The UK is one of the most popular places to emigrate to on the planet, on account of a wide variety of reasons. It is an area of great economic security (relatively speaking), and a nation which offers opportunity galore to the new ex-patriate. As an ex-patriate making a new life in the UK, what are some essential things you need to know?
Table of Contents
The Lifestyles
The UK is a nation of many lifestyles, afforded by the vastly different geographies you can find even within a single county. From bustling urban centres to the most remote rural retreats, there are myriad different opportunities to integrate into a unique aspect of the nation – meaning there’s a lifestyle for almost everyone here.
This is also reflected in the ways you can choose to live here in the UK; that is, the different types of home which you can call a home. New build homes in new neighbourhoods are the ideal opportunity to become part of a new community, and often chart new territory in rural areas outside of existing centres; older rural cottages, though, benefit from storied local history and tradition, while urban flats and apartments give you that incomparable city nightlife experience first-hand.
The Culture
Lifestyle is one thing, but culture is another thing entirely – and, perhaps surprisingly, the UK has it in spades. Far from the globally-perpetuated stereotypes of bland dinners and blander pastimes (though certain elements of both are unavoidably true), the UK is a thrilling hodge-podge of global influences. This is with partial thanks to the UK’s history as a seat of empire, and with partial thanks to its recent history as a haven for immigration – all of which has created a rich, vibrant and wholly, enrichingly unique plurality of culture in the UK.
The Landscapes
Another inalienable aspect of the UK as a country is its geography. The isles are hugely characterful in terms of landscape, whether you’re visiting the famed white cliffs of Dover, the calm waters of the Norfolk Broads or the craggy mountains of the Scottish Highlands.
The NHS
It’s hard to talk about the UK without talking about the NHS – a jewel in the global healthcare industry and a pioneering system to boot. The NHS is free at the point of use, but not completely free – given that prescriptions are charged at a flat rate, and certain treatments can attract ancillary costs. Still, the relative affordability of the NHS against other systems is a boon well worth getting used to.
The Lingo
Last but certainly not least, we come to the language. As with any country, the UK is a country of dialects – but unlike most countries, the UK enjoys an almost-absurdly high concentration of them, from East London cockney to broad Yorkshire lingo and far, far beyond. Given that even native Brits struggle to understand compatriots from elsewhere in the country, you have little hope getting to grips with each – but depending on where you live, a little forward research can go a long, long way.