fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2783 ]

[ SECRET POST #2783 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2783 ⌋

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm going to London, whooo!

I'm moving to London for school, from the US. I just bought my plane ticket after months of not letting myself get excited about it (I get very anxious when good things have the possibility of coming my way, and convince myself that -something- will go wrong, visas, loans, etc, and it will not happen) and for the first time I'm finally letting myself freak out with happiness.

So... any advice about living in the UK, specifically London, from someone from small town USA? Shoulds and should nots?

And how about you all? Have you ever moved or spent a significant amount of time in a foreign country? What was adjustment like, especially after the "tourist" phase was over? Anything you wish you knew beforehand?

I'm not sure what the right response is here... congratulations? Yay? In any case, I'm pleased for you anon!

My main advice would be:

- apply for your visa in plenty of time. The foreign office is currently being extremely paranoid about visas, and as such they are taking longer than usual

- the weather is constantly changing here, like on an hourly basis. If I could advise you on any one thing to bring to the UK it would be a raincoat that's light enough to carry around with you and big enough to layer over something warm in the winter. You could no doubt buy one here, but it would probably be more expensive here than in the States. Winters aren't bitterly, bitterly cold but my god, the cold drizzle seems to penetrate your very bones. Waterproof shoes = also a must.

General advice about London... hmmm. Well, firstly, the rental costs are a bitch, but that's about the only downside to London. The tube makes getting around incredibly easy. There is *always* something interesting and free going on. Millions of small places to eat, coffee shops, interesting small shops, museums, parks, historical monuments... There's so much to do!

There aren't any should nots really. :)

Hope this helps, anon. I hope you have a brilliant time over here! I'll keep my fingers crossed that it goes smoothly for you.

*first line of my reply sounds sarcastic when reading it back - it really wasn't intended to be!

Thanks for the advice! Yeah, I applied for my visa a few weeks ago, and though I haven't gotten my passport back yet, earlier this week I did receive an e-mail confirming that I had been issued a visa, so I went ahead and bought the ticket. My school did warn us that the foreign office or whatever was super nitpicky in regards to visas, and applications could be rejected for tiny mistakes and so on... and considering it cost over $500 just to send in one application, I was getting paranoid myself. But hopefully I'm okay on that end!

Strangely enough, I'm actually excited for the weather. I prefer cool weather and I love rain. I'm from the Midwest where winter is regularly -40 degrees, so I can't imagine getting too cold. A raincoat isn't a bad idea to bring along though!

Yeah, rent does suck - and I'm renting a dorm, which is even more expensive yet, I think. But it's less stressful just to do it through my school, and I think will help me connect more with other students. I have a loan that should cover everything but I definitely want to get a part time job, if possible, to offset some of the costs.

Thank you!

You're welcome, anon. Sounds like you've got it all sorted! Good travellin', to ya. :)

I've only visited London, but I'm also from a smallish American town.

* Be prepared for higher costs of everything. Food, for starters. Eating in restaurants is expensive, and raw ingredients cost more, too. That said, try to eat ALL the things when possible!

* Lots of walking. I loved the Tube, but it's still a lot more walking than the average American is used to. Start getting in shape now if you're not already physically fit.

* Try not to gush too much about how much you love England/English culture, etc. People will look at you funny.

* Explore the city, it's cheap entertainment. Locals are great to hang out with, but they also don't view their hometown the way a tourist does. Get out on your own if you can, and don't be afraid to visit touristy places. You're a tourist, after all.

* Try to get out of the city if you can. London is awesome, but don't spend your entire time there. One of the best things about England vs. the U.S. is that it's smaller and a lot easier to get on a train and be someplace different in a couple hours. It's possible to see Stonehenge on a daytrip, so go for it!

* If you're at all interested in history, write down a list of places to visit. Ditto fandom stuff like Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, whatever.

Have fun! :)

Yay! Congrats, anon!

Get an Oyster card ASAP. Using cash on London's public transport is a total rip-off. If you land in Heathrow you can get it right by the Tube entrance, it costs 6 quids. It's how you pay for all public transport. You might also want to get a headstart on getting to know the public transport system, as that is how you will get around here. A few key points:

- Buses have gone cash-free, so you definitely need an Oyster or contactless payment card. Also, depending on what kind of stop, a bus will not necessarily stop just because people are waiting at the bus stop. Always wave the bus you want to go with down, this way you'll never go wrong. Also, because there are so many stops along a route, the little "plans" on a busstop don't have all the stops on it. When going by bus, always make sure you know the final destination or next major stop along the route (Oxford Circus, Clapham Juntion, that sort of thing) so you won't catch the bus in the wrong direction. Orienting yourself in London can get difficult, as you will mostly travel underground.

- Tube: They actually have little posters on tips and little reminders about what to do/not to do on the Tube, courtesy of the Mayor's office. Generally speaking, people don't appreciate noise in the Tube. Always move along inside the carriage, unless you really need to get off at the next stop anyway. Give up your seat for elderly people or pregnant women, especially when you sit on the Priority Seats right next to the doors. Watch out for lines that have two branches, like the Northern Line, for example: One branch goes via Bank, the other via Charing Cross. Depending on where you need to go you need to watch out on which branch you travel.

- Overground/DLR/etc.: Watch out for the Oyster scan machine, they can be really easy to miss. I mostly get around by Tube and bus, so I'm not much help in this regard, sorry.

If you don't already have a place, a good site to find a room is spareroom.co.uk. As another anon said, rent is terrible around here, so don't even hope to get a one-bedroom flat. Unless you're rich as hell, in which case, go for the one-bedroom flat, flatshares can be hit-and-miss and boy, you will hate your roomates when you get a "miss". When you do use spareroom, be careful about whether or not bills are included in the rent; if not, they can make quite a difference.

Generally speaking, London is expensive as hell. If you want to do some kind of sport, be prepared to pay a lot. Gyms, on the other hand, can be pretty cheap but still good value.

The pub culture is great in general, but can be rather strange when you're not used to it. Yes, you will see people sitting in a pub and drinking from noon on, and no-one will bat an eye. I have seen pubs absolutely packed by 1pm on bank holidays, and people will already be smashed at this point. Also, while people won't necessarily say anything to you, it will be noted when you don't get rounds. People buy rounds in pubs, and if you never get one people will notice after a while.

London is dirty. From garbage bags lining the pavement to the old houses with weird plumbing and wiring, don't expect anything too glamorous unless you have the money to pay for it.

London is international. Seriously, you can meet people from all nationalities here, and you won't have to look far. It's an excellent place to learn new languages, too. If you're interested, check out the London Language Exchange group on Facebook.

There's a lot more, but that's all I can think of right now. If you have specific questions, let me know!

Another anon already mentioned getting out of London, so here are some places you might be interested in:

Historical monuments:

- Stonehenge
- Avebury (bigger stone circle than Stonehenge and less touristy)
- Portsmouth Historical Shipyard
- Any of the castles
- Any National Trust properties or English Heritage sites

Other cities/towns:

- Oxford
- Cambridge
- Canterbury
- Winchester
- Brighton
- Hay-on-Wye
- Edinburgh

Countryside:

- The Lake District
- The Peak District
- Southdowns national park
- Any of the other national parks
- the Cotswalds
- the Welsh borders
- the Highlands

Never, NEVER, stand on the left on Tube escalators.

you might get overwhelmed by how big it is, if you happen to travel through it.
it's a good idea to just walk around the quarter you live in and get familiar with it first to "settle".

If the city makes you crazy, there are many parks and city gardens/farms around to give you a breather.

Not London specific, but general moving out of the country (USA) for studies in another country (France) [I live in a big city in the states, so my advice may not be as useful]

- Enjoy the tourist stuff--yes, you'llfeel silly, but hey, when will you be able to do it again?
-get around as the other anons said--not just the icty you're in, but outside of it.
-GET LOST. seriously the best way to find beautiful things and have great memories. A map of the city will be burned into your memory, made of cobblestones and smells.

Things I wish I knew beforehand:
-order your time well--make sure you manage your time well enough to balance work, school and enjoying the city
-don't be afraid to make friends.
-see every thing you can
-learn the transit system/hours for things (idk if in london sundays everything is closed/early...also if the metro stops after a certain hour)

And congratulations! I hope you enjoy your travels and have a wonderful experience there!

I don't know if this is still true, but - double check on if your charger cords, etc. will work there. The electrical system is different, and our plugs are not the same as theirs, so - you'll need some kind of adapter.

Congratulations and welcome! I would say:

Get an Oystercard and keep it topped up - top up points are at all stations and a lot of newsagents and shops. Oystercards are 'swipe' activated, you just place the card flat on a round yellow card reader and the gate will open to let your through into the station. There is a maximum fee you will be charged per day no matter how many trips you take - I think its about 7 pounds, so if you make a lot of short hops don't worry about your charges climbing. When you get an Oystercard for the first time, you will pay a 5 pound 'deposit' just to get the card and then will need to add cash to top it up. You get that 5 pound back when you surrender the card, plus any cash you have on it. A webpage you should use: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

There is one thing I've noticed about tourists/travelers: they will often try to get through the turnstile/gates with luggage or big backpacks. And then get trapped and upset. There is always a wider gate off to one side, for luggage and wheelchairs etc. Take a second to look for that and you will get through fine. Usually, the station attendant will be there if you are looking for some help or information.

Do not stand on the left on escalators - the rule is stand on the right and walk (down or up) on the left. You will get scolded - to put it mildly - if you don't do this. Generally, try to keep left as you navigate the tube station tunnels. Do not stand at the top or bottom ot the escalators, get out of the way.

Everyone will get lost at some stage on the Underground(aka the Tube) or get on the wrong bus or something. I do on occasion myself and I've lived here nearly all of my adult life! Don't panic, just get off at the next station or stop, gather your thoughts and try again. Bus drivers are often surly but will at least give you advise. Or ask another passenger!

Money: things are expensive. Download a currency exchange app or something to let you keep an eye on expenses in your 'real' currency so you can budget wisely. People use debit cards a lot - ATM machines are everywhere and mostly free to use (that is, you will not be charged a fee to draw out your own cash money). Will you be setting up a bank account over here? Your student union or admissions office will be able to advise on that. If you use Bureau de Change, watch out for commission and fees. Again, your Uni should have some guidance on that, or may even have a finance office. Paper money: values are of different colours and sizes, coins are either copper, silver or gold depending on value.

Food: no free refills of soda or coffee. Portions may be smaller than you are used to.

I would recommend a small cross-body bag for every day for the most important items: debit card, oystercard, keys, so on.

Sending things home: the Post Office is open 5.5 days (Saturday mornings only). There are a big offices in central London: look at www.postoffice.co.uk. There are also courier company drop off and pick up points for companies like DHL.

Accommodation: expensive. If you live in 'dormroom' (we would say 'in Halls') the main facilities will be arranged for you I expect? Eg: broadband, water, electricity, cleaning services. Be sure you know what is included in your fees.

Mobile phone: roaming and call charges may be high if you use your current provider. Look in to getting a mobile over here on a Pay As You Go tariff. Don't get tied into a contract - unless you are here for 12 to 18 months. Ask your fellow students for their advice.

Shops: there a branches of Tesco and Sainsbury everywhere for usual day to day essentials and food. They also deliver. Other big supermarkets are Asda and Morrisons. They are generally cheaper than Tesco or Sainsbury but don't have as many high-street branches in London. Good chain sandwich places are Pret a Manger and Eat. They are the more expensive ones, but there are cheap and cheerful places everywhere. Other good 'student friendly' chains are Pizza Express, Caffe Nero and (of course) Starbucks.

Pharmacy - we would say chemist. Boots is the biggest chain, they are everywhere and sell everything. Marks & Spencer of course - but only for food and basic underwear/socks etc. Their current fashions are tragic.

Check out some web pages to get an idea of range and price:

www.tesco.com

www.marksandspencer.com

Thrift stores = we say charity shops.

Clothing: a good rain coat and hat, comfortable shoes for walking - which you will do a lot of. Layers are your friend, we get 4 seasons in 1 hour at times. The Tube is notoriously hot and icky.

There are 2 free daily newspapers you can pick up: Metro (morning) and the Evening Standard. There are stacks of them at stations etc. There are also free magazines on certain days; Stylist, Sports and Time Out. You will find Time Out useful for gigs, concerts, free events etc.

Good places to 'hang out': the South Bank (of the Thames). Pavement cafes, street art, prints/books stalls etc. These cafes and bars are great to people-watch: National Theatre, BFI, Queen Elizabeth Hall are my favourites, and you can sit and watch the world go by without having to attend a performance.

Don't miss: river boat tour/cruise - great fun and you get a different perspective on the city and its history. The London Eye - expensive and long queues but the view is worth it. People love the open top bus tours (you can hop off and on anywhere along the route). The Tower of London, National Gallery, the V&A are all full of tourists and utterly sublime anyway - forget being cool, just go for it! A lot of the museums and galleries are free, with an optional donation box. Westminster Abbey is expensive and the guided tour isn't all that great but its a definite high light for most people.

Emergencies: dial 999 (not 911). You may see some armed police at the airports, but otherwise there are no guns.

Be prepared for sheer numbers, pressure of people on the pavements, in shops and on transport. Be prepared for lots of people to not speak English.

Good luck and have a wonderful time!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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