There's no place like home

[BookstoreEscapee]

Can your family help with the money at all?

What part of the states are you from, anyway?

[Eireann]

Nobody can help with the money. Really, nobody. I'm from Oregon.

[trailerparkmedic]

Are you really attached to what you own? Maybe you could sell some of it to make money and then you'd have to pay less to ship it home. I know that when I move across the country, I'm planning on selling almost all of my stuff because it will cost me less to buy new stuff than to move it.

[Eireann]

I've already got that covered. I looked around and thought, "What do I take with me, and what stays here?" I do want to take my nightstands, because they're antique and, I think, one-of-a-kind. I can certainly raise some cash with a pre-moving sale, but not a huge amount. Basically, the heaviest thing I own is me. I can't sell that. The rest? I plan to take the abovementioned nightstands, most of my books, my movies (VHS and DVD), and my clothes. And some knickknacks I've picked up along the way. Oh, and my photo equipment. I'd love to take my bike, if possible; it cost me a lot of money, and I've barely even ridden it.

[Eireann]

The only thing the Embassy can do, is offer me a repatriation loan. Yes, loan. Which means I have to give names of people who would be able to cover repayment if I defaulted.

But if I had people available like that, I could just borrow money from them directly. I wouldn't have to take out a loan.

The repatriation loan ONLY covers the price of a plane ticket for me. That's it, that's all.

I don't know what I'm going to do. If I'd known six months ago that this would happen, I would have left when I had more money. Now, I can't find help anywhere. Anywhere.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

and now you're stuck there, until you make more-- please please please don't do anything stupid!
Hugs?

[Taboo]

Well, looking on the bright side.

Now you know what you need to do to leave. Now you don't have to sit around feeling miserable - you can feel like you're working towards going back to somewhere that will make you happier. So, even if it does take you longer to leave than you'd like -- at least now you're moving in the right direction.

[Eireann]

Stuck is the right word. But where am I going to make more? Every single job opportunity has fallen through - I could have just picked up and left last year, but I kept thinking that I had a steady job when I didn't, and then I thought a job was coming to me when it wasn't. In the meantime, I've spent money I didn't want to touch, just to pay my rent.

If I'm out on the street, nobody, but NOBODY, will help me. There will be NOWHERE I can turn for any aid, except sleeping at the Salvation Army.

[Mikkel]

I'm sure you know your rights better than I, but as far I can see from this you have the right to unemployment because you have paid for social services while you worked.
Sorry, I see it's only for EU citizens, I hope there are some benefits for people from other countries too, I know there are in Denmark.
Could you find a job in one of the other EU-countries? It would be much cheaper to move and with an animal passport you could bring the kitties anywhere.

[Eireann]

I don't know, Mikkel - I have long-term residency in the EU. Does that count?

If I had a job in another country, especially with one willing to move me and my cats and everything else, I'd go for it, but I'm only fluent in English, and I doubt very much that anyone outside the U.K. would be willing to hire me.

[Eireann]

I just found this:

Persons who have acquired long-term resident status will enjoy equal treatment with nationals as regards:

* access to paid and unpaid employment, conditions of employment and working conditions (working hours, health and safety standards, holiday entitlements, remuneration and dismissal);
* education and vocational training, recognition of qualifications and study grants;
* welfare benefits (family allowances, retirement pensions, etc.) and sickness insurance;
* social assistance (minimum income support or retirement pensions, free health care, etc.);
* social benefits, tax relief, access to goods and services;
* freedom of association and union membership; freedom to represent a union or association.
* free access to the entire territory of the Member State concerned.

[Mikkel]

I found this. As far as I can see you have the right to unemployment if you have paid social assistance taxes. It won't hurt to ask the embassy.
I found this too. Who knows, maybe there are a job somewhere.
Won't some of the UK residents on the board know of sites for job searchers? I think I would check the laws for bringing animals before. Being an island, the British are a bit paranoid about rabies and such.

[Rapscallion]

I just found this:

Persons who have acquired long-term resident status will enjoy equal treatment with nationals as regards:

* access to paid and unpaid employment, conditions of employment and working conditions (working hours, health and safety standards, holiday entitlements, remuneration and dismissal);
* education and vocational training, recognition of qualifications and study grants;
* welfare benefits (family allowances, retirement pensions, etc.) and sickness insurance;
* social assistance (minimum income support or retirement pensions, free health care, etc.);
* social benefits, tax relief, access to goods and services;
* freedom of association and union membership; freedom to represent a union or association.
* free access to the entire territory of the Member State concerned.

That's something to pursue immediately. That does apply to you, if memory serves.

Rapscallion

[Eireann]

It might not. I've been working on the basis of a business license and evidently, that's one of the exemptions. Which is ridiculous, because I pay into the system like everybody else. I just hope I can get the help I need.

[Barefootgirl]

Are you in the Czech Rep at present, Eireann? Have you exhausted all the usual McJobs availabe; fast food, bar work, cleaning, chambermaiding, etc?

The only problem is that if you decide to move into a country where you'll have fewer laguage difficulties (i.e greater job opportunities) the cost of living in invariably higher, so you may find yourself in worse difficulties.