Complex life AIBU and unsure what to do!! Please help.

[WellAlwaysHaveParis]

Will try and keep this relatively short, but want to be fairly detailed, so that I can explain my situation fully.

I'll be turning 26 in a couple of weeks.

A few years ago, I went to Cambridge to study French and Spanish, and finished university in 2015. At university, I was very involved in writing for student newspapers and in editing them, and also did work experience placements with national newspapers during my summer holidays, as I really wanted to go into journalism as a career after university.

I realised, whilst doing these placements, that journalism can be very, very difficult to get into as a career. This was a useful lesson to learn, but also very frustrating, as it made me lose confidence and actually put me off focussing on going into journalism as a career. It also made me feel unsure about how I could even begin to go into a journalism career, as it seemed to me that one of the main ways of establishing yourself in (print) journalism is by studying for a journalism MA and/or doing a lot of unpaid internships during and after university, with no guarantee of a paid job at the end.

Since graduating from university in 2015, I haven't really had any idea at all about what I want to do as a career. Straight after graduation, I worked as a self-employed tutor (advertising to clients on websites and via word-of-mouth) and as a freelance copywriter for a digital marketing agency (which I didn't really like for several reasons) until summer 2016.

I then started a teacher training course in London, which I resigned from in autumn 2016 for several different reasons. I resigned because I felt suicidal for a long period of time during the course, and didn't feel able to carry on. I've had counselling since resigning.

Since resigning from the teacher training course in autumn 2016, I've been working as a tutor in London (self-employed, but I get given assignments from different agencies) and training to be a volunteer for a Citizens Advice Bureau (since autumn this year). I'm really enjoying the tuition and the CAB training, but still feel very unhappy and confused.

I know that I need a career, but I'm still unsure what career I would like to go into. So I feel it might be best if I just apply for a variety of different jobs that I like the look of and eventually forge out a 'career by happenstance'. I've looked into translation as a career, but it seems to be mainly a freelance career, and also very tough and competitive.

I've also looked into the Civil Service, and have been applying for jobs with them. I applied for the Civil Service Fast Stream this year, but didn't get past the e-tray exercise.

As I mentioned earlier in the post, I'm based in London at the moment. I would really, really like to move to Paris or Brussels though (Paris, in particular).

I speak fluent French, as I lived in France with French families during my gap year and also lived in France again during my year abroad at university during my degree. I spent three and a half months living in Paris during my year abroad, and fell in love with it.

I've been seriously thinking about moving to Paris or Brussels for at least a year, now. My only worry is that I don't have a stable career (well, I don't have any kind of career to speak of) that I could fall back on during my move.

I really do think that I'm going into this with my eyes open, and I do think I'm being careful and cautious. I know the move will be tough.

My feeling is that, with regards to the move to Paris or Brussels, it's now or never, really. I will regret it forever if I don't go. You only get one life!!

I also want to make the move before I'm established in London with a career and before I have a family (don't have a partner or kids at the moment), and I also want to move to Paris or Brussels in order to start being an EU resident so that I could look into eventually getting EU citizenship before Brexit happens.

My plan is to tutor English (and possibly Spanish) to get some money coming in whilst I job-hunt, although I will job-hunt before leaving the UK.

My AIBU is: could I justify moving to Paris (or Brussels) without having a career that I could transfer when/if I move? Please help. Am I living in cloud-cuckoo-land?

Thanks!! :)

Bumping :)

Do you have a TEFL or ESOL qualification? There are many people who move abroad to teach English and without a teaching qual you would really struggle to get employment.

How could you not go? You only get 1 life, go to Paris. Have an adventure

Coola I don't have an English language qualification. I'm hoping to establish myself in a career other than English tuition or English teaching. I'm just not sure what yet. I'm just wondering whether it's a crazy idea to establish a career in Paris/Brussels rather than Britain. Am I being totally naive?!

I’ve worked in both Paris and Brussels, for international organisations. I’ll have a think about what you might do/apply for. The OECD in Paris has an entry scheme specifically for those under, I think, 28. I’ll think some more and get back to you in the morning, but there are definitely lots of things that you could do!

Another vote to go. I have a couple of friends who have moved to Australia with no career and carved a life and career out forvtgemselved whilst looking. You can always come back.

I would say do it!

I am French and have lived abroad (in different countries) for the last 6 years (I am around your age) and it's been the best thing I have done so far!! Paris would be my idea of hell but if you love it, go for it. Paris is extremely expensive though and Airbnb has made it very hard to find a decent place to rent without a job that pays quite well or guarantors with more than above average salaries, so you may find finding accomodation quite the challenge. Finding a job with your skills should be easier though as languages are always very well-seen in France and a big advantage when you know how bad French people usually are at speaking anything but French.

I'd say do it but do you have savings? You'll need a buffer in case it takes a while to find work.

Better hurry up.before you get blocked out by brexit and lose your right to work! Do you have savings? You're a native English speaker; you can always find something.

Yes I do have some savings Hundredacre. These have been passed to me by my parents though, and my Mum's always been keen for me to put them towards a deposit for a house, so I'm not sure whether they'd be happy with me using them for this.

I'll try and save a bit of extra money as well.

I know it's a very subjective thing, but does anyone have a rough idea of how much I should plan to use of my savings? Three months' average rent and living costs, maybe?

Would you think about doing an MA at the Hotel School of the Hague in The Netherlands? They are considered to be one of the top hotel management schools in the world (much more affordable than the other top schools in Switzerland and the USA). You could then work anywhere in the world. I know people who graduated with a first degree there who were recruited straight into international companies which were not in hospitality. Hospitality covers event management, hotels, famous tourist destinations, resorts, museums, conferences, spas, restaurants all kinds of industries with high customer contact. Languages are a big plus of course.

Sweetheart, if you have an MA from Cambridg aen’t there tutors and other mentors you could ask who could give you better advice than AIBU on Mumsnet?

Now is the time to do it. When you are older you are more likely to have a settled job and/or be married with kids. Just do it and see what happens.

I know at Bachelors level they do two international internships - one is six months in management. Their graduates are considered extremely well qualified.

The Careers Service in Cambridge is really excellent. They have job listings from all over the world, at all levels - do you have your log-in, and have you gone to see them for an alumni advice session, since leaving?

Perfect storm has the best idea.

Go.

Go.

Did I mention I think you should GO?

In the scheme of things, for most of us, there’s only a relatively short period in your life where you are only responsible for yourself.

Stop worrying about ‘a careeer’ and just live a bit. Book a few nights in a hostel and just GO.

I taught English in Spain without any qualifications or background in teaching.

GO. Start a blog & send me a link! I’m stuck with living vicariously these days! 😖. Life has a nasty habit of creeping up on you & getting you bogged down in responsibility 😫

GO 🍷🥐🧀

Do it whilst you have no ties. You can always come back if it doesn't work out. I can't see any negatives.

If you end up being there long term it might be worth buying a buy to let in this country just so you can keep your options open if you eventually want to come back. At least you will have kept abreast with the housing market.

I would aim to leave those savings from inheritance alone.

It’s easy enough to earn money teaching english, baby sitting, working in a cafe etc. Live cheaply, very, very cheaply. When you’re in a place you get to hear about the best places to stay etc.

You don’t need a formal career path right now, you just need to get to Paris and stop for a breath. Live. Live there, work there, see how things go.

Go, don't look back. And don't worry too much about your career now being your forever career. Do something, anything, but do it well, with passion, and it will see you right. Don't spend any more money on education until you really want to.
I fluffed around in hospitality and events for 15 years seeing the world, getting great jobs, meeting people. Then in my early 30's found something I was passionate about and enrolled in uni - now I have a career path and direction!
If you don't know what you want to do yet, hospitality and events as a job is excellent because the skills are so transferable. Being bilingual will really help you.
Rent the cheapest flat in Paris, better yet, find a sharehouse so you make new friends quickly, and give it a red hot go. You really won't ever regret it.

I don't have much advice but I think it's unlikely you would be able to get citizenship in France or Belgium on the basis of being resident there for one year, so I wouldn't go into it with that as your goal.

If you want to have fun and explore a bit then go for it, it'll be an adventure! I moved to the Netherlands for my MA a few years ago and loved every second.

The Cambridge career service could well have lots of opportunities in Europe. I would start with them but definitely go.

Definitely go. Carpe diem an' all.

Similar background to you, and my "career by happenstance" has worked out very well for me. You certainly don't need to choose a career-for-life at your age. I also had a few months in a foreign-speaking country between uni and career, and am really glad I did. It sounds as if the world is your oyster. Go for it!

You're way too hung up on this 'career'. Live your life and have fun.

My sister did a journalism degree and felt similarly. She now works for a digital agency as a content marketing manager, so is still writing but in an area that is quite high demand due to the growth in digital content. She's trying to gain additional experience in UX in the side, which (in the country we live in) is an area companies can't find enough good candidates for.

Having lived and worked in several countries myself, I would recommend getting your career path sorted first if you plan on moving abroad for any decent length of time (I.e. more than just a working holiday).