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So What Is Life Really Like In England?

31 replies

MamaBear98 · 03/02/2016 15:23

Hi there,

So I currently live in the Republic of Ireland but my dream is to live in England (it has been a dream of mine for a long time now and as a result have done lots of research) once I've finished school (I've 2 1/2 years to go!) but if not once I've graduated from college.

So I'm wondering what's life really like in England? My parents think I'm crazy for wanting to move but I feel that England is more suited to me as an individual as I hate how laid-back,crazy and unpunctual the Irish are (no offence to any fellow Irish people on Mumsnet!) and I prefer how much choice England seems to offer in terms of everything and also how much more organised and structured everything seems to be there Smile

Could anyone here give me the lowdown on every aspect of life in England- the good, the bad and the ugly!
After school I'm hoping to be either a primary teacher, a secondary teacher (most likely Biology and Chemistry), a children's nurse or something involving science, so could anyone also tell me what the working conditions are for these jobs if you are doing them in England?

Thanks in advance to those who gives me the lowdown on life in England- I will really appreciate it as I know that people who living in England itself (and wise Mumsnetters!) will be able to offer me actual, real advice about life in England ! Smile

(Sorry if this is in the wrong section- I couldn't find an appropriate section for it but if I know where it should go could someone please move it for me or tell me how to do it! Blush)

OP posts:
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HelpfulChap · 03/02/2016 15:29

Despite how much we moan (me included) it really is one the safest, most beautiful, culturally diverse and tolerant nations in the world.

And St Patrick's day has been adopted as our national day, replacing St Georges day so you will right at home Wink

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hmcAsWas · 03/02/2016 15:32

Wow helpfulchap - it is, isn't it. We'd do well to remember that.

Mamabear - there are many different Englands. Rural England, inner city England, market town England, surburban England....

If you are thinking of living here you might find house prices more affordable in the North

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HelpfulChap · 03/02/2016 15:39

Free education and health care as well. And, if you work hard you can make a good life for yourself.

Hope it all works out for you OP.

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Sparklingbrook · 03/02/2016 15:40

I don't think anyone can give the lowdown on 'every aspect of life in England'. That's a pretty tall order.

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theredlion · 03/02/2016 15:44

England is generally lovely as PPs have said.

My one word of warning would be that this is not a good time to become a teacher or a nurse in England, search recent threads on this, people are leaving these professions faster than they can be replaced.

What else would you like to know? Do you know whether you want to live in a city, town or rurally?

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GilbertBlytheWouldGetIt · 03/02/2016 15:46

Maybe consider applying for university in England so you get a real experience of life here.

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Drinkstoomuchcoffee · 03/02/2016 15:49

England is a great place to be.
Education, health care, social security, democracy, rule of law, freedom of expression, minimum wage, employee rights, trades unions, relatively low tax rates, welcomes entrepreneurs, tolerant....
The English whinge all the time though because they do not always realise what they have!
Difficult to come up with a better place to live.

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gamerchick · 03/02/2016 15:50

Do you have an idea where you're wanting to live? London is a fair bit different to the north for eg in a few areas.

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Sparklingbrook · 03/02/2016 15:51

I think OP has another thread about where to live.

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LilacSpunkMonkey · 03/02/2016 15:55

You have 2 1/2 years of school to go and you've decided to join MN?

Erm...why?

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Cel982 · 03/02/2016 15:58

Hi OP, I'm Irish and moved to England a couple of years ago.

It's going to depend very much on where you live. I'm down in the South West, and find it very quiet compared to Dublin, with much less access to shopping etc. Obviously that wouldn't be an issue if you moved to a city/big town. Salaries here seem lower than at home, I think. But it's very peaceful, and crime is low.

Overall people are very similar to those at home (if slightly more punctual Smile). We've found it a very friendly, welcoming place to settle into.

State services do seem to be run more coherently here than in Ireland, and the NHS is great. The flip side is a lot more bureaucracy and (OH works for NHS) perhaps slightly more of a micromanaging culture?

If you do want to be a primary school teacher I would have serious reservations about moving here. I have teachers in my family working in both countries and morale among UK teachers seems to be much lower than at home, with longer working hours and MUCH more jumping through hoops. Also, if you decide to go to college in England you'll have to pay tuition fees, so there's that to consider as well.

I'm sure you could be happy here, it's a great country and as an Irish person lots of doors are open to you. But do go into it with your eyes open.

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smellysocksandchickenpox · 03/02/2016 16:01

England's great, we're very lucky
Teaching in England is awful, something like 40% of teachers quit within a year here.

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abbsismyhero · 03/02/2016 16:07

hmm useful stuff? get personal opinions about doctors surgerys some have crazy systems some do not and it can be a pita to change over once you're in look for one with a nurse practitioner in residence as they can get you appointments in emergencies

always look at an area during the day and at night to see what it is really like

small town might equal small town values but they also equal small town support when things go wrong your chances are you will have help from your neighbours

consider the economic climate before moving will you have a driving licence? try to move within reasonable distance of a train station so you can get easy access to work you cant guarantee a local job

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FadedRed · 03/02/2016 16:17

Lilac why not MN? It's a well known site. It's populated by people who live in the UK, who had lived in the UK but have gone to live in other countries, who have come to live in the UK from other countries to including Ireland, who have never lived in the UK.
A lot of sense is talked on here, (and a lot of nonsense too but hey ho!) and there is a huge age range of people from all walks of life. I think MN is a good choice to get a range of opinions.
MamaBear my parents came from Ireland in the fifties and made a reasonably good life for themselves. I've never lived anywhere else but have travelled extensively and have relatives all over the world. I've worked hard and am comfortable, not rich but not poor either. We 'went home' annually as children and even then as a child, though holidays in Ireland were idyllic, I knew that things were harder there and had no wish to live there permanently. I appreciated the freedoms of choice, religion and equality in England compared to NI and the republic, the lack of bigotry and greater opportunities for free education, the blessing of the NHS and the choice of career here.
However, things are not so straightforward here as they were 20-30 years ago. Higher education is not free and the NHS is in dire financial straights. Housing is expensive and the job market is considerably more difficult than it was when I was young.
Make the most of your education and weigh up things when you are nearer the age when you can decide where you want to be, but keep an open mind and nurture your adventurous spirit.

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Sparklingbrook · 03/02/2016 16:19

I think that it's all a bit soon to ask. If you have 2 1/2 years left at school then college any info will be a bit out of date by then.

A lot of sense is talked on here but also a lot of stuff that really isn't.

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LilacSpunkMonkey · 03/02/2016 16:22

This is NOT an appropriate website for schoolchildren.

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MamaBear98 · 03/02/2016 16:57

Thanks for everyone's advice-it is greatly appreciated ! Smile

To answer some previous posters questions;

-I would love to go to university in England but at the moment it so too expensive and my parents don't want me to get a loan as they are happy to pay for me (but not £9000 a year!) but I wouldn't be starting university until September 2018 but fees in both countries could have changed by then so I can review that nearer to the time

-I did post about what areas I might like to live in but for those who didn't see it,ideally I'd live somewhere that isn't coastal, isn't right beside or ?in a big city (so definitely not London!) but isn't extremely rural so somewhere mid-sized (and mostly likely in the north or Midlands of the country)

-I know a lot of people are running away from teaching and nursing but again I wouldn't be starting training for at least 2 1/2 years so things might have improved by the time I'd be a part of the workforce-obviously I haven't decided for sure yet but hopefully I can make a wise choice and that things will have improved in the possible careers I am interested in by then

-I started school a year later than most people my age so therefore am 17 and a bit but still have 2 1/2 years of school left-some people would have started work at that age! In September I will be starting 5th year (which is like year 12), so will be having to make subject choices soon which could effect what jobs I could do, hence why I am trying to do what research I can now while I'm not bogged down with school work and therefore not have much time that I can do valuable research in.

-I don't think Mumsnet the worst website I could be on (I have been a member of it for a while now but only started properly using it recently)- most of the stuff on it is relatively innocent and other forms of social media are way worse in terms of the content on them! Recipes are one of the main reasons why I use it (I am not a mother and don't have any babies/children so don't need parenting advice yet!)and recently I am getting more and more addicted into the Talk aspect of the website-some of the chats are really amusing!

Thanks again for everyone's advice and good wishes- overall it is making England even more attractive to me than it had been as I am being reminded of all the good things about the country Smile
But I still have to do as much research as I can in order to have a successful future and will still have to be cautious of certain aspects of the lifestyle there! Grin I would like to think though that I am a hard worker and therefore could carve out a great future for myself in England if I researched and planned everything enough Smile

OP posts:
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abbsismyhero · 03/02/2016 17:03

you sound like you will do fine and we love the irish in the midlands so feel free to consider us when you want to settle down

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IoraRua · 03/02/2016 17:07

Go to college in Scotland, you qualify for no fees afaik.
Do NOT go into teaching in the UK. I am an Irish primary teacher and I wouldn't touch the ed system there with a barge pole. Huge numbers are leaving.

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HirplesWithHaggis · 03/02/2016 17:11

Would you consider university in Scotland? No tuition fees, as you're an EU citizen*. The University of Highlands and Islands isn't coastal or in/near a big city (Inverness is a city, but not huge), nor is it terribly rural.

*Depending on the in/out EU referendum pending, of course, UK might not be by the time you're looking to attend.

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mollie123 · 03/02/2016 17:12

And St Patrick's day has been adopted as our national day, replacing St Georges day so you will right at home
not true - we fly the flag on St Georges Day (despite it havcing been hijacked by undesirable elements) Hmm

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OutWithTheDogs · 03/02/2016 17:13

I'd love more Irish people in the UK but only if you have one of those fabulous beautiful Irish accents.

I know that's not very helpful. Blush

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Abraid2 · 03/02/2016 17:20

Have worked with Irish people most of my working life and grew up with them. We like young, bright and go-ahead people like you, OP.

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HelpfulChap · 03/02/2016 17:22

mollie123

Sorry that was meant to be a joke (of sorts). I also fly the flag.

I'm proud to be English.

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Zazedonia · 03/02/2016 17:23

England is becoming an increasingly depressing place, under the conservative government. A big rich/poor divide, getting ever bigger. Rights (eg employment) becoming more and more restricted. Public services, eg NHS, going drastically downhill due to lack of funding, higher education the most expensive in Europe, very bad congestion and pollution, very expensive housing, jobs hard to find and tend to be low paid (except no doubt on London and the south east).

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