07.04.08
Introspection
Sorry about this but I’m feeling really shitty today.
What do I do next?
I want to go and live abroad at some point. My best chance is sooner rather than later.
A couple of options occur:
- Sell all my stuff and move to Bg and run a small tours jobby there doing physio and english teaching to make spare cash. Problems include – no BG language for me yet, awkwardness re ex, panic at leaving everything.
- Sell all my stuff and move to Germany. Try and get a job doing pretty much anything and give myself a year to learn german properly and get myself fluent (or at least have a good go at it). Problems include – can’t work as a physio, probably can’t work as an english teacher, nowhere to live, panic at leaving everything.
Hmm. There is a third option. Go somewhere really left field like Japan and teach english. Still need to sell stuff, still need to panic re leaving everything.
Panic is not a good reason to not do something though. Can I sell all my stuff? Can I go through with it?
You may have noticed the lack of “carry on as I am” as an option. That’s deliberate. I’m not keen to stay on busting a gut to get no benefit beyond an ok salary. But what good’s the salary if I’m not enjoying things?
Oh I don’t know. Not a good day today.
Have fun.
fak said,
April 7, 2008 at 1:26 pm
As a well-seasoned whore of self-indulgency and panic, had I been in possession of your mobile number I’d have sent you a text hug when I read this, but I don’t, so you get a public message instead
If you want to go and live abroad, then go and live abroad goddamnit (but we’ll miss you). Money, as always, is the issue with these things, and not ending up on the street.
Is it a definite that you’d have to sell the UK property or could you rent out your house and help use that money to live whilst in another country?
Have you started your research yet? If you’re serious then I want a list of living costs in Germany and Bulgaria; details of whether you can work as a physio; details of whether you can work as an English teacher; what visas you would need if you moved and worked outside of the EU.
Talk to Annetta: she’s working as a physio in Germany – how does it work?
What is the absolute worst case? You sell up, move, it doesn’t work out, you come back with your tail between your legs., and maybe lose money in the process. How much are you willing to gamble? Are you worried about not getting back on the property market in the UK? Have you considered just moving within the UK, or does it need the big bold break?
You’ve got some research to do – get on with it. Breaking it down into smaller things might help the panic (compare living costs and wages, unemployment rates, etc to see what is financially viable).
alby said,
April 7, 2008 at 5:05 pm
“I’d have sent you a text hug when I read this,”
- Ta.
“Is it a definite that you’d have to sell the UK property or could you rent out your house and help use that money to live whilst in another country?”
- No. But I’d rather sell it and get out from worrying about having to deal with upkeep and maintenance of the property. House prices aren’t going to be going up any time soon so the money gained will be fine for a deposit should I need to come back.
re. living costs and work: Bg – dirt cheap but getting less so. Easy to get lots of work doing english teaching and probably easy to get unofficial physio type work (I’ve already done stuff for friends of the ex for instance – got paid lots of apples by one lovely chap).
Germany – clearly more expensive and the job market is not great there either. Most sensible place for me to go though as it’s my best language after english. I’ll have a chat with one of my BJC guests who’s a physio there. I know I can’t be a proper physio in Germany unless I get a job on a UK forces base – not really my thing. I would like to get fluent and do a course to qualify there though.
I’ll talk to Annetta when I see her or I’ll get email off Rob when I see him. Might be a good chat at Bungay.
I have considered moving in the UK but I’d rather just break and do something more radical.
Another option presents itself and involves taking a year out just to travel a lot. But that would involve keeping my house and all the hassle that would entail.
Re coming back after a year (either tail down or up) – I should be able to get me a job in physio without too much hassle. NHS jobs at my grade are not oversubscribed and private work is always available if I want to work at it.
Main issues are the “soft” stuff. You know losing touch with mates, feeling lost in a foreign place etc..
But as I say those are not good reasons to not do something.
Of course I may just be having a bad day.
fak said,
April 8, 2008 at 1:31 am
Pah, don’t let your mates hold you back. This is the age of the intermeweb, dead easy to keep in touch (of course, Clurb might kill you, but that’s another matter).
Is a year even long enough. I did a 3-month stint in the States and loved it, but to get over that touristy feel you need to do at least two years in my opinion.
If you’re only thinking of Europe then that’s hardly any distance at all for visits, in either direction.
Charlie said,
April 8, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Go for it. Don’t let fear get in the way, it’s a small world and getting smaller; and remember you have a ready-made set of contacts round the world to help (jugglers!).