Working Abroad with BUNAC (Part 1 of 2)

I’ve wanted to talk about my experiences working abroad with the BUNAC work visa program for awhile now. The six months I spent working and living in London are some of the happiest months of my life up to this point. But even though I went to London and not India or the Dominican Republic, it was still a turbulent and at times stressful ride.

Deciding to Work Abroad

I fell in love with London when I studied abroad there in 2006.  From the frantic black cabs to the shady squares of Bloomsbury to the palatial British Museum, I adored everything about the city.  My three months at University College London whizzed by and by the end I felt as if I’d only seen a tiny chunk of what the city had to offer.  With graduation rolling up fast and absolutely no clue as to what I might do career-wise I was determined to return somehow.

In a moment of serendipity a like-minded friend told me about the BUNAC program. BUNAC is one of the most popular work abroad schemes for young Americans (and Canadians I believe, although it’s called SWAP there). For a couple hundred dollars they help students and young travelers obtain work visas in the UK, Ireland, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand. As a recent graduate I was able to obtain a 6 month work visa for the UK, without having to go through the absolute nightmare of red tape that is British Immigration.

Application and Training

The procedure to apply was ridiculously easy. I filled out a form, had an employer write me a recommendation, sent it in along with $350 and a passport sized photo and about a month later received my 6 month work visa in the mail.

Once I arrived in the city I had to attend a 2 hour orientation at the BUNAC headquarters near the Farringdon tube stop. The office offered resources and assistance in finding housing and a job, but it was the responsibility of the individual to work these things out. My visa qualified me to work in any field I chose save professional sports or entertainment star (not much chance of that). After several stressful weeks of typing tests and interviews with employment agencies, I ended up finding work as a receptionist at a rather famous auction house.

After that I was pretty much on my own. BUNAC offered monthly meet ups and sponsored day trips around England, but I mostly avoided these meetings. After all I didn’t come to the UK to hang out with a bunch of Americans, and I was pretty absorbed in my own life by then.

Within a month of arrival I’d found a flat in North Acton where I lived with three Australian boys (which was in adventure in itself). I’d found a dull, but okay paying job. I’d made some friends and even met a boy. It was actually pretty amazing how well things worked out.

I’d suspected living abroad would be very different from studying abroad, even in the same city and I was right. More on this, and my conclusions on the work abroad experience next time.