In a bit of a jam here...

[Story]

I wasn't sure where to go to do this, so I thought I'd go back to where this all began. I'm going to risk sounding stupid, but I honestly have no idea what I'm doing.

I am, as some of you may know, an ex-Muslim living in the middle east, the UAE, fortunately not the worst place in Arabia, that being said, the law does state that apostasy is punishable by death and I do feel at risk that certain individuals would attempt to take my life if they knew of my apostasy. As a matter of fact I have already been threatened by someone who currently does not know, but likes to make clear to me his position.

That aside, I recently made the decision to leave the UAE and return to England. I'm a British citizen. I was born in the UK and hold a passport, so there's no real concern there. The real problem is that I have no idea what I'm doing.

I should probably give a little back story.

I was born and raised in England, where I lived a pretty abusive and sheltered life. My parents were (and still are) fundamentalist Muslims who were constantly afraid that something would change my mind of Islam, so I wasn't allowed non-Muslim friends, I was seldom allowed as much as to leave the front door without being accompanied by a parent until I was about 12. I didn't go to school throughout most of my childhood and when I finally did I found it incredibly difficult to make friends. When my parents decided that they wanted to move to the UAE (I was 14) I had little understanding of the place I grew up in.

About 2 years ago (At 21 years of age), I decided it was time to GTFO. After suffering a bit of domestic violence I packed my bags and left. It was a difficult decision to make at the time as my father had not renewed my passport and I was literally in the country illegally. I spent some time sleeping in stairwells for a while before I managed to land a developing job somewhere, despite a lack of schooling I had become obsessed with programming when I was 15 and had developed a skill that was to be my saving grace. A year and a half later I came here (to LoR) and apostated (Thanks you lot!), but I feel it really is time I get the fuck out of this place and I am.

Onto, my problem... I'm booked to return to the UK in 4 days (10th of March), but I'm not sure what to do once I get back. I've been trying to find a place to stay for about a month now and no one seems to be responding to me online (other than scammers). I'm really not looking for handouts, I'm a self-employed professional, I'm just looking for advice. Again, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not sure what to expect. I've never had so much as a bank account before and now companies are asking me about credit checks and background checks and contractual information that I'm stupefied about.

I'm sorry for posting this on LoR, but to be honest I'm sort of panicking and am not sure what to do.

 

[Inferno]

I'm certainly not the best person to talk to, having no idea about the UK, but I wish you luck.
Just out of curiosity, what exactly is it that you do/work? I'm taking it IT?

 

[Andiferous]

I might have said so much before, but I'd have been satisfied living in the UK on beans and toilet cleaners. That said, the economy is very poor, and if you're able to get about as more than a Canadian alien, I salute you and wish you the best success. Ultimately, I've hope that if you can get past the evil post-empire militia you might just find a nice corner for yourself. I wish you the best luck.

 

[nasher168]

hmm...
It really depends on how much money you have and where you're going to be, but you could probably stay for a few days in a Travelodge for about ,£20 per night. If you're going to London, things might be more expensive, but it will buy you time in which to get a proper place to stay (maybe as a lodger).
Since you're a UK citizen, it might be worth looking into whether or not you can claim benefit. I doubt benefit is very much, but as a temporary measure, it could help you pay for rent and food. This is something I know very little about, but here are two links to the directgov website:
How to find out if you qualify
How to contact Jobcentre plus

 

[Prolescum]

Like nasher said, it depends on your current funds and where you're likely to be. Sussex, Essex and Kent are within commuting distance to London and are (to varying degrees) cheaper. There are quite a few companies on the south coast that employ programmers, game designers etc and there is always work for IT guys (I think American Express is the largest employer in East Sussex). In fact, I seem to recall there is a company that regularly requires bi-lingual games testers in Brighton. If you have a look at the Friday-Ad and the The Argus (both for Sussex) or other similar publications, I'm sure you'll find something to at least tide you over.

Edit: You could also try Select, Adecco or Personnel Selection which are employment agencies. I'm sure there are many more

 

[lrkun]

This is a bad idea since you'll venture out without a plan. So think this one through.

 

[Story]

This is a bad idea since you'll venture out without a plan. So think this one through.

It may be a bad idea indeed Lrkun, but it's a whole lot better than staying here. Sure, I have financial security to some degree, but I don't feel safe at all. People are catching on, I'm significantly less religious, I don't go to the mosque, I don't pray, I don't fast, I don't behave very Muslim either. I stand out! Some people are slowly disconnecting from me, whilst at the same time I try to maintain a Muslim-like appearance. I say all the right things at the right times "Alhamdulilah", "MashaAllah", "Asstagfirulalh" whilst feeling dead inside. I wish I could help the people around me, but it's useless. I can't be open about my position without it immediately affecting my financial situation and, of course, my life. I can't stand watching people pray! It just feels so futile and meaningless to me now and they look so attentive and overtaken, people can't have a simple conversation without bringing up Allah or something supernatural and I only occasionally react with snide, but most of all I can't stand lying to people and being dishonest about my views. It literally hurts me. I feel like I don't have a single honest friend, not because they're dishonest, but because I am. It's as if I work for MI5 or something. So I feel unsafe, dishonest and lonely and I've contemplated suicide. I really just need to get the fuck out of here... I've had enough.

 

[Story]

Also... thanks Nasher and Prolescum for the help.

I'll definitely look into those things. I'm sorry if I'm a bit panicky at the moment. I'm just trying to make sense of all this right now. I have about 2500 pounds on me at the moment. Which will only last a few months I suppose, but as a freelancer I'm not too worried about that.

Inferno I'm a web developer/designer mostly, but I also moonlight as a graphic designer and video editing from time to time. I'm proficient in most web-based programming languages and I specialise Flash and Actionscript 2/3.

I also develop flash games in my spare time.

 

[lrkun]

It may be a bad idea indeed Lrkun, but it's a whole lot better than staying here. Sure, I have financial security to some degree, but I don't feel safe at all. People are catching on, I'm significantly less religious, I don't go to the mosque, I don't pray, I don't fast, I don't behave very Muslim either. I stand out! Some people are slowly disconnecting from me, whilst at the same time I try to maintain a Muslim-like appearance. I say all the right things at the right times "Alhamdulilah", "MashaAllah", "Asstagfirulalh" whilst feeling dead inside. I wish I could help the people around me, but it's useless. I can't be open about my position without it immediately affecting my financial situation and, of course, my life. I can't stand watching people pray! It just feels so futile and meaningless to me now and they look so attentive and overtaken, people can't have a simple conversation without bringing up Allah or something supernatural and I only occasionally react with snide, but most of all I can't stand lying to people and being dishonest about my views. It literally hurts me. I feel like I don't have a single honest friend, not because they're dishonest, but because I am. It's as if I work for MI5 or something. So I feel unsafe, dishonest and lonely and I've contemplated suicide. I really just need to get the fuck out of here... I've had enough.

Whether you stay or go is up to you since it is your life. Instead, I'm only reminding you to exercise caution since you never know what will happen.

 

[televator]

Yikes! I hope you do find some help and that all goes well for you. How despicable that this it what it comes to for non-believers in some places.

 

[WarK]

Whether you stay or go is up to you since it is your life. Instead, I'm only reminding you to exercise caution since you never know what will happen.

but he is doing exactly that, haven't you read his post and why he's leaving?

Story, since British labour market was opened after EU got new members in 2004 many people moved there to look for job and they managed. Many of them didn't even know the language. Even though economically it's not the best time I think You'll be ok, you know the language, you're in a field where there's always need for good workers and you're basically returning home.

Good luck and let us know how you're doing once you're there

 

[lrkun]

Whether you stay or go is up to you since it is your life. Instead, I'm only reminding you to exercise caution since you never know what will happen.

but he is doing exactly that, haven't you read his post and why he's leaving?

Story, since British labour market was opened after EU got new members in 2004 many people moved there to look for job and they managed. Many of them didn't even know the language. Even though economically it's not the best time I think You'll be ok, you know the language, you're in a field where there's always need for good workers and you're basically returning home.

Good luck and let us know how you're doing once you're there

I've read that he will do what he wrote. My reply is not meant to influence his decision only that he exercise caution.

 

[nasher168]

I also develop flash games in my spare time.

Ah, that's something. My brother made $1500 (I think about ,£1100) from making some fairly mediocre flash game and selling it to ArmorGames via email. He's also made $1600 from another game (soon to be made into an iPhone game by addictinggames for which he'll receive royalties) If you could pump out a game every three weeks or so, you could keep yourself afloat for a long time if you stayed in fairly cheap places.

 

[Story]

Thanks a lot everyone. Just reading your responses has made me feel a lot less panicked. Thanks WarK and Lrkun for your help and concern.

Nasher you give me hope. I've just nearly finished the programming for a rather complicated flash game and I just have to put the art and story together to finish it off. I might even need voice actors.

 

[nasher168]

Yeah, ArmorGames are a pretty reasonable bunch. My brother made them an offer of $2000 that he didn't expect to get. They said $1500, which was still more than he ever expected, especially for a game with open source music, no real art to speak of and a bug that makes the game easy to beat once you get past level 50.
They didn't buy his second game, probably because they thought $5000 was taking the piss. He still managed to sell it to two websites for $300 and $1300, but there was a load of faffing around with US tax forms and AddictingGames staff being nigh-impossible to reach.
Here's the auction website he sold the second game through: http://www.flashgamelicense.com/ All the big companies have "Sponsor" accounts there.
If you're producing a game that's actually decent, you could probably sell it for a lot.

 

[australopithecus]

Since you're a UK citizen, it might be worth looking into whether or not you can claim benefit. I doubt benefit is very much, but as a temporary measure, it could help you pay for rent and food.

Yeah, benefits aren't great and I'm speaking from current experience. Job seekers allowence is around ,£130 a fortnight (I think it depends of a case by case basis though), and I'm currently waiting to hear about housing benefits but from what I gather it is probably enough to cover a good percentage of rent and bills.

As a British citizen I doubt there should be any huge hurdles in sorting something out, and as for a place to stay there are plenty of youth hostels and other tourist dens that would be quite cheap for a few weeks until you could set yourself up with regular income.

 

[CosmicSpork]

I'm assuming you have resolved your expired passport problem? Have you contacted the British embassy for information?

As for work, there's plenty out there for people in our field (I do the same stuff though not so much flash games but do a lot of online gambling related stuff) if you can find it. If you aren't adverse to the idea of gambling there is a niche for decent flash instant games (slots and other gambling games).

You aren't in the worst industry for finding a job at the moment, my specific area (online gambling) hasn't suffered much at all oddly enough. Industries like construction are having a hard time however.

I would be interested to see some of your work, I make no promises of work but there's always the chance that my company will need to contract someone to make games for our online gambling platform we're developing.

Above all, do everything above board, if you're self employed, talk to an accountant or employ an accountancy firm to manage it for you. The last thing you want is to end up in jail or with a huge tax bill because you didn't do things right. My suggestion would be to find a job in a company to begin with, work through PAYE (Pay As You Earn) and then you don't have the stress and hassle of managing taxes etc.

Hope this is of some use.

 

[Master_Ghost_Knight]

It does seam you are hooked up. You have your entry to the country guaranteed, you have financial means to suport yourself while you find a job (I just advise not to be to picky about it if you have trouble finding a Job), the proper governmental support has been presented. There is nothing else you need that I could give you.
Except the wise words of Bob Marley (perhaps you need more of that than everything else):

 

[Story]

Thanks everyone. I feel a lot better now. I owe you guys the world. Whilst things have been grim for me from time to time, I do not regret deconversion at all. I am really happy to be an atheist, my head is a lot clearer, I feel a lot better as a person and I'm eternally glad to finally be able to conform to my own moral standards rather than a 7th century one.

I'll be heading back in 2 days. I've finally found some nicely priced places in and around Birmingham and I'm feeling a lot more confident in this move. I've actually been planning this for 3 months (although I was supposed to have more money in the plan) and everyone has been telling me that it's a bad idea. I rarely listen to other people when I've done research, but I'm always sceptical about myself and my ideas.

I apologise for exploding on you guys so suddenly though. I kind of panicked because of a bunch of things that happened which depressed me, but I'm finally back to normal again.

Nasher I'll definitely be e-mailing Armour Games when I'm done. I have an artist that I'm paying to compose music for the game and it's almost done. So I have high hopes in that regard. I'll probably show you guys when I'm done. Thanks for those links and information. That has helped calm me a lot, I feel a lot more confident in my position.

australopithecus ,£130 a fortnight is good enough for me at the moment. It'll keep me at bay if things don't go as I planned. I'm glad to hear that there shouldn't be any huge hurdles in my plans. I am a capable programmer, I like to think there's nothing I can't do.

CosmicSpork I have resolved my expired passport issue thankfully and my illegal immigrant status, I'm now here legally. I just need to up and leave really. Thanks for the information about the market there too, people here keep telling me that it's impossible to find any work there at all and that it's a horrible idea to go back. I argue their points, but I have few references. I now have ammunition. Thinks aren't perfect for business there, I'm sure, but it's not a doom pit of poverty and death.

Master_Ghost_Knight, yes I feel a lot better now. I have enough money to last me a few months as I get there I can sign up for benefit if things go poorly and I already have a means to make some money as I get back. If all fails though there's always this extra Marley track on my MP3 player.


Thanks to all of you for your references and information. It has really helped me remain positive about this. I keep hearing from people that have left England or gone back there that it's impossible to make money or live at all, which has its grounding in some truth I suppose, but they're mostly telling me because they're afraid that I'm going to leave Islam if I go back.

I'm not sure if that's irony, but it's something humorous.

 

[lrkun]

Thanks everyone. I feel a lot better now. I owe you guys the world. Whilst things have been grim for me from time to time, I do not regret deconversion at all. I am really happy to be an atheist, my head is a lot clearer, I feel a lot better as a person and I'm eternally glad to finally be able to conform to my own moral standards rather than a 7th century one.

I'll be heading back in 2 days. I've finally found some nicely priced places in and around Birmingham and I'm feeling a lot more confident in this move. I've actually been planning this for 3 months (although I was supposed to have more money in the plan) and everyone has been telling me that it's a bad idea. I rarely listen to other people when I've done research, but I'm always sceptical about myself and my ideas.

I apologise for exploding on you guys so suddenly though. I kind of panicked because of a bunch of things that happened which depressed me, but I'm finally back to normal again.

Nasher I'll definitely be e-mailing Armour Games when I'm done. I have an artist that I'm paying to compose music for the game and it's almost done. So I have high hopes in that regard. I'll probably show you guys when I'm done. Thanks for those links and information. That has helped calm me a lot, I feel a lot more confident in my position.

australopithecus ,£130 a fortnight is good enough for me at the moment. It'll keep me at bay if things don't go as I planned. I'm glad to hear that there shouldn't be any huge hurdles in my plans. I am a capable programmer, I like to think there's nothing I can't do.

CosmicSpork I have resolved my expired passport issue thankfully and my illegal immigrant status, I'm now here legally. I just need to up and leave really. Thanks for the information about the market there too, people here keep telling me that it's impossible to find any work there at all and that it's a horrible idea to go back. I argue their points, but I have few references. I now have ammunition. Thinks aren't perfect for business there, I'm sure, but it's not a doom pit of poverty and death.

Master_Ghost_Knight, yes I feel a lot better now. I have enough money to last me a few months as I get there I can sign up for benefit if things go poorly and I already have a means to make some money as I get back. If all fails though there's always this extra Marley track on my MP3 player.


Thanks to all of you for your references and information. It has really helped me remain positive about this. I keep hearing from people that have left England or gone back there that it's impossible to make money or live at all, which has its grounding in some truth I suppose, but they're mostly telling me because they're afraid that I'm going to leave Islam if I go back.

I'm not sure if that's irony, but it's something humorous.

I know you have a lot of options available to choose from, but I'm glad you chose science and reason.