To move or not to move, he ahí la cuestión.
I've been quite unhappy at work recently, and I've grown fed up of the f***ing rain in Manchester, so for the last 3 months I've been looking for a new job, somewhere in the south (the south of the world, rather than the south of England)

Now, due to this fantastic crisis, it's being more than difficult to find anything, especially as both me and my boyfriend would have to move to the same place, although not exactly at the same time.

Anyway, finally I have the opportunity to move down south. To Reading. With the same employer and for more or less the same salary I have here.

Good things of moving:
- Slightly better weather than in rainy Manchester.
- I'd be living in London (not right in the centre, I'm not mad)
- Work should be better.

Bad things of moving;
- Friends left behind.
- It'll be more difficult to pay my mortgage in Manchester (can't sell until August)

Good things are wining, unless you have something to add.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 13:55, 57 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Reading's OK
There. I think I've made your decision for you.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 13:57, Reply)

Can you not get out of this appalling country
and move to Spain? Surely you've realised your folly in moving here by now. Given £2000 I'd set myself up in Valencia, Madrid, Girona or Malaga with barely a second thought.

Or maybe you actually like this country. Why??
(raymond "three griddle pans" luxury yacht lovin' the christmas action, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 13:59, Reply)

I think it's because I'm from here.
In fact I'm certain of it.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:01, Reply)

I like a few things
How cheap are food, clothes, living, houses...

I don't like the weather.

And if I want to work as a Process Engineer in Spain I should accept half of my salary here, assuming I can find a job. Maybe you didn't realize that all we have there is construction and turism.

20% of unemployment with the goverment pumping money like crazy...

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8405029.stm
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:06, Reply)

Ah ok
I'm pretty much unskilled, apart from speaking Spanish, so would have not a lot to lose. Construction or tourism would be my first choices for readily available employment.

I just think the people are nicer in Spain. Even the English people.
(raymond "three griddle pans" luxury yacht lovin' the christmas action, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:20, Reply)

I disagree
English people is generaly rude, drunk and dirty in Spain. And I hate most of them.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:48, Reply)

that was my opinion too
football shirts, sunburn and bad tattoos
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:58, Reply)

Cheap beer
and sausages.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:11, Reply)

Noooooo! don't move down south.
*shudders*
( girlinthehole, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:05, Reply)

I promise I'll visit you!
And we can meet our friend over there together (I don't remember his b3ta name...)
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:07, Reply)

I'll visit you too : )
It's just that I prefer the North, rain and all.
( girlinthehole, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:10, Reply)

Really?
I can't stand the rain anymore.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:17, Reply)

It rains down south as well you know.
In fact it rains pretty much everywhere in the UK nowadays. The UK is getting wetter and warmer.
( girlinthehole, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:20, Reply)

Maybe you're right
But still, I don't like my job here :(
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:21, Reply)

not really
we're just getting more extreme weather. last winter was much colder than those for the few years before it, and this one is most likely set to be the same.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:21, Reply)

Oh man, you're so screwed.
I suggest you consolidate all your debts into one easy affordable monthly payment, quit uni and get a job.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:06, Reply)

What?
I don't have any more debt than my mortgage, which I'm paying pretty well, thank you very much. I finished Uni 4 years ago and I've been working in what I like, which pays pretty well too, since before I finished studying.

Maybe you need help.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:10, Reply)

Haha

( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:12, Reply)

Oh man, you're so screwed.
I suggest that you find a new hobby or something like that, have you tried crochette? You never know, you might like it. You should quit your job and go back to uni.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:13, Reply)

I went to uni at reading,
that's all I have to add.
(PsychoChomp, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:12, Reply)

You would be mad to live in London and work in Reading
If you drive, the M4 is a bag of shite, and if you use the train, The cost would be massive. Get a place in Reading or one of the smaller places nearby. Commuting is hell.

Luton to Slough every day equals utter misery.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:14, Reply)

I second this.
I work in Reading and used to live in Ealing, which isn't exactly central in London. It still took me a ridiculous amount of time to get to and from work and cost a fortune. I now live in Reading and can generally get to a social event in London faster than I could when I lived there. Odd, hmm?
(ThomsonsPier consumes, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:17, Reply)

my mrs is from wokingham (near reading)
it's ok there. wokingham is horribly expensive. reading is a bit shit.

you'd be better off in the south west if you can get a job. most of the deluded idiots on here can't accept that it is better than where they live, but people like me and PhillipJoe know what we are on about.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:16, Reply)

My boyfriend's parents are from there
Nice place. Expensive too.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:23, Reply)

*does "cuckoo" motion*
Of course it is mate. Of course it is.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:25, Reply)

your drug-addled brain will not allow you to accept the truth

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:26, Reply)

Quite fancy a move down the M5 to Bristol in the new year
I get the impression life gets more relaxed once Cheltenham's well and truly behind you, not that I know the SW too well.

The other nearby city is Birmingham (Worcester is nearer but it's not a proper city, no sir). That doesn't appeal at all.
(raymond "three griddle pans" luxury yacht lovin' the christmas action, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:26, Reply)

Somerset isn't really worth bothering with
it's like a sub-standard version of Devon.

Devon itself is awesome.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:27, Reply)

Cornwall is statistically the poorest county in the UK

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:28, Reply)

I'm promoting Devon here
Cornwall is there for when I want to visit it.

also, it's most likely poorest because there aren't big cities
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:29, Reply)

Actually I love Devon
I've holidayed in Chagford a couple of times, and stayed at Gidleigh Park for my father's 60th.

It was delightful. I whupped everyone's asses at crocquet and then threw up on the lawn.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:32, Reply)

Haha

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:33, Reply)

I'm 100% class, me.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:34, Reply)

that's what Devon is like
every day

well, not quite. But it's pretty awesome having the beach 20 minutes in one direction and Dartmoor 20 minutes in the other.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:35, Reply)

Dartmouth's a pretty little town too.
Some shockingly bad local artists there, mind you.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:36, Reply)

this is unfortunately true of a lot of the south west
don't go to Totnes whatever you do. full of fucking hippies
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:43, Reply)

I once had a terrible haircut in Totnes
"but you have a terrible haircut everywhere, Monty"...I know, I know...
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:44, Reply)

I might as well not be here eh?

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:57, Reply)

yeah go on, fuck off

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:07, Reply)

*weeps uncontrollably*

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:17, Reply)

*ruffles hair*
There there, just think of this as a valuable life experience...
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:40, Reply)

Bristol ain't in Somerset, dude.

( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 18:56, Reply)

Generally Reading itself is a crime ridden shit hole...
But, despite the motorway built through the middle, there are some nice bits and some nice villages nearby. I'd recommend Caversham area to live in, but you need to see which side of the river you'd work on and how long it'd take to get there if you have to drive.

There are lots of nice villages just outside Reading which are really great, but again you want to check out traffic/train/bus/cycle journey to work.

Ask work if you can do a week working from the Reading office so you can have a good look round and see if you like the place?

You can do some research on what your summer will be like from the Met Office here www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/regional/

Good Luck...
( b3tz, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:36, Reply)

Very useful
Thanks, sir.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:49, Reply)

It doesn't rain *that* much in Manchester. But if you don't like it here, we want don't want you here. Enjoy Reading, I hear it's quite beige.
(The Boy Monders I have ginger bits in my beard., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:37, Reply)

mad fer it

(raymond "three griddle pans" luxury yacht lovin' the christmas action, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:38, Reply)

My brother was a squatter in Hulme for ten-odd years
I had some fucking mental experiences on 'The Crescents', I can tell you.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:39, Reply)

Levenshulme ain't got **** on us
Pimpin'

Tell 'em Joe.
( djtrialprice, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:24, Reply)

I do like Manchester
But c'mon, it rains everyday! And summer is not summer.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 14:50, Reply)

I think you should go for it
It'd be easier to start an affair with me from there.

And speaking as someone who left the north for the south, the weather improvement is slight but still noticeable and significant. It is indeed grim oop north.
( djtrialprice, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:23, Reply)

We got spunk oop north.

( girlinthehole, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:46, Reply)

And you're welcome to it.
Mine is down south where it belongs.
( djtrialprice, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:49, Reply)

Southern pansy : p

( girlinthehole, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:51, Reply)

I'm frae Fife!
You're the southerner :P
( djtrialprice, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 16:04, Reply)

Ah, yeah...
...maybe...

We'll see...
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 17:13, Reply)

I live in Manchester, don't leave us!
Although I can't talk, I'm currently saving up to emigrate.

It's not raining at this very second at the Hilton end of Deansgate.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 10 Dec 2009, 15:54, Reply)

It might not be raining right now
But it will or it has. Every day. It's so depressing.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Thu 10 Dec 2009, 17:13, Reply)