[Travel] Emigrating advice

[Kneon Light]

Good luck, at least you know it's probably not permenant. My wife is Irish, she and I decided to sell up and settle in Ireland, we bought a new build 4 bedroom 3 reception room bungalow on a half acre of land, moved over in November 2015 expecting to stay forever but with the disaster (for me) Brexit vote and the constant news items from the moment we left on what a leave vote would mean for retirement and pensions and would they be honoured, health care costs due to no longer being in the EU etc etc, I almost had a breakdown, we managed to sell the property for a small profit though this was really a loss overall as the new build didn't come with a kitchen or utility room completed, just empty rooms and all the flooring to be bought and laid, fortunately I had managed to change up all my cash through a currency exchange company and did this at the top of the market €1.42 to £1.00 and when I changed back to sterling I bought for €1.20 on the Friday after the vote, this was a mistake as I panicked and the rate went down to €1.10 the following Monday but the money we made on the exchange meant we ended up breaking even but of course property prices had increased back in Brighton so had to purchase in Eastbourne as we were both not in the best of health and needed to keep back enough to live on until I retired and I could claim my company and state pensions, my wife unfortunately is one of the waspi women and her originally expected retirement age increased from 60 to 66 luckily my pensions are enough for us to live on until she receives her state pension in another 2 or 3 years time. My advice now is if you own a property rent it out until you are sure it's the right move for you. ( so wish this is what I had done) hope your move is a success. Best of luck.

Thanks for that.
We are renting our house while we are away

 

[Kneon Light]

St Helena is a lot warmer. Of course, there might not be so many penguins.

UK too hot for me so Falklands climate is more of my liking (also Penguins!!)

 

[Tony Towner's Fridge]

Learn Latin American Spanish, just in case

That's malvenas, I mean marvellous!


TNBA

TTF

 

[Kneon Light]

I thought you were being paid to photograph penguins but, on reading the rest of the thread, it seems your wife's going to be working there and you are essentially just going to be photographing penguins. If so, then well played - but beware of boredom.

I lived abroad for nearly five years in an old job. Five months in India without the Mrs that nearly ended in divorce, so after that she came with or no trip. A year in Sydney, which I loved but she hated because I could work and she couldn't. I would have stayed forever but she was climbing the walls after a few months of not knowing anyone except my workmates, [MENTION=159]Stumpy Tim[/MENTION] (who was there at the time) and doing site seeing.

So we packed up for Japan and it was so much better for her. She could work and instantly got a job teaching business English. Tokyo is fascinating and we had lots of people to look after us. Would have stayed but for the project I was on getting canned and the Japanese demanding we left.

So onto Taipei which I think the Mrs liked the best because, although she was only volunteering, she had a five day a week "job" in an ex-pat community centre and met all the ladies that lunch through that. A really cracking social circle, precisely because ex pats looked after each other there. Only left because she got pregnant with my son and wanted to have him here.

And, yes. I've just repeated my travel stories on here AGAIN. But the point is, if you'd asked us before we left, we'd have both said that we'd probably have stayed in Oz and never left. Actually, being just another white face but not having a social circle made Mrs GB incredibly lonely, whereas living somewhere absolutely mental but with lovely locals and a big ex pat community was brilliant.

I hope you like penguins because it's a long trip back.

In an ideal world I will be able to get a job working as a guide for tourists visiting to photograph penguins (and other wildlife)
Unfortunately due to COVID tourism is on hold at the moment so it won't be able to happen straight away - although this will give the the chance to get to know the best sites etc.
Failing that I'll get a job doing something even if its week to week. Apparently there are more jobs than people so I should be able to get something (although I may not rush!)

 

[golddene]

Glad it all came out alright in the end for you.

And respect for that 300+ word sentence, sir, undoubtedly the longest one written about Ireland since the last chapter of Ulysses.

Apologies for my grammar. Been left school since 1969 at age of 15 and was never encouraged to learn by my parents or indeed regularly attend school. Not really their fault as I was just one of eight siblings so there was never enough time to devote to each one individually.
I do try to write any posts I make as legible as possible but sometimes I tend to waffle on and write shite.
Apologies again.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

UK too hot for me so Falklands climate is more of my liking (also Penguins!!)

I lived abroad for 4 years but I am a bit peculiar so my experiences are probably not universally applicable. For what it's worth....I felt like I'd had my previous life surgically removed, and when I came back to blighty it felt like another country in some respects. I was in my 20s. I have felt mildly bereaved ever since. Thirty five years since I came back, too. If you are older it may be less startling for you. I hope it works out.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Apologies for my grammar. Been left school since 1969 at age of 15 and was never encouraged to learn by my parents or indeed regularly attend school. Not really their fault as I was just one of eight siblings so there was never enough time to devote to each one individually.
I do try to write any posts I make as legible as possible but sometimes I tend to waffle on and write shite.
Apologies again.

I thought it was a good read. It made far more sense than the baffling blurting that passes for a PPF post

 

[Bakero]

Apologies for my grammar. Been left school since 1969 at age of 15 and was never encouraged to learn by my parents or indeed regularly attend school. Not really their fault as I was just one of eight siblings so there was never enough time to devote to each one individually.
I do try to write any posts I make as legible as possible but sometimes I tend to waffle on and write shite.
Apologies again.

I thought your post was very clear- didn't even notice it was a long sentence.

 

[poidy]

Spent a total of 8 months in the Falkland’s and hated every minute of it.

A wetter, colder, windier and more boring island you will not find.

Suppose if you like sheep and penguins it might be alright though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Guinness Boy]

In an ideal world I will be able to get a job working as a guide for tourists visiting to photograph penguins (and other wildlife)
Unfortunately due to COVID tourism is on hold at the moment so it won't be able to happen straight away - although this will give the the chance to get to know the best sites etc.
Failing that I'll get a job doing something even if its week to week. Apparently there are more jobs than people so I should be able to get something (although I may not rush!)

Having given you the caveat emptor I should add that you may never get the chance again, that I don't regret a second of my travelling and that I'd ex-pat again given half a chance. Somewhere hot for me though. I'm the opposite of you - I find England wet, cold and depressing. Congrats on a brave decision and best of luck.

 

[essbee1]

I'd love to go there and re-trace how the 80's war was fought and the key battles etc. Would be fascinating and quite
sobering as well I guess.

 

[Happy Exile]

Without wishing to sound patronising, hold onto the thrill of being somewhere different and new as long as possible. Keep a journal, a blog, a photo diary, or a written one, or all four even if it's just for you to look back at. Especially if it's just for you to look back at. Be conscious of how the experience changes you. So many people (including me!) would love an opportunity to shake things up and do something different, life-affirming and potentially life-changing. Not only do you get to do that but it's time-bound too so you've got a safety net. Enjoy it, and make memories and stories to celebrate when you get back.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

So in January I am emigrating to The Falkland Islands for 3 1/2 years. (largely to photograph penguins!)
For those people that have emigrated in the past are there any tips or things you wish you knew before you moved?

I presume the contact/whatever is for three and a half years and not a self-imposed time frame? We originally came to Germany with a plan to stay at least a year and then see how we felt. We completely forgot about this and were arranging gigs and travels etc well into the second year…so we figured we were happy and have been here ever since. I now feel we’ve been away too long to move back to the UK.

 

[Doonhamer7]

make sure you keep paying your national insurance ‘ticket’. As I’m aware of some our long term expats come back to find nhs and state pension don’t exist for you.

 

[AmexRuislip]

So in January I am emigrating to The Falkland Islands for 3 1/2 years. (largely to photograph penguins!)
For those people that have emigrated in the past are there any tips or things you wish you knew before you moved?

As [MENTION=750]swindonseagull[/MENTION] has already mentioned, enjoy yourself.
I also spent time down there.
If you're an outdoors type of person, you'll enjoy the fresh air, the wildlife and just the general wildness of the place.
Unlike when I was there, I gather there is Internet and limited cell coverage.
Get yourself on a trip to South Georgia.
Depending on what you're going there for, just enjoy the experience.

 

[AmexRuislip]

 

[North East Seagull]

The current Chief Executive of the civil service down there used to be my boss. If you meet him I suggest you talk about rugby (union) rather than the mighty Seagulls. Enjoy your our time there.

 

[Comrade Sam]

Just make sure Priti Patel doesn't sink your dinghy.

 

[swindonseagull]

Spent a total of 8 months in the Falkland’s and hated every minute of it.

A wetter, colder, windier and more boring island you will not find.

Suppose if you like sheep and penguins it might be alright though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Spot on..

It’s certainly not like moving to Spain or Germany.

 

[OzMike]

You are not emigrating , just having a very long holiday as you are planning to return.
Have a nice break.
Taken thermals as I believe it gets cold.
Keep an eye out for Argie subs as well.