I moved from California to London 10 years ago. The whole experience has been a culture shock, but these 9 things surprised me most.

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When it comes to traveling, London feels for illustration nan halfway of nan world.

Living successful London intends I tin hop connected a short, comparatively cheap flight and onshore location pinch a different language, culture, and cuisine.

Speaking broadly, tons of Londoners I cognize promote travel. There are six awesome airports successful Greater London, and astir each hose I've flown connected has a extremity successful nan city.

Since moving here, I've visited complete 30 countries and person taken trips crossed Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and nan Americas.

The UK has tons of rain, but I didn't recognize really overmuch I'd emotion nan chopped seasons.

When I arrived successful London, I was welcomed by a cloudy entity and a chill successful nan air. It took clip to get utilized to London's gray, bedewed weather, which sometimes stretches into nan summer.

London is known for its rainy days — past twelvemonth was nan UK's 11th wettest year connected grounds since 1836 — and moreover complaining astir nan upwind is simply a classical British pastime.

However, I emotion England's chopped seasons (something I didn't person erstwhile I lived successful California). Cherry blossoms bloom each spring, and location are cleanable summery days and gorgeous autumn foliage.

Many salaries are little than they are successful nan US, and prices are higher than I'd expected.

London is an costly metropolis — according to consulting patient Mercer, it's considered to person immoderate of nan highest costs of surviving successful nan world.

But erstwhile I entered nan workforce, I was amazed by nan salaries successful nan city. According to nan Office for National Statistics, nan median gross yearly salary for a full-time worker successful nan UK was £34,960, aliases astir $45,445, successful 2023.

This is little than nan salaries I retrieve seeing successful nan US, which averaged astir $59,380 successful nan 4th fourth of 2023, a USA Today analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics information found.

In my opinion, nationalist services successful nan UK are beautiful solid.

Though it whitethorn not beryllium perfect, nan UK's publically funded healthcare system, nan National Health Service, is an important portion of nan value of life for astir people.

Anyone successful England tin registry pinch a wide practitioner, and expert services, screenings, and infirmary stays are publically funded.

Many full-time UK labor return advantage of federally mandated paid maternity time off and astir 28 days of paid yearly leave. In nan US, paid time off is yet up to an individual's employer, and nan state doesn't guarantee paid maternity leave.

Tipping civilization is little salient successful London.

Simply put, London doesn't person an excessive tipping culture.

Patrons are encouraged to extremity 10% to 15% erstwhile eating out, but galore restaurants often adhd a discretionary 12.5% work complaint to nan last bill.

In nan US, a edifice mightiness see a extremity for a ample party, but astir customers are expected to extremity astir 15% to 20% of nan full bill.

Advertised prices successful nan UK besides often already see income taxation — truthful nan value you spot is nan value you pay. In nan US, sales taxation is usually added to items astatine nan constituent of purchase, and it varies by state.

British phrases and position tin consciousness for illustration a overseas connection to me.

I constitute for a living, but sometimes, nan English spoken successful England still sounds overseas to me.

"Biscuit" intends "cookie," and dressing up successful a Halloween costume is called "fancy dress."

I besides learned nan difficult measurement that "pants" are really a word for "underpants."

I knew getting a visa could beryllium tough, but I was amazed by really overmuch it costs to support this paperwork.

After studying successful nan UK connected a student visa, I had to find a occupation that would sponsor a activity visa truthful that I could proceed surviving successful England.

I struggled to find a occupation that would sponsor my activity visa, but I yet succeeded. Still, it meant I had to return a very low-paying occupation and pivot from nan publicity manufacture to marketing.

Once I sewage a visa, I was amazed to study that keeping this paperwork up-to-date tin beryllium expensive. I salary upward of $1,300 successful visa fees each 2 ½ years.

Making friends takes effort, but nan metropolis attracts group pinch an adventurous spirit.

Meeting group organically successful a transient metropolis for illustration London is difficult, and it tin beryllium easy to consciousness alone. The UK moreover has a curate for loneliness — an appointed fig who raises consciousness for isolation passim nan nation.

Still, galore group I've met successful London person an open, adventurous value astir them. I've formed beardown friendships pinch erstwhile colleagues who I met done networking and communal friends.

Before I moved, I hadn't realized nan metropolis had truthful overmuch to connection — but that's what makes it truthful exciting.

London is incredibly divers and multicultural. There are truthful galore group to meet, and each vicinity has its ain character.

From nan rich | theatre civilization of nan West End to nan posh shops successful Knightsbridge, there's ever thing breathtaking to do, eat, and enjoy.

Throughout my decade successful London, I've knowledgeable New Year's Eve fireworks astatine nan London Eye, watched jock Roger Federer play tennis astatine Wimbledon, and attended a Manchester United shot lucifer astatine Wembley Stadium.

Although moving had its challenges, I've made nan champion memories of my life successful this English city.