7 reasons why you should move to the UK
No country is perfect – we all know that. But there is something to be said about life in the United Kingdom. Let’s dive into 7 reasons why you should move to the UK!
1. New perspective
The biggest lesson I’ve learned since moving abroad has been gaining a new perspective. There are so many different ways to live life and that’s genuinely exciting!
Back in Ontario, Canada, I lived my life a certain way. Here in my new home in the UK, I live my life a different way. Neither way is wrong – it just makes life interesting!
It’s been really eye-opening to have a new perspective about life and what’s possible.
2. New food
It’s easy to tease the Brits about their food (jellied eels, anyone??) but there are so many wonderful British dishes that I can’t live without. It’s been a lot of fun trying out new British foods like Yorkshire puddings, Sunday roast, fish and chips, sausage rolls… there’s too many to name!
Even though I’ve been living in the UK for over 6 years now, I still love to go to my local grocery store and buy food I haven’t tried yet. You don’t know what you love until you try it!
3. New experiences
It’s pretty obvious that you’ll have new experiences when you move to a foreign country, but just how many new experiences you’ll have is hard to comprehend.
Yes, there are tons of new experiences when you travel around the UK – all the museums you can try and all the historic monuments you can visit. But there’s also so many smaller new experiences that you can’t ignore, either. I’ve learned, seen and tried so many new things at my job, alongside my coworkers and working for the British public.
It’s the everyday stuff that we often miss out when talking about new experiences, but we really shouldn’t. So much of expat life is the everyday small stuff, and it’s just as important (and exciting).
4. The NHS
Everyone will have their own opinion on the NHS (National Heath Service) in the UK, but I believe it’s a wonderful service. The NHS has taken great care of me over the last few years and it’s a really important service to be grateful for.
There are a lot of issues with the NHS, but overall it is still a wonderful British institution that I am very thankful for and a big appeal for all foreigners moving to the UK. You’re in capable hands!
5. The Brits
We can’t have a list on why you should move to the UK without include the British people! I’ve been very fortunate and grateful that the Brits have been so welcoming and kind towards me. From my new British friends, to my fellow British co-workers and bosses, to even strangers on the internet. The Brits have been welcoming, funny and kind to me and my new life in the UK.
It goes without saying that not every Brit is happy for one more foreigner to be living on their land – but the nice Brits far outweigh them.
6. So much character!
One of the reasons I love the UK is being constantly surrounded by history, architecture and character. From simple activities like visit my local grocery store in a 400-year-old building, to having a pint at a pub that’s been standing since the 1400s, there is so much history and character everywhere.
Coming from a country like Canada that does’t have that much in the way of historic architecture or ancient buildings, I will never get tired of the history here in the UK. It’s everywhere!
7. Vacation time
From the Gov UK website:
“Almost all workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday a year (known as statutory leave entitlement or annual leave).
This includes:
– agency workers
– workers with irregular hours
– workers on zero-hours contracts
An employer can include bank holidays as part of statutory annual leave.”
The UK offers so much more vacation time than other countries like the USA or Canada and this can be a huge benefit for a good work-life balance.
Should you move to the UK?
At the end of the day, it’s a big decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. However, there are so many wonderful reasons to the UK that make it a great place to live.
