Sunny in London

A behind the scenes guide to London's food, life and culture

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September 25, 2015 by: Sunny London

USA vs UK- 5 Life Conveniences You Won’t Have!

Can you name five life conveniences that don’t exist when you compare life in the USA vs UK? There are a few every day hardships that Americans in London experience while living abroad that you would never guess occur!

These aren’t fun things like certain American foods (Skittles, Mexican cuisine, peanut butter) or cool shops like Sephora. We are going to classify those items as amenities for this blog post.

I am writing about regular every day items. These are things you wouldn’t notice as missing while in London on holiday. If you’re making an international move through a company, you probably won’t learn about them in your ‘expat moving to another country research’ either.

It isn’t until your feet hit the UK ground and you start living that you’ll suffer through the losses. And I mean, SUFFER!

usa-vs-uk-life-conveniences-differences

#1 USA vs UK- Forget a Filter

It’s always tricky trying to determine if a British person is really making fun of you or just ‘taking the piss out of you.’ You have to filter through a lot of sarcasm in social and professional conversations. One thing you don’t have a filter for, however, is your window in the UK.
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American friends, get ready to live without window screens. In several years, I have yet to see one in a London window.

That’s right. For whatever reason, you won’t find window screens in London. As a Florida girl who grew up in a state full of love bugs, leaping lizards, pooping Pelicans and ‘no see ’ems’, windows without screens are terrifying.

#2 USA vs UK- No Bathroom Blowouts

Spend time each morning blow drying and straightening your hair in the bathroom, ladies? Say goodbye to that too. If there is a plug in your bathroom, it’s most likely for an electrical shaver and is shaped differently than other plugs.

usa-vs-uk-life-conveniences-differences-windows

It’s rare to have access to any small electrical appliances in the bathroom to do your hair. I’d love to know the reason for this, so I hope my British friends share their thoughts in the comments section. In our new flat, I literally had to buy a Plastic Frame Over Door Mirror from Amazon UK so I could have see what I am doing to my hair with a blow dryer.

#3 USA vs UK- Pay Per Minute

While it’s understood in the USA that long distance calls might cost money, depending on your phone plan, local numbers are always free.

In London I am always confused as to what numbers I can call and not be charged an additional fee per minute. Quite a few numbers, even though they are in London, can be pay per minute if they are companies or businesses. Don’t assume that when you call a company like Delta Airlines that the number is ‘toll-free.’

Make sure if you move to London, you check if the number you are calling is an additional charge or not prior to spending a long time on hold or in a conversation.

#4 USA vs UK- Let it Gooooo! Let it Goooo!

Be prepared to have a refrigerator and freezer which are half the size of what you have in the USA. For London readers, this was my kitchen in the three bedroom townhouse I owned in New York before I sold it and moved to London. Notice the huge shiny refrigerator…

usa-vs-uk-life-conveniences-differences-appliancesusa-vs-uk-life-conveniences-differences-appliancesFurther, I had an additional refrigerator and freezer in my garage, even though I lived by myself.

Americans, if you can picture a medium sized office refrigerator, that is pretty much what you’ll have in London. Also, in smaller flats, you might even have these two appliances separated and in different areas of the kitchen, which brings me to our biggest difference…

#5 USA vs UK- Wash and Wear

Not only will your clothes washer likely be in the kitchen, but it’s really possible you won’t have a drier.

Yes, that is correct. I lived in a fourth floor flat (with no lift) that we were told would have a drier. It didn’t. We also didn’t have a balcony.

Do you know what it’s like waiting days to have dry clothes because they’re air-drying all over your flat? Mr. Sunny was advised he could not have friends in the flat until he entered and did a ‘knicker sweep.’ This means he had to make sure none of my knickers (‘underwear’ for Americans) were hanging up to dry in a visible area before he let in his mates.

Have you ever worn a pair of jeans that air dried? An American expat friend also living in London asked me once, ‘So are you sick of wearing crunchy jeans yet?’

Eeek! That says it all!

Mr. Sunny and I now have the ‘fortune’ of having a flat that has a drier. It isn’t even close to what you use in the USA. At best, it dries my clothes, sheets and towels about 80% after 90 minutes. I still have to hang sheets on furniture for some time before making a bed. Good times.

In America, having a separate washer and drier that are huge is fairly standard.

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usa-vs-uk-life-conveniences-differences-appliancesusa-vs-uk-life-conveniences-differences-appliances

READ THIS SLOWLY and CAREFULLY if you are preparing to move to London:
– When you are looking at flats online, take a careful look at the kitchen. If a refrigerator isn’t pictured, it could be either around the corner of the kitchen (yes, I’ve seen that happen) or behind a cabinet door.

Also, don’t confuse a washer with a dishwasher in online ads for flats. In a picture, since you are not accustom to thinking about a clothes washer in a kitchen, you might not realise that’s what you’re seeing in the picture and may assume it’s a dishwasher.

Be sure to inquire about a drier if that’s important to you. You’ll likely get a combination appliance, which means you can’t do a load of laundry as you have a load in a drier.

I share current information about my washer/dryer experience and cons of living in London after eight years in the video below.

USA vs UK- Final Thoughts

While I love living in London, not having these basic life conveniences makes some days very tough. I’ve written about other things Americans will miss in London (like differences in Christmas celebrations) but would love to read what you can add, if you’re an American expat here too. Finally, here is a review of my international shipping company and a discount on your shipping.

Also, if you’re British and can add a reverse comparison, that would be appreciated by us all too!

If you’re planning a visit to London, the Sunny News YouTube channel has regular updates of advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about London. This includes safety tips, pub advice, and a shopping guide.

December 3, 2021 by: Sunny London

Christmas Differences between the UK and USA

‘Do they celebrate Christmas over there?’ My American grandmother asked me this question once during our weekly phone call.

I think what she meant was, ‘What do they do for Christmas in England?’ or rather, ‘What are the Christmas differences between the UK and USA?’

Most Americans have visions created by Charles Dickens dancing in their heads. They think Christmas celebrations in London involve Brits eating goose and hoping Jacob Marley doesn’t knock on their door.

So, just to keep things real, I asked my London born husband to explain what he thinks Americans do for Christmas. His response, “Watch silly television. Have pancakes and syrup and bacon that isn’t really bacon for breakfast. Eat dinner which is roast turkey with mashed potatoes and country gravy that’s thick like what you get at KFC and corn, like creamed corn.’

He also added, ‘Being American you probably don’t drink too much, like us English.’

Well then.

To learn more about what he means, you’ll want to watch this video on London pubs at Christmas.

Christmas Differences between the UK and USA

Christmas- Differences between the UK and USA:
Santa?

First, the Brits refer to Santa Claus as ‘Father Christmas.’ It’s a very tough thing for me to remember when I am in a conversation with my English mates. Next, they say ‘Happy Christmas’ instead of Merry Christmas.

Ok then, that’s sorted.

Christmas- Differences between the UK and USA:
On Your Mark!

I still can’t figure out when Christmas starts England. I’ve had staff members in London pubs approach me about booking a work Christmas party. They start planning for the celebrations as early as then! In October, it’s common for #Christmas to trend on Twitter in London.

Americans are notorious for excessive advertising and gluttony, but we still have an official line for the start of Christmas celebrations. Thank you, Thanksgiving.

In America, once the dinner dishes are cleared at the Thanksgiving table, it’s time to get your Christmas gear on.

That actually could mean battle gear for beating crowds at malls. Up until recently, Black Friday was only an American shopping phenomenon. It didn’t really exist in England. However, for some reason England had an onslaught of sales and super deals the day after ‘Thanksgiving’ back in 2014 which was the first year I lived here. I still can’t figure out why but now it’s become the norm.

Christmas- Differences between the UK and USA:
Decorations

You’ve probably all seen National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Home Alone.

Most Americans decorate their houses entirely in lights and other festive ornaments. That’s not just a Hollywood portrayal.

In suburban areas of America, great rivalries take place during the holidays to see who can have the most glorious display of Christmas covering their house and yard. It can be quite a competitive atmosphere. And, then there’s some that take the decorating opportunity to raise money for charitable causes. Check out this YouTube video which features the ‘Best of Star Wars Music Christmas Lights Show’

In the suburbs of London, I rarely see houses decorated on a street. Usually 2-3 houses out of both street sides have some lights. The lights seem to be tossed haphazardly around a tree.

What are the Christmas differences between the UK and USA

However, if you travel just 20 miles outside of London, you can see Hogwarts in the Snow, which is the Warner Bros Studio Tour (AKA Harry Potter Tour) covered in Christmas decorations. It’s one of the things you would want to book ahead if you’re planning on being in London during Christmas. This video below should help give you an overview of the the most important things you need to know about London at Christmas.

There are tons of events that sell out fast. One that I highly recommend researching for any time of the year, but especially December holidays, is the Candlelight Concerts. You can read my review of their Coldplay tribute to learn more about what you experience.

Christmas- Differences between the UK and USA:
Television

One of the toughest Christmas differences between the UK and USA for me is television. I just can’t seem to find Christmas specials on TV in London, except for an occasional channel offer. Movies24 runs old Hallmark Christmas movies. But, I need my claymation and old school Christmas shows on constant replay to really get in the spirit.

In America, the titles below (Christmas Classics for Kids, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and Fred Claus) are each on a few times a week. I had to buy them in London because they are never on television during the holidays.

Christmas Differences Between the US and UK

Christmas- Differences between the UK and USA:
Christmas Crackers

I learned about Christmas crackers the first Christmas I spent in London. Its concept is similar to a Thanksgiving wishbone but much prettier.

A Christmas cracker is a cardboard tube which has a present inside it. The tube is wrapped in colourful, festive paper. There is a banger inside the cracker, two strips of chemically impregnated paper that react with friction so that when the cracker is pulled apart by two people, the cracker makes a bang. This causes a loud snapping noise. The person holding the larger end gets to keep the prize inside. Note- since these are ‘explosives’ you can’t put them in your suitcase. So, unless you buy them in the US, you can’t take Christmas Crackers home as souvenirs if you’re visiting from America.

These are some of my favourite themed Christmas Crackers:

  • The Kitty-Cat Cracker
  • Christmas Truffles Crackers
  • The Happy Hound Cracker
  • Mini Georgian Elegance Crackers

Christmas- Differences Between the UK and USA:
The Pub

It is tradition to go to your ‘local’ in England on Christmas Day. The times I have been to our local pub on Christmas, it is absolutely packed. People bring their kids and dogs for a few hours to celebrate the holiday. It’s open from about 12-2pm.

What are the Christmas differences between the UK and USA

No, the kids and dogs aren’t drinking. Well, the dogs might get a few licks of beer here and there, but please don’t think the Brits are freely giving beer to their little ones. However, entire families are present and it’s joyous. The beer is also flowing pretty steady.

Christmas Differences Between the UK and USA

In this video, I show you the most iconic London Pubs to Visit at Christmas and fill you in on everything you need to know about festive drinking in London. (As if it’s any different from any other day!)

Christmas Differences Between the UK and USA

Christmas- Differences Between the UK and USA:
Boxing Day

I still don’t understand Boxing Day. Traditionally, December 26th was a day that servants received presents. Literally, they would receive boxes with presents inside from their employers.

What I do know is that since it’s a Bank Holiday, not much is open. Well, the pubs are open. Oh, and slowly there’s more and more shopping going on here on this ‘Bank Holiday.’

In America, the post-holiday sales kick off on this day.

Christmas- Similarities between the UK and USA:

Despite these differences, there are also some things that are in fact the same on both sides of the pond.
– There are major sales after Christmas. In London, they’re referred to as the ‘January sales’ and last a little bit longer than American retail sales.
– Stores play Christmas music throughout the season. In England, it seems Paul McCartney’s ‘Wonderful Christmas Time’ and George Michael’s ‘Last Christmas’ are rotated around every other song. I’ve never once heard Madonna’s ‘Santa Baby.’ I’m grateful for that.
– All those ‘happy holidays’ tend to drive some of us over the edge. Family arguments are at their peak in both the UK and USA over this stretch of time.
– Ugly sweaters/jumpers exist everywhere.
– We all like to open presents for Christmas.
– The red ‘Starbucks’ cup arrival is one of the most anticipated events of the holiday season in the UK and the USA.

I write often about Christmas Things to Do in London on my blog.

The best way to make sure you don’t miss behind the scenes news about London’s food, life, culture and events is to subscribe to the Sunny News email. If you’re planning a visit to London, the Sunny News YouTube channel has regular updates which shows you what’s happening here and gives advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about London.

For example, the video below outlines what you need to know about the changes to Winter Wonderland due to the pandemic. And I publish daily updates on my TikTok account too, if you’re seeking the most current London food and events news.

If there is a specific topic or question you want covered, you can always request it in the comments section below or in a video’s comments.

things to do in london at christmas

What can you add to these Christmas differences between the UK and USA? What do you think of Mr. Sunny’s guess that there’s more drinking in England for Christmas than in America?

February 20, 2022 by: Sunny London

The CONS of Living in London as an American

Would you believe something as simple as doing laundry can be harder in London? After 10 years of living in London as an American there are some things about life that just don’t get easier through time.

Through these years I have really had a chance to form opinions about life in a different country. However, I wonder if there is a chance now of being so far away from life in the USA that the recollections of what I experienced and what it’s like now could be blurry?

Keep this in mind as you read through the ‘hardships’ I am listing and please write in the comments whether or not you think the facts I’m presenting about my experience are becoming cloudy.

If you would rather watch what I have to say about my experience living in London as an American, you can see it in this Sunny News YouTube video.

And- remember- just because I’m indicating that some things are harder doesn’t mean I’m not happy. You will always find pros and cons about a change in your residence. No place is perfect.

Living as an American in London- Doing Laundry

I’m coming clean with my first con- and that’s laundry! Americans, if I listed all the steps I had to go through just to do laundry, you would be shocked.

Most places in London have washer/dryer combos. This elongates the process and puts you at a one load per day pattern. For this reason, coming home from a holiday gives me a lot of anxiety because I am really OCD.

Additionally, the dryers in London don’t work at the same capacity. It takes like 3 hours to dry stuff and when you take it out- it could melt your hands. Or- you can let it hang for a day. To me, having all that laundry hanging around in a space that’s already smaller than where I grew up is suffocating!

There are dryers that work better in the UK and are closer to what we have in the US. British people please list in the comments what type of dryer that is because a lot of Americans moving here will want to know.

living-in-london-as-an-american-cons

Living as an American in London- Getting a Job

Next- you will struggle to get a job unless you are moving here on an intra work transfer visa or a visa through the Skilled Workers list. Once you do get a job- know that the salary you made in the US will likely have been double. And that’s after calculating the currency exchange.

Living as an American in London- The American Dream

The American dream is true and I didn’t really understand it until I made this move. Mobility both professionally and socially is not as fluent. Maybe this is due to English history and culture? Again, give me your thoughts in the comments.

living-in-london-as-an-american-cons

Living as an American in London- Making Friends

Making friends can be hard. If you’re in any of the American expat Facebook groups, you will see that there are often posts from people inquiring about how to interact with their neighbours. People as a majority aren’t overwhelmingly open when you first move. I think the English are curious but initially cautious- so it does take time to establish yourself. I’ve certainly had an advantage with a British husband and all of my experiences have been lovely.

But Wait-

Let’s take a quick pause to say that if I didn’t love London and my husband, I wouldn’t still be here. I actually even got my UK Citizenship in early Spring of 2021. If you follow me on social media, you’ll get daily doses of all the pubs, restaurants and events we visit. But, the best way to make sure you stay informed about London is by subscribing to the Sunny News email.

Living as an American in London- Getting Wifi

Of course- all that involves a high use of wifi, so if you’ve recently moved in London you might not have any. A true con of living in London is that it takes FOREVER to have your wifi connection installed. Like you could literally wait 1-2 weeks. So- boost that data plan before you relocate.

Living as an American in London- Seasonal Allergies and Dust

And- you might want to boost all your prescriptions around April and May too. I have never had seasonal allergies until I came here. Many Americans experience this too. Hayfever season is brutal!

This leads me to the amount of dust I find in my house. What accumulates here in a week seems like what you would see in 2-3 weeks in the US. I attribute this to the fact that there are no window screens here. British readers- what do you think?

living-in-london-as-an-american-cons
Hyde Park, London

Living as an American in London- Do You Know What I Mean?

Finally, it is tough to understand what British people really mean. Americans are often criticized for being too confident or rude. However, British people speak with a lot of hidden meanings. For example, when they say something like ‘Oh I’m sure it’s my fault’ they are actually thinking, ‘It’s entirely your fault. I’m just being nice’. So it is literally harder to understand people in the UK.

Living as an American in London- Final Thoughts

Whether you’re American or British, I would love to know what you think. Ha!Ha!Ha! Now did I mean that as an American or a British citizen???

Either way- please be respectful and nice in the comments. And if you’d like to know more about behind the scenes of London’s food, life, events and culture- below are the most recent articles on the blog.

Thank you for reading, Sunny friends!

  • M Restaurant Canary Wharf Review-Bottomless Brunch
  • Things to Do in London- September
  • Fever Candlelight Concert in London Review
  • The Best Pubs in London – Camden Pub Crawl
  • Things to Do in London Bridge Area
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February 14, 2022 by: Sunny London

American Drinks Not in the UK

When you move from one country to another, naturally there will be things you miss. Ironically, hardly any of the items we’re listing here are actually natural! When you refer to American drinks not in the UK, you will see that most of them are high in sugar. So, get ready for a really sweet blog, Sunny friends.

You know that you can order nearly anything in the world and have it shipped to your house. However, it certainly comes with a high cost. The American drinks featured here are never available at restaurants or cocktail bars in London. I’m guessing if you can’t find them in England’s capital, that you won’t find them on menus around the rest of the country either.

American Drinks not in the UK- Iced Tea

You probably guessed this one would be first, if you know British people or have ever visited England. They certainly love their tea here. However, they are quite fussy about how it’s served. So, it’s only fair to assume one would never, ever, ever drink it cold.

If you want to kick off your restaurant experience with a look of horror from a server, ask for an iced tea. Needless to say, you won’t find mini-marts or corner shops with shelves of Snapple either.

There’s no doubt you could make it at home if you really were craving it in the hot summer months. But, with the size of their small refrigerators here, I don’t think you’d have room for much else once you put your tea jug inside.

If you’d like to see examples of all the drinks I mention- you can watch this YouTube video instead.

American Drinks not in the UK- Certain Sodas

You can find tons of sodas, or as they call them ‘fizzy drinks’ on grocery store shelves in the UK. But, you won’t find many of the popular flavours that you know from the US.

Let’s start with Mr Sunny’s favourite American soda, which is naturally root beer. Due to strict European legislation relating to permitted levels of certain soda ingredients, for a long time they couldn’t sell A&W soda in Europe. It was banned in 2014, but now you might find it at larger Asda or Tesco stores (like the size of Walmart in the US). It’s not easy to get.

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Another drink you won’t find on shelves here is Cherry Coke. Luckily that one is my favourite and I can easily make it at home with regular Coca-Cola and some grenadine if I crave it.

Mr Sunny seems to think that ‘Ginger Beer’ in England is nearly the same as Ginger Ale in the United States. However, I don’t agree. I don’t feel it tastes the same at all.

Two other sodas you won’t find on a shelf in a London grocery store are Mountain Dew and Dr Pepper.

american-drinks-not-in-uk-ginger-ale

American Drinks not in the UK- Energy Drinks

You’ll find a variety of energy drinks like Red Bull to be common in the UK. But one American drink you won’t see is Gatorade. I hesitate to mention it or give it any recognition due to its origination.

If you’ve read my About page, you know that I met Mr Sunny when I did an internship at NBC News- London Bureau through the Florida State University Study Abroad programme. Gatorade was invented at my rival university- the University of Florida.

It was originally made in the mid-60’s for the ‘Gators’ at the University of Florida. The drinks was designed to replenish the carbohydrates that student athletes burned during their practices in the extreme Florida heat. Additionally, it helped give back a combination of water and electrolytes that they lost through sweat during rigorous outside sports activities.

american-drinks-not-in-uk-gatorade

Also not popular here are Yoohoo and Jolt. Yoohoo is a chocolate drink. I actually don’t think Jolt is made anymore in the United States. When it was created, Jolt promised to be all sugar and twice the caffeine. It’s billed as the original energy drink. However, I think I’d vote for Gatorade on that- even though I hate to admit any wins for anything to the University of Florida!

American Drinks not in the UK- Coffee Cream

In Facebook groups for Americans living in London you frequently see inquiries about coffee cream substitutes. There is no Coffee Mate or flavoured types of creams to put in your morning cup of joe in the UK. I guess if you wanted something like that you would have to start adding Baileys. And, that’s obviously not a good idea if you’re heading to work!

You’ll find it hard to directly to buy something like Half & Half also. Apparently you can make it with whole milk and single cream. However, I can’t take that kind of time in the morning, so I just add a dollop of single cream to my coffee each day and get on with it.

American Drinks not in the UK- Kool-Aid

You have probably gathered that many of the American drinks not available in the UK are likely because they aren’t too fond of all that sugar on this side of the pond. Therefore, don’t expect the Kool-aid Man to smash through any walls in London and yell, ‘Oh yeah!’

You also won’t find grape juice readily available either. Well, at least not the kind that isn’t crushed, pressed and fermented in barrels.

american-drinks-not-in-uk-kool-aid

American Drinks not in the UK- Final Thoughts

If you’re British, I would love to know if you’ve ever had any of the drinks mentioned above when you visited the United States. What are your favourite drinks here that you didn’t find in the America when you visited?

For more about behind the scenes of London’s food, life, events and culture, read the Sunny in London recent posts below. There is also a ton of information on Things to Do in London and a Guide to Food and Pubs too.

Recent Sunny in London articles:

  • M Restaurant Canary Wharf Review-Bottomless Brunch
  • Things to Do in London- September
  • Fever Candlelight Concert in London Review
  • The Best Pubs in London – Camden Pub Crawl
  • Things to Do in London Bridge Area
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January 9, 2022 by: Sunny London

Secondary British Schools vs American Schools

Whether the memories are good or bad, your secondary school experience is something you can discuss with any British or American person. That’s probably why the differences between British schools and American schools is one of my most popular blog topics and YouTube videos.

Everyone can connect- but few people have experience on both sides of the pond of being in a school as a teacher and/or student. Therefore, there aren’t many people who can articulate what happens in both secondary British school vs American high schools.

But- I can!

In the video below, I explain that I was a teacher and high school assistant principal in America and have experience in six London schools.

It’s part of my UK vs USA playlist and is the second video I’ve made on the topic. While the content of the first video is all still accurate, I have learned so much more since then and included it for you above. If you watch the first video below, please forgive the ridiculous graphics. It was several years ago and in the spirit of education, it’s fair to say I was in the beginning stages of learning video editing applications!

Before we dive in to all the new ideas, you might want to know that the topics below are covered in a different blog post on Differences between British and American Schools :

  • School Year and Holiday Calendar
  • What Students Wear to School
  • How Students Get to School
  • Year Groups, Grades and University Entrance Exams
  • School Food
  • Extra-curricular Activities
  • Teachers’ Schedules and Classes
  • Myths

Secondary British Schools vs American Schools- Course Structure

In British schools, courses are group together in a two year path. Year 10 and 11 are referred to as GCSE. During this time students ideally have the same teacher and are with the same other students for the entirety of the two years. At the end of the two year experience they take exams for the course. Currently this could be close to or more than 20 exams during the month of June of their Year 11. They receive study leave time, which means their last day of school is around mid May. However, the experience is still extremely high pressure.

Students return in August for what’s referred to as ‘Results Day’ and learn the outcome of these exams. These grades determine whether and where most of them can continue their last two years of secondary school.

Their next step is to take their ‘A levels’ or some may choose to take vocational equivalents. Again their Year 12 and 13 are grouped together in to a two year experience, culminating in exams at the end. However a major difference is that most are only taking three different courses, so they will only have around six exams at the end of the experience.

American students at this equivalent time would be in 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade. They are also referred to as their freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior year, respectively.

Courses at this time are at most one year in length. Some can be half year courses. These are commonly called electives and take place over a semester. Their school year includes four quarters and many courses have a final exam at the end that is either created by their specific teacher or an entire department. Rarely would this exam be the same as what students at high school in another district would take, much less the rest of the state or country.

Their grades are usually determined by a breakdown of 20% for each quarter and 20% for the final exam. So, this means their final grade represents a far more balanced picture of their caliber. In comparison, British students face nearly 70% of their grade being determine from their exam and maybe 30% from a project they did- referred to as non-exam assessment or course work.

Secondary British Schools vs American Schools- Curriculum

You may have already started thinking that in comparison, British schools are far more uniform in their offer to students. To me, this is most evident in the curriculum.

Teachers, or rather a Head of Department, chooses an Exam Board for their subject. Examples include AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC. From this exam board, the teachers will follow a very prescribed list of what they teach. For example it will have a Specification that lists the novels and concepts students must cover in an English course.

If you teach GCSE English in one school and get a new job, it means it’s highly unlikely you could use your same lesson plans if the new school has chosen a different exam board.

In America, it’s far different. At least it was in the two states where I worked ten years ago. At the time, in Florida and New York teachers were really left to their own devices to choose what they taught. For example, some schools had all students read the same plays and novels in a freshmen English courses. And some schools let individual teachers choose whatever literature they wanted to use to meet benchmarks or learning criteria.

In this sense, if you’re British and go to America you are really going to feel like the curriculum is chaotic and varied in comparison to what you think a school experience should be.

secondary-british-schools-vs-american-schools

Secondary British Schools vs American Schools- Student Work

However, lack of solid consistency in America does have some overall benefits, in my opinion. I would love your thoughts in the comments.

Since students in secondary British schools have such a solid outline of what they are to do, they rely heavily on models and examples for everything. Literally, they feel like they need to see previous examples of work and exam essays before they can even process how to begin a task.

There seems to be quite a bit of ‘follow this template’ on a daily basis.

In comparison, American students can launch a project or essay structured with a fairly low level of ‘hand-holding’. They don’t need a starter sentence for every paragraph and can function quite well with just a basic outline or idea, as a whole. Work seems to be far more inquiry based and in an entrepreneurial spirit.

Of course I understand that students with special needs don’t neatly fit in to this opinion on either side of the pond.

Secondary British Schools vs American Schools- Student Identity

Again the concept of prescribed curriculum and modeled work affects overall student identify when comparing British schools vs American schools at the secondary level.

Given British school students must wear uniforms and work to the same standard for their grades, there seems to be a squashing of their individual identity.

American school students have so many opportunities to be recognised for their unique personalities. Whether it’s running for student council or congress, decorating their locker, or reading the announcements over the PA system as a leader representative, they have so many chances to establish their individual style.

And no- I’ve never been in a London school that has morning announcements. I’m not even sure if they have a PA system in the buildings.

Secondary British Schools vs American Schools- Parents

In the new video I recognise that all parents in both secondary British schools and American schools care about their students. While primary schools on both sides always feature more involvement in comparison to the older students in secondary schools, there are still some other big differences.

Can you guess in which system I feel the ‘helicopter parent’ is more prominent?

I share my thoughts in the video and would love to know if you agree.

Secondary British Schools vs American Schools- What’s Next

I always try to end my blog posts with a final thought or summary statement. This time, I would like to know which topics that I haven’t covered in the first blog post and video or this blog post and current video that are still ones for which you are curious.

Would you like to know more about teacher interview differences between British schools vs American schools? Contracts and unions? Administration/Senior Leadership Responsibilities and Structure? Staff Meetings?

Anything else? I can’t wait to hear from you, Sunny friends.

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March 23, 2015 by: Sunny London

Differences between British vs American Schools

‘What are the differences between British vs American schools?’ is a question I receive often because I have written several advice posts on American expat life in London. For this reason, I thought it might be fun to highlight some of the biggest differences here on the blog.

While you might think a school is a school, I’ve definitely learnt learned that’s not the case when comparing across the pond. And, yes, that strikethrough is there because it represents how British people spell the word, as opposed to American.

Also, there are quite a few differences between the way teachers are hired so if you’re looking to teach in the uk then you might want to look into what qualifications you need in order to get a teaching job here. It’s not just different for the kids but also for the teachers!

That’s just the surface of the differences between British vs American schools, Sunny friends. Take a look…

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British vs American Schools- Who has more Class?

When Americans belt out Alice Cooper’s ‘School’s out for summer!’, they really have a reason to celebrate. In America, schools generally give students around 10-12 weeks of vacation. They can release students anywhere from the end of May to mid August, or mid-June to the beginning of September. British schools are quite different. They generally end their academic year in mid-July and begin the first week of September. This gives students about 6 weeks of a summer holiday.

However, British students receive much more time away from school during the academic year, in comparison to American students. Nearly all British schools have a half-term, one week break in October, February and May. They also receive at least two weeks holiday over both Christmas and Easter holidays.

British vs American Schools- Off to Gryffindor

I giggle every time I pass British kids on their way to or from school in London.

Why?

I always feel like the kids are spawns of wizards or muggles on their way to Hogwarts in their colourful uniforms. However, I keep my chuckles to myself, in the event one of them actually pulls out a wand and aims it in my general direction.

American kids can wear what they want to school. I remember days in Florida when I wore a bathing suit top under my t-shirt so I could fast track it to the beach when the last bell rang.

The British school uniform nearly always consists of a: blazer, jumper sweater, dress shirt, trousers (with the option of a skirt for girls). Most schools have pupils students wear a tie, regardless of gender. Students must ask a teacher’s permission if they want to remove their blazer during class if they are too hot.

Uniforms are made in the school’s designated colors. Mr. Sunny’s uniform at Hill House School was gold, rust and grey. Prince Charles also attended this school, albeit much earlier than my British husband. Here’s a picture of the school and a very old picture of Mr Sunny in his uniform.

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Mr. Sunny also went to the Parkside School, and at this boarding school the uniform was grey and purple.

British vs American Schools- Where’s the Bus?

There are no school buses in London. Students rely on public transportation or a ride from their parents each day. In London, they refer to this as the ‘school run.’ It’s definitely a time you want to avoid being on the road or on a London bus.

In America, our school bus system is fairly standard. Every student who attends a public school has the opportunity to take ‘the cheese’ to and from school. And guess who had the chance to hop on a bus for this ‘luxury’ valet service once…

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(I know my outfit matches the seats. Hey, if you’re taking the bus, you at least have to look the part, right?)

The big yellow buses chauffeur kids to and from their educational destination each and every day that school is in session. Most kids work part time jobs in an effort to buy a car so that they can transport themselves to school and other places.

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British vs American Schools- What’s the plan?

British students spend ages 5-10 in primary schools. Secondary schools have students ages 11-18. There are no middle schools, unlike America and these schools accept students based on their school catchment areas. Until recently, British schools were compulsory for kids until they were only sixteen years old.

In America, we say students are in ‘Seventh Grade.’ British students of the same age are in ‘Year 8’. They are labeled a higher number in comparison to the US because we call the first formal year of school ‘Kindergarten’, which is the equivalent to ‘Year 1’ in England.

British school years are further broken in to groups called Key Stages. For example, Years 7-9 are classified as Key Stage 3. Students ages 16-18 are in Key Stage 5, which is called Sixth Form.

When looking at study plans as differences between British and American schools, there is more unity in the British course of study. Schools (unless they are independent) must follow the National Curriculum. American school teachers experience a substantial amount of freedom in comparison to what they can teach and when against their British counterparts.

Instruction for British secondary students focuses on the GCSE subject exams and the A Levels. In America, the SAT and ACT are the only real standardized tests that students take at a national level.

The SAT is most popular and is taken on a Saturday morning, usually at the beginning of a student’s junior year. It is quite honestly- dreadful. It features three sections: math, critical reading and writing. For nearly four hours, students struggle to answer questions that seem to have no reflection on what they study in school each day. However, the results of this test have a substantial effect on a student’s ability to apply for a university.

Most American expat students in London tend to receive their education at International Baccalaureate schools because the work is transferable in all countries and universities.

At the end of a class period, British students must stand at their desks and wait for a teacher to say they are dismissed. In America, when the bell rings, you run. The end.

British vs American Schools- Food for Thought

I can’t tell you how many times British people have asked me to explain a ‘tater tot’. They find that food wildly entertaining. This is comical to me because every American associates a tater tot with a school cafeteria lunch. Tater tots are small, deep-fried grated potatoes and they’re always included on a cafeteria lunch tray, with chocolate milk, of course.

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American school cafeterias are not pleasant places. For lunch, kids wait in a line to be served a piece of soggy cardboard with two thick slices of pseudo-pepperoni, a thick red paste and chewy cheese that was probably manufactured from particles in the bottom of a bin in a science class weeks before. Next to their pizza is a watery, dull yellow substance called ‘Apple sauce.’ Finally, there’s a scoop of fruit salad. It’s usually hard to tell what fruits are featured because they’re all a greenish grey color and are very squishy.

British students call their lunchroom a ‘Canteen’. A random week at a British boarding school features Main Course lunch selections such as:
– Ratatouille with Mediterranean Herb Couscous
– Vegetable Moussaka
– Vegetarian Sausage Cassoulet
– Asparagus, Sunblush Tomato and Mozzarella Risotto
– Pea and Asparagus Girasole with a Cream and Chive Sauce with Fresh Parmesan Flakes

School children in England are absolutely forbidden to eat food in class. They are also only allowed to drink fruit juices or water. A fizzy drink soda is banned from a classroom. American kids enjoy Red Bull or Mountain Dew with a hefty bag of Cheetos for breakfast in a first period class.

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British vs American Schools- Who gets more?

Extra-curricular activities take place on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. However, in America, we tower above what the British offer. American students can choose from an array of sports like football, soccer, la crosse, hockey, swimming, tennis, track and field, baseball and basketball.

We also have events like pep rallies, where the entire school gathers in the sports gym instead of going to class. This is for the purpose of seeing the football players, basketball players, cheerleaders, dance team, majorettes and band display school spirit in support of a big upcoming game.

Further, students can belong to clubs like Art, Science Olympiad, Photography, DECA, FFA (Future Farmers of America), National Honor Society, Marching Band, Chemistry Club, Chess Club, Frisbee Club, French Club, Latin Club, Interact, Model UN, Debate Club, Ping Pong Club, Video Gaming Club, and Shrimp Club.

Ok. That last ‘club’ was an ode to Forest Gump joke. I think. But…you never know. 😉

In America, if kids can convince the school that their club idea is worthy, there’s room in the extra-curricular budget, and they have a faculty advisor, then they can form their group. I guess it’s likely that there could be a group of marine biology students in Florida who start a Shrimp Club, right?

British vs American Schools- To Level or not to Level?

American schools offer classes that are usually either general or advanced. That’s it. Students mostly pick which type of class they’d like to take. Those that want the higher level need a teacher’s recommendation to register.

This is not the case in British schools. Students are separated in to numerous ability levels and can be changed and regrouped throughout the year. Therefore, it is clear to everyone what type of progress a student is or is not making.

British vs American Schools- Time and Tables

An educator’s schedule in a secondary British school is referred to as a ‘Timetable.’ Some schools offer them by one week, some by two weeks. They change daily and it’s rare for them to see the same class at the same time each day. British teachers could teach English to Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11 within a five day week.

In comparison, American schools basically have kids take the same classes in the same order nearly every day of the week, with the exception of gym. Teachers call their workload ‘Preps’ and rarely have more than three a year. For example, a teacher with three preps would teach 9th Grade English, 10th Grade English, and 11th Grade English. That’s it.

Teachers in America must apply for teaching certification in every state they wish to work. The requirements and process for each state is complicated and long. It also costs money for each certificate. They often need to be renewed every several years.

British teachers apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) after they have trained and worked for a period of time. This enables them to teach any subject for which a school feels they are suited. Therefore, a teacher could teach English, Dance, Geography or Maths while working in one position at a school. However, it’s highly unlikely that would occur.

British vs American Schools- It’s no Musical!

Finally, British kids have the perception that American schools are like those they have seen in High School Musical and Mean Girls.

Thanks to Hollywood, American students are perceived to be very segregated by popularity groups like cheerleaders, football players and band geeks. So, I have to ask my American friends, do you think this is the case in American schools?

What other differences between British vs American schools can you add?

UPDATE: February 2, 2017

* After more time in London, and regular interest from readers, I created a YouTube video addressing many more differences between the school systems. Please add your comments/questions there too and share it on your social networks as well!

December 4, 2021 by: Sunny London

American and British Christmas Movies

What is your favourite thing to do during the holiday season? If you’re like me, one of the annual holiday activities you love is watching Christmas movies at home. I was crushed when I first moved to London because I couldn’t see all my childhood favourites on television regularly. However, this also led me to discover some specifically British Christmas movies.

Classic and New British Christmas Movies

A Christmas Carol

The most obvious title that you think of when listing British Christmas movies is A Christmas Carol. There’s an 80’s version with George C. Scott, a musical with Kelsey Grammer, the Muppet Christmas Carol and even Disney has jumped on the opportunity to make money from that most famous miser Ebenezer Scrooge.

Of course, this classic British movie (obviously based on the Charles Dickens novella) has inspired many parodies. Some of these are Scrooged with Bill Murray and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past featuring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner.

My family’s favourite is the 1970 Scrooge starring Albert Finney, thank you very much! Each year when I’m in Florida for the holidays, I sit down to watch it with my mom. Through most of the beginning I giggle about the hideous ‘special effects’ that were probably really terrifying when it was produced. However, the songs are really catchy and I usually sing them for a few days after we watch it together.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

This is actually classified as an American film. However, it’s based on a popular British novelist’s book. And that is Roald Doal. If you aren’t familiar with his work, it also includes: James and the Giant Peach, the BFG and Matilda.

I’ve chosen to list it in the classic British Christmas movies category because it is one of the most popular items to watch on television on Christmas Day in the UK. That is- once the Queen’s Speech has been broadcast.

To be honest, it’s not one I would watch. I’ve seen both the one with Gene Wilder and the remake with Johnny Depp. Neither represent images I want to associate with the holidays. Each is a little creepy, in my opinion. But- you’re free to add your in the comments below!

Love Actually

How could I not include one of the most iconic romance films ever made? Love Actually features an unforgettable cast of stars and narrative that hits all those holiday feels we crave.

With the amount of long awaited airport reunions many of us are experiencing after the Covid impact that delayed our travel- this classic British Christmas movie will be even more moving this year! Don’t you agree?

The Holiday

Yeah, you got me again if you are searching IMDB to catch me on a technicality. However, if you’ve seen the film and researched it at all, you know filming took place in Surrey, England.

That counts doesn’t it?

I find this one has me watching every time I am flipping through the channels and need a tiny reason to stay on the couch. There are a LOT of issues with the editing that make me cringe, but I still love it. The concept on the surface is fun, but the narrative is very unrealistic. Some of the scenes just aren’t physically possible due to the georgraphy.

But romantic comedies aren’t supposed to really represent real life, right?

Get Santa

This is without a doubt my favourite British Christmas movie on this list. Mr Sunny and I discovered it the year the year after it was released. We love it!

The film is about a father and son who team up to save Christmas once they discover Santa Claus sleeping in their garage after crashing his sleigh and finding himself on the run from the police. If there was only one British Christmas movie on this list that I said, “You must watch it!’- it’s Get Santa. And yes, that was the link to it on Amazon.

Trust me, it has just enough suspense to keep you entertained and the ending is quite jolly too.

Last Christmas

This is a curious one. As a huge Game of Thrones fan, I can’t tell you how excited I was to see this film when it hit the cinemas in 2019. However, when it arrived with mediocre at best reviews, I decided not to drag Mr Sunny to it and instead waited for it to show up on Sky rentals.

In fact, one of the last major Christmas events I attended in 2019 to film for my Sunny News YouTube channel was the Covent Garden Christmas Light Switch On. Emilia Clarke and Emma Thompson were the featured stars who turned the lights on and it was quite a festive night. Little did we all know what was on the way in London.

Based on the George Michael song, which actually is my all time favourite Christmas song, the film was a flop initially.

Mr Sunny and I caught it in winter of 2020 when we were on lockdown and had already binged everything on Netflix. Twice!

It’s actually quite dreadful initially. Once you reach the end, the film does become very heart-warming. If you’ve seen it- pun intended!

So now I watch it nearly every time I see it in the television schedule. Let me know if you think Emilia Clarke can sing in the film. I’m voting no, but I do find the scenes when she does float a tune to be endearing to the narrative.

American Christmas Films

I hope you aren’t let down by the quick list at the end. But aren’t you already familiar with the plethora of American Christmas films available?

Highlights include:

  • It’s a Wonderful Life
  • Miracle on 34th Street
  • A Christmas Story
  • Home Alone
  • National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas
  • Die Hard
  • Elf
  • Santa Clause
  • Bad Santa
  • Fred Claus (my personal favourite)

Which of the above would you say is your favourite? Which films aren’t on the list that you are shocked I didn’t include?

Final Thoughts:

Something that has really surfaced as an entire genre of American Christmas movies in the past decade is the Hallmark Channel Christmas films. Netflix has tried competing with this canon of cheesy, predictable plots that showcase washed up 90’s television stars, but it hasn’t succeeded.

I’m guilty as charged when it comes to choosing them for holiday entertainment. Why? They are mindless and good spirited. Plus, as a person with media industry experience (how I met MR Sunny at NBC News London Bureau is on my About Me page) it cracks me up that this formulaic narrative with scripts predictable down to the minute has seized such an accessible demographic. Their marketing strategy at Hallmark is pure genius.

If you don’t know what I mean, you can catch Movies24 on Sky to see past Hallmark Christmas movies. Sadly this year, they haven’t featured any of the new ones that are airing in the USA. It’s actually really puzzling because they are debuting 41 of them in the 2021 holiday season!

However, I do think you can use Amazon Prime to watch a lot of the Hallmark Christmas movies. Have any of you tried it? My plan is just to binge them when I am in Florida in December- and then again for their ‘Christmas in July’ run.

At least it’s safe to say I don’t have to worry about any internet spoilers. They’re all the same!

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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, for example, the layout is often the same.

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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…

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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.

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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…

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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…

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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. 😉

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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 6, 2016 by: Sunny London

Moving to London: What Household Goods to Ship

When you’re preparing for an international move, it’s difficult to assess what household items you should ship overseas.

Luckily, when I prepared for my last move from the US to London, I had the advantage of having lived in London once before.  If you’re planning on moving to London, perhaps my shipping experience and suggestions of what you should and shouldn’t bring will help.

Recently, I wrote about my excellent experience with an international shipping company. At the beginning of this year, they delivered 45+ boxes I had in storage in New York since I sold my townhouse at the end of 2012. Using an international shipping company like this will help you get your things in the right place without worry!

Now that I’ve finally unpacked all the boxes and have everything settled, I can reflect on what should and should not have been in the boxes.

Moving to London as an American Expat: What Household Goods You Should Ship to the UK from the USA

For the most part, I am thrilled about everything I included, even if it doesn’t all quite fit in to my London flat perfectly. In fact, I regret more about what I left behind than feeling like I shipped too much.

Before I left, I sold all of my furniture except for two storage cabinets. I moved to London on a spouse visa, as my husband is British. We felt it would be best for me to get settled in to life here and then ship my belongings overseas. Once we found a flat big enough to hold all of my items, we unpacked them and bought furniture from Ikea that met our spacial and storage needs. This turned out to be an excellent plan for us.

Moving to London What Household Goods to Ship

Household Goods to Ship: Art

That white cabinet above is one of our Ikea purchases. I love it. However, even more important to me is the wall art above it. It’s not expensive. I purchased the decor from Pier 1 Imports in New York. It’s a piece that always meant something to me, so I decided it was getting packed for the move to London. When factoring what I could’ve sold it for against what it cost to ship it, the decision was easy. Also, I knew household items like that would be expensive in London.

Also included in my shipment were these decorative accents from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Moving to London What Household Goods to Ship

I actually sent three of them. The other one is featured on another wall in our kitchen. You see, this wall above wasn’t big enough to show all of them together like I had them displayed in my New York townhome:

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Again, the pictures weren’t expensive, but I love them. I also sent the two pottery vases you can see in the far left corner. Oh, and do you recognise that teapot on the right? It’s the same one that is in the first art work picture you saw above too. I plan on writing a separate blog on all the kitchen items you should include on a move from the US to London later.

Our flat isn’t quite large enough to hold all the art work I sent from New York. That’s something you’ll want to think about when making your decisions on what household goods to ship. There simply isn’t the same amount of space in Europe as exists in the US, especially if you’re moving from an American suburb. Further, you might want to save wall space for items you purchase on your travels once you live in London.

I feel my art work not only has sentimental value but also represents my life prior to moving. When you live as an expat, feeling parts of your home makes days in a foreign environment easier. There are many other pictures that I sent aside from the ones shown here. I don’t regret sending any of them.

Household Goods to Ship: Christmas Decorations

My suggestion for Christmas decorations is a bit two-sided. Again, since space is a huge issue in London, you probably won’t have any additional storage area like a basement or even large closet. For this reason, I opted to get rid of nearly all my Christmas tree ornaments such as several sets of matching bulbs and my artifical tree. I did keep special ornaments from family and friends, and I am very happy about that. These are some shots of the last Christmas tree I had in New York (pre-blogging days so I wasn’t really concerned about photography skills).

Moving to London What Household Goods to Ship

These are some of Christmas household goods that made the trans-Atlantic voyage…

Moving to London What Household Goods to Ship

Hey, a girl with a blog called ‘Sunny in London’ has gotta have a gold heel ornament at the top of her tree, right? I wasn’t about to play Cinderella and leave behind that little shoe. 😉

It’s important to bring your favourite Christmas items for your move to London because it makes surviving the holidays as an expat easier.

Household Goods to Ship: Special Products

Some of the best posts in American expat groups on social media include the times when people ask what products aren’t available in London. Immediately, the topic of Mexican food surfaces. It’s incredibly tough to find authentic Mexican food in London. Food items like Kraft Mac and Cheese, Butterfinger, and good peanut butter are a constant battle to find as well.

Then there’s this issue…

Moving to London What Household Goods to Ship

For whatever reason, you’ll find the quality of plastic bags and Q-tips just isn’t the same in the UK. Throw as many boxes of them in your household goods to ship as possible. Oh, and ladies, chuck some Secret deodorant in your stuff too if that’s the brand you prefer. Hardly anyone can find it here, and the equivalent just doesn’t exist.

My all-time biggest miss is scented candles and soap from Yankee Candle.

Photo Tips for a Great Picture Yankee Candle Twisted Peppermint

Yes, I know they have a few ‘satellite’ Yankee Candle shops in the UK. But, they don’t have near the variety that you will find in a US location. Let’s face it, you aren’t going to find this one below in a London store…

Moving to London What Household Goods to Ship

And at Christmas, this range isn’t available either…

Moving to London What Household Goods to Ship

You can’t even find regular bacon as you know it in London, much less a bacon scented candle.

Moving to London What Household Goods to Ship

At least I know that Molton Brown has a candle selection that is amazing, if my Yankee Candle collection runs out before my next visit to my home state of Florida.

Household Goods to Ship: Final Thoughts

As I indicated earlier, I have future blogs planned to help anyone with decisions of what to ship if they are moving to London from the US. Specifically, I will write about kitchen, electrical and clothing items. If you’re an American expat living in London, it would be great if you could include household items you wish you had or had not shipped so readers making the move can benefit from all of our advice.

The international shipping company I used is also offering a discount on shipments to people who use my promo code, so if that’s of interest to you, be sure to read this blog review and email me. These are my suggestions on what not to bring and advice for applying for a UK visa.

December 15, 2014 by: Sunny London

Moving to London: An Expat’s Tips to Save Money

Moving to London is a dream for many people. London has some of the world’s best museums, a fantastic theatre district, stunning architecture, and yes- incredible food! But, sadly it is often credited as one of the world’s most expensive cities in which to live.

When I first lived in London during my Florida State University Study Abroad Programme years, my parents financed my life. I was extremely lucky and lived on Great Russell Street next to the British Museum. It’s when I met my husband (Mr. Sunny) too.

Our lives went different directions, and we reconnected in 2010. Deciding which one of us would leave our country was difficult. Family, money, culture, and lifestyle were discussion points. We decided it would be me moving to London. It was a tough decision and the move wasn’t easy. For example, I had no idea that when I moved to London I wouldn’t have a credit rating.

A huge part of the conversations involved financial decisions. When I was invited to write a sponsored post on my experience of moving to London and expat tips to save money during the process, I immediately said ‘Yes!’ Americans, other expats and Londoners frequently ask me about my experience, so an advice post was a great idea!

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Moving to London: Two Visas and a Wedding

Any person living in London on a fiance or spouse visa could write pages on that experience. In summary, know all of the costs before even planning a wedding. Also, plan on the fees increasing and the unknown to happen. It sure did to me.

I had the misfortune of sending my fiance visa application to the UK Embassy in New York City the day Hurricane Sandy took seige of the area. What was supposed to be a ‘two week process’ per our immigration attorney’s advice, was two and a half months of agony.

The smart things I did prior to my plan for moving to London were not purchasing the airline ticket for the flight and arranging to stay with my parents while waiting. The not so smart things in my moving to London process: resigning from my very lucrative job and renting a flat in London prior to my visa’s approval.

Once I did arrive to live in London on my fiance visa, I only stayed a few months. I had to return to the US because of my father’s illness. This stopped my ability to work, and my fiance visa expired.

We were finally able to get married in November 2013 in the US and opted for a wedding ceremony with four guests to save money.

We had to pay for the entire UK visa process again. This time we paid the additional priority process fee. It was perhaps one of the best investments we ever made because my visa was approved and returned in 10 days. No matter what type of visa for which you apply- pay priority! It will probably cut down on the ‘ride’ you have while waiting for your approval.

Moving-to-London-Expat-Tips-to-Save-Money

Moving to London: Job Search Expectations

Once we were finally married and I could begin job seeking, a whole new set of problems surfaced. Monthly prices on flat rentals had increased as much as 20%. We were forced to live even further away from Central London than the year before, and it had been 14 months since I worked fulltime.

People warn you about how difficult it is to get a job in London. Listen to them and plan for it. Prior to moving to London, double the time/money you think you will need to job search. So plan accordingly to this and be savvy on things like bills. Also, expect the currency exchange rate to fluctuate wildly. Since moving to London, I’ve seen the dollar equal anywhere from £1.49 to £1.71 in less than a year.

If you are moving to London for a job transfer, you’re certainly one of the lucky ones. If not, be ready to accept a position for which you are drastically over qualified. This also means calculating your lifestyle on a budget lower than what you are accustom.

Moving to London: Food and Travel

My husband and I shop carefully but still treat ourselves to dining out as often as we can. The concept of coupons barely exists in London. However, grocery stores still have things ‘on offer’ regularly. Having discount cards on restaurants and pubs helps tremendously. Research these through your bank and online as soon as you can.

Plan on using busses or the Underground as much as possible. I’ve written a separate advice post on that. But, buying an Oyster card and avoiding peak travel times are some of my top tips to save money on travel in London.

Since London is in such proximity of fantastic holiday destinations, you’ll have many travel temptations. Be advised a train is not always the cheapest alternative. In fact, many times it’s more expensive than flying.

Don’t underestimate all the free museums and historic locations in and around London that you can visit also.

Moving-to-London-Expat-Tips-to-save-money

Moving to London: Final Expat Tips to Save Money

Making money decisions is never easy or perfect. My husband and I know that once I get situated with a permanent job, our next step is to buy a home in London.

Did you find a move to London challenging?
What advice do you have to add either as a Londoner or expat?

What can you add to my advice for the UK visa application process?

You can read more about the expat experience on the blog. Be sure to see the review of an international shipping company, which includes a discount for you.

If you’re visiting London for the the first time (especially the NFL in London Games this Fall), read my ‘Guide to London for Americans Visiting the First Time!’ Or you can subscribe to Sunny in London emails. I’m happy to help Americans find their way here faster, so share this post or that one if you have friends travelling here soon.

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