Giantaxe

If by boring you mean "now the thread will have the opportunity to have some rational discussion about the subject at hand" then, yes, it will be boring. Very boring.

Jerseygirl

I have been arguing this point with you since yesterday...I haven't included anyone else. I seem to remember we have also had the same argument before.

radion

Well, in my job I have only certain times of the year in which to take holidays.
That is cut down even more because my co-workers have kids..
So, Oh yes it does truly exist in the UK, and in local government too

Sally Redux

Jersey's and my job conditions are not the norm

Leslie

Okay, on this whole vacation thingy ...

I would think that if you want the "prime" spots you have to book as soon/early (read that as one year) ahead of time if you work in an industry/position where your post has to be covered. Where I work no two people can take off at the same time because it can potentially cause huge problems especially in the event that another person has to be off for illness or family emergency - which seems to always happen when you're already short handed. Is this what we're talking about? I also can't imagine that it's any different in the UK. I mean not EVERYBODY at a hospital can take off work at Christmas ... I don't care where that hospital is.

Elvira

As usual, you have explained this really well - all makes sense!

Jerseygirl

Does it mean you have to book holidays at the beginning of the year or is it that you just have certain windows that you can take your holidays in?

Giantaxe

Healthcare is the biggie imo. It's very difficult for someone who is young and healthy to grasp the possible ramifications of the insane system and cost of healthcare access here. And if you stay here long term, the ramifications are potentially not just for you but for any children. Consider very carefully the lack of a social safety net before making the jump.

Having said that, I am very happy living in San Francisco as long as I have my nice high tech salary. There is more to do here than any place I have lived in, and it's a truly beautiful part of the world.

meauxna

OK, this is a formal request to drop the side convo about the holiday booking, which is (still) not going anywhere.

There is generalizing going on about both places and none of the examples are going to apply to everyone/everywhere.

Please just drop it, or take it to PM.
thank you.

Jerseygirl

That's exactly what I was trying to say here http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...count=70...but you outlined it better.

Sally Redux

It's a red herring. Manc was saying a low-paid worker would be better off in UK due to healthcare and 4 weeks' vacation time. Amerlisa jumps up to say the vacation time is not so much of an issue, as you have to book a year ahead, so it's not worth having. Obviously, there are few places where you can just up and take vacation whenever you want. However, I did have an appointment with an eye consultant once, and when I arrived he'd decided to spend the half-term in France (Someone else saw me, so cool it NHS-bashers).

Leslie

I wasn't stirring. I honestly didn't know wtf they were fighting about.

Sally Redux

Oh sorry, it took me a while to compose mine.

radion

Are you kidding Lisa...this is after all the BE...
Most seem to have been dragged over to the US, and will no doubt spend the rest of their days remembering the good old days back in the UK.

My holidays have to be in for the full year by late Feb each year and has been that way since starting here 14yrs ago, that's of course after co-workers have their say first to be with kids, so I usually get the crap weeks off, Oh and so does my wife, end of Sept for her, in retail, so its a bitch to get time off together...but hay this cant be the case as it doesn't show the UK in a great way

Elvira

Bloody hell, Sal............ you *compose* now...???