Moving to London?

[Mike r]

Is this a good idea?
My cousin has been bugging me about moving to London for quite a while. She has this fantastic idea of us living together for a few months while she attempts to set me up with one of her best friends. I'm not against being set up with her friend, as she's really nice and we get on well together, but that's not the problem...

I'm living in Germany right now, teaching English, learning some German and desperately looking for a way out. I like Germany, but I really don't want to continue teaching English as a main job; though it could be useful on the side.

I have a masters in Peace and Development Studies and have been unsuccessfully applying for apprenticeships in various organisations.
I think London should be a better place to base myself, probably more job opportunities in the NGO and other sectors (or has everything dried up since the crash?) than here in North Germany. I have no problem working doing part-time work while searching or even while working as an intern, in fact it would probably be necessary.

I think the money I've saved here should support me for at least 6 months in London if I live frugally but I really don't want to end up crawling back to Bremen in a few months penniless and begging for my old job back. Here I have an amazingly cheap apartment and really low living costs but I need to get out.

Is everything all doom and gloom in London like we hear on the news or am I worrying about nothing? I would love to live in London for a few months at least, but don't want to move there if here are no job opportunities.

Sorry for the rambling post, but I've been swaying back and forwards on this one. Don't know what would be better.
Maybe I should just head of on a bike ride for a few months. (This is my plan if April arrives and I am still in Germany)

[border-rider]

Is this a good idea?

No

[Regulator]

To be honest, there is very little going in the development NGOs in London at the moment - other than fundraising positions.  You might be better looking at some of the European based organisations.

[alan]

Beware of grass that appears to be greener elsewhere.You may discover that you have colour blindness.

Are you able to visit London,staying with your cousin for a couple of weeks as a holiday to test the water as it were?

[ScumOfTheRoad]

One thing to watch is the exchange rate.
I work with quite a few people from other EU countries, and we are paid in pounds.
I haven't been particularly bothered, but they have certainly noticed a big drop in their wages relative to the Euro.

So I would check carefully who would be employing you, and in what currency your wages are.


ps. does the lady you are being matched up with have any knowledge of your well-known pictures on ACF?

[Mike r]

She already knows about the pictures

I'm willing to try anything really. Here in Germany I'm pretty much limited to teaching English or working in an Irish bar...
I have thought about staying for a month and seeing what happens, I need to talk with her to find out if that would be possible. I'm sure it would be ok.
It seems the only way into this work is to go to some war zone and work for nothing for a year and hope to get something afterwards.

[border-rider]

It seems the only way into this work is to go to some war zone and work for nothing for a year

Well yes, that would be moving to London

[Ariadne]

On the other hand, when I moved back to the UK from NZ, and moved to London, a lot of people told me I was nuts - and it's absolutely the best decision I ever made. I lived there for four years before moving up to Scotland.

Having said that, this isn't a great time to be looking for a job, anywhere.

[Mike r]

I know, I'm even considering returning to university.
Maybe by time I write a PhD the economy will have recovered enough to make finding work less of a challenge.