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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not be entirely excited about this?

177 replies

VaginaPagina · 28/08/2013 16:44

I had been looking for a job for ages with no success. About a week ago, I was finally offered a job. It's a great company and pays reasonably well.

So I should be happy right? Well, I am happy and I have no intention of turning it down. I feel like I can really do well with this job and I loved the culture of the company.

Except that I am also secretly a little disappointed and sad :(

I'm a London girl- I studied here and lived here for 5 years and I love it. I don't want to leave London :( Especially not to go to Glasgow which is where this job is.

No offence intended towards anyone who lives in Scotland, but I am so apprehensive about moving there! It's too cold Grin

I also found it a bit boring when I went there. Granted, it was only for a day but it felt like a month. Blush

To make matters worse, I don't know anybody at all in Glasgow (or Scotland for that matter) and this means that I will be very lonely.
My parents live in a different country entirely and that was already hard enough to deal with, but now I have to move away from my mates too.

I know I'm being a big baby about this but I really wanted to vent!

Anyone with similar experiences? How did you deal with it?

I'd also appreciate any advice from people who currently live in Scotland. I've been told that it might be better to live in Edinburgh and travel to Glasgow for work. Does that sound feasible?? I haven't been to Edinburgh yet, but a lot of my mates said it was better than Glasgow Confused

OP posts:
Original poster
VaginaPagina · 28/08/2013 17:33

Currently I pay a ridiculous amount for a teeny tiny bedsit in London. So it is exciting to know that I will be able to afford a proper flat with kitchen that has a door and a smoke alarm Grin

Edinburgh shopping is dire

Ok, Glasgow it is then. I love shopping.

Nonnomum- It isn't exactly an entry level job because I do have some prior work experience. It's a finance related job. This job is more related to my degree than what I was doing before.

My first reaction to Scotland was "Blimey, this feels like a totally different country! Doesn't feel like the UK at all!"

OP posts:
JamieandtheMagicTorch · 28/08/2013 17:36

My friends live in the West End. They love it there. We have only visited once but I really like it.

The underground is very funny

WafflyVersatile · 28/08/2013 17:36

Also Glasgow has just been rated best UK city for vegetarian eating!

magimedi · 28/08/2013 17:38

Can't help you with Glasgow but many years ago I had to relocate to Scotland (DH's work). I'd never lived further North than London & was pretty apprehensive. But I had a great time, amazing countryside on your doorstep, lovely shops, great food and the long days in the summer are incredible.

You are young & single - go for it & have a great time!

TheCraicDealer · 28/08/2013 17:38

Do not commute from Edinburgh. That hour each way would be better spent in bed in a posh Glasgow pad or socialising with new workmates. Getting up at 6am to travel across the country on cold, dark Scottish mornings is SO not worth it for a few pretty buildings.

The shopping is fantastic, much better than Edinburgh. I do prefer the latter as it happens, but I think after a while you'd stop noticing the architecture and castle and start grumbling about not being able to go out for drinks after work.

squoosh · 28/08/2013 17:38

I live in the West End and it is the nicest part of Glasgow by far in my opinion. There are some areas of Glasgow that suffer from serious deprivation. Living in a West End bubble it's easy to forget that.

MissBracegirdle · 28/08/2013 17:41

Scotland is culturally different to England, it's a different country and each wee place has its own culture just like in England.
THere are definitely good bits and bad bits Grin
It's not much like London. When I go to London I always feel like I'm in a different universe, never mind country Grin

Original poster
VaginaPagina · 28/08/2013 17:42

I hesitate to ask this and I don't want to be controversial, but here goes.

While I was born and brought up in England and my dad is English, my mum is Asian. And I look...Asian. I didn't see too many people from Asia in Scotland so I am wondering if this would make it harder for me to adjust? Ethnicity has never felt like a problem in London and I have friends from all sorts of places ranging from Nigeria to Ireland. The question is are people in Glasgow as open about mingling?

OP posts:
Tabby1963 · 28/08/2013 17:42

Scotland is a lovely place to live. I moved here twenty years ago and it's home now :). You don't have to live 'in' Glasgow. There are plenty of lovely towns along the train route between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Falkirk (Falkirk Wheel) is really central and you can get trains to Stirling too, from there. Linlithgow (Linlithgow Palace where Mary Queen of Scots was born) and Polmont (many properties overlook the Firth of Forth) are two smaller towns that are on the train route too. I believe that the quality of live for me and my family is much better and I do not regret for one second making the move.

unlucky83 · 28/08/2013 17:43

I moved from London 13 years ago (I'd lived there 12 years) for a job on the north east coast of Scotland...and I know what you mean...it was daunting...I just told myself not only was it only and hour away from London but if I hated it that much I could always go back ...

My DP came with me (temporarily- didn't know if he was going to stay or not) and I got pregnant by accident after 6 months...

All the things I thought I'd miss I didn't - we do have take away delivery and real 24 hr shopping - all day Sunday too. And nightlife and museums and cinemas etc ...
Property is affordable (when I bought my 3 bed house with garden in a nice area , one of my old flat mates paid twice as much for a 1 bed, 1 box room flat on dodgy estate)
Public transport fine- I live in a semi rural area - but driving and parking even in the city is a pleasure compared to London (And I can park outside my house for free!) .
Where we live is a fantastic place (esp for children) - we are 10 miles from the beach and 10 miles from the countryside and 5 miles from the city...
Things I did notice - the fresh air made me eat a lot more (put on half a stone in 6 months) and not only did I get pregnant but one of my former flat mates (who moved to the west coast at the same time) - also got pregnant!!!. We joked about it being the lack of female hormones in the clean - not been through at least 5 people before you- water making our DPs more fertile - so might want to be careful about that...Grin

As for the NHS - so far so good for me - and I've had 2 'complicated' pregnancies and a couple of hospital stays (I have 'dodgy' blood - I may or may not have a rare autoimmune disease - makes pregnancy difficult and have to be hyper vigilant for blood clots etc ) - and my care seemed as good if not better than I got in London - in fact St Thomas's (London) and my London GP had BOTH lost my notes...
and plus side mostly free hospital parking, free prescriptions, free eye tests, my last dentist bill - 40 mins of prodding around and a couple of xrays (thought I might have cracked my tooth under the gum line) was just over £4 - yes that is £4 not £40!
(And the Scots are really friendly - only once - from a complete idiot- have experienced any anti-English feeling)

I don't regret coming and I wouldn't go back ...

squoosh · 28/08/2013 17:44

Huge Asian population in Glasgow, you hardly ever see any black people though.

stripytopgirl · 28/08/2013 17:47

there are a LOT of Asian people in Glasgow, please don't worry about that.
lots of mingling but also a thriving culture if you prefer not to mingle.

In some parts of Glasgow its almost exclusively people who are Asian in appearance, not that there's a ghetto or anything.

MadeOfStarDust · 28/08/2013 17:48

hahahahaha... forget the trench coat - Berghaus and North Face more like it! It is wetter than London.

cannotfuckingbelievethis · 28/08/2013 17:49

Born and bred in Glasgow. I love Edinburgh for the history and all the pretty buildings and the old streets up by the castle. Have also found some nice wee independent shops through there that we've went back to. We travel through at least once a month. But Glaswegians are far warmer and have better chat and wit in my opinion. It is a good city to live in and although it sometimes pisses me off I don't think I'd rather live in another city in the UK. I hate London to be honest though so am not maybe the best person to comment !

And yes it rains a lot but the upside of this is we are surrounded by beautiful lush green scenery which you can enjoy on the odd dry day ! In fact Glasgow (Glaschu in Gaelic) means "dear green place".

It's a new job, new city and the opportunity to make new friends and have new experiences. You've no ties so you'd be mad not to try it at least....

unlucky83 · 28/08/2013 17:52

X post - I'm white, my DP is Arabic so my DCs are mixed race (although to be honest they don't really look mixed race) but no problems here...
We are near two University Towns so plenty of people from all over the world ...Glasgow is a University city too ...so you shouldn't have any problems on that front...
TBH someone told me that I would have problems as soon as they realised I was English (I opened my mouth) but as I said that is so far from true...Grin
Go for it....if you hate it you can always go back...Smile

littlewhitebag · 28/08/2013 17:53

Glasgow is fantastic. My DD is at uni there and the West End is the place to be. It is full of lively bars and great restaurants. Edinburgh is full of tourists. Don't live there. The shopping is fantastic too. There is also a large Asian community in Glasgow. You will love it.

Jacaqueen · 28/08/2013 17:53

Glasgow is very multi cultural, especially the West End around the university.

unlucky83 · 28/08/2013 17:54

I was going to say I thought Glasgow was the curry capital of the UK - but wasn't sure if that was right or not ...

Original poster
VaginaPagina · 28/08/2013 17:54

stripeytopgirl- I absolutely love to mingle! That's why I asked. I'd hate to be segregated because of appearances. It hasn't ever happened before so it's comforting to know that it most likely won't happen again :)

MadofStartDust- No trench coat? :(

OP posts:
mrspaddy · 28/08/2013 17:55

I think you will love it... Have been a few times for weekends away and found a great buzz, lovely friendly people. Really love the city. Best of luck and enjoy your new job!

50shadesofmeh · 28/08/2013 17:55

Glasgow is a great place, fantastic shopping , great nightlife, lovely restaurants , friendly people and not scary at all ha!
Edinburgh is extortionate in comparison for rent / housing.

maddening · 28/08/2013 17:56

Glasgow is lovely - and a short train journey to Edinburgh (shorter than some London commutes) so 2 cities in 1. A relatively short drive north finds you in the Highlands and in the winter you can get to Aviemore and other skiing spots.

The tenement flats that provide a good deal of city accommodation are fab to live in - massive rooms.

Scotland is fab - I would move back there in a heartbeat!

squoosh · 28/08/2013 17:57

Edinburgh University attracts a lot of posh English students so parts of that city can feel quite 'yah'. You definitely don't get that in Glasgow.

50shadesofmeh · 28/08/2013 17:57

I work in the south side of Glasgow and it has a massive Asian community

maddening · 28/08/2013 17:58

Ps I would live in Glasgow if I were you - but you can enjoy both glasgow and edinburgh easily.

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