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semi-retirement...kind of
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melukcan



Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 3
Location: Calgary Alberta

PostPosted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:20 pm    Post subject: semi retirement Reply with quote

Just 6 years away - I'm returning after 30 years with a CELTA and experience but no degree. I'm wondering about culture shock too, and where to live when I have to move on from the relatives and settle down on my own. I'm worried I'll end up in a one room bedsit with no heat! Is private tutoring an option in the UK?
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poof



Joined: 23 May 2005
Posts: 161

PostPosted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually, I've been out of the Uk for a total of nearly 15 years, but 6 years of that is teaching. The rest was study or tourist industry work. Melukcan, though, you have served a long time as an expat. I feel for you! Good luck!
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sidjameson



Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 629
Location: osaka

PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

melukan, 30 years is a hell of a long time. I am sure that I am not the only one that would love to hear a brief rundown of your time away. And thoughts as you go back for that matter.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You will not like it. Come and join the other exiles and emigres in the Middle East. At least it is warm. No heating bills.
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Dipso



Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Posts: 194
Location: England

PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poof - have you paid any NI during your working life? It might be worth your while getting in touch with the Inland Revenue's Non-Residents section before you return to the UK. I have always found them to be very helpful.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/osc.htm

It is probably better to email or telephone rather than to write, btw - my request to begin making voluntary NI payments took six months to complete, due to the recent change in legislation.

Last year I was briefly unemployed between overseas TEFL jobs and claimed benefits for about six weeks, despite having been non-resident previously. (My NI was fairly up to date, however.) I had to fill in quite a lot of forms intended for foreign nationals entering the UK, which was a bit strange. (I was apologetically told by the Job Centre that there are no such forms for returning British nationals!) Have you kept ties to the UK, such as bank accounts etc? These are the sort of questions that the Inland Revenue/DSS ask.

Be careful with the NHS though - one walk-in centre charged me �50 to look at a sprained wrist for two minutes! My GP has never questioned my residency, however.

Btw, although it is impossible to start a private pension while outside the UK, it is possible to pay into one for five years while you are non-resident. While I was in Britain I also took out some life/illness insurance and this - to my surprise - remains valid even though I am now in Japan. You can't do anything much in this regard unless you're on the electoral role though and unfortunately the overseas electors register doesn't count.
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poof



Joined: 23 May 2005
Posts: 161

PostPosted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

An update to my situation:

I've now been looking for work here for 2 months. No, I cannot claim any unemployment benefit. So, it's been pretty expensive - about 1000 pounds per month to get by. Savings are rapidly draining.

I've not been able to get anything through agencies - all have said that my teaching experience isn't appropriate for entering into a different field. So, unless I build up a few months of voluntary work all at my own expense, then I've given up on agencies.

I've also applied to companies directly. Most of my applications are education related, although not necessarily directly teaching. But, a similar reaction exists in terms of not recognizing any of my previous experience.

The only offers I have had so far are from kindergartens offering to start me as a trainee assistant. But, pay is as low as 8000 per annum. How am I supposed to make any savings from that, if it's even enough to get by at all? Summer camps will also take me, but you are looking at only 2 or 3 months of income in an entire year. Not good.

I considered a PGCE, but I'd need to take a conversion course to enter onto a PGCE and would be charged at overseas student rates with no entitlement to the training scholarship because I have been out of the country for more than 3 years. That makes it a no-go for at least a few years.

Financially, it would be better to stay abroad as an English teacher, but any more time away suggests it would be next to impossible to be able to find work in the UK ever again.

Prolonged experience of being an ESL teacher is basically worth didly-squat if you return the UK.
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sidjameson



Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 629
Location: osaka

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poof, I am guessing that you are around late 30's which makes your situation similar to mine if I were to go back. But reading your post makes me think that going back to England would be a very difficult thing to do.
I went back when I was 28 for a year and it was the worst year of my life by far. If you are not depressed then you are a better man than me.
That depression lifted the day I got out of the country again btw.

Don't know why I am posting really. Just want to say, good luck and remember you can always leave. Smile
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