Young Dentist in Wales

Setting up a new life in UK

 Romina is a dentist who has just started her career. She took the decision of  moving in Wales to build the foundations on which she can base the start of her life. Until her return in Greece, 

she explores the English culture and landscapes.

Name:  Romina Gkioni

Age:     26

From:   Piraeus

To:       Barmouth, Wales

For:     Work and Studies

Caernarfon, Wales

1. Why Wales?

“I found a very good work offer there. I went for the interview, liked the place and some months later moved in. Quite simple. UK generally was the goal. Wales was just good luck.”

2. Your decision to leave Greece.

“It was not easy but it was something that I've been thinking for many years. I was at the second year at University when I first heard about what UK offers to young dentists. Very good working opportunities as well as a lot of different options for postgraduate studies. It's not simple to leave your home and everything that you knew until now behind, but in life you need to try for the best. The crisis made it much easier to take  the decision of course...”

3. The first difficulty you confronted after you left.

“Bureaucracy!!! You may not believe it but it seems worse than ours.

And the language which is much different from the English that are taught in Greece.”

4. The hardest thing to get used to in the new city.

“That you are different from the others. And this is not common here because it's a small city and population is only Welsh and English people.  We are a small minority here.”

5. What do you see from your window.

“Trees and after that the ocean! I love it!”

Window view

6. People in the city in 3 words 

“kind, smiling, helpful”

7. The best thing to do when it’s sunshine.

“Explore different aspects of this beautiful country!”

8. The best thing to do at night.

“Stay at home and watch a movie. There is not much to do outside.”

9. Your impression about working as a dentist in England.

“It is nice. It's just a different approach to the same thing. People here have different needs than people in Greece. It is interesting, you have the chance to work with many patients and gain a lot of experience something that is not easy any more for young dentists in Greece.”

10. Your new habit.

“Painting…”

Harlech

11. Your thoughts about going back to Greece.

“That's something I am really looking forward to. It's really nice here but there is no place like home. One day...”

12. How the Greek crisis affects your life in England.

“It really didn't. People ask us about the crisis sometimes but quite typically, to tell the truth, they don't really care. The only way in which the crisis made our lives different is that we meet Greeks all the time everywhere around the UK!!”

Greece

13. Your furthest dream.

“Live in Greece, have a family, be surrounded by people I love, in a society that has finally found it's way, have a job that enables me to cover my needs and… travel a lot.”

14. Your definition of “home”.

“Home is where you feel safe, where you can be happy and most of all where the people that you love are.”