Should I Take the £20k Job in Gibraltar?

[jimmy p]

Ok, so a couple of my Gibraltarian aunts were over to see the family (well, the kittens really!) and whilst they were here they said to me that there are some jobs going for the company that I work for in Gibraltar that will be paying around £20k a year, which would be damn good for someone of my age.

Now I am quite tempted by this because if needs be I will earn "mega bucks" out in a cheap country, living with one of my aunts or my nan and have a nice comfortable life, even if only for a while.

However I would probably lose contact with quite a few friends and would basically have to start a new life in Gib, and if I don't get the job then I will be stuck until I find a new one.

I have quite a while to decide I suppose, but I am not sure what to do. I day-dream a lot about it at the moment and do wish that I lived in Gib sometimes, and learned Spanish properly, but it would kind of be dead-ending myself, and going into a country where all I know is my family. Plus I wouldn't want to lose all my great friendships.

What do you think I should do?

 

[Polly]

My two cents, just to trigger off the discussion.

I think ultimately the answer depends on what do you want to do with your life. This is a very hard question but one that any young man must think about and come up with his own answer. If you have no idea yet then perhaps ask yourself what, ideally, do you want to see yourself accomplish in 10, 20, 30 and 40 years' time.

One important factor to consider is that the line of business you choose to stay in must be viable in the next few decades. With the advance of technology, it is not unusually that an entire profession or business can be completely wiped out within a few years.

To me friends are less of a concern here because true friendship age well, and anyway "strangers are unknown friends".

 

[Ivan Seeking]

However I would probably lose contact with quite a few friends and would basically have to start a new life in Gib, and if I don't get the job then I will be stuck until I find a new one.

In addition to what Polly said, as you grow older, many of your friends will slowly drift away anyway. Some may always be friends.

Two other thoughts:
First, it is always scary and dangerous to leave the nest. You can fall! That is worth remembering. I think the key here is to always leave yourself a back door. Just don't leave yourself in a positon that you can't go home or retreat in some fashion. Moves like this can be risky and you do need to think about this very carefully. Finally, on this point remember: Once you leave home you can never really go back. It will never be the same. This would mark the end of life as you know it as well as an exciting new beginning.


My other thought:
Be smart and be bold. The coolest things that I have ever done usually involved significant risk. Moving from Los Angeles to a small town in Oregon was a huge risk for Tsunami and me. We both thought about it, took a big gulp, and went for it. We paid a big price for a long time, but now we live a lifestyle that was once considered impossible by us city kids. I can't even imagine life in LA any longer. The only kind of life that I ever knew for most of 30 years now just seems like a slightly bad dream.

 

[Andy]

I think u should go for it, even if its just for a few months you will make new friends out there, i think that's almost a guarantee (sp?) for you.

And you will never lose your friends over here, i will always be around to meet up for a drink.

 

[Monique]

You haven't packed yet? What are you waiting for??

I think you should go for it if you get that opportunity. You have people there to help you get acquinted to the system, you have a place to stay until you find something for yourself AND you'll have a steady job. If it doesn't work out, you can just move back to where you are at now, no harm done but a life experience richer! :)

 

[Gokul43201]

Take the plunge...umm...err, as long as you can quit when you want.

"'T is not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down;
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved Earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,--
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

Tennyson

 

[Monique]

If you need some further motivation, just listen to 'It's my Life' from Bon Jovi.. make sure you turn the volume real loud! that sure helped me.

Or another song that is really nice from a Dutch group Krezip:

I Would Stay

if this is true, i thought then, what will i think
will i stay but rather i would get away
i'm scared that i won't find a thing
and afraid that i'll turn out to be alone

i have to learn, have to try, have to trust i have to cry
have to see, have to know that i can be myself

 

[pace]

You aren't necessarily all by yourself down there either. You can visit friends and families at holidays and they surely would love to visit the sunfilled place were you live :)

 

[baffledMatt]

If you need some further motivation, just listen to 'It's my Life' from Bon Jovi.. make sure you turn the volume real loud! that sure helped me.

Yes, that will certainly make you want to leave the country... as well as your neighbours, pets, friends and anyone else living within the blast radius

Matt

 

[baffledMatt]

But seriously, it sounds like a pretty good opportunity. I'm going through a similar thing - got offered a double in salary to come to Norway and study for a year. It's not turning out to be half as good as I was hoping and I miss good ol' blighty like anything (including British pubs ) but I definitely don't regret going. You just have to take these chances in life!

Matt

 

[Andy]

You can visit friends and families at holidays and they surely would love to visit the sunfilled place were you live :)

Damn straight, just keep those stupid monkeys away from me.

 

[jimmy p]

Haha, I will have all my mums family about 5 minutes away from me most the time if I am there. I am tempted tempted tempted. It will be cool with all the sun and sea and senoritas around with their beautiful tanned bodies... and I wouldn't be alone friendwise, my cousin is only 2 years older than me so I can hang with her crowd. But I still feel I will lose a lot if I do go...

 

[Andy]

I wouldn't think twice about moving abroad to work, but i won't be doing that until i have finished my aprenticeship, only 2 years to go though so its not all bad. They must have a Mercedes Garage out in Gibralta, hmmmm there's an idea.

 

[jimmy p]

oooOOOoooh If I remember correctly (which I dont) there is a cool car garage about 5 minutes walk from Eastern Beach... It may be Alfa Romeo but I think it's just a car dealership in general. There are garages though... but probably not specialist.

 

[Andy]

hmmmm, interesting, very interesting...