adminee
From: United States
5/10/2011 09:06 EST
If there was one thing that you wish you had known about living in United Kingdom before you arrived and started to settle in, what would it be?
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somali
5/11/2011 07:53 EST
1. phone and internet services takes approx 2 months to activate... Virgin Media may be the exception because they have their own pool of engineers..apparently, all other companies share the same pool.
2. Having a British debit card (with Pin and Chip) is necessary. Not all stores, including large furniture stores, accept credit cards, and especially not a foreign one.
3. that Argos is a mail order store! Can't see anything that you purchase in advance (at least not big tix items such as sofas etc)...but they do have a 28-day return policy.
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TB13
10/21/2011 17:41 EST
You have to pay council tax each month or annually. Price is changes according to areas. So keep that in mind when you're arranging your budget for a place to rent. You may pay something like 150 pounds (monthly).
If you're getting a cup of tea to go they sometimes put milk in it, without asking you and because of the lid on the cup you can't see it until it's too late :) So if you are a black tea drinker you have to say black tea, instead of just tea.
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AmeriExpat
10/26/2011 12:09 EST
I wish I had known:
1.) That a fanny is not a butt, but rather what my wife has and I don't. Lots of embarrassed giggles around me on that one.
2.) How loudly I speak at times, at least when compared to Brits.
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ppereira
From: Guatemala
4/23/2012 13:35 EST
As a latinamerican, settling in UK has been a masive learning! After almost 3 years of living in North Somerset I feel like I can be myself againg and still respect their ways... for example:
1. Talk softer and slower
2. Dress according to seasons
3. Eat seasonal
4. Respect their ways
5. Have patience... friendships take a while but once a friend, you are good as gold!
6. They have a dry sense of humor (I still cannot tell it all...)
7. Mother in law cannot be your best friend!
8. They are settled in their ways
9. They will frown up different
10. I dont care now! I will be always a latin person and as long as there is mutual respect is not worth getting into a debate. :)
Peace and good luck!
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laubscher
5/22/2012 09:49 EST
how important it is to have a credit record in the UK, and the lack of understanding to appreciate that I don't have as I just arrived in Feb 2012
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TB13
5/22/2012 11:00 EST
It is very important to have a good credit record. Even the furniture stores doesn't give you credit if you haven't lived there for at least 3 years. They don't have any understanding as British people tend to be very strict about rules.
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TB13
5/22/2012 11:00 EST
It is very important to have a good credit record. Even the furniture stores doesn't give you credit if you haven't lived there for at least 3 years. They don't have any understanding as British people tend to be very strict about rules.
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busybee
3/5/2014 19:54 EST
- How long it takes to built relationships and how cold and lonely it feels in the beginning when you are new unless you take an initiative to forge good relationships?
- How impolite some of the Brits are ?
- How dirty london is ?
- How everything is institutionalized ?
- How set Brits are in their ways ?
- How stressful life in London is?
- How difficult it is to get visas?
- How envious your family and friends would be when you say you are in London and how helpless you would feel when you cannot bring them here ?
- How much stressful your life would be ?
- How much ill informed / informed British public is about immigration ? How much of the immigration gets debated in this country that you start to wonder whether you are unwelcome?
- Getting paid in pound doesn't mean you aren't spending in pounds.
- What tea and biscuit does to Brits ?
- How much weather affects your moods?
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