We’re spending a long weekend in Portugal — it’s breathtakingly beautiful and has been incredibly relaxing, too. I’ll be back next week with lots of pictures! Feel free to follow along on Twitter and Instagram for updates. :)
Finally — a post that a few of you have asked for — a little Q+A about living in London. If I missed anything you’d like to know specifically about London life, feel free to ask in the comments and I’ll try to get them answered!
How did you end up in London?
After Matt graduated with his MBA, he was offered a great position working for an American company’s London office. We knew we wanted to spend some time abroad and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
What was the move like?
We were in temporary housing for our first two months, which initially made it hard for London to feel like home. We moved all of our furniture from the US and typically London flats come furnished — an extra challenge to find the perfect place since we were bringing ours over! We spent the first two weeks looking for a neighborhood we knew we wanted to live in and Matt’s company helped us with flat-hunting. We toured about 18 apartments and at the end of the day found a little gem near Warwick Avenue. Mostly, the whole process just took patience — we’re glad to be settled and loving our new neighborhood.
How are you able to work in London?
I’m able to work on my spousal visa.
What is the hardest thing about living there?
The hardest part is definitely missing our friends and family. It’s hard not being there for big events, like birthdays and graduations, but we knew that would be a sacrifice we’d have to make when choosing to live across the world.
What do you miss the most?
Besides friends and family — I think I miss that sense of familiarity and comfort. I’m sure once we’re here a bit longer, everything will start to feel more comfortable, but I think I’m always a little bit more aware that everything’s different and I need to be the one adapting and being sensitive to their culture. Oh, I also miss Target and In-N-Out.
What are the biggest cultural differences?
I think really the accent is the one that I notice the most. Also, certain words we say do not translate the same in the UK. For example, exclaiming, “Oh my gosh I love your pants!” to your co-worker translates to them as, “Oh my gosh I love your underwear!” Awks.
The British sense of humor is quite sarcastic, but so is mine so no issues there. :)
How do you get around?
Lots of taking the tube, walking, and Uber. We’ve also utilized Zipcar but I have driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road anxiety so we tend to stick to the tube. :)
What is the best thing about living in London?
There are so many great things. I love being immersed in another culture and learning to adapt to that. I love seeing other people’s perspective of the world. I love having so many cool countries nearby and having the opportunity to travel. All in all: I really am grateful for the opportunity to be here and try to never take it for granted.
We are loving spending time in Paris {how could you not}? We are here through Thursday, but I wanted to post a few photo updates of our trip so far. Highlights include some incredible meals and lots of wine, cream puffs at Odette, locking our love on the Pont des Arts {cheesy, I know}, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, and of course the Eiffel Tower. More updates to come!
We’re in Paris for the week, my posts may be a little bit sporadic until our return. :) Until then, feel free to follow along on Twitter and Instagram.
