Your relocation to London will involve a bit more than packing your passport, validating your visa and searching for a squat. Many Americans moving to London have some rather strange preconceptions about moving to London, living in London and England as a whole. Part of your settling-in process should be to bust a couple of those myths about Great Britain and your relocation to London.
The Weather is Bad
This is a myth that is perpetuated by the British propensity to moan about the weather. The weather is not bad all of the time. It does not rain all of the time. It MAY rain at any time! As long as you have an umbrella and raincoat with you when you are out and about, you’ll be covered.
People in London are unfriendly.
People in London are extremely friendly. It may take some time to get past the natural British reserve, but as a foreigner moving to London, you’ll find that everyone will welcome you and make you feel at home.
London is England
London is not England. London is a city in England. There are many cities in the country of England, which is just one country in Great Britain. The United Kingdom, or Great Britain is made up of England, (where you’ll find the capital city London) Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The Food is Bad
Britain has had to manage a bad reputation for the state of their cuisine over the years. The exciting part about your relocation to London is that you are going to have the chance to sample cuisine from around the world. It is a tribute to the spirit of Great Britain that they so readily accept and absorb other cultures into their own.
The English Dislike Americans
This could not be further from the truth. The English don’t hold a grudge against America in any way. They love the fact that so many Americans are embracing their British heritage and tracing their roots back to Great Britain. They’re pretty mad that they lost the Empire, but that’s quite another topic!
Remember that London is a massive cosmopolitan city with people from all over the world working, living and loving London. Your relocation to London will not make you feel like a stranger in a strange land. Just reach out and immerse yourself in your new home and you’ll be a real Londoner in a jiffy!
