Belfast, Brighton and Galway

[Hollandia]

After his last contract was not renewed almost a year ago, me and my SO have been depending on my business more to pay for our LDR. My business lost a main contract a few weeks ago and since then we kicked into ultra gear with my vetting all the jobs for him and entering them into a spread sheet on google plus he created so that we could apply for as many out as possible. So, finally I got to put my Type A anal personality to good use for something. I found 30 jobs in and out of NL but mostly in UK areas in one day for him. Last week he had three call him and started the interview process, along came the assessment tests, role playing, mountains of paperwork and even an IQ test.

He was offered one today, another one sent him an email telling him it was all positive and hiring manager is checking his calendar today for interview slots as soon as possible and third one asked him to call later today. They are all bi-lingual tech/customer/agent roles. The one he has offer letter from is Concentrix in Belfast. The pay is fairly low and glassdoor has horrible reviews but we will take it if others fell through. The second one is his dream job, a foot in the door at Brighton, UK for Bullhorn, a Software company that will be bigger than a customer service role and allow him ability to learn his field while working there, the third one is EA Games in Galway, Ireland, it is also another field that he would love to get into more and offers job advancement opportunities.

We are trying to wait till last second before accepting the one job but really it would be cool in itself too, just amazing to have the others, as they are in his chosen career paths. I would like to ask the community of LFAD for any advice or info about these areas that you all might have. We have never been to any of them. Brighton is quite expensive so we would live outside of it but it does pay much more than others. Galway and Belfast, well, we are clueless. What areas to live in, what is cost of living like, everything. We have only just been to London but never ventured south so also pretty clueless there as well. I should note that we are planning on marrying very soon and filing the paperwork for my family permit and then residence card via the Right of Movement for EU workers and their families and I will be looking for work at point. So, if there is work opportunities for Americans with work permits that will be great. I have a few decades of work experience but I know job markets are horrid everywhere, so really any info anyone can give us about Belfast, Brighton or Galway..............I'm all ears.

[Hollandia]

No replies.

Well, here is an update and another request. Two more interviews down for other places and at least one more each and we are now packing to leave to "somewhere" and calling realtors in each area. If anyone can give me any insight into these three areas please let me know.

We are totally up in the air and it is really to start looking like he will have his choice of the three, none really pay anymore than the other for the cost of living so that point seems moot too.

[80anthea]

Sorry, with one thing and another I haven't been on much this week.

Brighton is lovely, very modern and liberal, it's the gay capital of the UK. Belfast has good and bad areas, as non-English you're probably safer in some areas than I would be as English as it is still very sectarian in places. However, northern Ireland as a whole is cheap compared to live in and easy to commute into Belfast from outside.

I don't know much about Galway I'm afraid. Www.rightmove.co.uk is a good source of housing for the whole of the uk.

[80anthea]

Thinking about it, Galway is probably advantageous in that the rep of Ireland use euros like Netherlands so in terms of currency exchange you may save in the long term. Are you planning on a long term move? In terms of the education system, in my opinion Ireland does things a lot better than the UK.

Sorry I'm posting on my phone so this maybe all a little disjointed.

[Hollandia]

Thanks so much for the response.


Yes, we have some concern about this whole, North, South, East and West Belfast thing, neither of us would be involved with that since he is Dutch and I am American, but don't want to tread on any toes. Galway is soooooo far from stuff and I don't anyone that has ever been there and Brighton area is hella expensive but one way or another a decision will be getting made and soon, my head is just spinning.

[80anthea]

They are three very different areas, Brighton has more of a town feel than big city, belfast is obviously a city and galway would be the most rural out in the sticks. Brighton would be easy to get to London for flights but Belfast would also have good airport connections, you'd be unlikely to be able to fly direct to the states from there, but I maybe wrong.

For me out of the three, I'd go for Galway as it looks beautiful and I'm not a huge fan of living in cities but you two may have different preferences. It's a big decision.

[digitalfever]

Brighton is fabulous!

I'd say the culture is pretty relaxed but there is a ton to do. I think the "type" of culture that it's comparable to is say San Francisco in USA or Vancouver in Canada. There is a ton to see and do - and the Pier is obviously one of them. There are a ton of restaurants, museums and free cultural events so you wouldn't ever be bored.

The housing is fairly decent and you can choose from a variety of areas that all have their benefits and disadvantages. It's a University city so remember students will be milling about.

Check out these blogs: https://www.brightonbloggers.com/blogs/

[Hollandia]

Awesome you guys rule!

He just finished a Skype final interview with EA games which is the Galway job and now he thinks that is pretty high on his wish list too. Brighton should let us know by end of week about final interview and Belfast is waiting for him to book a ticket and hotel room


This is crazy. He packed up all his videos today and it really is hitting me that we are leaving and soon. I sent an email to UK about the family permit in case we go to Uk and already have downloaded the info for Ireland for Galway. I know I should just be grateful, but until any dotted lines are signed, I am just nervous as hell. He says this is our decision and I honestly keep going back and forth between the three. I think any of them would be great, I just get nervous when I think about living there for a few years.

[80anthea]

Just thinking zoopla is also good for houses. If you want to look at job prospects for you indeed.co.uk is very quick to search the various areas.

[Hollandia]

I sent an email to UK.gov about this.
Zoopla, Rightmove.uk, primelocation.com .................I have realtors in each one.........I don't trust any of them to tell me about the area. They are already pushing for places outside of budget that I can't afford when I can see they have others cheaper online. This is why I ask you guys, what are these neighborhoods like?


https://www.gov.uk/family-permit

After I do all the stuff they need, I read it takes 10 days to get the permit. I am freaking because the longer it takes to happen the longer I have to stay in NL outside of UK and we get hit with NL rent and UK rent when I just cut most of my ties to USA. Once I get my family permit, I can apply for a residence card and then be able to have a UK work permit and I have many to apply for but can't do any of this till I have that permit.

So, next few weeks are this.
Find out which job to take, Belfast is for sure, but Galway and Brighton are highly possible too.
He Moves to one of the above in a hotel.
He comes back to Marry (gone is that Croatian one we wanted, but such is the cost of closing the distance.)
We Apply for Family Permit.............wait till I have it
He comes back and gets me and kitties
We find long term place to live.
I apply for residence card and wait to apply for work till I have it.


Then "normal" life begins.
I think the next few months could be quite crazy. He sold his NL car today. My USA car and house are going up for sale soon. Sometimes I just hate being a grownup, this stuff is making my head hurt.

And still he asks me, which job should I take if they all come through? I still lean towards Brighton and yet not sure why if I have never been to any of them.

[80anthea]

Nothing against you and your SO but it really annoys me that the process for me as a UK citizen is so much more expensive and time consuming!! It's f$cked up.

[Hollandia]

Nothing against you and your SO but it really annoys me that the process for me as a UK citizen is so much more expensive and time consuming!! It's f$cked up.

Actually,its the same here (NL) for you to bring your spouse. That is the most messed up thing. If the NL would do the same, there would be no need to move and sell all our stuff and do all this. It is damn near impossible to get the 12 month contract they require for IND here for Dutch citizens, but you as a UK or any other EU can come here using same law we are ( The EU right to free movement for workers and their families) to live here and only need to have "a job" ( and get married outside of NL prior) and don't need to go through half what is needed for a Dutch citizen, no 12 month contract or salary requirements. It is the same for most of Europe and really I agree, makes no damn sense at all! The fact is that the European Union has Humanity Right laws that supersede the countries individuals requirements as long as you meet certain standards, which are much more common sense based and less jumping through BS rules to appease a country that really does not care about their citizens human rights. I include USA in this as well, we are just as bad.

They are forcing us all to leave our countries to be together and it makes no sense. We reached a point where both of us are ready to leave both our countries to do just that and so here we go jumping off the deep end and as of right now, I don't even know what pool it will be, just they all start in a few weeks.