My First Month Living in England | The truth about living abroad
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- Опубликовано: 22 авг 2024
- You asked, I answered (sort of). Here's some things to consider when surviving your first month living in England - flats, bank accounts, mobiles and more.
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Hey! I'm Alanna - a twenty-something documenting my life as a Canadian living in England.
I share the ups and downs of an expat living abroad and what it's really like living in the UK. It's not always easy, but there's been so many wonderful experiences, too. I post a RUclips video every Tuesday and an additional video every Saturday on my Patreon account. I also livestream every Wednesday and Sunday at 6:30pm GMT on Twitch.
Alanna x
#livinginengland #britishculture
English born & bred.
Turns out my first month was easy - can't remember any of it but I'm told I hardly had to lift a finger and I got everything I needed ! :)
Hardly easy when you kept shitting youself
Quality 😁👍
@@listenhealthily yeah but all you have to do at that age is scream and shout for a bit and someone comes along and cleans you up. Plus you get to scribble on the walls and chuck your food on the floor. Best time ever.
😂 good one
I don't remember it very well but apparently some bastard slapped me on the arse within my first couple of minutes. Can't imagine that was much fun. Otherwise yep, first month was a cruise. And that was in Scotland too, where everything's harder.
I still love how this channel has always been centered around what it's like in England and the majority of your viewers are all English lol
agreed
Nice to see how others see us. lol Plus she's English at heart, look at all the analysis, we love that.
@@andrewnorris5415 I'm not knocking it, I'm English myself and subbed for that very reason haha
It’s because we’re English and proud and we’re intrigued to see what’s it’s like living here from a different perspective
"Most of my viewers are British..." You're a sort of mascot now.
Thanks for this video. My wifey and I will be moving to England in May 2019 from South Africa and we are very very excited. This video helps soooo much.
Stop apologizing! We love you already! Accept it and stop apologizing. You are worthy. Now! On with the video!!
Bring your own phone when coming to the UK, just make sure it works in the UK and is unlocked, then just buy a prepaid sim card.
same thing i was thinking
I do this with my phone when I travel, and I don't see any reason it wouldn't work for relocation. Besides, who wants a contract in 2019?
You're becoming so British in every which way and love all of your videos! I guess you had a big advantage having your boyfriends house to move into but none the less I saw how hard it was for you having watched you from the start.
Do a little research online and you can get your mobile for cheaper than £15 with the same deal or better and as we all know every little helps!
Happy New Year and keep posting as you're a joy to watch and many of us Brits love your quirkiness and positive outlook on life when at times things must have been hard for you being thousands of miles from your family
As a Brit I watched this with fascination, as all the things we take for granted such as setting up a bank account or phone contract are made umpteen times harder for people moving here. My god who doesn't love a bit of British beaurocracy😂. Great vid as per
Probably the reason why most of your viewers are British is because we are somewhat insecure and generally concerned and sensitive as to how others think of us! You seem to worry you are being disrespectful at times, but I’m pretty sure our country is just that little bit better off for having you in it.
Hello,
Just contributed to your Patreon.
Your RUclips channel is so good that I feel guilty watching for free.
I hope other people can recognise your effort as well.
Cheers,
John from Cambridge
Thank you so much, that means a lot!
Come live in Nottingham. We're not that bad here. Big town. Loads of shops. University town. Not too expensive. Loads of transport... Where I live, the majority of houses are detached. Traffic is bad basically nearly everywhere you go.
I agree I am from Nottingham
I disagree, i'm from Leicester.
@@DB-ke8bs Leicester is also a lovely place. But I couldn't comment too much because I've never lived there :) :)
Economic Invincibilities Hot Dog Boss How is Leicester any better then? I'm from South Africa, but have a British Passport by descent, and in June I have accomodation booked in the Oakham area. I'm a candidate architect who sold my car and basically everything else and yet still on a shoe string venture to the UK - so in terms of transport, food and residence what why would you disagree?
If you can answer well, I will definitely lose my voice shouting for Leicester FC. If not, Nottingham, is my club. If it's a tie, I'm joining the team my grandad played for - Middlesborough and going there too.
Nottingham? She doesn’t wear track suits and she doesn’t have teeth missing!
Happy New Year you rascal, love the way Canadians pronounce "out".
I wasn't wild about how she pronounced "admin" though.
every single time you say ... without further ado lets go ...( then we dont go anywhere) makes me laugh every time , i dunno why
I'll take the risk and speak on the behalf of the majority of your subscribers' and say that we regard you as one of our own now! You have been assimilated!! lol. happy new year Alanna, to you and yours!.
To be fair the traffic sucks pretty much anywhere in the UK.
What's wrong with Kent!!!? Is has a marvelous climate, lots of nice countryside, and though dangerously near the French has a nice deep channel between it and all those foreigners.
I live in one of those "lower" areas you talk about. It's not that bad. It's quiet because most of my neighbours are in jail, and the Council has removed a lot of the derelict burnt-out cars from the street. There is talk of re-opening the schools when they've got bars on the windows, and I haven't been mugged for a week. I think things are looking up.
If you like sunshine, you should try East Anglia: They enjoy semi-tropical weather for 10 months of the year, and it is dryer than Algeria. They grow bananas and pineapples there, and enjoy outdoor dining right up to Christmas.
Birmingham is also very sunny, and attracts people from some of the sunniest places in the world.
Folks from the Caribbean, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh all feel right at home there, and it is the curry capital of the UK. You'll never go hungry in Birmingham. And the canals: Did you know it has more canals than Venice? That is why Venice is known as "the Birmingham of the South".
A lot of Canadians have family roots in Scotland, so I'm surprised you don't recommend your compatriots to move there. They will be well-used to snow and ice for most of the year, the midnight sun and the vast distances to the nearest town.
Best do it soon before they go independent and close the border. They will have experiences that they can't find anywhere else in the UK, the best being the deep-fried Mars Bar. And the Scots will welcome anybody who has got any money at all.
I hope this information is helpful to your would-be ex-pats.
Can't stop chuckling at "Birmingham of the South" :D
Happy New Year ! I'm one of your English viewers & I found all this weirdly fascinating and just for the record , that never ending cycle of "Red Tape" annoys the crap out me too ! Cheers ! 😉👍
i love how she says " with out further adoo"
This was the most helpful video I think I've ever found on this platform. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm also moving from Canada to be with my boyfriend and you've just helped with all of the concerns I've had. I leave in 4 days. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you so much for the kind words - hope your move is easy!!
I'm going to move to the UK later this year on a spousal visa and am a bit nervous. I really appreciate and enjoy your videos alleviating some of my stressers 💙
I hope you have an easy move, thanks so much for watching!!
Whereabouts is your spouse based? North, Midlands, South, West? (Any answer other than the North is invalidated) #NorthernerDownSouth #Help
SomeBloke8895 so anywhere other than Scotland is invalidated.
@@Glasgow_kissis the new slogan for the SNP. (Incidentally, personally I define the North as anything from Yorkshire upwards including Scotland)
@@Someloke8895 my partner is from the Somerset area but we plan to go up north (Yorkshire area) after I move
If I may make add another option for a bank account
You can open a uk account if your bank has a correspondent banking relationship with a British bank, that means they have a two way agreement with a UK bank. Many major UK banks also have so-called ‘international’ accounts. These are designed specifically for non-residents and if you don’t have the documents to prove your UK address. You can also apply for an international account online. Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC and NatWest all offer international bank accounts.But check the details as they will vary from bank to bank and country to country.
Good point. Too bad Barclays just left my country (SA). HSBC is the only bank that has a branch that still exists in Sandton, Gauteng - which I am going to tomorrow thanks to you. Thank you kind MacSir.
Happy New Year from Northamptonshire, why the dislikes what's not too like?
Another great video Alana, but just like your last few your camera seems to be focussed on the back wall of your office. I know it's hard if you're working solo, but if you could maybe focus it on your empty chair before you start rolling that would make it at least a little sharper. Keep up the beautiful work!
I was about to comment on that. The camera loves that back wall
We are honoured, lucky and delighted to have you adopt our country into your heart after finding it initially a little hard....I clearly speak for every single individual in the UK. You're cool and very endearing, and ive adopted you as my lil digital Canadian sister whom I've never actually met. Take the wierd out of that sentence, and the sentiment that remains is a compliment to you. Peace again from Manchester, Alanna !
Ps edited to put the capital C on Canada so as to not offend while being slightly overly farmiliar in a comment. Peace squared.
Think you should explain about heath ie doctor, dentist, hospitals, national health etc. Very important and potential nightmare.
Good idea. A lot of this stuff people probably have to ask about because no one will tell you.
I'm willing to help you Mike, even if no-one else is. Just register at your local doctors surgery when you arrive. Youll need an address of course, and to be here for more than just a vacation. Same with dentists. Many dentist surgeries are not taking on new patients, but youll find one easy enough. Its all relatively cheap for dentistry, and getting a doctor's appointment is free cuz we have NHS. As for hospitals, if youre in need of hospital treatment, either in an emergency or otherwise, then its absolutely free if you are residing here, like settled here, but if youre on vacation here, or staying briefly, then u may be charged. However, the UK does have some agreements for that, with countries like Australia, where brief visitors can get treatment absolutely gratis. Not sure if Canada is one of them countires. Also, we have a cooler variety of chocolate bars in UK, and a nicer variety of microwave dinners too. Very handy if youre a lazy asshole who cant cook.
True, Try and find a good dentist. One of the biggest rep off in this island. I hate them. Thefts. But there are good ones out ther.
It’s ok the NHS is free, now dentists they are damn expensive
Dentists aren't important-most people here only brush their teeth once a week & don't have a dentist, or many teeth for that matter.
Happy New year to you and yours Alanna.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Alanna! I hope 2019 brings you lots more adventures and naps!
Drug dealer phone 😂, you crack me up , and it's not just Kent most of UK is a traffic nitemare , no new infurstructure for roads has been put in just relying on what we have yet they build tons more houses. Happy new year to you 👍
Happy new year, Alanna! :-)
Happy New Year Alana and looking forward to another Year of your Vids...
Great advice. I’ll try this even though I’ve lived here forever.
That makes no sense at all.
OMG, I am the same. I just realised that despite being born here I never got a phone, bank account, house or job. I have got a lot of catching up to do!
Hello, Alanna. Just wanted to thank you for the great and helpful video! I am moving to UK most likely next summer to work for NHS as an expat from a non-English speaking country (so not sure about the exact destination yet, lots of jobs to choose from and some annoying paperwork still to be done). Wish you all the best, and to your channel too!
I'm a Brit but my wife was originally Chinese (now naturalised). I already had the house, but we had to go through all of the nightmare stuff you describe with phones, banks, national insurance and so forth. Utility bills? They all came to me so no chance. HSBC gave her an account in the end, maybe they still do. Glad it's all behind us. Good advice!
We was same my wife was Kenyan (Now a British citizen) I lived in Kenya a short while. I got her the bank account by changing my bank account to Barclays and asking if my wife could also have an account, it worked.
In my first month I was really crapping myself and couldn't afford food or housing so a nice family provided it for me, and even with me whining and being ungrateful they put me up for 18 years.
Hi no idea how I found your channel either but just been watching your food testing vids you have got to try Lyons golden syrup cake and crab sticks not at the same time though . they used to come to the pubs and sell the crab sticks . just remembered you said you are allergic to prawns so maybe not the crab sticks . keep the vids coming they're very enjoyable to watch
Kent doesn't suck. Kent's great and you don't need to be too far into Kent for prices to go down and London to be still fairly accessible. As to phones, isn't it best to go into the store so you can discuss things with the people there rather than struggle online. Hope you had a Merry Xmas, and Happy New Year!
Love the way you say the traffic sucks
Happy New Year Alanna! Hope you had a great Christmas. Hope you have a great 2019!
Hi! For the bank account you can use Revolut or Monzo, online banking that you can set up from home before moving
You should do a weekend in Brighton .... the little London. Loads of history and old buildings and it’s right by the sea 😊 the pride festival is held here every year... we have a Facebook page called “keeping Brighton weird” 😬
I spent a fair bit of my childhood in Brighton, as I lived in Horsham that had very little.
Brighton is full of energy..fact!
Def come to brighton i live nearby its amazing! And weird!
Oh my Alanna, you show wisdom beyond your years - by a LONG way. You are so right about the frustrations of navigating the mysteries of the various systems. In 1981 I migrated with my family from New Zealand to Australia. I thought 'we're like cousins - brothers even - how hard will it be , Australia and NZ are almost the same!' HAH!!! Maybe almost but those small differences were ENORMOUS obstacles that took ingenuity and strength of character to get around - how to get a phone. how to get a bank account, how to get the power on a flat, how to get the gas on - all these involved that circular verification process. Landlords wanted references - looked pretty skeptically at NZ references that were pretty old because we'd owned our house in NZ for 6 years and we were our own reference.
Kent is beautiful - I do hope you have had a chance to see it. In fact, there are beautiful places all over the UK and reasonable sized towns everywhere
Great video, what I would say is that visiting somewhere like London is so different to living there because you don't have to spend your life on the tube or running around, there are some lovely boroughs with their own high streets, you could easily live and work in one borough and never get into the crazyness of central London. Another thing I would advise is consider cultural and infrastructure differences. People coming from the US might be surprised at how good some of our trains are, however someone from a city like New York might come to the uk countryside and come unstuck at lack of trains and bus services. Sounds obvious but if you're young and you only know your own specific culture and local amenities, it's something to remember, particularly when commuting. A good way to get credit history is to get a credit building credit card, just do your food shopping on it and pay it off in full every month. That will help build your credit rating for phone contracts etc.
Living away from a major city like NYC, Boston , Chicago, etc. where there is usually adequate public transportation, a car is practically mandatory. Other than by flying , driving a car is the most practical travel solution. When living in Average Town,USA there is only one inter-city bus company (Greyhound) and one rail service( AMTRAK). Both stink.....Count your blessings...
With the visa application and all the stuff you have mentioned here along with leaving your family and if I remember, suffering with anxiety........Talk about throwing yourself in at the deep end!!! Much respect 💪🏻
My first month in England I cried a lot. But I was breast fed so it wasn't all bad.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Looking forward to what you've got in store for 2019 😃
More snacks, more booze, more sheep.
Alanna should also do a video reaction to watching British sitcoms. That would be really entertaining 😁
@@davidchristian8218 Only if she watches 'Curry And Chips' with Spike Milligan & Eric Sykes. It might remind her of her first weeks in the UK.
What I did with my phone when I moved over here in the spring was I paid out my remaining bill with Rogers so that the phone itself was mine. Then I just do a pay as you go monthly plan with GiffGaff here. My phone was almost near the end of it's contract anyway, so the bill was about $250 which I understand might be higher for some depending on where you are in your contract. Saved me loads of money in the end though because I've got a super cheap plan and don't have to pay monthly for the phone itself. :)
This is a random thing but there is a town in Cambridgeshire called March . There's a misconception that it's named after the month but it comes from when the Romans occupied England and March comes from the Roman term Mercia meaning Marshland. Which before it was drained it was Marshland basically a swamp.
This video is SO helpful, thank you!
Happy New Year to you Alanna, Thank you for taking the time to post videos over the festive season, hope you didn't over indulge on the cheese too much ;-) - Greetings from Nottingham by the way.
With Regard to getting anything in England it's all linked to your Credit Score, the higher your score the more chance you have of getting a mobile phone, bank account etc. People new to England should focus on raising their Credit Score as soon as they arrive as this will begin opening doors for them, there are numerous free sites dedicated to providing tips on improving your score and tell you what it is month to month.
Shookeeeth! The shocking shooking was worth it, because this is seriously the engaging foundational video I've come across. And it shows through the comments here, because there's more good advice in turn. Especially shooketh by: Lloyds after a month of utilities. Residents Permit (key). And was shooketh by 3's deal because here in South Africa, such deals would cost me the earth!
Thanks for you my teacher
Happy New Year Alanna. Let's hope this is the year we get to keep you!
Happy new year thanks for keeping us entertained last year here's to many more 🍷🍻
I'd say to anyone, even people who are British, stick with SIM only or pay as you go, you often get far better price since your not paying does new phone that you don't need.
There's an excellent website called moneysavingexpert.com that has loads of advice for making the right decisions when it comes to anything money related
Happy new year! This reminds me so much of coming to Canada from the USA in 2012. I was married to my Canadian wife, even had a job and career that ported after a huge credential entanglement, but I still had all of the same fears and such of an immigrant.
We actually have 'town houses' in the UK: it's the name for a house in a terrace of properties which have three or more storeys.
Great informative video! Happy New Year!
It's amazing in the UK... Genuine people (like yourself) find it so hard to move here because of all our rules... Yet people who enter illegally find it so easy.. Lol.
If you have a family member or friend or partner who is prepared to recommend you to other companies (and put their credit at risk) you can get mobile contracts etc quite easily.
Bristol got a mention...im so excited!!!
I am coming back home to England for the 1st time in 10 years ..after living in Canada would be interesting to see all the new changes 14 Days without a coffee crisp but on the others hand pork farms sausage rolls and proper tea guess things even out ok
“Do that one first then do the second one afterwards” love how and what you say! My wife is not watching but she keeps saying “yup” which obviously means she’s agreeing to your various points!🤔🥴😂
Happy New Year Alanna!
You also have Brazilian subscribers 🥰
I’m looking forward to watching your videos in 2019.
Have a very Happy New Year.
keep it.up the good work and be confidence and when you are.don't forget :)
Dam i find your videos to be sooooo helpful! Plus you seem so chill! Awesome......btw im moving from the island of Bermuda to England in a couple months....youve eased quite a few of my fears.
Happy New Year to you and your loved one's.
Talking about March and the Marshlands that is now called the fens and fenland. After the Romans tried to drain the area because they found it hard to control because the brits were used to living there so guerrilla warfare was used against the Romans because they wasn't used to the terrain. Later on in history we had Dutch engineers come over to assist in draining the fenland as the Dutch have a similar terrain and had developed a technique of doing so. Hence there's a big Dutch influence in area and the Dutch come to visit because their grandparents helped in the process of drainage of the fens. There is an ongoing debate because some of the rivers that aren't natural rivers but dug out as part of the drainage are named 100 foot or sixteen foot. Some say it's the amount that the engineers dug in a day others say it's the width of the river. Having visited there i believe it is how much they dug in a day because there is no way that the rivers are that wide
Happy New Year to you and yours, I hope you have a wonderful 2019. I agree with another comment you are sounding more English. Are gain 😀. Keep up the great and funny vlogs.
Happy New Year Alanna, hope you and your family have a great 2019
Happy new year to you and your family
I used to laugh hearing Canadians say ‘About’ always sounded like ‘A-Boot’. Now I think it’s the cutest thing ever. Kent is awesome some beautiful places you can visit.
Tip: when you open a bank account, you only need to prove your home address. With rented property, a letter from the landlord or the letting agency and a copy of the lease agreement should be acceptable.
Happy New Year Alanna! I have no plans to leave Canada but now have some idea what is involved. I think the UK is the only place I would move to.
I wouldnt bother to be honest.
@@listenhealthily Makes me laugh all these migrants keep rolling into Deal & Dover illegally-don't they know that in a few months there won't be any food or drink left when we exit the EU?
@@Hi-kq1vi but we ain't leavin the EU. It's a stitch-up job son; theyre sabotaging Brexit.
your 'aboots' are so cute and Canadian. Jordan Peterson does the same 'aboots', though not quite so cute.
Indeed, many Canadians would dearly love to give Peterson a boot.
Well done - you can now speak the language quite well.
Happy new year Allana, wishing you health, wealth and happiness.
I’m a doctor 👩🏻⚕️ in India and moving to uk next year... really appreciate your efforts
Last time I went to London was January 1994-hated it so much. You cannot move for people-especially on Oxford Street, so much noise & when you get back to Kent you realise how good the air quality is here, dread to think how bad the air pollution is there 25 years later. I used to notice it coming home from Canterbury as well as I live in a small town.
Don’t come to the North Cotswolds, I live here and it’s damn expensive
This was super helpful, because i am thinking to move to England for work. I am very nervous about everything since lifestyle is so different, and salary is sooooo different! I would literately be making half of what I make in US, and then the taxes are crazy!! Please re-assure me its not a big deal, appreciate it :)
Slaughterhouse (US)/Abattoir (UK)…..Oh sorry, that was last weeks, all this beer has made the days blur :)….Nah, I watched it having me dinner, perfect, even if it didn’t apply to me so much! You're always so funny, wise, thoughtful and helpful. Yay! Happy NY to you, hope your head isn’t too sore today and here’s hoping you have an amazing 2019 in Blighty, and your YT channel continues to rise & rise in subs as of course, it will :-D
Hi Alanna, happy new year to my favourite Canadian. Good info as usual. I guess you just like helping people, which is very nice of you, seeing as you don't have to do it. Maybe you you should title this as - Alanna's info show. 😉
The best way to get an UK bank account as a new resident is to get a reference letter. Btw 3 uk sucks, switch to Lycamobile, they are cheaper, better network (O2), better international calling deals
Happy New year hope you have a good one
Happy New year Alanna to you and the family, hope 2019 brings true you all your wishes and dreams :) x
In England I've lived in Manchester, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, London and now Kent. Worst was London (both the good and bad areas). Kent is by far not the worst place. In London you don't need to learn the English Language. Really. After all, the second biggest French speaking city in the world after Paris, is London. Any language you can speak is spoken in London.
Looking for a job first should take precedence over securing a flat. There is no point securing a flat without the means to pay for it.
I certainly agree with the cost of living expenses depending on where you live in the UK, but your means to provide for yourself should be first and foremost.
Most people making this change in life, do not have a boyfriend or girlfriend, who is already settled and established in the UK, to rely on.
Happy new year Alana love the good advice
You should follow this up and have someone who's British with you, either a friend or someone from work who's brain you can pick as you go. e.g when thinking of areas to live it would have been really easy for me to quickly describe the different regions, their key cities, and what they're like/known for, most British people could do that for you. It's also pretty easy for British people to quickly describe the political landscape, healthcare, public transport, even how foreigners from different regions are seen and treated in the different areas of Britain. You could cover the outsiders perspective and get a Brit to fill in the blanks. It's amazing how much you realize you know about your own country when you see people from other countries try to explain it. That's the joy of travel I guess.
She has a boyfriend, mission failed lads
She has a boyfriend :-(
Happy new year- from a very hungover me.
Hi there love your new set
If you have an address you can open a basic bank account, you do not need a utility bill but might need a letter from an employer or a tenancy agreement .
You can have an ongoing 30 day SIM only contract that is cheaper then a top up every month deal, if 3 suits you look up ID mobile.
People use both terms in the UK, strictly speaking a flat is in a building that has been converted and apartments are purpose built, you will also find people refer to flats when referring to lower cost property while apartments are more expensive.
I also understand that a town house is a house that has more then two levels, but I might be wrong and someone might correct me.
Bristol, why Bristol? not knocking it but there are larger towns then Bristol and Edinburgh
I love the way you say "about"
happy new year to you. all the best
Happy 2019 .
If you know your monthly income you will have, or expect to have, and don't have specialised work skills or requirements, consider the quality of life you require. Work/ Life balance may be important in integrating into the local community. Bear in mind that living in the North of England eg Manchester/Leeds, property rentals may be half or less than half that in London and the South East. My advice to those considering coming to England either as students or simply travelling round for a few months, look beyond London/South East, research into living further North. Look at college/ university courses further north - Birmingham, Bath, Leeds and Manchester have excellent universities. Also it is possible to get out into the countryside (more easily than in London). You may also consider the cultural and proximity to English historical heritage sites eg Birmingham is fairly close to Warwick castle, Leeds is close to York and its Roman history Just afew thoughts for you
I would love to live in England for a while.
You wouldn't at the moment with Brexit going on...