faster or leverage better; can only run so fast and for so long, so need to leverage better.
I thought about law school myself and still am thinking about the joint JD/MPP program here (if they let me into that snob fest that is HLS of course) but i picked the KSG course because i figured it would still have some value in the UK as well whereas a JD doesnt. If i take a JD then i will end up staying in the USA and i just dont feel ready to commit to stay yet. Its weird really but i just dont feel like i belong here. There are niggles that annoy on both sides, the USA is petty and bureaucratic whereas i always found UK bureaucrats used a little common sense but over here its all by the book even when the book is assanine. The crime in the Uk seems worse but they are actually pretty minor niggles compared to the corrupt excuse for a government you have over here. There are always pluses and minuses but the real kicker is that i just dont feel welcome or that i belong here it just doesnt feel like home. Maybe that doesnt make sense and maybe it will change with more time and once i make some new friends here but so far my American adventure has been deeply disappointing.
Aug 4th 2004, 5:45 pm
#28
British/Irish(ish) Duncs
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Cambridge MA, via Mississippi and Belfast Northern Ireland.
Posts: 700
Originally posted by Chopper-Chris
sorry to hear that you hate your life over here, perhaps when you get back to the UK you'll wish you were back here again, grass is always greener and all that.
and I have to pick up on your Yankees Suck comment...
Yankees don't suck...Yankees are an excellent team, although with the record of the Sox in gamnes against the Yankees over the last 40 years, I can understand why people that support the Sox have a massive loathing and hatred for the Yankees. Envy is a bad bad thing
sorry to hear that you hate your life over here, perhaps when you get back to the UK you'll wish you were back here again, grass is always greener and all that.
and I have to pick up on your Yankees Suck comment...
Yankees don't suck...Yankees are an excellent team, although with the record of the Sox in gamnes against the Yankees over the last 40 years, I can understand why people that support the Sox have a massive loathing and hatred for the Yankees. Envy is a bad bad thing
Aug 4th 2004, 6:11 pm
#29
Thems the Vagaries
Joined: May 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 661
Originally posted by rincewind
Does your wife know that she comes below gas, ciggies and scenery?
Does your wife know that she comes below gas, ciggies and scenery?
i hope she never reads the stuff in here.
i WAS REACHING FOR THE PLUSSES, MY WIFE IS THE ONLY REAL PLUS.........(wipes sweat from brow) phew
Aug 4th 2004, 6:46 pm
#30
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Bright side of life ...
Originally posted by Duncs
I sympathise i ended up in the same place in the UK and my way out was an insolvency agreement with my creditors. Now i even wonder about that as i will have pretty much the same level of debt by the time i finish school over here. Thats not really an option for you as bankruptcy wrecks your legal license and beside you cant bankrupt out of your student debts anyway. at least with student loans they are flexible and can be restructured to a longer payment period to bring down the monthly cost. Bring down what you can and prioritise the higher interest accounts. You have to wonder though if you will ever really get better off or just spend your whole life carrying debt. It would be nice to have a family and own a house again but i have to wonder if that really will ever happen.
I thought about law school myself and still am thinking about the joint JD/MPP program here (if they let me into that snob fest that is HLS of course) but i picked the KSG course because i figured it would still have some value in the UK as well whereas a JD doesnt. If i take a JD then i will end up staying in the USA and i just dont feel ready to commit to stay yet. Its weird really but i just dont feel like i belong here. There are niggles that annoy on both sides, the USA is petty and bureaucratic whereas i always found UK bureaucrats used a little common sense but over here its all by the book even when the book is assanine. The crime in the Uk seems worse but they are actually pretty minor niggles compared to the corrupt excuse for a government you have over here. There are always pluses and minuses but the real kicker is that i just dont feel welcome or that i belong here it just doesnt feel like home. Maybe that doesnt make sense and maybe it will change with more time and once i make some new friends here but so far my American adventure has been deeply disappointing.
I sympathise i ended up in the same place in the UK and my way out was an insolvency agreement with my creditors. Now i even wonder about that as i will have pretty much the same level of debt by the time i finish school over here. Thats not really an option for you as bankruptcy wrecks your legal license and beside you cant bankrupt out of your student debts anyway. at least with student loans they are flexible and can be restructured to a longer payment period to bring down the monthly cost. Bring down what you can and prioritise the higher interest accounts. You have to wonder though if you will ever really get better off or just spend your whole life carrying debt. It would be nice to have a family and own a house again but i have to wonder if that really will ever happen.
I thought about law school myself and still am thinking about the joint JD/MPP program here (if they let me into that snob fest that is HLS of course) but i picked the KSG course because i figured it would still have some value in the UK as well whereas a JD doesnt. If i take a JD then i will end up staying in the USA and i just dont feel ready to commit to stay yet. Its weird really but i just dont feel like i belong here. There are niggles that annoy on both sides, the USA is petty and bureaucratic whereas i always found UK bureaucrats used a little common sense but over here its all by the book even when the book is assanine. The crime in the Uk seems worse but they are actually pretty minor niggles compared to the corrupt excuse for a government you have over here. There are always pluses and minuses but the real kicker is that i just dont feel welcome or that i belong here it just doesnt feel like home. Maybe that doesnt make sense and maybe it will change with more time and once i make some new friends here but so far my American adventure has been deeply disappointing.