To jus go back home.
I moved from my hometown of Wales to Manchester to study. Whist on my course I got pregnant. I always intended to complete my course and return to Wales to live in my Parents house. I had to move from my Student accommodation and in some ways I wish I’d just private rented with my Partner or stayed with his Mum while on the course but I didn’t trust my Partner to support us as he was always job hopping so I accepted a Housing association House once my Son was 2 weeks old. Before that I spent some time in temporary accommodation. It’s a lovely house. Two double bedrooms, large garden, front garden. We have mainly owner occupiers on this small estate and there’s a low crime rate here. But, there is NOTHING here. No supermarket, cafes, nothing. Theres a small and expensive co-op and an independent run cafe and that’s it.
I have made no friends here at all. I’m someone who makes friends easily but I don’t work or socialise here so I’m never going to. I’ve been here 4 years now and know no one despite attending several toddler groups and adults classes. I find you have to actually ask someone out on a ‘friend date’ for them to become anything more than an acquaintance.
I made 6 close friends on my University Course in Central Manchester and was very happy while Studying. I also had to do several work placements which I greatly enjoyed. Now I’ve somehow managed to qualify through homelessness, unplanned pregnancy and post natal depression. I’m even receiving an award for my achievements. But I feel so so so incredibly bored and lonely here. I just want to go home!!!!
I live in Saddleworth now and there’s nothing here even though it’s considered quite nice. I have no idea what to do with myself all day. I miss my hometown. The trips with my childhood friends. My parents. My Brother and his Wife and my nieces. I have friends. They’re just not here!
My course friends moved back to their hometowns and the ones from Manchester have moved away. I have one close friend left who lives 14 miles away and who I see around once a month (thank god or I would have gone mad by now).
My days are filled with nothing. My Son goes to nursery 15 hours a week and I’m job hunting at the moment.
My problem is I’m a social worker and despite having excellent references and grades there are practically no social worker jobs or opportunities in the area I am from in Wales. The nearest would be an hour drive and I do not drive yet (having driving lessons). Also, I cannot get a swap for my house here in Manchester even though it’s lovely. No one from Wales seems to want to move which I find odd as I would have thought where I live now was more desirable. I can’t even find a newly qualified agency position anywhere near my Parents house.
So for now I’m stuck here. Luckily there are plenty of opportunities in Manchester so I’m hopeful I can find somewhere soon.
But I don’t know if I want to stay here amy longer. With no where to go, no one to speak to. I’m wasting my life here. Should I just pack my bags and go? Leaving my Council house, my job opportunities ? I can’t imagine ever settling here. I’m not happy. I am chronically lonely and that no good for a Single Mum of 25. Would I be unreasonable/unwise to just go home? My parents think I would be daft to give up the opportunity of the right to buy, the chance to get a newly qualified position and feel I should probably move when I’ve bought my house and got experience as there’s opportunities in Wales once you have several years of experience.
They have also said once I have a permanent job and I’ms settled they will move to me as they own their house outright so they can move to anywhere neat my permanent job I like (I would choose something more desirable than I am now and would be able to help with my Son's childcare while I'm at work (both retired).
But I don’t know how long all that will take and honestly, how many years would I be wasting being miserable. Shall I just leave everything and go home? I just want to go home.