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!