Back in England after 12 years and working in Germany

[Pdavies99]

2 hours ago, Nip said:

Speak for yourself and you certainly are doing just that. We Irish when things were tough took the boat to England in our hundreds of thousands and as much as it pains me to say (joke) the English in general are the most welcoming and forgiving race. I recall our company did millions of pounds of business with Littlewoods, Tesco etc and if the the situation was reversed in relation to the IRA and Ireland was being bombed by an English paramilitary gang we would refuse to do business with English companies but to the credit of the retail companies in the UK nothing was mentioned. Nothing changed. Yes there is banter with my English buddies buts that's all it is. Your vengeance is not supported by 99.999 % of Irish people who also abhored the atrocities carried out by the IRA. And no mention of how the Irish abused the UK national health service. 

Nice reply!

[tomauasia]

On 12/25/2019 at 1:43 AM, champers said:

Good luck to you, Jim. You have a serious problem and take responsibility to sort it out for the sake of your family. You should be very proud of yourself. All the best for your future.

Yeah good bloke tuff

[jimn]

Good luck to you. One piece of advice I will offer you. You say you will get your UK state pension in a couple of years. Do yourself a favour and check your State Pension online. You will probably find you are missing quite a few years National Insurance contributions and may not even have enough. You can pay them if you wish to get more pension. 

[Stevemercer]

Good luck mate! Hope to see you back in Isaan one day.

[mikecha]

Not forget to pay your pension in full or get a estimate  from pension office otherwise you might get suprises when it eventualy pays out .

 

 

[mfd101]

Jim's report suggests quite a lot that is good about Germany, and an awful lot that is awful about the UK.

[mfd101]

On 12/26/2019 at 5:02 AM, rabang said:

How many foreigners are there in Thailand? I found a figure of about 2.5 million or less than 4 percent. Most come from poorer neighbouring countries or China anyway. Some Western countries may have 10 percent or more and these people have access to welfare and low paying jobs too. Not comparable.

30% of Australians were born in other countries. Higher even than Canada (around 27%) and far higher than Usofa (around 21%).

[Baerboxer]

On 12/25/2019 at 12:34 AM, Chazar said:

Rubbish, I lived there and go back every year however I  lived in Bournville  not  Handsworth or where ever you ended  up

 

I doubt Bournville is typical of most parts of Brum! Handsworth might be,

[Mansell]

The comments about the workers in Germany and the workers in the UK is quite telling.

When I first went to live in America somebody told me the Americans perspective of British workers.......it went like this.....

An American sees a rich guy drive past in his Cadillac and says to himself, “I’m going to have two of those.” and he probably will.

 

The Brit sees the rich guy drive by in his Rolls Royce and says to himself, “I’m going to drag you down to my level.”

 

A pretty sad commentary on how others see us.....and this was in 1975.....it sounds like not much has changed. Of course all Brit workers are not like this.

[chrisandsu]

On 12/25/2019 at 1:55 PM, HauptmannUK said:

OP gives a pretty good description of Birmingham. Its bloody grim..

Yep it’s the biggest rat hole in Britain . I worked at the bull ring when it was renovated . Was there for 6 months and it was miserable . Broad street was ok to pull a bird though ????

[chrisandsu]

3 hours ago, Nip said:

Speak for yourself and you certainly are doing just that. We Irish when things were tough took the boat to England in our hundreds of thousands and as much as it pains me to say (joke) the English in general are the most welcoming and forgiving race. I recall our company did millions of pounds of business with Littlewoods, Tesco etc and if the the situation was reversed in relation to the IRA and Ireland was being bombed by an English paramilitary gang we would refuse to do business with English companies but to the credit of the retail companies in the UK nothing was mentioned. Nothing changed. Yes there is banter with my English buddies buts that's all it is. Your vengeance is not supported by 99.999 % of Irish people who also abhored the atrocities carried out by the IRA. And no mention of how the Irish abused the UK national health service. 

I also worked in Waterford and absolutely loved it and was treated very well by the Irish . Bit of banter but that was it . I would happily of lived there ! Always a few bad apples everywhere you go 

[Headgame]

Some interesting comments on this topic regarding Ireland / UK / EU, etc.
Like others have stated, I too admire someone who does whatever takes to look after their family. What you have done has really earned that admiration. Two years always seems like a long time but it will go quickly and then you can reunite with your wife and children. I hope they appreciate the steps you have taken to look after them.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, Pdavies99 said:

Medical treatment is free to any UK citizen on return to live full time in the UK, and many others living legally in the UK, I think maybe he was not a UK citizen if asked to pay for GP and Hospital treatment, the same in Germany.

 

I've read that UK citizens who have been living overseas can't just walk back in and claim free care. In fact, they are charged a 50 percent surcharge. I think that they might qualify for free treatment again after living in the UK for six months, with proof of residency.

[Foghorn]

Good luck Jim ,maybe I saw you in the lamb and flag or bucksford before .I'm from stockingford in between the two pubs

[Bangkok Barry]

An excellent post. Good luck to you. You might claim you're 'a bit fick' with grease on your hands, but you produced an interesting and revealing report. You've definitely got your head screwed on right, as we Brits say. Be careful in Germany though. I like the food and beer there so much that if I lived there I'd become an obese alcoholic ????

[CNXexpat]

On 12/25/2019 at 4:26 AM, Emeraldisle said:

English people treated Irish like <deleted>. Now you all want Irish passports.

Many thousands of Brits applied for a German passport since the Brexit too. 

Edited January 3, 2020 by CNXexpat

[abrahamzvi]

On 12/25/2019 at 1:12 AM, metempsychotic said:

Im unclear as to how you can be so staunchly pro brexit, yet have no issues in procuring a passport which allows you to work in the eu.

 

You see no hypocrisy there?

This is so typical of most Brexiteers. Out of the EU, but all the benefits it brings........

[spidermike007]

Many of us wish you good fortune in this endeavor. It took courage to make the move. 

 

When I go back to the US I have some of the same impressions in the larger cities. People are ridiculously unhappy and unfulfilled. Homelessness is out of control. Alot of bitterness. Very cold women, most of whom are completely out of touch with their femininity. Little regard for anyone over 50. And stunningly expensive.

 

Quite thrilled to be here, despite my complaints. My quality of life is infinitely higher than it would be in the forlorn US. 

[malibukid]

i went back to Santa Monica where i was born.  was a paradise growing up in Malibu, Pacific Palisades ect.  now full of homeless.  this is the new America the richest country in the world gone down the @#$% hole. 

[pmh2009]

why go back dude??? you are doing well in Germany, having a nice life with good people! why go back to get <deleted>ed again in Isan???!!!!?? And if some <deleted> happenes in Isan, are you going to come back to Germany again??? remember most people get a really good opportunity, one chance --- ONE TIME in life, it seems you've your second chance!!!! You going to waste it again? I mean go back to visit... duh!!!

[khunPer]

Thanks for your update @jimballard, and especially thanks for your description of how thing are "back home"; unfortunately it sounds worse than I expected.

 

I'm not British, but in my home country Denmark we seem to have similar problems in some areas. I now and then consider if I could live back home again – the are both pros and cons – but I always end up with that life is much better for me in Land of Smiles. I fear that it could be as bad as you describe it for Britain, as my friends often say that Denmark has changed a lot since I left for good in 2006.

 

Wish you all the best in Germany, and that you'll succeed and return with enough funds for a good life there...????

[Traubert]

Glad to hear you're doing well Jim.

 

It's always easier to work when there's something to work toward without just being on the treadmill. More power to your elbow son. ????

[Scouse123]

On 12/25/2019 at 5:52 AM, HuskerDo said:

"that town is like one big refugee camp"...…. yes, its not your mother's version of England anymore is it? Gives you a good understanding of what Thailand and the Thai people went thru with the huge influx of westerners, Aussies, etc over the years. 

 

 

What a daft post!  Comparing apples to oranges.

 

For a start the Thais do not need you to stick up for them or assist them in their already xenophobic ways that they have been taught to embrace by a unelected, autocratic, military junta/ government.

 

Next the huge influx of Westerners, Aussies etc as you describe it were warmly welcomed to these shores bringing in much needed tourist revenue in days gone by. These tourists brought money, prosperity and jobs to Thailand.

 

They paid for their goods and services, they contributed to the Thai economy greatly. They used hotels, bars, restaurants etc.

 

Some fell in love and married here and built houses all over the country and bought cars and pick ups. They improved life for those living in impoverished regions , Isaarn would be still a backwater in the sticks if it had not been for foreigners and their investment.

 

Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, the whole lot blossomed economically on the tourist cash.

 

What they didn't and couldn't do when they came here, was tap in to the local welfare state because there isn't any such thing in existence.

 

If they were sick they went to hospital on insurance or paid for their treatment.

 

They don't beg on the streets nor ask the government for handouts or housing benefits, or money to live on weekly, because they have moved from a poor state from within the EU, and found the welfare better in countries such as the UK, a country where they have taken much and contributed nothing.

 

I FIND YOUR POST AND COMPARISONS RIDICULOUS.

[Scouse123]

7 minutes ago, Traubert said:

Glad to hear you're doing well Jim.

 

It's always easier to work when there's something to work toward without just being on the treadmill. More power to your elbow son. ????

 

+1

 

Well done that man. Instead of trying to stick it out knowing they couldn't afford to be in Thailand, the man has been proactive and done something about it.

 

Best of luck in the future, I hope it works well for you.

[rhodie]

Great story. Good luck @jimballard ????

[wgdanson]

On 12/25/2019 at 12:20 AM, jimballard said:

and not long after the UK OAP kicks in.

And will that be enough to live on, in Issan? Bht 40,000 a month is GBP 1012 today. The State pension is GBP 130 a week, = GBP 520 a month.

[Caldera]

Nice to bitch about Britain's problems being "caused by Europe", but cannot wait to get his grubby hands on an Irish passport to avoid any potential Brexit fallout and goes off to work in Germany, of all places, where despite being in Europe and all they have a job for him...

[Caine]

You're going to need more than a miserable 2 million baht and the UK state pension to return to Thailand to live. Especially when the compulsory poor coverage high cost Thai health insurance kick in for all long term visas. You'll have more than a few blood pressure tablets to worry about you won't be living in God forsaken Issan you will be existing.

[samran]

On 12/25/2019 at 1:12 AM, metempsychotic said:

Im unclear as to how you can be so staunchly pro brexit, yet have no issues in procuring a passport which allows you to work in the eu.

 

You see no hypocrisy there?

I suspect he can’t, as can’t many others.

 

But at the end of the day, good on him and getting his house in order, even if he supports cutting off the opportunity for others in his position to have the opportunity to easily work in Europe. 

[mick01827]

On 12/24/2019 at 9:26 PM, Emeraldisle said:

I worked in UK when I was young. English people treated Irish like <deleted>. Now you all want Irish passports. We don't need you as Irish citizens 

O.g you sound like the governments of this world, it's not actually your decision to make.