Every End is a New Beginning

I am officially one week away from leaving for London and I am as prepared as I am going to be.  I have started packing my suitcase, well, gathering up the contents anyway and I am triaging through all my stuff to decide what to bring and what to leave behind.  As I have mentioned before, I’m a girl who likes to have stuff and this is proving to be one of the most challenging parts of moving abroad so far.  Despite all that, I think I have mostly narrowed it down to some key items, keeping in mind that I can buy whatever else I need once I’m in the UK.

For those of you interested in my packing choices (I have noticed that this is a very popular topic on other SWAP blogs), I am going with one large suitcase (the maximum size that British Airways will allow) as well as my backpack and a purse as carry-on.  In my suitcase, I also have this foldable 35L duffel bag that I bought at MEC that I plan to use for inter-European travel as it is the perfect size for carry-on on discount airlines like Ryanair and easyJet. 

I find it fitting that I’m writing my last blog post for 2013 on New Year’s Eve, which also happens to be my last day in my apartment and at my job.  It is a very bittersweet feeling – I’m sad to leave my apartment, family, friends and colleagues behind but at the same time, I’m excited about all the new and fun things that 2014 will bring.  I think that A.A. Milne said it best (via Winnie the Pooh):

"How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."

 As a goodbye to 2013, here are some of my favourite pictures from the past year (with maybe a couple of older ones) and some of the people and places that I will miss:

Questions, Questions, and more Questions (Oh, and Some Answers Too)

I can’t believe there is less than one month left before I leave!  It seems like time has flown by since I made the decision to go live abroad.  My focus has really been on finding a job and a flat but, as you can read below, “even the best laid plans often go astray” (Robert Frost, Of Mice and Men).  Every day, more and more random questions are popping up in my head.  By researching various sources (e.g., other bloggers, Government websites SWAP and BritBound, financial institutions), I have managed to find some answers.  Since it took quite a bit of time to research all this, I thought I’d share my findings with all of you other Swappers or long-term travelers in the hope that you will find them helpful.

Storage

Storage space is expensive!  And I’m a girl who accumulates a lot of stuff…I like stuff.  I am lucky though since various family members have offered to keep my things for free (thanks grandma, mom and dad!) while I’m away.  This is just a warning for those of you thinking of doing this that you will need storage that it’s a lot more expensive than you think (you’re looking at around $2,000/year…in Ottawa anyway).

Health

If you have any prescription drugs, you have to see your doctor before you go and get a prescription for one (or two) years’ worth of your prescriptions because they may not be available abroad.  I found out that it’s also a good idea to get a note from your doctor detailing the medical reasons why you need each prescription and the recommended dosage.  While travel insurance like Bon Voyage for example does cover some health issues (mostly emergencies), it does not cover everyday prescriptions for existing conditions so that’s something to consider.

Flights/Return Date

I was happy to learn that I don’t have to choose my return date yet and that I don’t have to buy a return ticket.  As long as I come back within two years of my visa being issued, there are no problems.  One less thing to have to figure out now!

Canadian Embassy

Registering with local police has been recommended but from what I see, it is far simpler to register online for free with the Canadian embassy (http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration).  Basically, you're just letting them know that you're in the UK in case there is a natural disaster or another major event where they would want to track you down and let your family know you're ok.  I plan on doing this when I get to London. 

Jobs

I thought applying for jobs from Canada, before I leave, would be wise since by the time I arrive in the UK I would be able to interview and there wouldn’t be a huge delay between arriving and starting work.  However, what I found out through the good people at BritBound, is that most employers won’t hire someone who isn’t in the country yet.  I can see the reasoning behind this but I found it a little bit discouraging when I found out.  My plan is to keep an eye on job postings that I’m interested in and dedicate several hours a day to submitting applications when I arrive.  At least I’ll have done some research and won’t need to start from scratch again.  The websites I have been using for jobs are:

• www.jobs.civilservice.gov.uk
• www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/jobs
• www.gumtree.com/jobs/london
• www.monster.co.uk

Finding a Place to Live

Many people have suggested Spareroom and Gumtree for finding a place to live.  Personally I prefer Spareroom and I have found several places that I am interested in.  After speaking with some landlords in the UK, I found out that you can do a “pre-let” before being in the country but you have to pay your deposit before even seeing the flat…there is a risk involved.  After much deliberation, and despite the fact that I really wanted to have a home to go to when I get to the UK, I will spend a few days living in a hotel/hostel, visiting flats and hopefully finding my new home quickly once I arrive.

I did also find out that it is common for landlords to ask for references (professional or personal) and also to provide a CV or proof of income to a landlord to prove that you can make payments on time  Also, the deposit in London can range from six weeks to 2 months' rent so I thought that was good to know. 

Ok, I think that’s enough rambling for one night, I hope this will be of use to some people; it was quite an educational process for me.  Finding all of this information has been stressful at times and I’ll admit that I have had a few panicky moments when I think about what’s to come; I’d say that, on average, it’s a pretty even mix of excitement and fear.  These moments of fear are what made this tweet from SWAP really relevant for me today:

“If at some point you don’t ask yourself, ‘What have I gotten myself into?’ then you’re not doing it right.” — Roland Gau

Moments

Nostalgia...?

It's funny, a year ago at this time I was just wrapping up a great trip to Paris and London and I had no idea that exactly a year later, I'd be preparing to go live in London for a while. That's been on my mind a lot these past few weeks as I think about how life is funny sometimes and opportunities present themselves at just the right time.

I now officially have my work visa and got a great deal on my plane ticket thanks my SWAP/TravelCuts advisor, Maryse. I have since received my BritBound information and can’t say enough about how helpful the services they provide are. From helping me set up a cell phone (I already have my UK phone # and I'm not leaving until January!), bank account, an orientation session and pub night to a million other things, I haven’t regretted registering for SWAP/BritBound for one second and recommend it to anyone who is planning on working and travelling abroad.

I’ve actually been to the UK a few times and it’s not my home (yet) but somehow, I feel homesick for it as I prepare to leave. Every day I think of London at least once and about how my daily activities (drinking my morning tea, buying groceries, commuting) will be so different and fun, for a while anyway. 

 

Right at the top of my list is making sure that I visit London sights every week and that I travel to a different European country at least once a month; not including regular trips to Paris. The thought of being at Europe’s door and having amazing French pâtisseries and beautiful Paris so easily accessible is unreal. 

 

Scotland will also only be a few hours away, I will be able to get my fill of Scottish greenery, amazing accents, scotch whisky, kilts and highland cows (not highland cows wearing kilts…) anytime I want! I couldn’t be more eager to leave…but for now, I keep waiting semi-patiently.

As I experience this strange sense of nostalgia, I leave you with the following two quotes which are oddly similar to each other and are really resonating with me lately:

Every dreamer knows that it is entirely possible to be homesick for a place you’ve never been to, perhaps more homesick than for familiar ground.

-Judith Thurman

How is it possible to feel nostalgia for a world I never knew?

-Che Guevara

London Calling

The time has finally come for me to start applying for my work visa.  I’m very excited because I see this as the last big step before actually leaving for the UK.  With the help of SWAP, I have gathered all the documents I need and filled out all the necessary forms.  The trickiest part was going back to find all the actual dates when I have travelled abroad in the past 10 years (it turns out that I’m not a great record-keeper). 

To get my UK work visa, I need to have £1,800 (which is roughly $2,800 depending on the exchange rate) in support funds.  After I submit my visa application, I will have to keep this amount in my bank account until the visa is in my hands.  I plan on saving more than this so I can live comfortably in the UK and travel as much as possible.  We’ll see how that goes.

As some of my family & friends know, I have been a superdork when it comes to planning for this.  I even created an excel spreadsheet that looks something like the one below, to encourage me to save money and it really worked!  I set up some checkpoints so I could see how close I was getting to my goal (London) based on my savings.  These amounts aren’t accurate but I just wanted to show what I thought was a good way to self-motivate to save money.

I also found an excel formula that counts down the days until I leave for London (it’s:  =DATEVALUE("5-January-2014")-TODAY()&" days until I leave for London" for those of you who are equally dorky).  It made it really fun to check and update my spreadsheet every week.

Somewhat off topic...those who know me well are aware that I'm a big fan of Chris Hadfield (Canadian astronaut who recently came back from the International Space Station) and as I get closer to leaving; my favourite quote of his only becomes more and more amazing.  It’s meant to be career advice (it was his answer to a kid who asked what he should do to become an astronaut) but I see it as a great perspective/outlook and fantastic advice for managing realistic expectations and achieving your goals at the same time, whether they are career goals or simply personal ones.  I leave you this time with the quote (in illustrated format):

What's All This Then?

So I have made the decision to move to the UK.  While I have always wanted to live abroad, there was always something holding me back, maybe it’s just a fear of the unknown and of being away from home for so long; but when I looked at the SWAP (www.swap.ca) brochure, yet again (I do this every year), I noticed that the age limit for the UK is 30.  Having just turned 28, it dawned on me that it's now or never.  After bouncing the idea off of family, friends and colleagues who have been overwhelmingly supportive and with nothing concrete holding me back in Ottawa, I have decided that it's time.

 

Last May I registered for the SWAP program.  I debated whether I should go through SWAP or do it on my own but in the end, I decided that the help with getting my work visa and the assistance they provide once abroad will be worth it, even if it’s just for peace of mind (which is greatly undervalued, in my opinion).

I am still in the very early planning stages, but my excitement and obsessive planning have already begun.  Since I can’t apply for my work visa until three months before I plan to leave (which makes that October since I plan to leave in early January), my research is somewhat limited and more vague at this stage.  I have been reading a lot of blogs written by Canadians who, like me, have registered for SWAP UK and who are already in London.  My top three blogs are:

• For the Love of London (very useful and thorough information and lists that I have shamelessly copied, including what to pack, where to live, what to do in London, etc.)
• Ramblings of a Canadian Bloke (interesting perspective and his thoughts before he left for London – I’m a little concerned that he hasn’t written, except for once briefly, since he got to London.  I’m hoping that this is because he’s having so much fun and he can’t find the time!)
• SWAP Blog (links to other blogs and useful information)

 When it comes to living London, what I'm most excited about is:

• commuting on the Tube;
• awesome accents around me all the time;
• proximity and affordability of travelling to so many exciting European destinations; and
• a new and exciting experience that I couldn't get at home.

 What I'm most scared about:

• being far away from home and everyone I know;
• panicking if everything doesn't go according to plan; and
• missing out on opportunities while I'm away.

That said, I think the good things far outweigh the bad things and there is no doubt in my mind that I will be in London in January 2014.  The only questions left are: what will I do there and how long will I stay? 

I will be using this blog as my sounding board before, during and after my London adventure.  I welcome any and all questions and comments and look forward to sharing this experience with anyone who chooses to read this.  Stay tuned for more of my ramblings!