I feel homeless, jobless and absolutely hopeless. I have been looking for a job for the past few months without success and I don't know what to do with myself. I have been looking in the UK, the Caribbean, Canada, US (where my siblings are). I studied and worked in the UK for a few years. Each year was a tremendous stuggle to survive without my family and very few committed friends. I left my job there recently because I felt like I was losing my mind and losing myself, which is not worth me losing, so I made a choice to leave to see my family in the US for sometime elsewhere and jobhunt. It all started well and it has been great being with my family once again. To cut a long story short, I am faced with a dilemma that has been keeping me up almost every night because I don't know what to do. I have the option to return to my home country in the Caribbean where my famiily no longer resides, and look for work there and live on my own. Or I can go back to the UK and look for a temporary job until my work visa expires (in 5 months), then return home. I absolutely do not want to return to the UK because I hated living there before and I know I'll hate it now but I may have a better chance of getting a temporary job there than anywhere else. WHAT DO I DO!! I'm absolutely going to lose my mind if I don't decide really soon!

Seems like you should be staying close to your friends/relatives, and I suggest a place where there are sufficient interesting activities to do. For me (male) the key ingredients are an vibrant city, decent job (who not), a team sport on a weekly basis, and preferably a knowledgeable venue where you meet new interesting and open-minded people. I have a friend who's from the Caribbeans (St. Maarten) and to my knowledge is thriving extremely well there, even though I haven't spoken to him for long. That said though, he has his family there and took over a family business so he had some nice opportunities laid out for him. Don't forget Caribbeans are small Islands, and could drive you nuts, e.g. I need to live in a big city for now where there's lots to do, and I'll find my peace in the parks at times and on small holidays if needed... Good luck

Thanks for your response. I really appreciate it. I'm not a big city person. I'm originally from the Caribbean, but just fear going back to an empty house without a job. You are right, I need to be close to my family and friends. I just don't know if being home will work like I want it to... I honestly wish someone else could take my life and do this for me. Its stressing me right out. Thanks for the help anyway man.

See if I were in your position I know exactly what I would do. Sell everything, buy an RV and travel the country working as a camp host. 6 months here, three months there and basically have one set of clothes. The endless summer.

If you back to UK, at least you got 5 months to reconsider very well about what you'd like to do in the future and Where you are going to go Finally. Not Only US ,UK or your hometown.

What kind of work are you best qualified for , and have experience of some sort?

Different locations offer better chances at certain professions.

Living in a place you hate, working a job you don't like, will take it's toll and may cause problems with depression that can be ruinous.
Do this only to prevent starvation and save up enough to move on.

Having a family around to help and support you may be a good lifeline to consider right now due to the economic situation we face.

But as soon as we give all the tax breaks to the most wealthy , I am assured that as they buy every luxury available , some of that money will trickle down to the ones who really need help and help them get some luxuries too. Like food, shelter, and $120.oo US to take the bus to Canada for health care.

I'd stay close to the family at least for right now.

Thanks for the advice. I have decided to go back home (Jamaica) and find a job there. Depression isn't pretty, especially in dark, gloomy England, so I won't be going back there. I'm a part-qualified actuary, which is a highly specialised field, but it's still hard to find a job, especiallly since I'm not fully qualified. I'm hoping for the best. Thanks a lot for the help :)

Let us know how things go.

Keep your head up and keep working hard. You'll get your breakthrough as long as you keep working at it.