There is another side to this whole cost of living thing...

I had a bit of a realisation after i'd been here a few days... The fact of the matter is I was looking forward to having a better standard of life here than in the UK. My problem was that I'd based this view from a UK standard.

After a few days of being here, it quickly dawns on you that it doesnt really matter if you have the material things, or the flash car etc. Living in this place is quality of life in itself. Its so clean, beautiful, friendly that it completely makes up for a lack in material posessions. The problem with the UK is that your territory is your house and your car, because theres no room for you elsewhere. Here, there is so much space that your territory could be wherever you stand.

Obviously it's important that you eat, but be realistic, if you have a decent job, you'll have a home, a car and you'll never starve. After that, you should go out and enjoy where you are, and believe me, if you adopt the right attitude, you will.

Thats my view of life here so far. Whether anyone else would agree with me, I dont know.