For what it's worth I find many more people in the UK who are working to live than living to work. I'm sure it varies from one profession to the next, but I know way more people here to leave the job at the door, and I love them for it. Good luck settling into Reading and welcome!
Definitely - you'll find that the majority of the UK population works to live
. I don't think I could ever live in a country where people live to work (which is why I have no intention of living in the US again).
As an example of the differences in work culture between the US and the UK:
- My aunt in the US has been in the same job for 33 years, yet she only gets 10 days of paid vacation per year and if she calls in sick, that time is taken out of her vacation time. She hasn't taken a family vacation in years because of it and has only managed to fly back to the UK 4 times in the last 25 years (a vacation in 1990, her sister's wedding in 1996, her mother's death in 1997, and her nephew's wedding in 2004).
- Here in the UK, I started my new job 5 months ago... and I automatically get 25 days of paid vacation time every year (which will increase the longer I stay with the company), plus 2.5 privilege days and 8 public holidays. It will be frowned upon if I don't book all of those days off work and I am encouraged to take all the time off that I am entitled to otherwise. If I take any sick days, I will be paid for them and they will not be taken out of my vacation time.
