HELP NEEDED (UK)

[quizzaciously]

Hi everybody. So some of you may know I'm in dire straits now, having tried to hide from Russia all over the place because of the war, and currently residing in Turkey. I thought about trying to get to the UK and live there for a while. Because in these crazy times any decision is a crazy one, and I might as well try something new. Before the war is over I'm in limbo anyway, as I can't move anywhere, including home. I never visited an English-speaking country before.

What's the most inexpensive place to live in one of the most expensive places in the world (UK)? Can I possibly survive in a shipping container in the middle of nowhere for say 500 quid a month + food? Just trying to check the temperature here, I'm not implying I'll get there tomorrow. Because with the current situation in the world getting a visa to an "enemy country" for a Russian is nearly impossible anyway.

Any comments would help, so thank you in advance.

[Jules]

Did you thought about Ireland? I don't know if being part of the UE would help or would make it less complicated.

As far as I know in order to get to the UK as a permanent resident you need a job, a contract that shows you are hired to work there, if not you are ilegal alien, you can't go there to search for a job if you are not a citizen already, at least that what the EURES office say to anyone that desire to move searching for a job in the continent.

[dustyvalentino]

Hi Quizzy

As Julio says, unfortunately our uncaring government has made it extremely difficult to get into the UK.

I found this online and it seems realistic to me:

https://nolettinggo.co.uk/blog/10-cheapest-places-to-rent-in-uk/

If you have a look on Gumtree you can search for rooms to share, it looks like this would be just about as cheap as you can get in the UK:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/property-to-share/room-to-let-all-inclusive/1453412349

Good luck my friend.

[quizzaciously]

Thank you, Dusty and jbaent. Yes, I reckon that's gonna be a tough quest for me, not terribly realistic at all, but it won't stop me from thinking about it. Ireland is great!

[dustyvalentino]

I know everything's relative but as far as I'm concerned the UK is not a good place just now. Inflation and cost of living here is a nightmare. I don't understand why those poor souls are risking their lives trying to get here on boats, just about anywhere else in Europe is a much more attractive proposition.

[quizzaciously]

I know everything's relative but as far as I'm concerned the UK is not a good place just now. Inflation and cost of living here is a nightmare. I don't understand why those poor souls are risking their lives trying to get here on boats, just about anywhere else in Europe is a much more attractive proposition.

People in my circle just don't want to learn yet another language to fit into whatever place they are in right now. I have had enough trouble trying to master Russian and English. And I feel tremendous frustration being in a foreign country without knowing the language. I know it's probably stupid, and wishful thinking from my side, especially trying to move from 3rd world country to a developed country, but I would love it to be the English-speaking one.

For instance, it I relocate to Germany, I would hate to live there without knowing the language, so I'll need to invest years to learn it properly.

[dustyvalentino]

Never thought of that. Everyone in the Netherlands seems to speak English if that is a possibility.

[quizzaciously]

Never thought of that. Everyone in the Netherlands seems to speak English if that is a possibility.

The Netherlands is a good option as well. I know language is not the main priority, as much as some people say money doesn't matter either, but the way I do things, I never do something half-heartedly, so it's really, really important for me to know the language of the country I'm in. I'm trying to learn Turkish now but it won't work for me, as I can't see myself staying here forever anyway. Some people are able to move without knowing the language, but I'm not one of them.

[Jules]

I seriously recommend you Ireland, is beautiful and they speak English, lol.

Also being in the UE would help when it comes to work, it opens a wide world for remote work, many companies have their base in Dublin.

[JF]

I would have suggested to come back to Lyon, like a few years ago 

but french people don't talk much english 

I wish you all the best my friend

[rmarques821]

Portugal is cheap compared to northern/central european countries. You can get by with English quite well, especially in major cities like Lisbon and Porto. Portuguese wouldn't be as hard to learn as German, I suppose. Years ago I had a girlfriend from The Netherlands who learnt almost fluent Portuguese in 5 months. Affordable housing (or any housing, in fact) would be a problem though, and the salaries aren't high.

You've been there for MK's concert in 2019, I suppose you know the vibe of the country. Although I don't live there nowadays, I would help you anyway I can if you go there.

All the luck!

PS: Oh, and I absolutely agree with you on the language-learning perspective. Due to my job, I've had to live in dozens of different countries now and always made a huge effort to learn the local language. Stuff like Korean gave me nightmares in the beginning but I loved learning it, as I faced it like a challenge. People open up to you in a completely different way once you speak their language, it changes the experience completely. It boggles my mind how people can be in a country for like 5 years and not be able to formulate a single sentence.

[Pottel]

Hi everybody. So some of you may know I'm in dire straits now, having tried to hide from Russia all over the place because of the war, and currently residing in Turkey. I thought about trying to get to the UK and live there for a while. Because in these crazy times any decision is a crazy one, and I might as well try something new. Before the war is over I'm in limbo anyway, as I can't move anywhere, including home. I never visited an English-speaking country before.

What's the most inexpensive place to live in one of the most expensive places in the world (UK)? Can I possibly survive in a shipping container in the middle of nowhere for say 500 quid a month + food? Just trying to check the temperature here, I'm not implying I'll get there tomorrow. Because with the current situation in the world getting a visa to an "enemy country" for a Russian is nearly impossible anyway.

Any comments would help, so thank you in advance.

I'm sorry to hear about your difficult situation. Moving to a new country is a big decision and requires careful planning and research. Here are some things to consider when thinking about moving to the UK:

Cost of living: The cost of living in the UK can be high, especially in cities like London. However, there are also more affordable areas, such as smaller towns or cities in the north of England. You will need to research the cost of housing, food, transportation, and other expenses in the area you are considering.

Housing: Living in a shipping container may not be legal or safe, and may not be a long-term solution. It is important to find safe and affordable housing, which may require some time and effort. You may want to look into shared housing or renting a room in a private home to save costs.

Employment: You will need to consider how you will support yourself in the UK. Finding employment can be difficult, especially if you are not a citizen or do not have a work visa. You may need to have savings or another source of income to support yourself while you look for work.

Visa requirements: As you mentioned, obtaining a visa to the UK may be difficult. You will need to research the visa requirements and options for your situation, and may want to consult with an immigration lawyer.

Language: While you mentioned that you have not visited an English-speaking country before, it is important to consider your ability to communicate and navigate daily life in the UK. Learning English and familiarizing yourself with the culture and customs can be helpful.

no matter how cheap the cheapest area to live in the uk may be, the country is in shambles, and that is not only due to brexit, but many other home made reasons as well.
Even if you find a cheap town to live in, food costs remain high.
also, i agree with julio, if english is important for you, go for Ireland as it has the added benefit of being in the EU.
But also agree with others on here, many other countries have a decent level of english knowledge in most of the normal sizes cities. thinking of NL, BE, Lux (expensive) but also Portugal, Spain, Greece (though English will by far not be at the same level as the first three countries)
Then there is Germany, where i have been living for 20 or so yrs. not cheap in general to live (rent) but if you avoid Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Cologne it is really ok. also, food prices are far below the uk ones. the only thing to dread here is the bureaucracy hell that is Germany.
France,...nah...

[Pottel]

also, wishing you all the best my friend!
You in Turkey still?
What job do you do actually?
or what job CAN you do?
maybe set up a gofundme page?? (i would donate)

[quizzaciously]

Hi everybody. So some of you may know I'm in dire straits now, having tried to hide from Russia all over the place because of the war, and currently residing in Turkey. I thought about trying to get to the UK and live there for a while. Because in these crazy times any decision is a crazy one, and I might as well try something new. Before the war is over I'm in limbo anyway, as I can't move anywhere, including home. I never visited an English-speaking country before.

What's the most inexpensive place to live in one of the most expensive places in the world (UK)? Can I possibly survive in a shipping container in the middle of nowhere for say 500 quid a month + food? Just trying to check the temperature here, I'm not implying I'll get there tomorrow. Because with the current situation in the world getting a visa to an "enemy country" for a Russian is nearly impossible anyway.

Any comments would help, so thank you in advance.

I'm sorry to hear about your difficult situation. Moving to a new country is a big decision and requires careful planning and research. Here are some things to consider when thinking about moving to the UK:

Cost of living: The cost of living in the UK can be high, especially in cities like London. However, there are also more affordable areas, such as smaller towns or cities in the north of England. You will need to research the cost of housing, food, transportation, and other expenses in the area you are considering.

Housing: Living in a shipping container may not be legal or safe, and may not be a long-term solution. It is important to find safe and affordable housing, which may require some time and effort. You may want to look into shared housing or renting a room in a private home to save costs.

Employment: You will need to consider how you will support yourself in the UK. Finding employment can be difficult, especially if you are not a citizen or do not have a work visa. You may need to have savings or another source of income to support yourself while you look for work.

Visa requirements: As you mentioned, obtaining a visa to the UK may be difficult. You will need to research the visa requirements and options for your situation, and may want to consult with an immigration lawyer.

Language: While you mentioned that you have not visited an English-speaking country before, it is important to consider your ability to communicate and navigate daily life in the UK. Learning English and familiarizing yourself with the culture and customs can be helpful.

no matter how cheap the cheapest area to live in the uk may be, the country is in shambles, and that is not only due to brexit, but many other home made reasons as well.
Even if you find a cheap town to live in, food costs remain high.
also, i agree with julio, if english is important for you, go for Ireland as it has the added benefit of being in the EU.
But also agree with others on here, many other countries have a decent level of english knowledge in most of the normal sizes cities. thinking of NL, BE, Lux (expensive) but also Portugal, Spain, Greece (though English will by far not be at the same level as the first three countries)
Then there is Germany, where i have been living for 20 or so yrs. not cheap in general to live (rent) but if you avoid Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Cologne it is really ok. also, food prices are far below the uk ones. the only thing to dread here is the bureaucracy hell that is Germany.
France,...nah...

Great input! Thank you, guys. And welcome to the forum, Joseph!

[quizzaciously]

also, wishing you all the best my friend!
You in Turkey still?
What job do you do actually?
or what job CAN you do?
maybe set up a gofundme page?? (i would donate)

Thank you! I almost ruled out the UK as it seems to be a tall order to get there, so I definitely have to find a cheaper and more reasonable alternative.

As per my job, I honestly just trying to survive doing private music lessons, and so far so good. It wasn't something I wanted to do, but I wanted to cut my income away from Russia by 100% and that meant finding a job elsewhere. As Russian diplomas and job experience are usually worthless abroad anyway, I really don't have other choices.

So right now I'm able to survive thanks to Patreon (patreon.com/pavelfomenkov) and private lessons (fffoma@gmail.com), and donations (buymeacoffee.com/pavelfomenkov), so music quite literally saves my life. In order to earn more, many people suggest doing a video course, which is a big endeavour. Maybe write a book or something? I don't know what to do yet.

Yes, I'm still in Turkey.