Expat Life

August 21, 2017 by: Sunny London

British vs American Stereotypes: Myths Busted!

What are some popular British vs American stereotypes? As an American living in London married to a British man, these stereotypes and their validity are a part of my every day life as an expat. After four years, there isn’t a day that passes that I am not fully aware of how Americans are perceived and judged. Further, learning which British stereotypes are true and which ones are myths has taken time to sift through as well.

Maneuvering between perception vs reality is a tricky trail. At times, it is frustrating and discouraging. Sometimes, it’s quite humorous. In the video below, I identify the most popular British and American stereotypes I have encountered during my time living in London. It’s part of my hugely popular UK vs USA series on the Sunny News YouTube channel.

Discussions and feedback in the video comments can be quite lively! In fact, you’ll find the comments will give evidence supporting some of the British and America stereotypes you already have. 😉

British vs American Stereotypes- Final Thoughts

What questions do you have about American life in London? Are you visiting London and need a more information to plan your trip? Leave your questions and advice for people either on the blog or YouTube channel.

The Sunny News YouTube channel has a playlist full of videos comparing life in the UK vs USA. Some of the topics include differences on: television options, grocery store and food shopping, schools, cultural exchanges, and choosing a hotel in London. The most popular video is below. And it sure has some interesting comments!

August 14, 2017 by: Sunny London

British vs American Television Differences

When comparing British vs American television differences, you might jump to some standard stereotypes. After living as an American in London married to a British man for five years, I have enjoyed watching British television and know that I still have much to learn.

I make two to three trips back to Florida a year. It’s funny but I had never thought to write about the differences in television topic until recently. I was on holiday in Florida sitting in front of the tv and it just hit me- some stuff is certainly better depending upon which side of the pond you are viewing.

You must understand though too that some of the differences are non-debatable facts. Other points are my observations based on my experience, and yours can certainly be different.

In the video below, I identify the most popular British vs American television differences. It’s part of my hugely popular UK vs USA series on the Sunny News YouTube channel. Discussions and feedback in the video comments can be quite lively! You’ll find in the comments that people have added many other observations in addition to what I have noticed.

And as always, I extend the invitation to you to add your own thoughts and questions too.

UK vs US: See More!

The Sunny News YouTube channel has a playlist full of videos comparing life in the UK vs USA. Some of the topics include differences on: grocery store and food shopping, schools, cultural exchanges, and choosing a hotel in London. The most popular video is below. And it sure has some interesting comments!

April 24, 2017 by: Sunny London

Differences Between American vs British Grocery Stores

When it comes to differences between American vs British things, you’ll find tons of everyday life occurrences listed. You wouldn’t think that a country that originated from the other would be separated by so many things. While generally, grocery stores have a lot in common when you compare the US and UK. But, there are a few things that are different that can be a bit surprising.

American vs British Grocery Stores:

As an American living in London, I learned quickly that somethings just had different names in my new home. For example, I now use a Spiral Slicer to make courgette spaghetti a few times a week. Any guesses what that is, Americans? The word for zucchini in England is ‘courgette.’

There are also some products that you next to impossible to obtain cheaply or at all in London. For example, American expats will really drool over this picture…

You simply can not find this many options of peanut butter in a UK grocery store.

Through time it is getting better. I’ve noticed that the Hispanic section of an international aisle of the UK grocery stores is becoming larger. This is what you’ll typically find in a Publix in Florida. It’s far bigger than anything I’ve seen yet in London.

Something that really surprises Americans living in London when they do their first big shopping trip to a supermarket is what happens at the checkout section. Yes, you have self-checkout options on both sides of the pond. But in England, you won’t see this…

That’s right. There are no people bagging your groceries. I get that Publix baggers are an exception and not the norm in every grocery store in America. However, in England, you are all on your own. It really causes anxiety when you’re trying to pay for your items with a currency that looks like Monopoly money to you initially and bagging your stuff all at the same time. Ok- it’s not third world problems and I appreciate that life could be worse. But, it is a big difference when you’re comparing the two different places.

And, I’ve never, ever seen a British person drink cold tea. I’m not saying that it hasn’t happened. BUT- this shot from Publix in Florida would probably horrify most UK citizens…

For more American vs British grocery store differences, take a tour with me through both supermarkets in this YouTube video.

The Sunny News YouTube channel, shares even more differences between the UK and USA, plus advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about visiting London.

If you have lived in both America and England, or another country, please leave your ideas about differences in grocery stores or other things in the comments below. The Sunny YouTube community is pretty lively, so feel free to start a discussion there too. 😉

Want a Food Freebie in London?

Subscribe to the Sunny in London weekly email and immediately get the ‘Local’s Pocket Restaurant Guide to London.’ It’s the ultimate free travel accessory for your London trip. The Guide has top recommended restaurants from a local, organised by neighbourhood. With it you can easily find a place to eat when you’re on a London street. Downloading the file to your phone means skipping Wi-fi and finding a fab foodie place- fast!

As part of the welcome, you will also receive several other free downloads that will guide you through trip planning, plus a weekly edition of the hottest happenings in London.

March 2, 2017 by: Sunny London

How to Exchange Money for a Trip to London

When you are planning a trip to London, what do you think about first? Chances are you are looking at attractions and shows to see. Next, you are probably researching hotels and restaurants.

One of the last things you probably plan is how to exchange money for a trip to London. With the American dollar so strong against the pound, you may not feel so much pressure to pay attention to currency rates. However, I feel every little bit helps. Plus, being organised with your trip in every way shows you are a savvy traveler. You can save money on currency exchanges by finding and comparing exchange rates and fees with the currency shop.

How to Exchange Money: Extra Fees

At the time I am publishing this article and YouTube video, the rate is £1=1.25 on an interbank rate. That’s the lowest possible exchange. You likely wouldn’t get that when swapping money because nothing is free, especially money 😉

This means that whatever company handles your exchange from American dollars to pounds sterling will charge a handling fee. However, some methods are cheaper than others.

How to Exchange Money: Tips for London

This video will give you 10 smart tips on how to approach spending money in London. It lists things you can do before you leave, while you are in London and when your trip ends. Yes, I know that sounds a bit too good to be true. However, I have left Heathrow airport with a refund for purchases in my hands. This VAT video shows you how.

I have received money back when I visited London to see Mr Sunny, before we got married and I moved here.

There is something you must keep in mind as you watch the video. There isn’t one plan that fits all. Some people prefer using cash only so they stick to their budget. Some people like credit cards for rewards programs. I give you tips for exchanging money for all these options below. Well, except Traveler’s Checks. Does anyone even use those anymore?

How to Exchange Money: Video Advice

Please leave your strategies for what you do to save money on exchanging currencies when you travel either in the comments here or on the Sunny News YouTube channel. I love learning about other options to save money while traveling and know that others appreciate the ideas too. You’ll find a great community of travelers on my Sunny News channel, so subscribe if you’d like to join us!

The blog article I wrote last year based on the debit card from Travelex is How To See Four Attractions in One Day in London.

The Sunny News YouTube channel, shares even more advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about London. This includes safety tips, advice for visiting hidden pubs, and a shopping guide. The blog also has a Guide for Americans Visiting London which is a collection of the top experiences I recommend. You’ll definitely want to bookmark it and visit the Pinterest boards created to help trip planning too.

February 8, 2017 by: Sunny London

How to Find a Flat in London

How to find a flat in London can be one of the biggest challenges, when you first start planning your move. In America, I felt the rules were pretty simple. You search online and look at different apartment complexes, take virtual tours, and set up an appointment to view a unit that you like.

Easy peasy.

When I moved to London as an American expat, the steps and obstacles for how to find a flat was something I didn’t realise would be such an exhausting process. After going through this three different times, I can offer some moving advice to those considering or planning a move to London. In fact, I put together a video with 10 Tips for Finding a Flat in London and have an additional five to share below. So, if you keep reading and watch the video, you’ll have 15 tips for how to find a flat in London!

1. Find a Flat in London- Rent Prices

London is known for having some of the highest rent prices in the world. Brace yourself. It’s next to impossible to live in Zone 1 now. When I first moved to London, I lived on the edge of Covent Garden. Those days are clearly over. In fact, it’s even a little tough to find affordable, reasonable flats within Zone 2 currently. If you don’t know what I mean by a ‘Zone’, you need to check out an Underground/Overground map, STAT!

2. Find a Flat- Share

To compensate for the ginormous cost of living in London, most people flat share. This isn’t something for college grads. I am talking about adults that move to London tend to flat share when they first arrive because it means they have an opportunity to live closer to vibrant areas.

3. Find a Flat- Set Up Alerts

Properties also tend to go pretty fast once they are advertised. If your search involves something very specific, you’ll find it’s best to set up alerts with popular websites like RightMove and Zoopla. Those are the two that my husband, a man born in London, and I used each time we moved. Nestpick is another useful website for apartment search, as it is an aggregator – meaning it pulls various offers from different websites and provides you with a platform where you can sort through all the listings, searching by dates, dimensions, amenities etc.

4. Find a Flat- As It Is

Know that a landlord is going to show a property as it is. In America, I was felt that an owner would fix up a few things (or more depending on what damage the previous tenant did) before putting a rental on the market. That is not the case in London. If you watch the video above, you’ll learn what you can do to get around the fact that some things need to be done before you sign a contract.

5. Find a Flat- Your Neighbors

Just because you choose a gorgeous £3,000 a month flat in a nice neighborhood doesn’t mean your neighbors are of the same caliber as you. Landlords who own multiple properties are required to rent a percent of them to people on benefits. While landlords still receive the rent amount, it is subsidized by the council. This means your neighbors could be living in a flat just like yours and not pay for it. Their lifestyle could likely be very different from yours.

More Advice About How to Find a Flat:

I have found that utilities like water, electricity and mobile phones are much cheaper in London. If you’ve lived in America or another country, what questions do you still have about the process after you’ve watched the video above? Do you have any additional advice or experiences you can share for people who read this and need help? Are there other websites you found useful?

When you move into a new flat, you will want to keep it clean and in good condition. Consider utilizing a robot vacuum cleaner to clear your floors with the benefit of it all being automated, meaning that there is minimal effort required from you. Once it’s time to move out at the end of your tenancy then it’s important that you leave the property in a good condition. People usually look at end of tenancy cleaning london prices to see where does the cheapest. Getting it professionally cleaned is a sure-fire way of getting your deposit back.

The blog also has a Guide for Americans Visiting London which is a collection of the top experiences I recommend. You’ll definitely want to bookmark it and visit the Pinterest boards created to help with your planning too.

Related blog posts about Moving to London include:

Living in London- An American Rant
What Electronics to Ship When Moving to London
Advice for Americans Working in London
US vs UK Living- Kitchen Differences
UK Visas and Immigration Specialist Interview
Moving to London: What Household Goods to Ship
How to Have the Best International Shipping Company Experience

The Expat Chat playlist on my Sunny News YouTube channel is worth watching and subscribing to so you don’t miss upcoming advice on living in London too! Here’s an example of what you’ll need to know about schools…

February 1, 2017 by: Sunny London

London Travel Tips from a Londoner

What’s better than visiting London and having travel tips from a Londoner? After living in London four years and being married to a man born in London, there’s a lot I have to share with someone travelling to London for the first time.

Aside from suggested itineraries like How to See 9 Attractions in Two Days and Saving Money with a London Pass, there are other cultural things you might want to know too. In the video below I list 10 Things Londoners Know about London that visitors don’t. It covers things like what Londoners eat and when and stuff you won’t want to say when you are here.

One of the hidden treasures of London that just opened a few years ago is Sky Garden. In just a few months I have visited twice because it was such a breathtaking experience. The video shows shots of just how much you can see on a sunny, clear day. And yes, we do have them in London.

London Travel Tips for Sky Garden:

You must book a visit time in advance and bring proof of your tickets for each person in order to be admitted.
Arrive at least a half hour before your scheduled time and be ready to wait in a long line during peak travel times of the year.
Plan on going through a security check.
Bring a fully charged camera and mobile phone because you will take tons of pictures and possible video!
The food and drinks are expensive.
The outside balcony won’t be open if the weather is the slightest bit disagreeable.
You can stay longer than the website indicates you can. No one keeps track of what time you leave.
Figure you will be there about 90 minutes or longer. It’s mesmerizing!
It has restaurants in which you can book tables for breakfast through dinner.
They have special events in the evenings.
It’s on my list of Best Places to Propose in London.

London Travel Tips: More Information:

The Sunny News YouTube channel, shares even more advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about London. This includes safety tips, pub advice, and a shopping guide. The blog also has a Guide for Americans Visiting London which is a collection of the top experiences I recommend. You’ll definitely want to bookmark it and visit the Pinterest boards created to help trip planning too.

January 29, 2017 by: Sunny London

Living in London American Expat RANT

After living in London permanently for four years as an American expat, I’ve had enough time to identify what I don’t like. Yes, it’s my favourite city in the world, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few things that make me mad. And some of them on a daily basis.

In the YouTube video below I share the things that make living in London tough compared to life in America. One of the things I don’t mention is what the hard water has done to my hair. I know- sounds a bit odd. But, a question I have seen surface in the American Expats in London Facebook groups I belong to is often about this phenomenon for girls. Most popular is visa advice, but then there’s more finite concerns like where to find certain products we like from the US, etc.

This is what my hair looked like when I moved here…

You can see from those pictures that whether I would style it through a blow out, or through beachy waves, it was fairly glossy and soft looking. Now, not so much. I never used really expensive shampoos and haven’t changed how often I wash it. So, I can only attribute the changes to my hair texture and appearance to the hard water from living in London. I’d love to know your thoughts on that if you’re an American expat girl living in London too.

So, here it is (an occurrence that doesn’t happen often on the Sunny in London blog!) my little London rant.

As you’ll see, it’s received some interesting comments so far, both from life long Londoners like my husband and from American expats making the adjustment too. It would be great to exchange ideas with you about the things you don’t like where you are living and stuff that you miss if you’re an expat in another country.

The Sunny News YouTube channel, shares advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about visiting London or moving to London. This includes safety tips, pub advice, and a shopping guide. The blog also has a Guide for Americans Visiting London which is a collection of the top experiences I recommend. You’ll definitely want to bookmark it and visit the Pinterest boards created to help trip planning too.

November 26, 2016 by: Sunny London

Advice for Americans Working in London

Want thoughts about what it’s like for Americans working in London from a US expat? After a grueling job search and several years of living in London, I have advice that you’ll want to see before you begin planning on moving to London.

The thoughts in this video aren’t just based on my experience. It’s also been validated by several expat groups to which I belong on social media.

Working in London as an American isn’t easy. It’s a fiercely competitive international capital. On top of that, British people are keen to keep the hiring process focussed on promoting hiring UK nationals. (However, very few people will actually articulate that to you.) That makes sense to me, as I would hope America would do the same for its citizens. This means your resume and cover letter will have to be out of this world. See Cultivated Culture’s advice on how best to write your cover letter.

If you’re planning on moving to London on a work visa, your perception of the advice in this video might be a little different. Although, the cultural aspects of what you’ll experience working in London as an American will likely be the same.

Working in London as an American: What You’ll Learn

– Advice for job searching and expectations you should have

– Supervisor perceptions

– Differences in language and communication in the workplace

– Holiday time and attendance

– Payday frequencies

Make sure you pin, like and share this is you found it valuable. I’d love to hear your perceptions of what’s different for Americans working in London if you’re an expat like me living here. Please leave questions about what else you’d like to know about visiting London or living in London as an American.

Be sure to subscribe to the blog’s newsletter so you don’t miss any fun events in London or expat advice too!

The Sunny News YouTube channel has a playlist full of videos comparing life in the UK vs USA. Some of the topics include differences on: television options, grocery store and food shopping, schools, cultural exchanges, and choosing a hotel in London. An example is below. And it sure has some interesting comments!

November 11, 2016 by: Sunny London

US vs UK Differences- Kitchen Nightmares!

When you’re thinking about US vs UK differences in living, you might not realize that there are big differences in something as basic as a kitchen.

I mean really- what could be that different?

A lot. Trust me.

As an American expat living in London for several years, I’ve written blog posts about basic life inconveniences you won’t have in the UK, health insurance advice, how to survive the holidays away, and how to save money. But this time, I’m getting personal with my US vs UK differences!

In this video below, I take you on a tour of my kitchen in London. I literally show you what’s different about it compared to an American apartment or condo. During the video, I try to fit several pans in my UK kitchen oven. This is particularly helpful for people who like to cook and bake often (especially around the holidays). They are the roasting pan and jelly roll pan below:

(There wasn’t an equivalent size jelly roll pan on the Amazon UK website.)

If you’re planning on moving to London (make sure you read my shipping company recommendation), the tips in this video will be very useful before you pack your items or even search for flats online. Also, there are some big things that are deceiving about space in London kitchens that you’ll want to know.

If you watch all the way until the end, you’ll learn about one thing you rarely find in an American kitchen that I don’t think I could live without now…

https://youtu.be/uDXFEHXI3Bc

Make sure you pin this and the Guide to Visiting London for the First Time. Of course, you can always subscribe to emails to learn more as it happens too! I regularly write about the expat experience. The Sunny YouTube channel has an Expat Chat playlist, which is a great way to learn about London too.

November 1, 2016 by: Sunny London

How to Plan for an ILR Application in the UK

Knowing how to plan for an ILR application is something you’ll likely need as an American expat living in London or anywhwere in the UK. That’s the last visa you’ll need to live here permanently, unless you pursue British citizenship. It’s tempting each time you go through a step of the visa process to sit back and relax, forgetting about documentation and the other bits the Home Office wants from you next. However, the sands in the hourglass drop fast if you go in to the auto-pilot mode of life. With Brexit in our midst, American expats on a spouse visa or work visa in the UK want to make sure they plan ahead and watch the Home Office website for announcements. To help you and me, I placed a call to Qiyin Chuah, the UK solicitor who has worked with me on several successful visas. She offered quite a bit of advice about how to get ready for what could be the last application for me to complete for permission to live in the UK, indefinitely. * Note- Home Office can change the process and requirements at any time. All information in this blog post is accurate as of November 1, 2016.

ILR Application in the UK: Life in the UK Test

I had no idea that I could take this test months ahead of the five year anniversary of my arrival to London. Qiyin indicated that it’s advantageous to master the Life in the UK test well in advance, if you’re a responsible individual who won’t lose the certificate. I can handle that. She said it’s best to purchase the Great Britiain Home Office publication and to plan for one to two weeks of studying in advance of your test date.

Although you do have to pay a fee each time, you can keep taking the Life in UK test until you pass. As part of my ILR application planning process, I plan to take the test the summer before my visa expires. Since it’s a spring expiration date, I think that will be plenty of time.

ILR Application in the UK: Your Residence

Another big difference in the ILR application process is where you reside. Specifically, that means the Home Office will look more carefully at not only the address where you indicate you live at the time of your ILR in the UK application but also how much time you have spent in the UK during your five years. For American expats like me who only take 2-3 trips a year to the US and an occasional short trip outside of the UK, it’s pretty straight forward. Naturally that’s with the assumption that my relationship and shared address with Mr Sunny stays the same, because I am here on a spouse visa. If your residence situation is complicated, my advice is that you hire an immigration attorney. For example, you may have had to return to the US for an extended period of time to care for an ill parent. Or, maybe you travel internationally for business or pleasure often and for long periods of time. In all fairness, if you’re asking a country to allow you to live there permanently, you need to show it’s the place you spend most of your time.

ILR Application in the UK: Keep a Job

Keep it. This means if you are here on a Tier 2 Work Visa that you should not change your position during the length of your visa. And you certainly shouldn’t apply to work for a different company. Now, the spouse visa people like me need to make sure that their spouse with UK citizenship doesn’t change jobs six months prior to the application. It’s one year for those independently employed. You must always be able to show that your spouse’s income meets the salary requirement, and you will not need to claim benefits.

ILR Application in the UK: Documentation

If you’ve made it through two spouse visas, the documentation component isn’t anything you haven’t done before. For example, you still need to show ‘quarterly’ evidence of sharing an address with your spouse.

ILR Application in the UK: Time

Finally, you need to consider in advance how quickly you will need your decision. I chose to send my spouse visa renewal by mail. It took 7 weeks to receive from the middle of summer to the end of September in 2016. It was one week less than what Home Office and Qiyin gave as estimates. However, if you read about my nightmare fiancé visa experience, you’ll see how a hurricane and change in the processing location tripled my predicted wait time. Anything is possible. Currently, most people wait on average six months to receive their decision. Yes, this means they are without their passport for the length of time. With Brexit in our midst, I wouldn’t count on it being just six months. -Note: this is completely my opinion and not thoughts expressed by Qiyin. I’m hoping the break happens in the next year so by the time I apply for ILR in the UK, things calm down a bit. This is my suggestion to you if you’re ILR application in UK is due in the near future- pay priority and do the one day decision deal. It’s currently £500 on top of the fee you pay for the visa. However, the good news is- you don’t have to pay that random NHS fee again.

ILR Application in the UK: Final Thoughts

Please share your experience and questions in the comments below. It’s a great way for us to connect and help each other. Qiyin has a 99% success rate at QC Immigration the time this post was written. Several blog readers have hired her based on my recommendation and have been successful and pleased. Hiring an immigration solicitor is smart if you have a complicated situation or just want to make things easier for yourself. If you’re not sure where to find a reputable solicitor, This is great for finding London Solicitors if you live in that area! Be sure to do research on whomever you choose and try to get personal recommendations. If you’re moving to the UK or are an American Expat in London, subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss my Expat Chat videos and advice about living in London. https://youtu.be/Qgqd1GsfREQ Best of luck with your travels and visa process!