Stay in Egypt or come back to the UK??

Star2018 · 21 November 2009 at 5:41PM

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to put this but . .

I have a major dilema!

I am currently in Egypt, working as a holiday rep. I don't pay for accomadation. I was going through a really bad patch in England (family, broken heart, lost, didnt know which career to go for, doesn't sound like much when i put it like that, but i didn't think i could ever feel as low as i did) so I decided to take a break and do something crazy. Luckily for me my Aunty is manager for a holiday company and she got me a job. Its been great, keeping me busy. But now I have come to the point where my head is back to my happy self. I have a fair idea of what i want to do (part time law degree). Also i am hardly earning any money now and I have a car on finance in England (which i miss terribly) which I am now finding hard to pay on this money im currently earning. (although my lovely mum and dad have offered to help me, but it was my purchase so i feel that its my repsonsibility)

Now the problem, the flights are really expensive in late dec and jan. So I either leave very soon or feb. I have emailed some job agencies I used to work for in UK regarding vacancies as I know that dec isn't the best time to be looking for a job (looking for anything temp/perm admin, purchase ledger). So i doubt i'll hear from them til Monday. I have my shift in the pub waiting for me and also my grandma-in law has a catering company which my brother does a few days for (xmas parties/wedding etc) so I could do that in the evenings/weekends.

Living with friends or family isn't an option long term. However I have been looking and got 2 options, rent a friends house from her or rent another house i have seen which is actually cheaper on rightmove.

I have some bits of furniture, and im looking for bits and pieces on ebay/gumtree for ideas of prices fridgefreezer/washing machine/tv. I have seen a sofa from harveys (reccommended by another mse'r! very nice and 398 for 2 and 3 seater!) and other bits and pieces.

So +s and -s

If i go
+ i will be there to apply for uni
+ i have part time jobs waiting for me
+ i will really enjoy bargain hunting and finding bits for my house
+ i will be able to earn more money in UK to put towards my house deposit
+ i will be able to pay my car no problem
- i might not be able to find a job

If i stay
+ I have a job
+ i dont pay for accom
- will struggle to pay my car
- cant save for my deposit
- cant apply for uni

So should I go back to reality in the UK? Now or Feb?

Many Thanks

A very confused katie

savingfortravel · 21 November 2009 at 6:48PM

Reading your post, I think you want to go back really. I'm sure its not entirely to do with the car.

You've taken up an exciting opportunity, living in Egypt and sounds like you've made the most of it.

Time to start the next chapter of your life. It won't neccesarily be rent free but I think its what you want.

sft

Tinkerbell123_2 · 21 November 2009 at 7:06PM

Oh its so hard I know..I was abroad for 3 years as an entertainments manager, although my last year abroad was a distaster, i broke up with my boyfriend and came back to the uk and totally cleared my head for 2 years, I worked on holiday parks in cornwall, up until this oct just gone to train in child care and development education, I have a great job 4 days a week (i am in loads a debt by the way but ignore that for now lol) college on a friday and weekends off, now living with my partner...and I now wish I was back abroad again....
The grass I have found is always greener on the other side, and its soooooo frustrating!

Ideally in my head, to go abroad would clear my debt because I would not have to pay my accom, meals etc and everything is cheaper and because you work so much you never really spend! And also, you say egypt, wow, I would LOVE to work there so much! But I cant because of my boyfriend and just moved in!

If you stay in Egypt everything will still be the same when you get back to uk believe me, it may be harder to find a job but if you keep looking the whole time your there online then you will be prepared.
Why cant you apply for uni also being there, and why cant you apply in feb....I applied for uni in June got in and started in sep....
And also your in Egypt, there are loads of students that apply from all around the world to get into english uni's there are ways around everything!

Also your car...you are struggling now to pay it why is that if you dont mind me asking? You could cut back on other things while your out there and bask in the beauty for another couple of months...

At the end of the day if I were you and looking on my past, I would definately stay in Egypt unless I was definately ready to go home and missing it that it was making me feel down abroad, becasue when you get back be prepared to miss it a whole lot...

if it was 6 months I could understand your concern, but hey whats 2 and bit months in life..and living it in Egypt to wow..enjoy it while you can!!!! xxx

ps - what compamy is it for....maybe I could have your job in Feb lol gives me a bit of timw to work my partner lol

Odette · 21 November 2009 at 7:12PM

I think you already know in your heart what you want to do, listen to yourself

I know it can be hard sometimes.

beaujolais-nouveau · 21 November 2009 at 7:25PM

katieg543 wrote: »

So should I go back to reality in the UK? Now or Feb?

Some of your pluses have potential minuses in them ... like if you do some work for your aunt and some work for your grandma, both of them businesses that are extremely vulnerable in the current economic collapse; they provide non-essential services, and then when people can't afford holidays and outside catering your aunt/grandma will have to let staff go.

Food prices have risen. In January, VAT goes back to 17.5 per cent. After the general election, if not before, interest rates will rise from the current 0.5 per cent - that impacts on everything, including mortgages and credit cards and bank loans. Lots of people have lost their jobs (several members of the same family, too) or are on short-time working or have agreed to take pay cuts to be able to stay in their job. After the general election, tax rates will rise, probably to 40 per cent for everyone. You may have read that the government now receives less in tax income than it pays out in benefits; that can't go on - tax credits will either be withdrawn or means-tested, and that will mean more people not able to afford holidays and parties.

I can understand if you are homesick but, if you are coming back to the UK, you need to be more aware of how dire things are and likely to get much worse.

Star2018 · 21 November 2009 at 7:34PM

Wow someone that understands me! That has made me feel so much better tinkerbell. I am going to look into some other jobs apart from repping, guest relations I think. I just want to pay my for my car and have a bit to put towards saving so I some money when I come back to the UK. When you are working so many hours, have a silly 24/7 emergency phone (it has nearly been thrown off the balcony many times at 3am in the morning!) its just fustrating that you are earning so little. I am now struggling to pay for my car as I had saving put aside to cover it and had hoped I would have earnt enough to keep topping this up. And i'm afraid there is nothing I can cut back on, I don't have much money to spend. Salaries are so low here. Its ok if you are just living here as the prices are reflected on this. But if you want to save or pay for things in the UK its very hard.

Regarding the uni bit, how did you get around the interviews you have to do?

Ho hum, well I feel a little better now, but i can't help thinking of SFTs reply, she has a fair point (and well put may i say, very poetic!

). If i did go back xmas would really get in the way, not the best time for jobs, moving house and getting furniture ordered and delivered on time! Going to put my feelers about for jobs I think see what comes up! If nothing well, then thats fate making my decision for me!

Oldernotwiser · 21 November 2009 at 7:36PM

There's no reason why you can't apply to university from Egypt; it's most unlikely that they'll want to interview you. From a funding point of view, how long have you been abroad?

Star2018 · 21 November 2009 at 7:43PM

Since July 09

Tinkerbell123_2 · 21 November 2009 at 7:43PM

oh the uni bit I just decided to apply when i got back to uk, they take people on the courses all the time...it all happened within a couple a months...you can easily apply in feb when you get back. How funny, after reading your post I decided to look at jobs in Egypt and relations took my fance lol...there is a job going on jobsabroad.com/Egypt

I just founfm since I cant go for it you may aswell if its still going lol x

Star2018 · 22 November 2009 at 11:51AM

After much consideration (drum roll please) . . . . I still haven't decided! I have asked people to keep their ears open for jobs here. But I thing the bit things is hearing from the agencies (job and estate) from the uk which i expect will be monday now. Will keep you posted :rolleyes:

Tinkerbell123_2 · 22 November 2009 at 12:18PM

cool cool, good luck with whatever you decide xx

Stay in Egypt or come back to the UK??

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