So after finishing my extended travelling, I found myself back int he UK and fairly well lacking in cash. So with a significant cashflow problem, feeling a bit out of touch with the vet side of my life and with nothing else to do, I took the first job offered to me. It was a job up in northwest England and it was only meant to be for a month. I wanted to see that part of the UK anyway and I wasn't that picky (since I had said cashflow problem).
It has now been 10 months and I am still at that job.
Turned out I quite liked this part of the UK and I quite liked the job.
The job is very busy and I am one of very few in my profession whose only annoyance with the boss is that he doesn't charge enough. So pretty much it is a fab job in many respects and the main reason I stayed is that the boss here really does love the animals and really does love the work (which is the main reason I love working at my favourite practice in Australia too - the one in Myrtleford - because of the boss's work ethic). We still do a lot of good work and get a lot of interesting cases though.
I took the job thinking it was for a month but that during that time I would have a week in Dublin at the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress. When I got picked up I found out they actually wanted me for 2 months. No worries I thought.
So I went to Dublin and drank far too much Guinness but still managed to learn a bit at congress as well. Also ran into some friends from uni and my old boss's best friend from Adelaide. It is a small small vet world. Caught up with some diving friends I'd met in Pemba as well. Basically had a wonderful time and loved Dublin because it is so friendly and so musical with a band at nearly every pub.
Got back to Southport for work and got asked if I would stay until the end of the year. Knowing I needed a work permit come January I said that I would stay if they'd have me until August 2009 so I could continue to work in the UK on a work permit premise and save up for more travel. I was quite demanding actually because I also had planned to leave the UK for 6 weeks to travel home to Australia for Christmas. And work said yes (glad this all happened before the credit crunch!)
A few months later, work said I can stay for a few years if I want and I have decided I'll probably stay 2-3 years all told if I can cope with the cold.
