Life in UK...now

**cheesewiz** · 23rd July 2008

Hi to all. Everytime I visit this forum loads of new stories, successful visa and new post

. As I said before I work and work all the time (just to keep my self busy, as I am on my own here in UK, no family and single

) I work 70 hrs/week the most as I'm doing it for about 4 years now Im used to it and its like Im addicted to my work now

Sometimes when I don't have extra hours at work I feel bad coz it mean less money

.

Anyway, I met a few filipina in my place who just arrived here in UK (some are spouse of a British citizen and some are spouse of filipino working here) I heard some of their stories how happy they are the time they get their visa till the time they arrive in UK. I met a new filipina in the church 2 weeks ago (spouse of a British)and she said she's been here in UK for about a year now and she's a bit frustrated that since then she managed to work for only 3 months thru agency (its hard to find a fulltime job now here I guess

) and till now she's still looking for a permanent job as her family back home needs her help most of the time and she can't help them regularly.

My filipina workmate just got his husband 2 months ago and untill now he can't find a job (not much factories here in our area) as they're paying £400/month on a room they renting at the moment from £250/month for single occupancy. So, they're both frustrated as well as bills are double and only one wage coming in at the moment as their planning to get their 2 children before Christmas....

May be some of the Britons here quite well off that their filipina wife may not need to go to work that's good for our kababayans. But for those who need to work to help their Brits husband to pay some bills and at the same time has a family to support in the Phils I hope they can find work if they're desparate to work and if the husband needs an extra support financially. I have a good filipina friend whose married to a Brit they met online a few years ago she said to me at the beginning of their relationship he said that if she's in UK already she needs to work to help him to pay some bills and if she wants to help her family back home (which is fair enough I guess as Brits are not rich as what filipinos in the Phils think) I think finding a job here now is a bit hard even in nursing home I am working now before Britons only last for just a day to work and gone the following day but now I can't believe it even young people now working there and it seems that they will stay for long.

UK is a nice place for me to work (as a work permit holder) as I get 100x on what I earned in the Phils but UK govt is trying to get rid of us caregivers

that they might put us in Tier 3 as they think we're low skilled...which I beg to disagree

Sorry to bore you guys...ingat!

**nigel** · 23rd July 2008

Awwww sorry to hear your not to happy at the moment..

I work 50 sometimes 60 hours a week, it's not fun..

and I think the amount of holidays we get in England is pitiful..

Nevermind, the flowers still grow eh?

**Piamed** · 23rd July 2008

I'm not working those hours presently but was previously doing 70 plus and not including travelling. I get 25 days holiday but in US standard is 2 weeks.

**nigel** · 23rd July 2008

In the U.S. the standard holiday is two weeks???

All filipino's should know that living in Britain isn't that great, sure it's great in some respects, but we work like hell just to break even...that's what it feels like..

Still, it seems we've got a great sense of humour here in Britain..we've put up with Gordon Brown telling us to eat our leftovers so I guess we must have!!

**Mrs Daddy** · 24th July 2008

I am only doing part time job but i am having like 5 weeks holiday,which is good

**Ann07** · 24th July 2008

i used to work like 40 to 50 hours a week( good money

) Not now hahahaha when i go back to work after my maternity leave i can work any day i want to..which is brilliant

just partime

my husband doesnt want me to go back to work... but its good to earn ur own money. and u can always give something to ur family in the phils if they needed something.though he always give me money and i keep all the cards lol!

**andypaul** · 24th July 2008

A great post Chessewhiz.

I think many of us could learn a lot from that and like you say young brits are looking for jobs in the care home industry which as a tough and sadly not very well rewarded job (either moneywise or in respect from others in the comunity) does show how the working enviroment as changed dramtically in the last year.

All those looking for Jobs will need to ensure they have the skills and qualities needed and may need to either improve on or gain new ones skils and qualifications.

The good times are over for most where they could fall into a job
Walking round london I rarely see staff required in shops or cafe and the like, also the numbers working in them seems to have decreased.

**flomike** · 24th July 2008

Hi cheesewiz nice post

Where are you in UK?

I know that getting a job right now here is a bit harder

When I arrived here 5 years ago one of the biggest factoryin our area (employed about 2500 people) every week they advertise on newspaper (ofcourse loads of East European people there working specially Polish) but now they don't hire directly its all thru agency so they can get rid of them anytime they want.

My husband not forcing me to work form the very start but he said if I work I could add a bit to the house like food etc and at the same time I can help my family in the Phils if I need to. Actually, I get a lot of favour from my hubby like free transpo to my work everyday and loads and loads of favours. Next year I am thinking of just getting a part time job so he won't need to drive me to work everyday and let my hubby work harder

**mhynne** · 24th July 2008

im sorry about what you are experiencing cheezwiz..
truly its hard to get a job here in the UK currently..
i started out as a temp with my current company... one of the other temps that i work with, who is originally from the UK, is still out temping as it is hard for him to get a permanent job currently. and that is from someone who is experienced in his field..
Times are hard right now in the UK... for everyone.. :(

**islander** · 25th July 2008

Originally Posted by mhynne

im sorry about what you are experiencing cheezwiz..
truly its hard to get a job here in the UK currently..
i started out as a temp with my current company... one of the other temps that i work with, who is originally from the UK, is still out temping as it is hard for him to get a permanent job currently. and that is from someone who is experienced in his field..
Times are hard right now in the UK... for everyone.. :(

I DO AGREE TO THAT!

well, i'm actually experiencing it now, no work yet til this time, although i'm still in my third week here in UK but i'm so eager to work just to lessen a bit on boredom being at home. also, it would be much better if i have my own income and not rely all my personal needs from my hubby's earnings.

**allyn** · 25th July 2008

Originally Posted by cheesewiz