Five Realizations You Have When You Move To London.
Many Americans go abroad to live in great cities that offer an unparalleled experience.
London, in particular, provides visitors with a mind-blowing array of activities and foods to enjoy.
However, it’s not always easy to get adjusted when moving such a culture shock.
Here are five realizations you have when you move to London.
At first, visiting London will seem overwhelming and the language barrier will be difficult for most people to overcome;
often times there is more noise than there is information (a British accent is also one of the most underappreciated accents around).
You might feel like you’ve been hit with a ton of bricks and unsure how any of it works…
Don’t rely on Google Maps to help you around London.
They’re very vague and outdated.
Instead, use a map app like City Mapper that puts the best restaurants, bars and shops right at your fingertips.
If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, try a local app like Time Out instead.
It’s a bit pricy, but it allows you to thoroughly search through all
the best places in any area from museums to gastropubs without getting lost or wasting time trying to read subway maps!
Don’t be afraid to indulge in the Queen’s English just because it sounds different from what you’re used to.
You will likely hear things like “fanny,” or “bloody,” or that unmistakable accent.
It might be a little bothersome at first because you’re not used to hearing things like that,
but eventually it will become second nature.
The best way to get around London is by foot. London is quite walkable provided you pace yourself, which can be easy if you remember to do this one thing…
Imbibe at least five liters of water a day!
That’s about one gallon, which doesn’t seem like much for some people but
makes a huge difference in your hydration levels when walking all over the city.
London is a very competitive city,
so you have to keep yourself from being overwhelmed.
There are millions of tourists in London every year and the locals
don’t take kindly to people who just show up and expect a place to be theirs without any work.
Do not show up on the first day completely unprepared for anything that could happen.
Although you might have read that there are places to eat on every corner of London, this isn’t exactly correct.
The British don’t really want new visitors ordering food from them all the time because
it makes them lose their jobs which translates into losing money from high turnover rates from restaurants.
Don’t give up on yourself.
Every person changes on their own, but some people may change more than others.
If you’re not exactly the newly-acquired British friend who is easy to get along with,
don’t worry about it because everyone is different at first.
Just be open to all the possibilities that are around you!
The English food isn’t for everybody, but you can definitely get addicted to it eventually.
You may feel like the British food will taste different than any other cuisine that you’ve ever had before, or maybe even just gross.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth of course, especially for those
who have traveled worldwide before and had their tastes expanded by geographic regions.
Just because it doesn’t look like what you’re used to, that doesn’t mean it’s not good.
After living in London for about six months, you might get homesick for your hometown.
If this happens, just remember what you came all the way here for in the first place!
It’s nothing to be ashamed of, after all.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself here, but also remember that if you really miss home so much go back and visit again!
A two-way mindset is very important when considering abroad experiences.
“Five Realizations You Have When You Move Into London.”
.The Pivot Foundation is a non profit organization that
develops a social strategy for the inclusion of people with intellectual and multiple disabilities in the community
through vocational training and civic participation, motivational workshops and group participation.
Leigh, Lucy (2016). “Six months on: what it’s like living in the capital”. The Guardian (London).
This article was published in The Guardian on October 28, 2017 and is titled:
“Five Realizations You Have When You Move To London” by Lucy Leigh.
This article touches on the issues that Americans face when trying to adjust to living in a foreign country such as London.
For example, many Americans may want to leave their comfort zone
try new things while they are living in England but it could be very hard for them
to make the leap if they live by themselves and do not have a support system.
touches on the issues of American expats living in London.
For example, Americans living in England tend to be very passionate about their jobs because
of the competitive nature of working here.
Clean ERSJThey are not used to working hard before but will adapt to doing this for work
since it is demanded of them living in the UK .
