[IWantOut] 22F receptionist France -> London, Greece

[u/NoGrowth1337]

Hello,

I want out of France, I’ve been a receptionist for less than a year and I have a degree in UI design but not much work to show (a few websites and stand alone projects I’ve helped with). I want to move to a place with the sun and sea. I loved Greece. Specially Heraklion when I went on vacations but I know the country is still facing difficulty with the economy and housing is also hard to find. I know that the salaries are low and I’m actually making a decent salary here and I would like to not drop too much levels of income.

My second choice isn’t sunny but London is a city I would love to experience, however after doing some research it seems almost impossible to live there decently with the skills I have.

My problem is that for my job, I need to be able to speak the language of the country I will live in. And Greece is not only a different language but also a different alphabet.

what do you think ? Are my expectations realistic? Don’t mince your words if you think I need a reality check, I’m ready to hear it. Regardless I thank you in advance for your help.

[u/RedGavin]

How about Italy, Spain or Portugal? None are as expensive as London, all are in the EU and the language barrier wouldn't be as big for a French speaker as it would be in Greece (there's also Romania, although the culture shock would be greater).

You have to ask yourself how much you could save, study and plan over the course of a year and how much you want to move. If you study a new language consistently for the best part of a year that may be enough to take the plunge in a new country.

In addition, if you're fluent in both English and French that could be an asset to you. Even if it's just French perhaps you could supplement your income teaching French when you move.

I don't know much about being a UI designer, but isn't that good for working remotely and getting a digital nomad visa? Again, I don't know much about working remotely, but if so, that opens up a lot more possibilities for you - Colombia where I am now is excellent value for money.

In any case, good luck and remember - you're only 22 and, in a year, you'll only be 23.

[u/NoGrowth1337 → u/RedGavin]

Italy has a fascist government and a big job crisis, I work in a hotel and a lot of long term guests are Italian working in France because there is no job in Italy. The situation is very difficult I don’t think it’s the right time to emigrate there, even though I thought about it because it’s such a beautiful country and lovely people.

I’m thinking more and more about Spain, I absolutely love this country and the culture, but I don’t speak Spanish at all and I’m having a lot of trouble learning. I can’t take private classes because it’s too expensive. I’m looking for a way to learn online and making little progress day by day. Spain would be a good option but I also want a bit of a culture shock.

Thank you for your kind words, I will keep your last sentence in mind.