The job that moved me over here initially was everything I'd hope it would be. It was like a dream come true. I got to work with truly amazing, wonderful, dedicated people. I had flexibility to go into the plant or to work from home when I wanted to. I travelled to São Paulo, Brazil; Nanping and Shanghai, China; Delhi and Mumbai, India; Harderwijk, the Netherlands; Muscat, Oman; and Abu Dhabi, Umm Al Quwain and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. 35 days all combined in Shanghai, and I still feel like I barely scratched the surface of that great city. I learned a ton about international supply chain logistics, import/export, and other cultures. I made mistakes and learned from them. I got to feel like we were building a start-up business from nothing, and when we had project wins, it felt so good. It reminded me of when I worked for the RedSpark start-up back in 2000 and 2001, before the nightmare of September 11th, that same esprit de corps and the rich satisfaction of developing something new.
My cynical adult self says that if something is genuinely too good to be true, it will never last long.... That was sadly true for RedSpark, and it was true for my job with the "New Markets" business.
Adapting to life in the UK was a jumble of fun and frustration, as well as amusement and anxiety. Learning to drive a different way, dealing with tiny, narrow parking spaces, finding replacements in the grocery store for brand names I'd always relied upon that don't exist over here (Crest toothpaste, I'm looking at you), decrypting how to find and register with a local GP to use the NHS, experiencing "Computer says NO" on a regular basis, figuring out how to work the stinking combo-washer/dryer appliance, getting a bank account, a car, insurance, remembering always to flip the switch to turn the electrical plugs on. There was a lot of stress. But there was also a lot of fun -- learning a different vernacular, tuning in to all of the different regional accents, discovering the little, less obvious differences between American and British culture, using trains to get around the country, making new friends and - OF COURSE - appreciating the great British PUB and real cask ale.
And OMG the TRAVEL! In addition to the work travel, the incredible ability to experience Great Britain and Europe, to be able to do in a weekend or with a 2 or 3 hour flight what other Americans have to spend thousands of dollars and 8+ hours to fly across the Atlantic to do on vacation. The Paris to Normandy river cruise on the Seine with a weekend at Disneyland Paris. BERLIN. A week in Sorrento, Italy with excursions to Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Naples and Pompeii. Popping down to Luxembourg when my brother and his family still lived there for Christmas and later for the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. AMSTERDAM. A week on Tenerife, las Islas Canarias. 18 days in my beloved Spain between Barcelona, Madrid and Sevilla. Lisbon and Porto, Portugal with the Duoro river cruise east to Salamanca, Spain. Within the UK -- holidays in the Highlands of Scotland, Bath, Cambridge, Derbyshire, Birmingham, Newcastle, Cardiff, Hadrian's Wall, a walking weekend in Gloucester, a musical festival weekend in Glasgow, the Lake District, the endless pleasures of London on a regular basis, everything that makes Manchester and the Northwest so fantastic, and now living in beautiful North WALES.
As much as I miss my family and friends back in the USA, and as much as some times I miss things about America (let's be honest, mostly food things), I cannot imagine giving up the experience of the past 3 years for anything.
Not even with the gut-wrenching blow of losing the job that moved me over here, after taking a loss on the sale of my Atlanta condo, after 10 years of working for that company, being treated like dirt by a douchebag coward of a boss and then made redundant after only 21 months, not even if I'd known that was going to happen would I have passed up this opportunity.
I was in Edinburgh the weekend after I'd received the news that my job had been eliminated, there with friends for the Festival and the Royal Military Tattoo. Edinburgh in August is absolutely ELECTRIC. It's one of the world's great cities on any day, and during Festival season, it just might be the greatest. I was walking down Rose Street in New Town, and I clearly remember feeling anger (obviously) and fierce determination. "I will not go home. I am not going home!", I thought to myself. The company would offer to move me back to the USA, but I wouldn't take them up on it. I wasn't ready to throw in the towel, and I would fight to stay overseas.
When I first moved over to the UK, a few people told me they thought I was brave. I never felt brave. Getting moved internationally by a large company who handles and pays for just about everything? Not really that scary. Especially not when you're moving to a 1st World country where people conveniently speak English and tax treaties eliminate the problem of double taxation. However, staying here after getting laid off by that company, cutting all strings, and starting a new job search at 45 years of age whilst needing sponsorship for a work visa? I'll take "brave" on that one, with a little bit of possibly daft thrown in, too.
Hell, though, I DID IT. I struck gold with a fabulous company, working with more great people, and they sponsored me for the visa I needed. No need to marry a prince; I did it By Myself. I had to move houses (and I truly miss Altrincham and Manchester!), take a pay cut, and work even harder and longer than before. The upside is that this grand adventure gets to continue, because I've fallen even more deeply in love with the UK, and I still have so much more I want to see and do in this incredible world of ours.
Moving back to the USA is no where on my radar right now. In terms of work, I'm loving my job; people over here truly respect work/life balance; I have 33 days of holidays (compared to the 26 I had in the USA) and those days will continue to increase; when I'm off work, there is zero expectation that I will check my emails or be available; I'm protected by an employment contract and statutory redundancy laws, and the pension plan is generous. In terms of life, I'm still happy over here. What to do and where to go are practically limitless; the only limits are time-off and money. I've settled in and made new friends, and some of my longer-term friends have been a real lifeline. I couldn't have made it without seeing them and having their love and support.
Having droned on long enough, I'll wrap it up by saying it's been an emotional milestone. Years 1 and 2 didn't feel momentous. Year 3 definitely feels so, probably because with the change in jobs, it no longer feels like a temporary Ex-Pat assignment. This is for the long haul.
That calls for some Brit fizz.
CHEERS!
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