9 things I’ve learnt after one year in London

Today marks one year since I arrived in London from New Zealand. While so much here is the same as home, there’s plenty that’s different too. Here are a few things that I’ve noticed since moving to the UK.

1. Trousers are not ‘pants’

It’s not ok to say pants when you mean trousers. Nor is it ok to say lollies (or candy) when you mean sweets. At the very least, you will get a funny look. Or if you’re unlucky you might just spark some intense discussion about how you obviously don’t know the English language. How fun!

Dear people of England, I was brought up in a different country on the opposite side of the world. We might have a few different words with a few different meanings, but it’s really not a big deal. In fact, it’s quite a common occurrence for languages to evolve and change, particularly in different regions. Yours sincerely, a pants-wearing, lollie-loving Kiwi.

2. Always say eggs, pens and ten with a British accent

New Zealand is quite far away from England, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that our accents are a wee bit different. Still, if us Kiwis ask for eggs, pens or ten of something, we need to be prepared to first deal with that glorious pommy chortle and a little mockery. Each time we will laugh and repeat it back with a British accent, and we’ll try our best not to disclose our inner boredom.

3. Europe is so close!

On a more positive note, the absolute best thing about living in London (IMO) is the proximity to Europe. And it’s so cheap to get there! If you’re spending a limited time in the UK, like many Kiwis on two or five year visas, it’s not unreasonable to plan for a holiday in Europe each month.

Whether it’s a long weekend, a normal weekend or a week or two in the sun, it’s easy finding great deals online. EasyJet’s Inspire Me is awesome if you want a holiday, but you’re not sure where to choose next. Just pop in your dates and it’ll tell you all the places you can go within your budget. Google Flights will do the same thing, but it’ll give you all the other airline options too.

4.The UK is worth exploring too

There are plenty of amazing places right here in the UK with their own history, architecture, nightlife and interesting people too. Most places aren’t too far away on a train, or just hire a car and go exploring.

5. The weather isn’t that bad

Yep, in winter it’s cold. And sometimes it rains. And you might need to wear a coat, gloves and hat (don’t say beanie here, you’ll get funny looks). But no matter how much your caring relatives and colleagues who lived in the UK when they were your age ask if you’re sure you want to go, because it will be really cold, assure them you’ll be fine. Warm clothes aren’t expensive if you shop at the right places (Uniqlo is ideal!), so you’ll be able to kit yourself out without breaking the bank. Plus the houses, shops and offices are well-heated and public transport is everywhere, so most of the time you’ll be too hot, not cold.

Summer happens over here too, in fact. And if you want to be extra warm, you can head to Europe. Have I mentioned how close it is?

6. Public transport in London is awesome

Compared with New Zealand, the public transport in London is brilliant. It’s amazing to think about the distances you can travel underground. The tube is great if you want to get somewhere quickly, but if you have a bit of time and want to figure out where you are and how you’re getting there, the bus is a great alternative. Citymapper has become a godsend for getting around London (and plenty of other cities around Europe, actually). It’ll tell you the quickest route using each form of transport and what it’ll cost you. Genius.

7. You can go to all of the gigs

London is a great place for music lovers. There are so many gigs with so many bands that you’ve always wanted to see. Although you’ll probably find yourself passing most of them up, because you actually need to work and sleep sometimes. I use Songkick to track my favourite artists and I get notifications whenever a band I like is coming to town. It’ll even scan my Spotify, so I’ll get notifications based on my playlists and recommendations too.

8. There is so much awesome food

Whether it’s Indian, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Caribbean, Italian, French, vegetarian, meat, burgers or whatever other cuisine you fancy, you will be able to find a delicious restaurant that meets your requirements. You might have to book in advance, or wait in a long line, but you will not run out of new places to go for dinner. I use OpenTable to easily find and book restaurants — it’ll tell you which ones have tables available at the time you want to eat. Or if I want to be a little more inspired I use Dojo App or TimeOut for their teams’ expert recommendations.

9. But it’s quite far away from home

I’ve always known this of course, but it doesn’t really kick in until you actually get here and spend some time. I can’t get home and back without spending £900 at the very least (we’re talking Malaysian Airlines via two other countries, and then a domestic flight). And it’d take about 30 hours, give or take a couple depending on the route.

Living abroad is full of its perks, but it can be tough not seeing your friends and family for months or years on end. Especially when you’re missing out on things like weddings and babies being born. For a Kiwi living in London, going home for a visit needs careful consideration, and plenty of money!

Luckily, things like FaceTime and Facebook makes keeping in touch so much easier.

If you’re a traveller and want to share what you’ve learned living in London, or maybe a different city, I’d love to read about your experiences too. Just leave a note in the comments below! And if you like what you read, help me out by hitting the heart button below. ❤

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