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Topic: Living in the UK  (Read 9747 times)

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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #30 on: June 25, 2018, 12:27:16 PM »
Yep! We couldn't find any NHS dentists who wanted to do proper cleanings (just a quick scrape - ugh!) so we gave up and went private for all dental. Now we get what we want/expect but costs £130 each twice a year.

This is good to know!


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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #31 on: June 25, 2018, 02:32:33 PM »
I'm not new to the country, but I just got my first insurance cover a few weeks ago (I've had my full UK license since April last year and just got a car in the first week of June this year).  I took out comprehensive cover with £300 voluntary excess on a cheap little used Fiat Panda, and it cost £546 for the first year.


Thank you for sharing!


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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #32 on: June 25, 2018, 03:52:35 PM »
Hi! He has not looked into getting a transfer just yet, that would be the first thing to try and then he would look at other tech companies....what are some of the places near Greenock that you would recommend. I honestly haven’t considered Scotland at all. How do you find it?


I absolutely love it.  I'm from California and have been here for 30+ years... 4 years in London, and the rest of the time in Scotland.  As you can imagine, after all this time, I am pretty much completely assimilated... the only thing that's ever been even a slight 'issue' for me is just various food items that I occasionally crave, but there's usually a work-around for that!

I live in Helensburgh, which is very nice in a middle-class kind of way (with a few rough edges) and just across the water from Greenock.... I can see Greenock from my kitchen window.  But travelling to Greenock is awkward from here as there's no longer a ferry.  On the other side of the water, the first place that comes to mind as a really nice place to live is Langbank.  One of my work colleagues lives there and it seems to be home to lots of 'executive' types.  Bishopton is a bit further away, but also generally thought of as a very pleasant place to live.  Hewlett Packard have a big site there, if that might be any interest to your husband?  Also, bear in mind that I could well be working from an out-dated impression of Greenock, as I don't know anyone who actually stays there.

Have a look at this area of Scotland on a map, if you're curious... there's lots of places where you can be far enough from Glasgow to feel like you live in the countryside, but within commuting distance to one of the largest and most vibrant cities in the UK.  Did anyone mention prescriptions are free from NHS Scotland?  ;)

« Last Edit: June 25, 2018, 04:00:03 PM by Albatross »


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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #33 on: June 25, 2018, 04:59:53 PM »
Honestly, I would consider a move to Scotland but not England with Brexit looming.  Just my 2p.


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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #34 on: June 25, 2018, 05:04:31 PM »
Honestly, I would consider a move to Scotland but not England with Brexit looming.  Just my 2p.

This is very very interesting. Can you expound a little more why exactly? I guess I just wouldn't have expected them to be affected that differently. Also, I was looking at schools up there, are they not assessed like they are by the Ofsted in England?


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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #35 on: June 25, 2018, 05:10:29 PM »
This is very very interesting. Can you expound a little more why exactly? I guess I just wouldn't have expected them to be affected that differently. Also, I was looking at schools up there, are they not assessed like they are by the Ofsted in England?

Everything about Scotland seems a million times better.

Affordable housing
Affordable childcare
Everything is covered on the NHS
Free university
They want to remain in Europe and will likely have their own referendum in the future
God went wild when he made Scotland (gives Colorado a run for its money)
Friendly people
And on and on and on

They do get less sun than England but when we are comparing very little sun to little sun, what’s the difference.  You’ll need a jumper in the summer both places (except this week).

It also seems Scotland promotes a better work/life balance.  I feel like I’ve lost my life outside of work in England and I am NOT alone in that feeling.  It’s a big myth that you work less here.


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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #36 on: June 25, 2018, 05:43:03 PM »
I absolutely love it.  I'm from California and have been here for 30+ years... 4 years in London, and the rest of the time in Scotland.  As you can imagine, after all this time, I am pretty much completely assimilated... the only thing that's ever been even a slight 'issue' for me is just various food items that I occasionally crave, but there's usually a work-around for that!

I live in Helensburgh, which is very nice in a middle-class kind of way (with a few rough edges) and just across the water from Greenock.... I can see Greenock from my kitchen window.  But travelling to Greenock is awkward from here as there's no longer a ferry.  On the other side of the water, the first place that comes to mind as a really nice place to live is Langbank.  One of my work colleagues lives there and it seems to be home to lots of 'executive' types.  Bishopton is a bit further away, but also generally thought of as a very pleasant place to live.  Hewlett Packard have a big site there, if that might be any interest to your husband?  Also, bear in mind that I could well be working from an out-dated impression of Greenock, as I don't know anyone who actually stays there.

Have a look at this area of Scotland on a map, if you're curious... there's lots of places where you can be far enough from Glasgow to feel like you live in the countryside, but within commuting distance to one of the largest and most vibrant cities in the UK.  Did anyone mention prescriptions are free from NHS Scotland?  ;)


This is very intriguing. Do you know by chance if there is a large tech sector there?? What cities should I look into for IT jobs?


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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #37 on: June 25, 2018, 07:17:13 PM »

This is very intriguing. Do you know by chance if there is a large tech sector there?? What cities should I look into for IT jobs?

I'm sorry --I  really don't know anything about the tech sector... at all!  It was just because you had mentioned IBM that I remembered Greenock has IBM.  And Bishopton sprang to mind when trying to think of nice places to live on that side of the Clyde... and then I remembered I'd once had a job interview at HP there.
 
Would this help?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Glen
« Last Edit: June 25, 2018, 07:19:50 PM by Albatross »


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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #38 on: June 25, 2018, 07:38:07 PM »
Everything about Scotland seems a million times better.

Affordable housing
Affordable childcare
Everything is covered on the NHS
Free university
They want to remain in Europe and will likely have their own referendum in the future
God went wild when he made Scotland (gives Colorado a run for its money)
Friendly people
And on and on and on

They do get less sun than England but when we are comparing very little sun to little sun, what’s the difference.  You’ll need a jumper in the summer both places (except this week).

It also seems Scotland promotes a better work/life balance.  I feel like I’ve lost my life outside of work in England and I am NOT alone in that feeling.  It’s a big myth that you work less here.

Yes to all of this. Except the sun. I’ve never seen so much sun here! It’s unnatural!  :P
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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #39 on: June 25, 2018, 08:49:32 PM »
Yes to all of this. Except the sun. I’ve never seen so much sun here! It’s unnatural!  :P

To be fair, this year is a unicorn year.  We can ALL confirm that!


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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #40 on: June 25, 2018, 09:10:26 PM »
Yes to all of this. Except the sun. I’ve never seen so much sun here! It’s unnatural!  :P

Whereabouts in Scotland are you? If you're up near Aberdeen (or just generally to the east of the Highlands), you will actually find you sometimes get warmer/sunnier weather than the rest of Scotland, and even the rest of the UK.

This is due to something called the Foehn Effect, where the air loses most of its moisture as it flows over the mountains, and then it warms as it sinks down the other side, increasing the temperature by a few degrees. So, you can get cool, wet, cloudy weather in the west of Scotland, and dry, warm, sunny weather in the east.

See:
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/mountain/weather
and
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/wind/foehn-effect


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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #41 on: June 25, 2018, 10:25:20 PM »
Whereabouts in Scotland are you? If you're up near Aberdeen (or just generally to the east of the Highlands), you will actually find you sometimes get warmer/sunnier weather than the rest of Scotland, and even the rest of the UK.

This is due to something called the Foehn Effect, where the air loses most of its moisture as it flows over the mountains, and then it warms as it sinks down the other side, increasing the temperature by a few degrees. So, you can get cool, wet, cloudy weather in the west of Scotland, and dry, warm, sunny weather in the east.

See:
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/mountain/weather
and
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/wind/foehn-effect

Unicorn indeed! Never been this sunny anytime I’ve been before.

I’m outside Peterhead. About 30 mins from Aberdeen.  ;D
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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #42 on: June 26, 2018, 07:35:56 AM »
I'm so sad I'm missing the proper summer temperatures in the Highlands this week.  I'll bring the rain back with me from China, don't worry.......


Shhh, I thought we were keeping the amazingness that is Scotland to ourselves......

I would say, be prepared to have a much lower salary expectation all around, especially in tech. (Though our computer tech folks can chime in).  I'm a staff level engineer and my salary is great for the area, but nowhere close to what I'd be earning at my level in the USA.   Also, I'm pretty well stuck in my job because there is no other company around that has anything I'm qualified for and the salary is better than anywhere else around.....  But I keep looking.

Food is much cheaper in the UK - I couldn't believe how expensive food was in the USA last time I was there.

I love the NHS. It's not perfect, but the US system is very broken too.  My sister, who has great insurance in the USA, with a long history of autoimmune issues and allergies couldn't even get her insurance to cover some skin prick tests for issues she was having.

Car insurance is much cheaper.

I live in a tiny village in the Highlands and the air quality is fabulous. We get the Northern Lights sometimes. 
I've never gotten food on my underpants!
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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #43 on: June 26, 2018, 07:47:45 AM »
I live in a tiny village in the Highlands and the air quality is fabulous. We get the Northern Lights sometimes.

I already want to come up to see Scotland sometime, but the possibility of seeing Northern Lights tips it over the edge for me.  I'm gonna have to get my husband on board with this.  I mean, I could go without him, but then I'd just be sad that he isn't getting to see it with me.  :P
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Re: Living in the UK
« Reply #44 on: June 26, 2018, 07:50:06 AM »
We get the Northern Lights sometimes. 

Flashback?
I just hope that more people will ignore the fatalism of the argument that we are beyond repair. We are not beyond repair. We are never beyond repair. - AOC


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