What was the transition like?

[Laura+Tom 2]

I'm getting my student loan late (long story) but as I have the full grant too, I'm only spending it on my accommodation fees. I intend on paying every penny back because I'm not comfortable with a loan floating around. I know someone who's £10,000 into debt and she's only in her third year.

=D Thanks again, you wonderful people.

Magpie.

10,000 quid in student loan debt is a lot?

Most of the people I know in the US who have come out of university have a MINIMUM of $30,000.

I know two parties with over $100,000.00.

To me that's a lot. I left uni with a £5,000 debt in 2005, luckily I'll have paid that off before I leave because I started payments as soon as I left uni instead of waiting until I earnt the threshold of £15,000 a year.

Edited January 25, 2009 by Laura+Tom

[Sherri and Matt 1]

I'm the USC in our pair, but I thought I might add abit of advice. Matt misses his duvet, some food, walking...a lot of the things that seem so common.

Coriander/Cilantro. Coriander is the seed of the plant and Cilantro is the green leafy part that grows out of the Coriander.

Don't buy meat at Wal-mart. For the love of all that is holy. God knows how long that has sat in it's package in the cooler with chemicals sprayed on it to make it stay red on the outside. Find a small local market in your town that sells meat. Most of the small grocery stores have butchers in a back room, and if you ask, they will get you any cut of meat you want. You won't find many pre-packaged in the cooler, but if you ask, they will do it. I live in East BumF*%$ nowhere and we have several little stores like that. One of them is particularly popular because if even they don't have a type of meat, they will find it for you. As well as anything else you might want, I know people that go there for blood sausage and Haggis (sp?).

Same thing applies for baked goods. Many of those little stores have bakeries and always check dates. Or make note of the day you know they make a particular thing and buy it then. I know on Sunday's my local store bakes bread because when I walk in it is all I can smell. I know it is probably still not the same, but it is better than the bagged stuff on the shelf. Sometimes you can find small family bakeries. I have one near my work that bakes fresh every morning while most of us are fast asleep, and they only sell what they make that day.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

To me that's a lot. I left uni with a £5,000 debt in 2005, luckily I'll have paid that off before I leave because I started payments as soon as I left uni instead of waiting until I earnt the threshold of £15,000 a year.

To me as well. I've got a fair bit in my savings and the loan is really there for financial cushioning. I plan on paying back the loan before the interest starts piling up, so really, I'm treating the loan (rather than the grant) as money I do not touch unless I really need it.

Magpie.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

I'm the USC in our pair, but I thought I might add abit of advice. Matt misses his duvet, some food, walking...a lot of the things that seem so common.

Coriander/Cilantro. Coriander is the seed of the plant and Cilantro is the green leafy part that grows out of the Coriander.

Don't buy meat at Wal-mart. For the love of all that is holy. God knows how long that has sat in it's package in the cooler with chemicals sprayed on it to make it stay red on the outside. Find a small local market in your town that sells meat. Most of the small grocery stores have butchers in a back room, and if you ask, they will get you any cut of meat you want. You won't find many pre-packaged in the cooler, but if you ask, they will do it. I live in East BumF*%$ nowhere and we have several little stores like that. One of them is particularly popular because if even they don't have a type of meat, they will find it for you. As well as anything else you might want, I know people that go there for blood sausage and Haggis (sp?).

Same thing applies for baked goods. Many of those little stores have bakeries and always check dates. Or make note of the day you know they make a particular thing and buy it then. I know on Sunday's my local store bakes bread because when I walk in it is all I can smell. I know it is probably still not the same, but it is better than the bagged stuff on the shelf. Sometimes you can find small family bakeries. I have one near my work that bakes fresh every morning while most of us are fast asleep, and they only sell what they make that day.

Missed your post! I asked Knight about bakeries, and it sounds like they're pretty common in Alaska. I'd imagine the meat's of better quality up there than it is down here in the UK (and we really do have a pretty spotty past when it comes to that).

Thankums for the advice =D.

Magpie.

[Big Papa Zone 93]

Again, what is the problem here? You borrow money, you pay it back - simple as that. If everyone adhered to that rule, the world's economy wouldn't be in the steaming pile of doings it is now.

You're going to make a good Republican Daymo.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I would say people leave college with less student debt in the UK because higher education there is significantly cheaper.

I'm amused by the complaints about Chinese food here,

[English Muffin 59]

I too sometimes feel uncomfortable speaking because people turn to look at me, but Bill tells me that they're just surprised and actually like the English accent. I also get a bit tired of having to repeat things; not because they can't understand me with an accent (everyone has said that it's clear and pretty much a generic English accent) but because they spend the first time concentrating on the fact that I have an accent, if that makes sense, so lose concentration.

I know exactly what you mean by this. I find that a lot of the time people are not listening to what I say but how I'm saying it.

[govols 0]

I too sometimes feel uncomfortable speaking because people turn to look at me, but Bill tells me that they're just surprised and actually like the English accent. I also get a bit tired of having to repeat things; not because they can't understand me with an accent (everyone has said that it's clear and pretty much a generic English accent) but because they spend the first time concentrating on the fact that I have an accent, if that makes sense, so lose concentration.

I know exactly what you mean by this. I find that a lot of the time people are not listening to what I say but how I'm saying it.

I even had someone ask me to repeat myself and then said "I understood you the first time I just wanted to hear your accent some more "

[Gemmie 142]

Hmm.. I don't think £10K is a lot of debt for a student, it's over £9K just for the tuition fees.

If you're using savings to live on, or have wealthy parents and can live away from home without help, that's easy enough to pay.

Those that can't afford to pay living costs as well have another £6K (on average) per year on top of that, so may have to repay £27,000. Luckily, I get some help from the government as I come from a single-parent family who only earns 11K. Compared to everyone else I know, I'm doing extremely well, as I don't have any credit cards or store cards to pay off, and I only touch my overdraft when I'm desperate; even then, I pay it back straight away. I just use what is given to me in loans and grants. Most people I know have had their overdrafts cancelled as they couldn't afford to repay it.. we're talking 1-2 grand here. I even know people that need to work just to meet the rent requirements as they're busy paying back other things. Student debt can be seriously messed up, it's no wonder the country is cr$pping itself.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Hmm.. I don't think £10K is a lot of debt for a student, it's over £9K just for the tuition fees.

If you're using savings to live on, or have wealthy parents and can live away from home without help, that's easy enough to pay.

Those that can't afford to pay living costs as well have another £6K (on average) per year on top of that, so may have to repay £27,000. Luckily, I get some help from the government as I come from a single-parent family who only earns 11K. Compared to everyone else I know, I'm doing extremely well, as I don't have any credit cards or store cards to pay off, and I only touch my overdraft when I'm desperate; even then, I pay it back straight away. I just use what is given to me in loans and grants. Most people I know have had their overdrafts cancelled as they couldn't afford to repay it.. we're talking 1-2 grand here. I even know people that need to work just to meet the rent requirements as they're busy paying back other things. Student debt can be seriously messed up, it's no wonder the country is cr$pping itself.

Well, because of complications, I'm estranged from my family now...it's a security thing as well as cultural, so I have to be careful about my spending as I have no parental support. I also don't want to be heavily reliant on Knight as that'll put pressure on him and he's got university to deal with, too. I find the thought of being that much into debt terrifying and I don't wnat to wind up going to the US with that hanging over my head. I'm not a very big spender and I don't drink, and I only splash out if I'm going for dinner or the theatre, or if I desperately need something. Knight's wonderful and will get me things that are cheaper in the US (like headphones) if I need them, and then he'll send them over.

Also, the less I have here, the less I have to take with me. =D See, I think ahead!

Magpie.

[hxxrmonkey 0]

I just want to toss in here, my fiance is Irish and he's just spent 3 months with me. (He'll be back for good in 3 months, yay!) The things we talked about most often were -

1. He LOVES milkshakes. Can't get them there hand-spun like here. And Chick fil A too. We'd go there every Saturday for lunch, and a milkshake

2. He always commented, whether we were in the south or north (I'm from Tennessee but live in Ohio) that people were always SO MUCH friendlier and happier to chat.

3. When we would go to a new restaurant, especially fast food type places, he almost always begs me to order for him. He's still really insecure about that sort of thing.

4. He did at first complain about the chocolate and bacon and the color of the eggs and taste of the milk. But he's learned to find things he does like that he can't get at home too, so it's an even trade. Like Reese's peanutbutter cups. He's not the first Irish person to discover Reese's! He deals with the missing foods but LOVES the new stuff he's found. And he likes that you can find a lot of things in a central location, like Target. He loves Target. Always heads straight to the electronics section every time

5. He also really likes the added comforts and conveniences (this is more of an Irish thing I suspect). Here you don't have to turn on the hot water to shower or boil the kettle to shave in most homes/apts, it's on all the time. And the homes are usually kept warm enough, you don't freeze half the time. Of course it's not always this way, but it is a lot of the time. He said when he left to go back home after his visit that he'd really miss it and he didn't want to go back home to the rain and cold and unfriendliness.

And Re: the duvet - we sleep with a sheet between us and the comforter, so really you shouldn't have to wash it much, but if you do end up washing it you can just take it to the dry cleaners. Or get a duvet cover for your comforter - Target sells them, of course

My Northern Irish husband is also very happy to be away from the rain and the cold. But at least where he is from (Londonderry) most people are extremely friendly........where is your man from?

He's a Kerryman. People are chatty, but it's a different kind of friendly, and most of the time they're not even that. They're... talking but not conversing. You know? Not interested, not earnest. Here people are really interested. Of course it could have just been Tralee. I think the weather also makes people a bit crabby to be honest.

[Talyss 0]

And whatever you do BRING YOUR DUVET WITH YOU!!!!!!!!

Yeah, what is with this "comforter" sh!t! I know they have some retarded words for stuff, but that's right up there with the most ghey.

I'm taking a king size duvet and duvet cover with me. I know american sizes will be different but everytime I need a new cover I'll just order one online. Tom had a comforter and it was a ####### to wash, due to the UK sized washing machines. I ended up washing it in the bath.

If your going to be anywhere near an Ikea store they have the same range of duvets as here:)

Charley fell in love with mine when he was visiting and has had one ever since.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

If your going to be anywhere near an Ikea store they have the same range of duvets as here:)

Charley fell in love with mine when he was visiting and has had one ever since.

I'm going to search high and low for a non-allergenic duvet when I get up there. Knight hadn't really heard of one until I showed him mine. I don't think I'll bring it with me as it'll be too cumbersome and it's only a single rather than king's size. Mmmm, cuddly warmth...

Magpie.

[Gemmie 142]

Hmm.. I don't think £10K is a lot of debt for a student, it's over £9K just for the tuition fees.

If you're using savings to live on, or have wealthy parents and can live away from home without help, that's easy enough to pay.

Those that can't afford to pay living costs as well have another £6K (on average) per year on top of that, so may have to repay £27,000. Luckily, I get some help from the government as I come from a single-parent family who only earns 11K. Compared to everyone else I know, I'm doing extremely well, as I don't have any credit cards or store cards to pay off, and I only touch my overdraft when I'm desperate; even then, I pay it back straight away. I just use what is given to me in loans and grants. Most people I know have had their overdrafts cancelled as they couldn't afford to repay it.. we're talking 1-2 grand here. I even know people that need to work just to meet the rent requirements as they're busy paying back other things. Student debt can be seriously messed up, it's no wonder the country is cr$pping itself.

Well, because of complications, I'm estranged from my family now...it's a security thing as well as cultural, so I have to be careful about my spending as I have no parental support. I also don't want to be heavily reliant on Knight as that'll put pressure on him and he's got university to deal with, too. I find the thought of being that much into debt terrifying and I don't wnat to wind up going to the US with that hanging over my head. I'm not a very big spender and I don't drink, and I only splash out if I'm going for dinner or the theatre, or if I desperately need something. Knight's wonderful and will get me things that are cheaper in the US (like headphones) if I need them, and then he'll send them over.

Also, the less I have here, the less I have to take with me. =D See, I think ahead!

Magpie.

Same as.

My mum isn't alive anymore and my dad is a cleaner, barely making enough to support his own household expenses. That means I don't get parental support like other students I know, there's no one to bail me out if I get into financial trouble. I don't really drink and I'm more of an "indoor girl" anyways so am careful with my money.. that being said, I can't escape the fact that I've needed to take out money to live on as well as the tuition fees. I plan on paying it back of course, but I just think £10,000 debt for a student is very minimal, unless talking about that on top of tuition and living fees.

[Laura+Tom 2]

I suppose I was pretty lucky with my debt as I went to a uni which was close enough to commute to, so I didn't have to pay rent. In addition, when I was at uni the yearly fees were a lot less than they are now, something like £1025 a year. I wish I had moved away though, it would have helped a bit with moving away from home.

Edited January 26, 2009 by Laura+Tom