My Story

Two months ago, I finally completed the life-changing decision to move abroad to build a future with my partner that was years in the making. I left behind my home, job, and support network, investing everything I had—emotionally and financially—into this new chapter. What should have been a continuation of a friendship & relationship covering the last five years of my life quickly unravelled into a nightmare not of my choosing.

Without sharing painful details, the relationship immediately deteriorated in ways involving broken trust and harmful actions I just never could have anticipated, and I’ve found myself in a very precarious situation.

The ending of this relationship affects the visa I was planning to apply for. Although I am still working out the options, I’ve been given various deadlines to move out of my new home, and find myself in a foreign country, facing homelessness with my financial and emotional resources depleted.

I am a bit of a planner if anyone knows me well. I expected if any problems occurred, I’d already be working using the family reunion visa process mentioned above. As a result of not being able to do that and the speed of such unexpected events starting within days of my arrival (rather than it being months down the line when I would have had stability) I am without legal basis to stay here for the long-term. I spent my post-COVID savings on the move, to the tune of thousands of £s / hundreds of thousands of Czech crowns, without any other support. At the same time, I’ve been handling the serious deterioration of my mum’s health which has been time consuming and has taken more than its emotional toll, without any breathing space to process this. I am thankful she is now seemingly on a path to more permanent professional care, as she enters the final chapter of her life.

What I Need Help with

I’m reaching out because I urgently need to:

The difficulty is I immediately need a significant amount of money up front, and will take out loans as a more last resort. This is because their interest and my ability to keep up with the short-term repayments will be impacted by the long visa process that will take 2-4 months if all goes to plan.

Thank You

I want to be transparent - this is all a bit f*cked up, to be blunt. I never imagined finding myself in this position, ever. I’ve always been as self-sufficient as I can and it feels somewhat like my self-worth has been robbed. I am fortunate that there are people both in the UK and here in Prague have appeared and shown immense generosity and kindness to relieve the extremes of the language, personal and social isolation I have strongly felt since the start of the move, for which I am deeply thankful for. I really do need to express the seriousness of it all; I have held back certain details out of respect. For anyone who knows more closely what has been happening, I think they recognise the restraint. My focus is to get some support for this situation and then rebuild with positivity and health.

I am aware of realistic expectations that many do not have the money to share - that is okay. I often feel terrible I can only give tiny amounts to those who need in their GoFundMe’s or similar. But I know it all helps. However I can repay people, or assist them in the future, I most certainly will. If anything needs anything of me - ask away. If there are other ways people can help, or not do it via this platform, or have questions, please do contact me privately.

Paul

(Note: The cover photo I've uploaded is the lovely sunrise I see each morning, greeted with lots of birdsong and often a visit by neighbour's lovely white cat, a view I miss.)