Originally Posted by Poppy girl

Don't forget I am flying from the west coast your NC I think!! should be cheaper

Originally Posted by Poppy girl

Cheap site just checked it out not that I want a 1 way but 16th Sept with Lufthansa was only $544 from San Fran cheap will keep that site in my fav's.

Originally Posted by petally

Actually, JFK was way cheaper. I don't know why. But as I'm a Jerseygirl too (), Newark is the only one for us, with Philly coming in a close second (that IS a pricey airport for itnernational flights)

Originally Posted by petally

To be honest, the one ways are not much cheaper than the returns.

What's a bit annoying on vayama is that they don't guarantee you the ticket straight away so you have to wait a day or two, but they do charge you their fees (not the whole ticket) straight away. I was worried that I'd have to fight to get the fees back if they didn't come through with the ticket - but the savings were just too good. I also looked at airfares.com which had similar fares but read some bad reviews of the site. kayak.com is pretty good for looking at all the different sites at once.

Originally Posted by Poppy girl

Funnily enough the cheapest rtn was $966 but they change daily so who knows, I have prevously worked in the travel industry on and off for 20 years and still don't understand it all

Originally Posted by backagen

You're certainly not the only one to have tried emigrating as a way of "running away" from your problems.

It's a hopeless thing to do and rarely, if ever, actually works in the long run. Sadly though there are multiple TV shows, magazines and advertisements on in UK even now that actively ENCOURAGE people there to emigrate as a way of escaping everyday problems! Makes my blood boil when I see that, because I know only too well it just makes your problems 1000 times worse!

Anyway, my only advice is that, having been through something that's probably quite similar to what you're going through, I would say try to force yourself to take a step back and relax a little, otherwise the emotional stress will get the better of you and it won't do your situation any good at all.

If you can just tell yourself, very firmly, that you WILL get through all your problems, and that within a year or so (or whatever timeframe you find realistic and achievable for you) you WILL be back in UK, and most or all of your problems will be well on the way to being sorted out, then you will find it much easier.

Make some definate plans, and just do whatever it takes (including living on beans and toast if necessary) to achieve them.

Also I would advise you to take a very tough, independant attitude to it all. Tell yourself "I'm going to do this in spite of everyone, and I will show them I can deal with all this and still come out on top in spite of them all!" (feel perfectly free to add a few expletives into that if you wish!)

Basically nobody is likely to be interested in helping you (unless you are extraordinarily lucky) because nobody really understands your situation (with the exception of me and others you 'talk' to on this forum, we have been there and we do understand!) so you have to do it for YOU, and be TOUGH in spite of it all!

It's no use talking to your family and friend in UK, because they're all brainwashed into thinking everything is terrible in UK and wonderful almost anywhere else in the world. They think you're LUCKY to be where you are and they think you're ungrateful to want to return to UK. I know that makes no sense, but believe me that's what they think!!!

As for work, just don't try too hard. Do your best, but don't try to change the world. It sounds like you work as a retail sales assistant, so don't try to be the best retail sales assistant ever.

I know this is very cynical, but it has helped me a lot over the years. Believe me I've had enough jobs in enough different industries to realise the truth of this. The fact of the matter is your employer is not interested in you as a person, or your ideas, problems etc. They are only interested in how 'well' you perform the things they pay you to do.

I find that it helps me to go to work each day telling myself that I am being paid to act out a part (much like a stage play) and I just try to learn my lines and act that part as best I can. Unfortunately that is what impresses most employers (certainly in retail at least) these days. Don't try to be yourself and whatever you do CERTAINLY DON'T expect your employer to understand your personal goals or problems! Remember it s your PERFORMANCE (again, think stage) that counts, nothing else!

Just play your part as best you can (including putting on a fake accent just while you're at work if it helps) then go home and enjoy speaking in your REAL accent to everyone else!

As William Shakespeare said "all the world's a stage". Well that certainly applies to the world of work!

Hope that helps a little!

Originally Posted by Barratie

Certain problems cannot be "solved" in a satisfactory manner, and moving away is a very valid option, to portray this as weakness, cowardice or stupidity is utterly unjustifiable.

I agree with this

The UK is a dump, that's my view and I can detail many reasons why this is true.
I don't agree with this

Now the US is very very very big, Ive seen numeorus posts here from people who 'hate' living and working in the US, well MOVE AROUND for God's sake, you are NOT forced to stay in one city.
This is the same for the UK, there are many nice parts, although it is often work that dictates where we reside.


Forget the UK, it is doomed, and so are those who are condemned to remain here, I am back here for a few years after living and working in US and beleive me the place is very shallow now, people do NOTHING but pose, show off, disregard the feelings of others etc, it is NOT the UK anymore, the UK is fading fast so be careful, you cannot actually go back....

I agree that people these days are very shallow and it can only get worse as kids have role models such as Paris Hilton, Lily Allen etc, watch crap like X-Factor, Big Brother etc, we have created a materialistic society and I doubt the parents are any better, I think we can write this generation off and hope a good old fashioned recession/depression for the next decade will start making people get back to core values.

Originally Posted by Margaret3

i wish i could, as soon as i open my mouth i get stared at strangely

Originally Posted by maka paka

I'm from Glasgow,
I'm also never understood easily,my tactic..A good old fashioned Glasgow kiss!

It works a treat!!

Originally Posted by Barratie

Let me say right now, that there is NOTHING wrong with or incorrect with someone "running away' from certain problems, this is a cliche somehow meant to teach us to put on a brave face etc.

Certain problems cannot be "solved" in a satisfactory manner, and moving away is a very valid option, to portray this as weakness, cowardice or stupidity is utterly unjustifiable.

Were Jewish people doing the wrong thing in leaving Germany in the late 30's? You refer to the error of judgement of those who "run away" and then you actually write "you WILL be back in UK, and most or all of your problems will be well on the way to being sorted out" errm, sorry isnt THAT an example of running away? all your problems will be solved?

The UK is a dump, that's my view and I can detail many reasons why this is true. But I can do NOTHING to alter the course of an entire nation so I either suffer and stay or leave, that may be running away it may not, but it is absolutely valid.

Now the US is very very very big, Ive seen numeorus posts here from people who 'hate' living and working in the US, well MOVE AROUND for God's sake, you are NOT forced to stay in one city.

I know many Americans who would hate to live and work in this or that state, so how you can want to leave after just living in one city or state amazes me, that IS running away.

Forget the UK, it is doomed, and so are those who are condemned to remain here, I am back here for a few years after living and working in US and beleive me the place is very shallow now, people do NOTHING but pose, show off, disregard the feelings of others etc, it is NOT the UK anymore, the UK is fading fast so be careful, you cannot actually go back....

Originally Posted by backagen

You've been reading / watching the UK "News" too much! The UK is a wonderful country filled with fantastic people. It's one of the weathiest countries in the world (fact), has one of the best, if not the best health and education systems and the absolute best history and tourism in the world, without a shadow of a doubt.

Yes things have changed and will continue to, and yes there ARE problems in the UK (some of them quite serious) and yes there are bad areas which will take a lot of sorting out, but overall it's still BRILLIANT, and I'm still very proud to be British!

Originally Posted by backagen

You've been reading / watching the UK "News" too much! The UK is a wonderful country filled with fantastic people. It's one of the weathiest countries in the world (fact), has one of the best, if not the best health and education systems and the absolute best history and tourism in the world, without a shadow of a doubt.

Yes things have changed and will continue to, and yes there ARE problems in the UK (some of them quite serious) and yes there are bad areas which will take a lot of sorting out, but overall it's still BRILLIANT, and I'm still very proud to be British!