Expatriates- life in UK

Hey, guys
I am doing the research of expatriate in UK as my MBA dissertation. 
So I really need your help. Take u less then 20 sceonds to finish.
Please help!!!!

Not sure what you mean, after you work in UK??

Sorry.....i mean during (  not after).....

I'm afraid I can't help simply because I didn't move over here on a work visa/work transfer type of thing....in fact, I'd wager most of us here haven't! 

Hope your research goes well for you tho! 

I'm working here, but none of the options really apply to me...is it possible to add a "none" or "other" option?

Me too...
I've been working here for years, but have never had any problems.  Working in the UK is much better than working in the US... all that annual leave!! 

Ditto to the above; except I might add -
General difficulty and feeling like an idiot trying to understand ALL the varied accents around me - which leaves me terrified of answering the phone!
 

Ditto to the above; except I might add -
General difficulty and feeling like an idiot trying to understand ALL the varied accents around me - which leaves me terrified of answering the phone!
 

I'm not the only one!!!  Thank goodness!!!!

Ivan, I don't have a job yet. (Very frustrating, I want to work!!!) I wish I could help you!!!

I find it hard to put someone on hold while the other phone is ringing and I'm the only one around to answer the phone. But I think this is more of a personality problem...I can never think of a nice enough thing to say to interrupt. Then I get all flustered and drop the other line while I think I'm answering the second line and I'm really just returning ot the other call and...it's just so overwhelming.

I'm sorry Ivan, I don't have a great answer to your specific question. I don't work in an office with a lot of people to have the sort of experience you're wanting to research. 

Hehe...I'm terrified of answering the phone, too!  And unfortunately, I'm the one who is supposed to answer the phone in our office!  The entire first week, I got names and addresses wrong...and I'm still getting a few wrong! 

Me:  "Jane, it's Marvin Schmidt on the phone for you."

Jane:  "Hmm..Marvin Schmidt...I don't know any Marvin Schmidt."

Me:  "Well, that's what he said."  or at least I think that's what he said!

Jane:  "Alright, I'll take it.  Hello?  Oh hi, Harvey!"

apparently Marvin Schmidt = Harvey Smith in Geordie   

apparently Marvin Schmidt = Harvey Smith in Geordie   

LMAO!!! That is too funny. But I know it's stressful too. I know I'd be horrible at answering phones in a UK office and pray I won't have to get a job in the fall where I do!

LOL! That *is* funny! And all too true! One of the major reasons that I definitely didn't go for a receptionist type job to just 'break into the UK office market'! Geordie accents can be as difficult as Yorkshire at times, I think.

I still mess up messages for others sometimes and I think my colleagues are a bit used to it now!  On the other side of it though, it does get frustrating for me trying to get past receptionists when they have no idea what I'm saying even after I spell my name and the name of the company....and I don't have a particularly strong accent either! I feel on the verge of just snapping 'just put me through dammit!' 

Hehe...I'm terrified of answering the phone, too!  And unfortunately, I'm the one who is supposed to answer the phone in our office!  The entire first week, I got names and addresses wrong...and I'm still getting a few wrong! 

Me:  "Jane, it's Marvin Schmidt on the phone for you."

Jane:  "Hmm..Marvin Schmidt...I don't know any Marvin Schmidt."

Me:  "Well, that's what he said."  or at least I think that's what he said!

Jane:  "Alright, I'll take it.  Hello?  Oh hi, Harvey!"

apparently Marvin Schmidt = Harvey Smith in Geordie   

ROFL - that's me on a day to day basis. Lord knows I try to understand what they're saying and I even write it down but I'm always getting them wrong.

As I contemplate the decision about whether to take the social work job I've been offered (if it's enough money I'm going to do it), I wonder about the day to day quality of life issues. I've read many posts about how different some American's find life there. Maybe some of you would expound on your day to day existance... how early are you at work?  do you have 30 minutes or 60 minutes for lunch?  Is the work ethic very demanding and hectic or laid back? do you go to the gym after/before work?  How late are people up in your town and still go to work the next day?  Do most people DO stuff after work or just go home?   Is there conversation among strangers in an elevator?  waiting in line? that sort of thing?  Is there a TGIF feeling in the air at the end of the week?  Do you find it doable to take weekend trips to Paris and around the UK and Europe (as I imagine I'd be eager to do)? Is there an interest in you as an American?

Sheesh - I know it's impossible to generalize to ALL of the experience in the UK but if you each share your experience that will paint a picture for me. I see from my questions that I'm very interested about the AFTER work life, as I'll be alone and don't imagine that I'll want to sit in my sure to be tiny flat all evening by myself. I am interested in all sorts of things relating to the day to day. Thanks so much in advance!
Lorraine

As I contemplate the decision about whether to take the social work job I've been offered (if it's enough money I'm going to do it), I wonder about the day to day quality of life issues. I've read many posts about how different some American's find life there. Maybe some of you would expound on your day to day existance... how early are you at work?

10 am...I work part-time 10-2 M-F

do you have 30 minutes or 60 minutes for lunch?

I don't go to lunch since I'm there such a short time, but my coworkers come and go as they please...if they'll be out for a while, they say so before they go.

Is the work ethic very demanding and hectic or laid back?

I would say that people try to do a good job.  There are ebbs and flows as to the amount of work we have to do on a day, and people tend to adjust their performance to meet that.

do you go to the gym after/before work?

hehe...neither...i'm thinking of taking up walking before I go though...two of my coworkers go to the gym after work

How late are people up in your town and still go to work the next day?

We go to bed between 10 and 11 usually.

Do most people DO stuff after work or just go home?

People do all sorts of things...shopping, eating out, going to the gym, heading straight home...really depends on the person and their circumstances.

Is there conversation among strangers in an elevator?  waiting in line? that sort of thing?

I've found that there's very little conversation among strangers, period.  Usually it's the elderly that talk to me...usually a comment about the weather or how long the queue is, etc.

Is there a TGIF feeling in the air at the end of the week?

Not really, at least not in my office.  It feels much like any other day, though we always wish each other a good weekend before we leave.

Do you find it doable to take weekend trips to Paris and around the UK and Europe (as I imagine I'd be eager to do)?

We haven't done it yet, but we've talked about it and it is doable, especially if you're down south.

Is there an interest in you as an American?

Yes, on occasion, but it's not the only topic of conversation (which I actually thought it would be for a while!).

Sheesh - I know it's impossible to generalize to ALL of the experience in the UK but if you each share your experience that will paint a picture for me. I see from my questions that I'm very interested about the AFTER work life, as I'll be alone and don't imagine that I'll want to sit in my sure to be tiny flat all evening by myself. I am interested in all sorts of things relating to the day to day. Thanks so much in advance!
Lorraine