To go to the World Cup / not to go to the World Cup

[sbrokey]

Ok - just had a call from a friend. He's won all in-in trip for him + 3 mates to South Africa for the World Cup. It includes all England games inc. 2nd round, qtr and a semi. EDIT - doesn't include final apparently

All accomodation paid for plus £5k spending money.

He's asked me to go as one of his 3 mates. So an easy decision?

Well not if

a) you have a girlfriend that cannot stand football and cannot bear me being away longer than 3 nights. She has said she'll stay with me if I go but will be very unhappy (she's a student so she's been looking forward to spending sometime with me!) EDIT: Girlfriend says she'll be ok with it but is wary of me losing my job

b) your job won't give you the time off. (June/July is the biggest time of the year for us) note my job pays me £30k p/a (probably £7-8k above the odds for my qualifications and where I live (Cornwall is a poorly paid area). I really would not be able to get a job like it again. My boss has said in no uncertain terms that there is no chance of me getting this time off even unpaid. Also I have an important training course at the end of June which they have paid £3k for (non-refundable)

BUT it's such an opportunity. I'm at a complete loss what to do. I'm swaying towards not going as my life is perhaps more important than a one-off experience...

What would you do?

[bella]

It's a once in a lifetime..

The girlfriend shouldn't stand in your way.. So that one's easy....

But work is a tough one.Have you explained to your work how much this means? Would they really not have you back if you took unpaid leave?

[Fella]

Nick the tickets off your mate.

Take your manager & your girlfriend on the trip.

Watch the matches with your manager, give your g/f the £5K to go shopping with.

[Mariner13]

I'd offer to put the bins out for him while he's away

[rogsmith]

I mentioned this idea in the live chat about putting it in a thread and getting people to vote.I also said to you i would vote go,but im now gonna be even less of a help as after reading your post in the thread i would say dont go.It is a once in a lifetime chance but for the rest of that lifetime you need to work,your in a nicely paid job,living in a nice part of the country with a partner that you obviously care a lot for.Sorry for not being to much of a help but for me a no go.

[rogsmith]

By putting this thread up on here and me just reading through my reply you have made me realise something mate.Im getting old.

[musicbox]

I would rule your girlfriend out of the equation for the simple reason you're not going to the World Cup of pole dancing so it goes without saying she shouldn't leave you if you decide to go... if she has to miss you then she has to miss you, there's nothing unhealthy about missing your boyfriend and there's nothing unhealthy about you doing this one thing which you may never get the chance to do again - after all, in 4, 8, 12 years time, who is to say the 'issues' of girlfriend + well paid job won't have become 'issues' of wife + children + family commitments + well paid job?

That said, if you can't afford to lose the job and you know the likelihood of getting similar paid work is slim then the life beyond those few weeks probably has more importance than seeing the boys cross the line to sing the national anthem.

So, like rog, I would say I probably wouldn't go. However, to make myself feel a bit better, I would take a moment to think how amazing it is to have a mate who called you when he won the prize. And from the final whistle of the World Cup final, I would start putting aside a budget and make a concrete plan to go to with him to all the England games in 2018... here in England of course

[sbrokey]

Thanks for all your replies so far.

I'm now looking at a potential 3rd option of going but just buying a flight back from Port Elizabeth on the 24th (cost £1.2k but happy to take this from betting profits this year)

This way I'd only be taking 10 days off work and not miss this training course that's pretty crucial to my job.

Would just have to convince my mate that my 14 days of company would be better than 31 days of someone else's. Think the spending money factor might be able to sway it for me (the other 3 would have more money for the final fortnight!)

[Fifigrace]

Go. It's a fantastic opportunity.

I hope the third way works for you.

[muntjack]

Another possibility - could someone else fly out to take your place when you fly back on 24th? That way your winning friend could take 4 friends instead of 3, the final place (yours!) being a timeshare....