Harsh reality of the OE

I've been dreaming of living in the UK since I was a kid. It all seemed so exciting - living in a foreign country where all my favourite bands were from, being close to Europe and the accents. Oh, the accents! I imagined travelling to different European cities every month and experiencing different cultures. As I got older the idea of living so far from home became a selling point (no offence to family and friends!) as did the excitement of being the 'foreigner'. The idea that where I'd grown up would suddenly become special and interesting and would set me apart in a land of millions. So has the reality measured up to the fantasy? Well, yes and no. So far I've been to more gigs here than I would back home and managed to attend some high-profile sports events. My long-held dream of going to Glastonbury also came true. I've done a fair bit of sightseeing around the UK and I've visited Ibiza, Iceland and France, but I haven't seen as much of Europe as I would've liked. Cost of living isn't as expensive as I thought it would be, but the wage situation is slightly more dire - particularly as a temp. Wages and cost of living are not in alignment at all and this has probably had the biggest impact on my time here. There's plenty of opportunities, but there's always the niggling thought of bills and rent and in the end this takes precedence over weekends away on the continent. In the end cities and towns that can be reached by train in Britain were a more attractive and affordable option. One of the problems when you're a traveller is that employers see your visa as a restriction and for permanent positions are reluctant to hire anyone who has a definite end date to their stay. I can't complain as I've been lucky enough to have continuous employment since I registered with agencies, but I do miss the advantages that come with permanent employment. For the last 6 months I've been on month-to-month contracts which means some flexibility, but little security. I no longer get sick pay, so have found myself battling through when I'd normally take a day to rest and recover. I feel awkward taking annual leave when I'm on shorter-term assignments and I don't want to get too attached to the job (and colleagues!) as I know it may not last. When my UK Youth Mobility visa ran out in June, I decided I wasn't quite ready to head home and instead decided to embark on a 12 month Working Holiday Authorisation in the Republic of Ireland. From my short time here so far, I can already tell that many of the challenges I faced in Edinburgh will be present in Dublin - just with a much higher price tag! Good accommodation in a decent area is scarce and comes with a hefty rental price, supermarket shopping is much more expensive than in Edinburgh as is transport. However this is balanced out by having met some of the friendliest people in the world and having some beautiful scenery right on your doorstep. Let the new adventure begin!

Needing a do-over.

So it seems I'm useless at blogging. Not because I don't want to do it, but it has been more about finding the time and motivation to sit down and write. The last week though has given me a giant dose of perspective and, as a result, a new commitment to the blog where I will write at least once a month. So what was this perspective I've gained? Well, it started with what can best be described as a shambles of planning and time management which ended with a massive mis-understanding. The short version of the story is I'd double-booked myself and ended up not making my second engagement. Though not intentional, I managed to hurt the feelings of someone I do care about and now the relationship is icy. Actually, that's an understatement - defunct is probably more accurate and I'm not sure it can be fixed. It's been almost a week now since the incident, and every day I've sat there and thought about my actions and wondered why I didn't change one small detail. I'm an over-thinker and the regret I have is something I can't turn off. The worst part is I'm at fault, so I can't even shift the blame elsewhere. The fall-out made me sit down and take a good look at things. Turns out I'm a people-pleaser - both professionally and personally. At work I'll take on extra duties when I'm already swamped and for friends I'll change plans and commit to events when I'm already busy. Why? I like being the person other people rely on, even if it's to my own detriment. I guess we all want to be wanted and the 'first choice' amongst friends and colleagues. So what have I decided? To learn to say 'no'. Not always, and not to everything, but I need to get real. I can't be everything to everyone. There are times when I need to put myself first and realise that it's not a bad thing to do. People will understand and I'll be happier. So while I may not get my do-over, hopefully with my new approach I won't end up hurting any more feelings.

Um, why Scotland?

"Why Scotland?" is easily the question I've been asked most since I got here. Apparently it's impossible to think that anyone would want to leave the Southern Hemisphere and come here for two years. There is disbelief that I would willingly swap blue skies and open spaces for overcast days and bleak winters (although I'm beginning to think bleak and overcast describes all seasons). The answer is pretty simple - I wanted something different to where I'd grown up. The history, the culture, the people. Add in Edinburgh's proximity to Europe and you can start to see why it's an ok place to live. Every day there is a building, statue or even a whisky that is older than Dunedin. It can be rather surreal. In saying that I do miss a decent coffee, steak and cheese pies and bread that isn't super sweet. Six months on and I'm still happy that I chose to come here - it's even at the point where I know leaving will be one of the hardest days of my life. But that's 18 months away, so until then there's plenty of time to sight-see and experience what the Northern Hemisphere has to offer.

The beginning...

So, six months after arriving in the UK I'm finally writing. Nothing like taking my time I guess. I won't pretend that I'll be updating this all the time, but I am hoping that I stay motivated enough to record the stand-out moments of my OE and even some observations of day-to-day life.
What have I done so far? To start with I've moved halfway around the world leaving behind family, friends and the familiar surrounds of Dunedin. I've visited Hong Kong; watched the All Whites compete in the Olympics; toured London, Bath and Stonehenge and holidayed in France.  It's been a full-on six months, and leaves me excited to think about what the next 18 months will bring.