@michi veritas on all social media I have announced my true name because I'm proud of my edits . That's creativity. Not trolls with no profile .there's a link to me and my true face not a fake profile like yours
My wife found it hard to cope with the sarcasm/taking the piss humour in Britain , but after 25 years of living here , she’s slowly coming around to it .
I'm in the UK from the states it's only been 3 years but I definitely don't have tough enough skin to deal with the friendships here. It's a lot of roasting and picking fun but I know it's meant to be light-hearted and that it's a friend thing but I'm definitely not used to it haha
I emigrated to Canada from England 34 years ago. At my first job I kept saying, "Well, back in England we did this..." Finally someone said, "You're not in England now." It was politely stated, but the message was clear.
I did this in Australia too. But in my part of Australia there are loads of British immigrants and we often get together to whinge about how poor the industry we work in is here. But we also say how bloody lucky we are to live here too. Being an immigrant is a constant contradiction.
@@danellis-jones1591 After 3 months my wife wanted to go home. I was lucky it was a British company and they sent me to the UK for training. We got off the plane, spent 10mins in Manchester, then she said "Okay, I've had enough, we can go back now..." Never looked back since. 😁
@@zhd-net You'd be a 'ping pong Pom' in Australia. Brits think Australia is the same as the UK but with sun and sharks. It's not. It's quite different. And so many disillusioned brits go back. Then find they can't stand it and come back to Australia. I've got Aussie kids and an Aussie ex-wife, so I don't have the choice to try it back in Britain for another 5 years or so.
“Don’t move to leave your problems”. My family is my problem, USA is my problem. I’m definitely running 🤣 but I’ve always wanted to live in London since I was little.
I bet your anxiety improved in leaps and bounds moving to London, it must be at least twice as bad as it was? What you need to quell anxiety is a nice relaxing time in the northern countryside.
@@stretfordender11 I was born in south London and moved north when quite young, with family in and around London you would have thought that I had some affinity with the place but I loath and detest it as it winds me up mercilessly for all sorts of reasons that would be seriously detriment to my mental and physical health. I have activity avoided commissions in London because of my loathing and only visit when I have little option. My opinion is based on my current existence in Midlands countryside that serves as an immediate comparison. I don't criticise others for the choice of where they live I just express my own thoughts as they apply to me.
Regarding mental health things moving to a different country might actually help. Definitely helped me. There are a lot of external things(and people) that can contribute to your unhappiness. So changing your environment might help. I still have anxiety and stuff but at least i don't hate the place and people that surround me. It's a big help.
I think it depends. Alot of people live their life trying to please others or live their life the way they think others want them to be. Moving away from home can make it easier to learn to be the person you want to be out of the spotlight of those that "know" you. It gives you a lot of freedom. But, a big BUT you do need to have a lot of inner strength which is not something others can easily help you with. From someone who has the experience I think it is a lot easier , in some ways, if you move to a country where English is not the main language as you kind of expect things to be a lot different so the culture shock is easier to accept. I personally love the "challenge" as it really helps you to grow as a person and recommend living elsewhere even if only for a short time as the experience stays with you for life.
@Nick : do you mind elaborating? What was your home country, where'd you move to, and what differences do you suspect were key to you becoming happier?
@@PoochieCollins I’m from Russia. Moved to Germany 3 years ago. But since I made this comment things changed and I’m actually moving to Canada very soon. I just think that Russia is a pretty depressing place to live. Politics and economy are really bad. And overall I don’t like peoples mentality there.
I'm an immigrant myself ( not in England) and I feel you always have to be twice as happy, twice as friendly, and help twice as readily. No one likes a grumpy foreigner
Me too. I am English and have lived abroad (Turkey). A bright smile and a happy outlook on life goes a very long way to being accepted and making friends.
I am from the US, but have lived in England for over 20 years. I cried a lot my first year here. My thoughts before I came were "how different could it be? They speak English! It's just a different accent!" And I'd watched some British TV, so I thought I'd be fine with any dialect differences. I arrived in Yorkshire and the only person I could easily understand were my husband and MIL - and I know now that they were going out of their way so that I could understand. But I did a lot of nodding and agreeing that first year because it was like learning a new language - and it wasn't just English, or Yorkshire, but all of the dialects that belonged to everyone my husband knew. The difficulties communicating, the cultural differences, the dry humour, the new traditions, new weather, and being so far from my US family just overwhelmed me. The first year was especially hard as I was shy and introverted - I was afraid to admit I didn't understand. But it did help me come out of my shell and I did learn to laugh and say, "I have no idea what that means." Most people will be understanding and some even think it's cute that even after 20 years I'm still learning!
@ Ilene - my brother who is English is married to an American woman and moved to Ohio to be with her. Before he moved to the US they used to FaceTime constantly. On one occasion my SIL was telling my brother she was making biscuits and gravy for dinner. My brother said “that sounds disgusting, who would have gravy on their biscuits?”. My SIL said “well what do you have on your biscuits?” When my brother replied “chocolate “ she said “Eew that’s disgusting “. It took a little more conversation for them to realise the difference between biscuits and cookies 😊 Of course my brother absolutely loves biscuits and gravy now 😊
@@anneavenell3691 I had a similar experience when English friends wanted to know what the American fascination with peanut butter and jelly was. They thought we were putting gelatine/Jell-O/jelly not jam and some had tried it with gelatine and thought we were monsters. Lol
@ Ilene - I can understand that completely. It was only because I had a friend with family in the US ( this is back in the 70’s) that I found out that jelly is actually jam. When I last visited my brother 18 months ago I set the dinner table and put out the salad dressings. My niece asked “who put the Mayo out?”. When I said I had she asked why. I explained because we were having salad to which she replied they only use Mayo on sandwiches and not as a salad dressing. That May have just been a family thing but every time I visit we come across things/sayings that are alien to each other. It’s quite good fun really. As you said in your original post though, you don’t realise quite how different we are culturally until you come to live here or go to live in the US. My brother loves it there and obviously loves his family but he struggled for several years when he first moved there. The funny thing is that the whole family and his workmates who previously had no knowledge of football (soccer as you’d call it) are all mad Liverpool fans now and can argue the offside rule like experts.😊
Was at college with an Aussi, "why do you always talk abou the weather? Its boring, weather isnt interesting" within 2 weeks he was talking about the weather
@@judis6224 sorry I was back in the UK after decades living in Australia and was chatting to a local (no related) and asked the ultimate question. Why are your weatherman so poor at telling you the weather and what the weathers going to do on a daily basis and received the standard answer. It’s an island and therefore harder to predict the weather! My comeback was so is Australia and got this perplexed 🤔 look with no comeback like that correct? P.S. do you live in the south of the country? As I remember catching the bus to school in the morning in the dark and getting home just before dark (Midlands). Just one reason I’m now one of the 29% of Australians. P.P.S. Don’t use the word Expat unless you are being posted by your company overseas. It’s an elites term often used by “The Brits” even when they’re immigrants in another country, because they’re special an don’t want to be called an immigrant, just letting you know. However I agreed with most everything else you said, as someone who has immigrated myself it can be hard to just to fit in and you have to have drive and determination to mentally make it. NSW in Oz
@@judis6224 dont judge all of us like we're all the same. That shows a typical bias based on bs assumptions from only your experiences and what you may think to be the case is the whinging POM attitude brought to Australia, from the UK. Us real Aussies don't like it either.
Makes total sense. You can’t go to another country, and expect them to abide by your country’s standards. You have to learn the culture, and interact as the locals do.
The key point to bear in mind when moving anywhere is that things are very likely to be different to what one's used to. Better? perhaps. Worse? Maybe. Different, certainly. Accepting that makes things a lot easier. Even within the UK things differ. For example the process of buying a house/flat in Scotland is markedly different from the way of doing so in England. Asking about things usually gets a positive reaction.
Yes, your last point... don't be afraid to ask. Explain where you're from and just say it's different and you don't understand. Most people will be happy to help and in future will often ask if you're okay with something or invite you to come to them anytime with further questions. I certainly get a good feeling if I feel I've helped another person in some way.
Thanks for mentioning the importance of learning to do things solo. It's a good life skill to have in general, and I feel like a lot of people struggle with it. It might even make a good topic for a future video!
So what you're saying is that you moved to the UK and you didn't expect the whole of the UK to change to suit you. Wow, that's refreshing. Thank you! You're most welcome here.
@@Stoater1 Well if she doesn't agree with my paraphrasing then she is most welcome to correct me, and in that scenario I would certainly apologise for my misunderstanding whilst simultaneously expressing my disappointment. Until then, I will continue to think that that was actually what she was saying, that her sentiments were admirable and that her behaviour was exemplary. You're free to think less of her if you choose.
I am Japanese who's been living in the States for 36 years & been knowing you guys are all different !! Welsh vs English vs Scotish vs Irish !! Lots of English people feel that there's not much difference, though Welsh / Scotish/ Irish don't feel the same !! Lol 👍💜🥁🐉🎤🎶💞
Alanna...'I'll never be British or English'...pours a cup of Yorkshire Tea, starts talking about the weather whilst checking out of the corner of her eye the dwindling stock of cider behind the TV....🤣🤣🤣
Great advice from start to finish. I moved from England to Sweden 21 years ago so I have another piece of advice not covered in this video. Learn the language of the country your moving too. That may involve extended periods of feeling childish, ridiculous, lonely. In the end it is a must and will open many of the doors that were previously closed. Even if that's a slow, in my case 5 years, process. Also accept the new place as your home as quickly as possible but accept you will miss where you are from now and then. It doesn't feel like home at the start it feels like a visit. Then it gets difficult. Then hopefully it feels like home one day because that's what you need to be happy :)
Hey! I live in the UK and my lifelong goal for a while has been to move to Sweden. It's super cool to find someone who's actually done it in the comments!
As long as you do not support Canadian mining companies' notorious global activities, and the Athabasca tar sands ecocide. Canada is one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to its environmental record.
I've always liked it getting dark at 4pm for some weird reason. The opposite is worse if you go as far north as the Orkney islands because in the summer it may as well be 24 hour daylight. Blackout curtains essential!
I was so disappointed when moving away from the islands to the mainland for the first time and realising that there was so much pollution that I wouldn't see the starry black night skies anymore that I grew up with all the time. While true that in summer time it rarely gets dark up north, during the winter it does actually get very dark for the most of the day, but if it's a clear night you'll be able to see the stars throughout the entire sky so clearly. Also, probably one of the best places in the world to be when the Northern Lights happen, as the islands are small and the only thing on the horizon is the ocean - it's definitely breathtaking. OP was correct about jobs though, but it's the same even for those who were born in the UK. There's always people looking to jump jobs when they're looking for a higher salary or more favourable hours (such as not working weekends), so when it comes to interviews - especially in places like London - you really have to go into it with a shark mentality and knock everyone else out of the running if you want to stand any chance of being considered.
@@jamescopeland8050 Yes. It’s a loss. Try the Dark Sky Society who campaign to get dark night sky’s back. They have had quite a lot of success changing planning requirements for directed lighting.
02:23 Good for you, Alana. Far too many people seem to think that that old saw, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do!" doesn't apply to them. We're not expecting everyone to suddenly adopt cricket as their favourite game, to drink nothing but tea or to stand to attention every time they hear the National Anthem. However, we do and quite rightly expect people coming here to live to respect who we are and that we won't necessarily always agree with them and their opinions. If they accept those conditions, then nine times out of ten, they'll be welcomed and will very quickly be taken into the fold. Unfortunately, I can only 'Like' this once but I'd hit that button loads of times if I could because, Alana, every sentence you spoke carries a ton of wisdom.
"We're not expecting everyone to suddenly adopt cricket as their favourite game." Why the hell not? Seriously, "When in Rome..." pretty much works. If things are different, ask about them; if they're better, such as Britain's world-renowned cuisine, say so.
If the British when they are abroad could behave the way they want foreigners to do so, the world would be a better place. An other thing with "Rome", if Britain was Rome, today it has lost all its prestige. This country is very very ill and is vomiting blood. British seems to blame everyone else about it, except themselves. What a beautiful nation and great British values that has the highest level of children poverty in the western world, highest level of teenager self-harming, the worst Healthcare system, the highest number of homeless in North of Europe, the highest level of inequality (America is bearing us on that), the most inequal educational system, the highest level of suicide of men between 20 and 50 (it is the first cause of death for men of that group), the highest level of obesity, a country were loneliness have been declared national emergency (the story of that dad dying from a heart attack and his 3 years son starving to death on his laps),... I need to stop here because I'm depressing myself. Sorry I also forgot the "brain exodus" of highly qualified workers this last 2 years... I mean we voted for having Boris Johnson to repsent us abroad! 😂 The empire is done, Great Britain is great only by name. The saddest is that it seems like we are not done dismantling this country, WE proud and amazing British, want more! 😂
“ Nuair anns an Ròimh dèan mar a bhios na Ròmanaich” - “When in Rome , do as the Romans do”. That is what my Highland grannie told me as I boarded the train in Inverness for a new life in England. I hadn’t the heart to tell her that Rome is in Italy.
As an Englishman born and bred I never realised I was so successful at overcoming this many daily obstacles. Thanks Alanna for making me feel so proud to have managed to succeed in such a hostile environment.
As always insightful, respectful and honest. Good on yer girl. It can't be easy living abroad missing family and having comfort things around you. But hopefully you have found us friendly, welcoming and always willing to help.
But there's nothing so UN-English as adapting to your surroundings. They used to take pride in putting on dinner jackets at night in the jungle, and eating standard school dinners. I don't think the "expatriates" in Spain still "dress for dinner," but they do insist on an English lifestyle.
Great advice! I moved to California at age age 23 from NY City. I'd been to every state east of the Mississippi River (lots of road trips) and I thought this prepared me for life on the West Coast. It didn't. It took me 5 years to become acclimated and I lived in constant anxiety until I let go of my past. I've worked in four countries and traveled and visited 29, and my move helped me cope with different lifestyles. The advice you've given is advice I'd give anyone thinking of moving to a different environment or working in another country for an extended time. One cannot runaway from themselves and moving or changing relationships cannot make an unhappy person happy. Happiness and contentment come from within. When in another country no one cares how things are at home. Live in the present and don't compare
it's like for example if you wanted to move somewhere like Spain. The locals would expect you to learn some of the basics of their language and to respect their customs and traditions.
I had it on easy mode. Was born in Scotland, grew up in New Zealand, and hold dual citizenship, so I moved back to Scotland in late 2020 because the housing crisis and cost of living is really tearing NZ apart and young people like myself can't afford to start their lives. Even so, job-hunting is always soul-draining and competitive these days, especially with the impact of covid. Now that there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully next year will be better. My foreign qualifications on my CV probably give employers pause lol. Heavily agree on your point about people glamourising other places. Regardless of where you live, everyone has to be responsible for their own happiness. Making friends, forming romantic relationships, developing interesting hobbies, and finding a job you at least don't hate - all of this requires constant work - there are no easy fixes. That said, I'd recommend everyone try living abroad for at least a few months, to broaden their horizons and gain new perspectives.
I once went from West Yorkshire to South Yorkshire for the day and I was out of my comfort zone. They are strange people over there in the deep south of Yorkshire.
@@stephenbarrett8861 what! No. I am talking of Yorkshire here, the home of God, the original garden of Eden. Try not to compare places where men where skirts with Yorkshire.
I agree about the long winter nights but if we didn't have those we wouldn't have the long summer days which I think more than makes up for it. Coming home from work and still having so many hours of daylight left is like having extra time off work.
The few weeks of dark winter are, for me, well compensated for by the weeks of extra long days of summertime, when the sun can rise at 4:00 AM and set at 10:00 PM - 18 hours of daylight.
Don’t lose your identity too much. Also I think moving somewhere else can make you see your problems in perspective so it can actually help with personal problems.
I'm moving to England from the US (Seattle), so my soul is prepared. I'm also moving to England on an HPI (High Potential Individual) Visa. I am wondering about the job search myself. And as an African American, I have to fight for everything, so fighting for a job should be a piece of cake. Wish me luck lads. :)
I recently got an offer from a university for a lecturer position and opted for the Skilled Worker Visa route because the Global Talent Visa route takes a few week longer and the time between the offer and proposed start date was only 4 weeks. Most stressful move of my life, but at least I had a job in hand rather than moving without a job nailed down. Down side is I can't renew my own visa like you can with the Global Talent Visa and I have to reside in the UK for 5 years to get Indefinite leave to Remain vs 3 on the GT visa.
Yes the winter days are short, and often overcast so that you feel cheated out of the eight hours of daylight there are, but once the clocks go forward it is joyous. It is only four weeks into BST and it is light until after 8.30pm. And, despite the UK's reputation for rain, we haven't had rain for what seems like weeks.
Luckily I live in SW England, where the winter is shorter but I do like cosying up by the fire with a book, Christmas celebrations, country walks where everything is shrouded in mist. I also like the summer, when you come home from work, then spend a couple of hours on the beach. It’s learning how to make the best of it.
I was a very young man when I lived in a small town in rural Germany. The first six months all I did was complain how it was not the USA. Once I embraced the German way of life, it changed me forever. We can learn so much being a foreigner in different country. That was 30 years ago and until the pandemic hit, I made sure to travel back to Europe (and/or the British Isles) at least once a year for the past 15 years. Can't wait to get back across the pond. I have a trip to London booked for september. Hope Borris will let me in !
We're glad to have you here. I think you should have mentioned that you better not come to England if you don' t like; waiting in line, Tea, damp and talking about weather.
The long winter nights give you a chance to sit round the log fire and dream of summer. And we are rewarded with long summer evenings where you can stay in the pub garden till 10pm. 8.30pm in April and just getting dark, what's not to love. Great video to point out moving isn't a magic solution to a better life.
Is this another way of saying that there are communities in England of racist bigots who want to take control of anyone who is perceived as being different?
For me it helped because I got away from narcissists and to genuine people- but it took awhile to accept that they were genuine. I didn’t worry about American thanksgiving. Didn’t mind. Trying to say wee, loo, trousers etc. Accepting Indian food over my beloved Mexican etc
I watched your video just to practice listening to the language (you have great pronunciation) and I was also very surprised by the quality and maturity of your opinions and experience. Great work.
For some reason this video reminded me of all the things that I like your channel for, including your super personable delivery and the way you say 'Ouwt'. It just did 👍👌🏼😉
Thank you!! This applies to anyone moving to any other country, but, I have seen so many people complaining about how the UK is wrong for being different to a home country! If you move countries, embrace the differences!! ❤
@@roberttreborable I was thinking that likely the case. That said, maybe there's some odd elements of Canadian life i'm not aware of, and that Alanna could fill us in on. You never know :)
@@ruthfoley2580 Trust me, unless you move way up into the northern wilderness, you're about as likely to see a moose in Canadian cities as you are in London.
As a brit, I moved to London 10 years ago. I live alone, I now work remotely. It's real damn lonely. It's really expensive. Where ever you go, find people who interest you.
Alanna: While living in England, you are also living in the United Kingdom. What is your perception of the international relations between England and Scotland? Between England and Wales? England and Northern Ireland? What are the differences and samenesses (if that's a word) among these countries?
@@nestorjrabalos1998 weather + the poorer areas. don’t get me wrong it’s an ok place, but, I’ve lived in the same depressing city for my whole life. I plan to move to America or Australia or maybe even up north in the highlands. Me and my girlfriend have both dreamed about getting out of the city and maybe even just up in the highlands with a nice cosy house. But I’m sure almost everyone hates the place they grew up in and wish to move away so I’m not the best person to judge haha.
The winter darkness in England is nothing. I lived in Finland for awhile and in Helsinki during the winter it gets light at around 11:00 and gets dark at around 14:00.
Solid advice. As a teenager I moved from England to Wales, and I was completely unwilling to adapt and assimilate. As a result I had a miserable time and no one liked me. Eventually I snapped out of my superiority complex, and things have been much better since. I'd guess this would apply even more for people coming from abroad.
I’ve lived in both England and Wales (currently in Wales, where my family’s from). The vast majority of Welsh people don’t dislike English people, they just dislike people who aren’t willing to become part of the local community - it’s the same everywhere. The reverse is true, by the way, if you move to England from Wales. Depending on where you live in Wales, it helps if you speak Welsh - I can speak it (not fluently, but OK), and use it occasionally. Some English people will tell you that Welsh people only speak Welsh so that they can say things about you behind their back. Not true - those English people are just being paranoid, lol.
The motto is the same it seems wherever you go, wherever you come from. Just be a good person... I really don’t think it can get much more complicated than that!
I’ve dreamed of moving to the uk because I want my home to be in England and my holidays seeing other countries. I’m Italian and other stuff by genetics so I’d like to learn about my history and culture. I also grew up traveling and am very adaptive. I want to get a good job, support myself as a good citizen and to explore when I can.
When you are talking about the times of sunrise and sunset it would be good to mention that London, UK is 51.5° N latitude and Moosonee, ON (Canada) is 51.2° N latitude.
@@sydneyliu4825 Because Canada is MASSIVE. It's most southern point is further south than Boston and Alert in Nunavut is (at least according to Wikipedia - so take it with a grain of salt) the "the northernmost continuously inhabited place in the world ... at latitude 82°30'05" north, 817 kilometres (508 mi) from the North Pole."
As a born and bred Englishman I've always been curious as to why people from large countries with fantastic scenery chose to come to this poky little island where you can drive from one end to the other in a day
I think Alana's situation is quite unique. From what I've observed, the immigration pattern is generally from the UK to Canada, or Australia, rather than the reverse.
speaking as someone from one of those large countries, I will tell you my reasons: The Pubs, The history, The architecture, Public transport, did I mention the Pubs? 🤓
@@edwardthejust4452 Fair enough. I'm only saying that the immigration flow is, and has been for decades, heavily weighted towards people from the UK emigrating to Canada, Australia, etc., rather than the reverse. I'm not saying that nobody from Canada or Australia ever move to the OK, only that for every one of those individuals, there's many more going the other way.
Ironically enough, I'd actually prefer to move to Canada. I've heard really great things and that's excluding the universal health care system. Some of my favorite comedians are Canadian (Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Leslie Neilsen, Tom Green, Rick Moranis, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Norm McDonald...etc.) and I've been enjoying The Kids In The Hall for nearly 25 years now. Watching TKITH helped me learn more about Canadian culture, land marks and the beautiful outdoor sites it has to offer. I've always been more comfortable in cooler climates than warmer climates so that's another upside. Although it may be somewhat of an adjustment as I've lived in Southern California my whole life, but I have family near Denver Colorado so I'm not a complete stranger to temperatures ranging below 0° during winter. I just discovered your channel today so I'm unsure if u have any vids regarding Canadian life so I'll browse around. I too agree that England does seem like an interesting place and I hope to visit there someday. Mexico is the only place I've been that's outside the U.S.
Not to mention that you get free healthcare so u don’t need like £5k on your card when you break your leg and the fast food portions are smaller, people swear ALOT and throw insults ALOT and the roads are filled with dangerous drivers and that there are pubs EVERYWHERE.
Have seen some of your other stuff and find it very real and balanced fun. I moved to England more than 50 years ago and settled in Whitstable. I only just watched this one and even with my long expat experience all elements of it still ring absolutely true. With a long term Welsh/English partner two grown children and three grandchildren I am still viewed as the Canadian guy. Generally kindly if patronisingly so and sometimes less kindly but what the “heck” it worked out fine for me. My experience says “go for it”.
As a non English speaking person, I would like to add (unless you see it as an obvious part of 'assimilating'): don't move to England, or any other foreign country, if you're not willing to learn the language. Groeten uit Nederland!
Sometimes it's the little things, like the American student I worked with in London saying how she pulled her boyfriend back when he went to cross the road before the green man was lit up.
3:40 it doesn't matter, your "passport" or "citizenship" doesn't matter, all matters is You as a human, this is what you can and should always try to be. Good luck
Depends where in the States you're from. Generally East coasters find the adjustment easier than West/Mid westerners. The attitude here is very Boston/New York/Detroit. Self depreciating, down to earth, no nonsense.
Excellent video, Alanna. These are words of wisdom, founded upon personal experience. We need you, Alanna. You raise our national averages of niceness, gentleness, and intelligence. Very many good wishes to you for your future life here.
Alanna, thanks for the "heads up". I would be okay because I have always stuck with the adage "when in Rome do as the Romans do" or in your case "when in England do as the English do". Whenever I have travelled I will immerse myself in a culture and check it out. Thanks for the video. You always hold my attention.
Thank you for addressing the elephant in the room. I couldn't agree more. I can't tell you how many times I heard - "You are so different from other American's I've met (or worked with)."
I've never seen a video like this! It seems to be VERY helpful insight to help manage expectations and give a real perspective into what this life transition could look like! Great content topic! Thanks!
Wait but, you're Canadian... I have lived in Canada (Quebec) and the getting dark at 4pm also happens there! I'd assume it's the same in Ontario though because both provinces are next to each other... Was it still like a shock for you? Or what was different?!
The job thing, It's not just because your foreign, I have a very wide experience of engineering, and was made redundant six years ago. I have had one temporary job which lasted two weeks, and one interview in all that time, I even went back to college for some qualifications, still nothing. I'm 57 coming to near the end of my life savings. But that just means that I will be able to sign up for some state benefits soon, which won't be enough to keep a roof over my head, even if I starve myself.
I'd love to live in the scenic English countryside, in an antique cottage with an established flower garden, near a quaint village, not far from an ancient market town. I'd also like heat vision and some working web-shooters 😆😆😆
I am a Canadian who fell in love with a man from England, 5 years ago. We want to get married, we've been traveling back and forth. Now, we're on to the paper work. Is there any advice you can give me? The paperwork looks so daunting...
Maybe you could do a compilation video of your early times here when you weren’t sure if you could last the first few months and how, now, you’ve acclimatised so well.
Thank you so much for making this video! i want to move to Canada but this video is still really helpful for me! I've been looking into moving country a lot, but i have anxiety so it can seem scary! But you and your videos genuinely make me feel more confident about moving to a different country! Thank you so much! This video was so good! I really appreciate all of your videos!
The thing about weather and the darkness is that it shapes the culture more than you realise. The pessimism, cynicism, even manic depression... all influenced by the dark, cold, dank rainy days that are a constant most of the year - occasionally giving way to a 3 week heat wave where everyone goes completely mental before the rain returns.
Don't ask a British person where the subway is because you will end up in a sandwich shop instead of the underground 🤣
Unless you are in Glasgow
@michi veritas here we go again with people who don't know. Wtf being born here we know better than you outsiders
@michi veritas enough of uneducated trolls making uneducated comments
@michi veritas and yes checked out your profile and like all trolls hide behind a keyboard and no profile that makes you a valid person
@michi veritas on all social media I have announced my true name because I'm proud of my edits . That's creativity. Not trolls with no profile .there's a link to me and my true face not a fake profile like yours
My wife found it hard to cope with the sarcasm/taking the piss humour in Britain , but after 25 years of living here , she’s slowly coming around to it .
Humour is very similar in the UK and Canada so it wasn't to much of a shock for me!
I'm in the UK from the states it's only been 3 years but I definitely don't have tough enough skin to deal with the friendships here. It's a lot of roasting and picking fun but I know it's meant to be light-hearted and that it's a friend thing but I'm definitely not used to it haha
@@rileyroo220 Yeah the more piss your mates let out of you, the more they love you, totally get that part. Hot tea and warm beer, not so much.
@@rileyroo220 yeh try to take it positively. Haha . Im sure thats hard actually. I
@@Nunya_Bidness_53I have never been served warm beer in my life and I am in my fifties
I emigrated to Canada from England 34 years ago. At my first job I kept saying, "Well, back in England we did this..." Finally someone said, "You're not in England now." It was politely stated, but the message was clear.
In America that would be considered a "hate crime". Dooooon't move here, it suuuuucks.
I did the same in Australia 22 years ago. Exact same thing.
I did this in Australia too. But in my part of Australia there are loads of British immigrants and we often get together to whinge about how poor the industry we work in is here. But we also say how bloody lucky we are to live here too. Being an immigrant is a constant contradiction.
@@danellis-jones1591 After 3 months my wife wanted to go home. I was lucky it was a British company and they sent me to the UK for training. We got off the plane, spent 10mins in Manchester, then she said "Okay, I've had enough, we can go back now..." Never looked back since. 😁
@@zhd-net You'd be a 'ping pong Pom' in Australia. Brits think Australia is the same as the UK but with sun and sharks. It's not. It's quite different. And so many disillusioned brits go back. Then find they can't stand it and come back to Australia.
I've got Aussie kids and an Aussie ex-wife, so I don't have the choice to try it back in Britain for another 5 years or so.
“Don’t move to leave your problems”. My family is my problem, USA is my problem. I’m definitely running 🤣 but I’ve always wanted to live in London since I was little.
London has a knife problem have u Heard of what happened to Tashan Daniel? Glad i live in some other place in the uk instead of London or Birmingham
EXACTLY
London is gorgeous tbh
@@padfoot3014 It’s still better than gun crime
Same my family is my problem so I’m running away from them. Moving to London.
I suffered badly from anxiety and my move to London helped me massively. I think the busy place constantly helps.
I bet your anxiety improved in leaps and bounds moving to London, it must be at least twice as bad as it was? What you need to quell anxiety is a nice relaxing time in the northern countryside.
@@clivewilliams3661 London is so busy, its not busy but northern coutryside is my end goal. My mental health has improved in London
@@stretfordender11 I was born in south London and moved north when quite young, with family in and around London you would have thought that I had some affinity with the place but I loath and detest it as it winds me up mercilessly for all sorts of reasons that would be seriously detriment to my mental and physical health. I have activity avoided commissions in London because of my loathing and only visit when I have little option. My opinion is based on my current existence in Midlands countryside that serves as an immediate comparison. I don't criticise others for the choice of where they live I just express my own thoughts as they apply to me.
I'm English, hate England's toilet that is London
@@clivewilliams3661 your wrong being busy can distract you as well, it may be hard at first but it will help eventually.
Regarding mental health things moving to a different country might actually help. Definitely helped me. There are a lot of external things(and people) that can contribute to your unhappiness.
So changing your environment might help. I still have anxiety and stuff but at least i don't hate the place and people that surround me. It's a big help.
I relocated within the UK partly for the sake of my mental health. A new environment can make all the difference.
That's fair!
I think it depends. Alot of people live their life trying to please others or live their life the way they think others want them to be. Moving away from home can make it easier to learn to be the person you want to be out of the spotlight of those that "know" you. It gives you a lot of freedom. But, a big BUT you do need to have a lot of inner strength which is not something others can easily help you with. From someone who has the experience I think it is a lot easier , in some ways, if you move to a country where English is not the main language as you kind of expect things to be a lot different so the culture shock is easier to accept. I personally love the "challenge" as it really helps you to grow as a person and recommend living elsewhere even if only for a short time as the experience stays with you for life.
@Nick : do you mind elaborating? What was your home country, where'd you move to, and what differences do you suspect were key to you becoming happier?
@@PoochieCollins I’m from Russia. Moved to Germany 3 years ago. But since I made this comment things changed and I’m actually moving to Canada very soon.
I just think that Russia is a pretty depressing place to live. Politics and economy are really bad. And overall I don’t like peoples mentality there.
As a Scot I have to envy those long , sunny English winters .
Superb comment
😂
Very funny.
Drive South for the winter.
@@mikegerrish3459 Oh , you English and your cars .
I'm an immigrant myself ( not in England) and I feel you always have to be twice as happy, twice as friendly, and help twice as readily. No one likes a grumpy foreigner
That's true!
Me too. I am English and have lived abroad (Turkey). A bright smile and a happy outlook on life goes a very long way to being accepted and making friends.
Wish some other groups had that mind set.
@@frederickwoof5785 : SHUT YA FACE! :-P
@@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM 😂
I am from the US, but have lived in England for over 20 years. I cried a lot my first year here. My thoughts before I came were "how different could it be? They speak English! It's just a different accent!" And I'd watched some British TV, so I thought I'd be fine with any dialect differences. I arrived in Yorkshire and the only person I could easily understand were my husband and MIL - and I know now that they were going out of their way so that I could understand. But I did a lot of nodding and agreeing that first year because it was like learning a new language - and it wasn't just English, or Yorkshire, but all of the dialects that belonged to everyone my husband knew. The difficulties communicating, the cultural differences, the dry humour, the new traditions, new weather, and being so far from my US family just overwhelmed me. The first year was especially hard as I was shy and introverted - I was afraid to admit I didn't understand. But it did help me come out of my shell and I did learn to laugh and say, "I have no idea what that means." Most people will be understanding and some even think it's cute that even after 20 years I'm still learning!
@ Ilene - my brother who is English is married to an American woman and moved to Ohio to be with her.
Before he moved to the US they used to FaceTime constantly.
On one occasion my SIL was telling my brother she was making biscuits and gravy for dinner. My brother said “that sounds disgusting, who would have gravy on their biscuits?”. My SIL said “well what do you have on your biscuits?” When my brother replied “chocolate “ she said “Eew that’s disgusting “. It took a little more conversation for them to realise the difference between biscuits and cookies 😊 Of course my brother absolutely loves biscuits and gravy now 😊
@@anneavenell3691 I had a similar experience when English friends wanted to know what the American fascination with peanut butter and jelly was. They thought we were putting gelatine/Jell-O/jelly not jam and some had tried it with gelatine and thought we were monsters. Lol
@ Ilene - I can understand that completely. It was only because I had a friend with family in the US ( this is back in the 70’s) that I found out that jelly is actually jam.
When I last visited my brother 18 months ago I set the dinner table and put out the salad dressings. My niece asked “who put the Mayo out?”. When I said I had she asked why. I explained because we were having salad to which she replied they only use Mayo on sandwiches and not as a salad dressing. That May have just been a family thing but every time I visit we come across things/sayings that are alien to each other. It’s quite good fun really.
As you said in your original post though, you don’t realise quite how different we are culturally until you come to live here or go to live in the US. My brother loves it there and obviously loves his family but he struggled for several years when he first moved there.
The funny thing is that the whole family and his workmates who previously had no knowledge of football (soccer as you’d call it) are all mad Liverpool fans now and can argue the offside rule like experts.😊
Your friends should come to America so you can get back at them. It's your turn to be proud of who you are.
You must not have read a lot growing up lol.
Was at college with an Aussi, "why do you always talk abou the weather? Its boring, weather isnt interesting" within 2 weeks he was talking about the weather
😂
You hear the word Australians,they think everyone, everything is bad,yet they live in the UK or America,go home.
@@judis6224 sorry I was back in the UK after decades living in Australia and was chatting to a local (no related) and asked the ultimate question. Why are your weatherman so poor at telling you the weather and what the weathers going to do on a daily basis and received the standard answer. It’s an island and therefore harder to predict the weather! My comeback was so is Australia and got this perplexed 🤔 look with no comeback like that correct? P.S. do you live in the south of the country? As I remember catching the bus to school in the morning in the dark and getting home just before dark (Midlands). Just one reason I’m now one of the 29% of Australians. P.P.S. Don’t use the word Expat unless you are being posted by your company overseas. It’s an elites term often used by “The Brits” even when they’re immigrants in another country, because they’re special an don’t want to be called an immigrant, just letting you know. However I agreed with most everything else you said, as someone who has immigrated myself it can be hard to just to fit in and you have to have drive and determination to mentally make it. NSW in Oz
@@judis6224 dont judge all of us like we're all the same. That shows a typical bias based on bs assumptions from only your experiences and what you may think to be the case is the whinging POM attitude brought to Australia, from the UK.
Us real Aussies don't like it either.
it is especially boring in Australia... sunny days every day..
Makes total sense. You can’t go to another country, and expect them to abide by your country’s standards. You have to learn the culture, and interact as the locals do.
The key point to bear in mind when moving anywhere is that things are very likely to be different to what one's used to. Better? perhaps. Worse? Maybe. Different, certainly. Accepting that makes things a lot easier. Even within the UK things differ. For example the process of buying a house/flat in Scotland is markedly different from the way of doing so in England. Asking about things usually gets a positive reaction.
Yes, your last point... don't be afraid to ask. Explain where you're from and just say it's different and you don't understand. Most people will be happy to help and in future will often ask if you're okay with something or invite you to come to them anytime with further questions. I certainly get a good feeling if I feel I've helped another person in some way.
Thanks for mentioning the importance of learning to do things solo. It's a good life skill to have in general, and I feel like a lot of people struggle with it. It might even make a good topic for a future video!
That's a great point!
So what you're saying is that you moved to the UK and you didn't expect the whole of the UK to change to suit you. Wow, that's refreshing. Thank you! You're most welcome here.
No, she didn't say that at all.
DO NOT put words into other peoples
mouths.
Why not? Megan Markle thought the UK would change to suit her.
@@Stoater1 Well if she doesn't agree with my paraphrasing then she is most welcome to correct me, and in that scenario I would certainly apologise for my misunderstanding whilst simultaneously expressing my disappointment.
Until then, I will continue to think that that was actually what she was saying, that her sentiments were admirable and that her behaviour was exemplary.
You're free to think less of her if you choose.
@@Stoater1 dude i think you missed the point of his comment. He was being ironic and sarcastic. Re read what he wrote.
@@leadoug1163 correct.
I moved from England to Scotland and the cultural differences took me by surprise. All UK countries are completely different
I love Scotland
I emigrated from Machester to Liverpool when i was 8. That was a culture shock.
I am Japanese who's been living in the States for 36 years & been knowing you guys are all different !! Welsh vs English vs Scotish vs Irish !! Lots of English people feel that there's not much difference, though Welsh / Scotish/ Irish don't feel the same !! Lol 👍💜🥁🐉🎤🎶💞
@@spark_6710I think Japan is better than the U.S., isn’t it?
@@Templar.Knight-Reaper ?? Regards to ...?
You forgot a sense of humour; because we take the piss out of everything, everyone & ourselves.
Especially ourselves!
That's why I love the place so much. Nothing's a bother, its cannon fodder for ridicule. 😁
... but not too much out of yourselves and certainly don't appreciate other people doing it to you.
@@timmurphy5541 Just, no
We are the only people who will introduce a friend with " This is Thomas , he's a knob " .
Alanna...'I'll never be British or English'...pours a cup of Yorkshire Tea, starts talking about the weather whilst checking out of the corner of her eye the dwindling stock of cider behind the TV....🤣🤣🤣
😂
And looking in the fridge to see if the store of strong cheddar needs topping up.
Saw the advert last night for S&M Cornish cruncher and immediately thought of Alanna.
Great advice from start to finish. I moved from England to Sweden 21 years ago so I have another piece of advice not covered in this video. Learn the language of the country your moving too. That may involve extended periods of feeling childish, ridiculous, lonely. In the end it is a must and will open many of the doors that were previously closed. Even if that's a slow, in my case 5 years, process. Also accept the new place as your home as quickly as possible but accept you will miss where you are from now and then. It doesn't feel like home at the start it feels like a visit. Then it gets difficult. Then hopefully it feels like home one day because that's what you need to be happy :)
Awww I'm from London and want to live in Sweden. I've been casually learning Swedish. Very happy to hear you made it :)
Hey! I live in the UK and my lifelong goal for a while has been to move to Sweden. It's super cool to find someone who's actually done it in the comments!
I live in Sweden and can’t wait to leave it. I’ve been wanting to move to England for a while now
Did you learn the language before or after moving to Sweden?
Canadians will always be welcome in the UK, be as Canadian as you like 👍🙂
As long as you do not support Canadian mining companies' notorious global activities, and the Athabasca tar sands ecocide. Canada is one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to its environmental record.
Not these days,hate tourists.
Love the canadians . Welcome always.
unless their last name is Bieber :P
But what if we bring hockey with us? :D
Alanna, you're a Commonwealth cousin, we love Canadians and we love you being here!!
Why don’t you love Eastern Europeans then?
Alanna: "...I'm never going to be British"
Also Alanna: "Yes, I'm going to talk about the weather again."
😂 Oops!
And Alanna is from one of southernmost areas of Canada.
@@robertewalt7789 Toronto is on the same latitude as Florence in Italy...
@@AdventuresAndNaps One of us, one of us, one of us.
😂😂😂
I've always liked it getting dark at 4pm for some weird reason. The opposite is worse if you go as far north as the Orkney islands because in the summer it may as well be 24 hour daylight. Blackout curtains essential!
I was so disappointed when moving away from the islands to the mainland for the first time and realising that there was so much pollution that I wouldn't see the starry black night skies anymore that I grew up with all the time.
While true that in summer time it rarely gets dark up north, during the winter it does actually get very dark for the most of the day, but if it's a clear night you'll be able to see the stars throughout the entire sky so clearly.
Also, probably one of the best places in the world to be when the Northern Lights happen, as the islands are small and the only thing on the horizon is the ocean - it's definitely breathtaking.
OP was correct about jobs though, but it's the same even for those who were born in the UK. There's always people looking to jump jobs when they're looking for a higher salary or more favourable hours (such as not working weekends), so when it comes to interviews - especially in places like London - you really have to go into it with a shark mentality and knock everyone else out of the running if you want to stand any chance of being considered.
@@jamescopeland8050
Yes. It’s a loss.
Try the Dark Sky Society who campaign to get dark night sky’s back. They have had quite a lot of success changing planning requirements for directed lighting.
02:23 Good for you, Alana. Far too many people seem to think that that old saw, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do!" doesn't apply to them. We're not expecting everyone to suddenly adopt cricket as their favourite game, to drink nothing but tea or to stand to attention every time they hear the National Anthem. However, we do and quite rightly expect people coming here to live to respect who we are and that we won't necessarily always agree with them and their opinions. If they accept those conditions, then nine times out of ten, they'll be welcomed and will very quickly be taken into the fold.
Unfortunately, I can only 'Like' this once but I'd hit that button loads of times if I could because, Alana, every sentence you spoke carries a ton of wisdom.
"We're not expecting everyone to suddenly adopt cricket as their favourite game." Why the hell not? Seriously, "When in Rome..." pretty much works. If things are different, ask about them; if they're better, such as Britain's world-renowned cuisine, say so.
If the British when they are abroad could behave the way they want foreigners to do so, the world would be a better place.
An other thing with "Rome", if Britain was Rome, today it has lost all its prestige.
This country is very very ill and is vomiting blood. British seems to blame everyone else about it, except themselves.
What a beautiful nation and great British values that has the highest level of children poverty in the western world, highest level of teenager self-harming, the worst Healthcare system, the highest number of homeless in North of Europe, the highest level of inequality (America is bearing us on that), the most inequal educational system, the highest level of suicide of men between 20 and 50 (it is the first cause of death for men of that group), the highest level of obesity, a country were loneliness have been declared national emergency (the story of that dad dying from a heart attack and his 3 years son starving to death on his laps),...
I need to stop here because I'm depressing myself.
Sorry I also forgot the "brain exodus" of highly qualified workers this last 2 years...
I mean we voted for having Boris Johnson to repsent us abroad! 😂
The empire is done, Great Britain is great only by name.
The saddest is that it seems like we are not done dismantling this country, WE proud and amazing British, want more! 😂
9 8:35 @@geoffpoole483
“ Nuair anns an Ròimh dèan mar a bhios na Ròmanaich” - “When in Rome , do as the Romans do”. That is what my Highland grannie told me as I boarded the train in Inverness for a new life in England. I hadn’t the heart to tell her that Rome is in Italy.
😂 Your nan was right!
As a Brit who moved to Belgium 12 years ago, I agree completely with your suggestions. You've got to have the right attitude and also be realistic.
It’s great to see you’re closing in on 100,000 subscribers 😊 I remember your channel at 25,000. Keep up 👍🏻
Thanks! 😃
I joined when there were 7k subs. She is improving 'ey.
@@greghilton7797 I think I joined at about 12k. I knew Alanna had what it takes to get to 100k and beyond.
Really? I thought it was just me and Alanna? :-)
As an Englishman born and bred I never realised I was so successful at overcoming this many daily obstacles. Thanks Alanna for making me feel so proud to have managed to succeed in such a hostile environment.
As always insightful, respectful and honest. Good on yer girl. It can't be easy living abroad missing family and having comfort things around you. But hopefully you have found us friendly, welcoming and always willing to help.
Thank you!!
It boils down to. "When in Rome, do as the Roman's do".
"When in Rome do like what the Romans does."
Unknown Englishman
Romans
@@timlewis5756 I was waiting for somebody to pick up on that, as soon as I hit return I realized my mistake.
But there's nothing so UN-English as adapting to your surroundings. They used to take pride in putting on dinner jackets at night in the jungle, and eating standard school dinners. I don't think the "expatriates" in Spain still "dress for dinner," but they do insist on an English lifestyle.
Yes. Romans do.
Great advice! I moved to California at age age 23 from NY City. I'd been to every state east of the Mississippi River (lots of road trips) and I thought this prepared me for life on the West Coast. It didn't. It took me 5 years to become acclimated and I lived in constant anxiety until I let go of my past. I've worked in four countries and traveled and visited 29, and my move helped me cope with different lifestyles. The advice you've given is advice I'd give anyone thinking of moving to a different environment or working in another country for an extended time. One cannot runaway from themselves and moving or changing relationships cannot make an unhappy person happy. Happiness and contentment come from within. When in another country no one cares how things are at home. Live in the present and don't compare
As an American living in Ireland, I second all of this!
Thank you so much! I hope to visit Ireland someday!
@@AdventuresAndNaps Different flavour of rain!
The weather does get you down, at least you can hop on a plane for 20quid and go to a hot country
Well not right now :D.
@@johnrodgers2018 Scotland!
You're so British now and I love it.
😂
There is a tinge in her accent but she’s still very much a Canadian.
I've found you here also
@@pokemonhunter8418 😁
@@lovelybitofbugle219 I think you're also so patriotic like me
it's like for example if you wanted to move somewhere like Spain. The locals would expect you to learn some of the basics of their language and to respect their customs and traditions.
Fear enough,do your research.
You say that but a lot of british that moved to Spain refused to learn Spanish
I had it on easy mode. Was born in Scotland, grew up in New Zealand, and hold dual citizenship, so I moved back to Scotland in late 2020 because the housing crisis and cost of living is really tearing NZ apart and young people like myself can't afford to start their lives. Even so, job-hunting is always soul-draining and competitive these days, especially with the impact of covid. Now that there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully next year will be better. My foreign qualifications on my CV probably give employers pause lol.
Heavily agree on your point about people glamourising other places. Regardless of where you live, everyone has to be responsible for their own happiness. Making friends, forming romantic relationships, developing interesting hobbies, and finding a job you at least don't hate - all of this requires constant work - there are no easy fixes. That said, I'd recommend everyone try living abroad for at least a few months, to broaden their horizons and gain new perspectives.
I once went from West Yorkshire to South Yorkshire for the day and I was out of my comfort zone. They are strange people over there in the deep south of Yorkshire.
😂
Isn’t it the same as Scotland?
@@stephenbarrett8861 what! No. I am talking of Yorkshire here, the home of God, the original garden of Eden. Try not to compare places where men where skirts with Yorkshire.
Dee daas 😂
I agree about the long winter nights but if we didn't have those we wouldn't have the long summer days which I think more than makes up for it. Coming home from work and still having so many hours of daylight left is like having extra time off work.
That's not how latitude works!
This was a bit like going back to your TH-cam roots, giving advice on moving here and all the trials and tribulations that brings. Nice one.
Cheers pal!
Well that's made my mind up stuff moving to England I'm staying in Wales 😁
I love that sign they used to have at the boarder. 'Keep Wales tidy throw your rubbish in England'
@@greghilton7797 charming.
Ah same
Lol
I live near the welsh border and for there all the time. I wish our roads were like the welsh ones.
The few weeks of dark winter are, for me, well compensated for by the weeks of extra long days of summertime, when the sun can rise at 4:00 AM and set at 10:00 PM - 18 hours of daylight.
Don’t lose your identity too much.
Also I think moving somewhere else can make you see your problems in perspective so it can actually help with personal problems.
In living abroad you strengthen your identity and become more aware of it.
Alanna, you are wise beyond your years! I love your insights into life here in the UK. It's great that you're willing to adapt, but please stay you!
Thank you so much!
@@AdventuresAndNaps You're welcome :-)
I'm moving to England from the US (Seattle), so my soul is prepared. I'm also moving to England on an HPI (High Potential Individual) Visa. I am wondering about the job search myself. And as an African American, I have to fight for everything, so fighting for a job should be a piece of cake. Wish me luck lads. :)
I recently got an offer from a university for a lecturer position and opted for the Skilled Worker Visa route because the Global Talent Visa route takes a few week longer and the time between the offer and proposed start date was only 4 weeks. Most stressful move of my life, but at least I had a job in hand rather than moving without a job nailed down. Down side is I can't renew my own visa like you can with the Global Talent Visa and I have to reside in the UK for 5 years to get Indefinite leave to Remain vs 3 on the GT visa.
Yes the winter days are short, and often overcast so that you feel cheated out of the eight hours of daylight there are, but once the clocks go forward it is joyous. It is only four weeks into BST and it is light until after 8.30pm. And, despite the UK's reputation for rain, we haven't had rain for what seems like weeks.
It's pissing down at the moment
Alas, I'm in the south and this was possibly the the worst May bank holiday weather I think I can remember
Luckily I live in SW England, where the winter is shorter but I do like cosying up by the fire with a book, Christmas celebrations, country walks where everything is shrouded in mist. I also like the summer, when you come home from work, then spend a couple of hours on the beach. It’s learning how to make the best of it.
I was a very young man when I lived in a small town in rural Germany. The first six months all I did was complain how it was not the USA. Once I embraced the German way of life, it changed me forever. We can learn so much being a foreigner in different country. That was 30 years ago and until the pandemic hit, I made sure to travel back to Europe (and/or the British Isles)
at least once a year for the past 15 years. Can't wait to get back across the pond. I have a trip to London booked for september. Hope Borris will let me in !
We're glad to have you here. I think you should have mentioned that you better not come to England if you don' t like; waiting in line, Tea, damp and talking about weather.
You're so right! 😂
11 Years living in London after moving from Hull and there are STILL aspects that grate me.
Loads of people online tell me how fucked up they get from the pollution, I've never had any trouble and I'm London native, did you?
@@lazlow9640 I’ve not been into the city since March ‘20 and I can tell my lungs are much better for it.
@@lazlow9640 NEVER and I lived on a major part of the Uxbridge Road the noise doesn't bother me either.
Come back to Yorkshire, Charlie.
The long winter nights give you a chance to sit round the log fire and dream of summer. And we are rewarded with long summer evenings where you can stay in the pub garden till 10pm. 8.30pm in April and just getting dark, what's not to love. Great video to point out moving isn't a magic solution to a better life.
Thank you!!
Spot on. So many of our immigrant communities seem to want to replicate their own country within ours and this inevitably leads to clashes....
Is this another way of saying that there are communities in England of racist bigots who want to take control of anyone who is perceived as being different?
Hello Alana. You are one very switched on practical and sensible person. Long my you continue to enjoy my country.
Thank you! 😃
So glad it's Tuesday, when the next @adventuresandnaps video is here to brighten this rainy day 😊
Yay! Thank you!
I'm English, born and bred! And find difficult to adapt to Modern Life, there are some things that I don't like about it. 🤔
Same. Always have been this way.
It's why I moved to France.
@@josephturner4047 I can't cope with modern technology. I've been spooked ever since colour TV was introduced. And as for my Walkman.....
The next generation of people are not as hard working as the middle age to pensioners. Who worked in factories and down the pit etc.
@@MoviesNGames007uk Not true.
For me it helped because I got away from narcissists and to genuine people- but it took awhile to accept that they were genuine.
I didn’t worry about American thanksgiving. Didn’t mind. Trying to say wee, loo, trousers etc.
Accepting Indian food over my beloved Mexican etc
How was the switch to Indian food? I do love Mexican food but I couldn't live without Indian food.
Genuine people?? British people are cold and unfriendly what are you talking about
Britain has plenty of Mexican food. Not nearly as much as the southern US, but it's not hard to find Mexican restaurants if that's your thing.
I watched your video just to practice listening to the language (you have great pronunciation) and I was also very surprised by the quality and maturity of your opinions and experience. Great work.
Us brits love our friends especially when they go away 🤣🤣
😮
For some reason this video reminded me of all the things that I like your channel for, including your super personable delivery and the way you say 'Ouwt'. It just did 👍👌🏼😉
Thank you!! This applies to anyone moving to any other country, but, I have seen so many people complaining about how the UK is wrong for being different to a home country! If you move countries, embrace the differences!! ❤
How about a 'Don't move to Canada if' that could be interesting :)
I've not been, but i plan to when travel picks up.
Hope you can visit Canada someday soon!
@@AdventuresAndNaps I need to know. Have you ever seen a Moose?
Mostly the same rules apply for moving anywhere....
@@roberttreborable I was thinking that likely the case. That said, maybe there's some odd elements of Canadian life i'm not aware of, and that Alanna could fill us in on. You never know :)
@@ruthfoley2580 Trust me, unless you move way up into the northern wilderness, you're about as likely to see a moose in Canadian cities as you are in London.
As a brit, I moved to London 10 years ago. I live alone, I now work remotely. It's real damn lonely. It's really expensive. Where ever you go, find people who interest you.
Thanks for the insight. I'm a Brit and love your perspectives!
Ahh thank you!!
Good points, and kudos for not letting your anxiety stop you from doing something challenging which you really want :)
Thank you so much!
Alanna:
While living in England, you are also living in the United Kingdom. What is your perception of the international relations between England and Scotland? Between England and Wales? England and Northern Ireland? What are the differences and samenesses (if that's a word) among these countries?
One thing Scotland and England have in common: depressing as fuck
@@finn4135 dude! Why is that?
@@nestorjrabalos1998 weather + the poorer areas. don’t get me wrong it’s an ok place, but, I’ve lived in the same depressing city for my whole life. I plan to move to America or Australia or maybe even up north in the highlands. Me and my girlfriend have both dreamed about getting out of the city and maybe even just up in the highlands with a nice cosy house. But I’m sure almost everyone hates the place they grew up in and wish to move away so I’m not the best person to judge haha.
@@finn4135 you live in Durham or other miserable towns in the North?
The winter darkness in England is nothing. I lived in Finland for awhile and in Helsinki during the winter it gets light at around 11:00 and gets dark at around 14:00.
:O
Solid advice. As a teenager I moved from England to Wales, and I was completely unwilling to adapt and assimilate. As a result I had a miserable time and no one liked me. Eventually I snapped out of my superiority complex, and things have been much better since. I'd guess this would apply even more for people coming from abroad.
I’ve lived in both England and Wales (currently in Wales, where my family’s from). The vast majority of Welsh people don’t dislike English people, they just dislike people who aren’t willing to become part of the local community - it’s the same everywhere. The reverse is true, by the way, if you move to England from Wales. Depending on where you live in Wales, it helps if you speak Welsh - I can speak it (not fluently, but OK), and use it occasionally. Some English people will tell you that Welsh people only speak Welsh so that they can say things about you behind their back. Not true - those English people are just being paranoid, lol.
The motto is the same it seems wherever you go, wherever you come from. Just be a good person... I really don’t think it can get much more complicated than that!
I’ve dreamed of moving to the uk because I want my home to be in England and my holidays seeing other countries. I’m Italian and other stuff by genetics so I’d like to learn about my history and culture. I also grew up traveling and am very adaptive. I want to get a good job, support myself as a good citizen and to explore when I can.
When you are talking about the times of sunrise and sunset it would be good to mention that London, UK is 51.5° N latitude and Moosonee, ON (Canada) is 51.2° N latitude.
That's not a big difference, how come?
@@sydneyliu4825 Because Canada is MASSIVE. It's most southern point is further south than Boston and Alert in Nunavut is (at least according to Wikipedia - so take it with a grain of salt) the "the northernmost continuously inhabited place in the world ... at latitude 82°30'05" north, 817 kilometres (508 mi) from the North Pole."
As a born and bred Englishman I've always been curious as to why people from large countries with fantastic scenery chose to come to this poky little island where you can drive from one end to the other in a day
I think Alana's situation is quite unique. From what I've observed, the immigration pattern is generally from the UK to Canada, or Australia, rather than the reverse.
speaking as someone from one of those large countries, I will tell you my reasons: The Pubs, The history, The architecture, Public transport, did I mention the Pubs? 🤓
@@edwardthejust4452 lol.......Pubs are good :-)
@@edwardthejust4452 Fair enough. I'm only saying that the immigration flow is, and has been for decades, heavily weighted towards people from the UK emigrating to Canada, Australia, etc., rather than the reverse. I'm not saying that nobody from Canada or Australia ever move to the OK, only that for every one of those individuals, there's many more going the other way.
England is absolutely bangin’ beautiful. Top tier. Ok no mountains but mu god some counties are just glorious
"I'm never going to be British"
Complains solidly about Britain for 10 minutes.
Our baby girl is all grown up. So proud 🥰
good advise from a person from Canada a country we British love god bless
I'm Japanese.
i watch your channel almos everyday in order to acquire better English skils! Your channel is very helpfull and fun!
Thanks!
Ironically enough, I'd actually prefer to move to Canada. I've heard really great things and that's excluding the universal health care system. Some of my favorite comedians are Canadian (Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Leslie Neilsen, Tom Green, Rick Moranis, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Norm McDonald...etc.) and I've been enjoying The Kids In The Hall for nearly 25 years now. Watching TKITH helped me learn more about Canadian culture, land marks and the beautiful outdoor sites it has to offer. I've always been more comfortable in cooler climates than warmer climates so that's another upside. Although it may be somewhat of an adjustment as I've lived in Southern California my whole life, but I have family near Denver Colorado so I'm not a complete stranger to temperatures ranging below 0° during winter. I just discovered your channel today so I'm unsure if u have any vids regarding Canadian life so I'll browse around. I too agree that England does seem like an interesting place and I hope to visit there someday. Mexico is the only place I've been that's outside the U.S.
I'm moving back to the UK in October. I grew up there.
Again - a perfect video! Hope your having a brilliant Tuesday as well Alanna!
Thank you so much!
Not to mention that you get free healthcare so u don’t need like £5k on your card when you break your leg and the fast food portions are smaller, people swear ALOT and throw insults ALOT and the roads are filled with dangerous drivers and that there are pubs EVERYWHERE.
Have seen some of your other stuff and find it very real and balanced fun. I moved to England more than 50 years ago and settled in Whitstable. I only just watched this one and even with my long expat experience all elements of it still ring absolutely true. With a long term Welsh/English partner two grown children and three grandchildren I am still viewed as the Canadian guy. Generally kindly if patronisingly so and sometimes less kindly but what the “heck” it worked out fine for me. My experience says “go for it”.
As a non English speaking person, I would like to add (unless you see it as an obvious part of 'assimilating'): don't move to England, or any other foreign country, if you're not willing to learn the language. Groeten uit Nederland!
I want to move to the Netherlands so bad but i don't know much Dutch
@@desireandfire duo
Dank je wel x
Sometimes it's the little things, like the American student I worked with in London saying how she pulled her boyfriend back when he went to cross the road before the green man was lit up.
The boyfriend is an amateur Brit for crossing at the lights in the first place.
3:40 it doesn't matter, your "passport" or "citizenship" doesn't matter, all matters is You as a human, this is what you can and should always try to be. Good luck
Depends where in the States you're from. Generally East coasters find the adjustment easier than West/Mid westerners. The attitude here is very Boston/New York/Detroit. Self depreciating, down to earth, no nonsense.
Excellent video, Alanna. These are words of wisdom, founded upon personal experience.
We need you, Alanna. You raise our national averages of niceness, gentleness, and intelligence.
Very many good wishes to you for your future life here.
Alanna, thanks for the "heads up". I would be okay because I have always stuck with the adage "when in Rome do as the Romans do" or in your case "when in England do as the English do". Whenever I have travelled I will immerse myself in a culture and check it out. Thanks for the video. You always hold my attention.
Love that!
Sorry but i just cannot help it but the first thing i do when i watch your posts from home is what can i see under the sofa 😉 enjoyable post again 👍
Thank you for addressing the elephant in the room. I couldn't agree more. I can't tell you how many times I heard - "You are so different from other American's I've met (or worked with)."
Thanks for watching!
I've never seen a video like this! It seems to be VERY helpful insight to help manage expectations and give a real perspective into what this life transition could look like! Great content topic! Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The part where you said it’s hard to get a job in the UK, I really needed to hear that. Thank you. New subscriber here 🙏🏾
Wait but, you're Canadian... I have lived in Canada (Quebec) and the getting dark at 4pm also happens there! I'd assume it's the same in Ontario though because both provinces are next to each other... Was it still like a shock for you? Or what was different?!
YAY! My favorite Alanna!!!!
☺️
@@AdventuresAndNaps Wooooooo 😊
I am so excited that by next week you'll probably have that shiny youtube plaque!
Ooh don't know about that - someday, I hope!
All of this sounds like stuff I’m expecting and excited for so now i’m EXTRA excited!
The job thing, It's not just because your foreign, I have a very wide experience of engineering, and was made redundant six years ago. I have had one temporary job which lasted two weeks, and one interview in all that time, I even went back to college for some qualifications, still nothing. I'm 57 coming to near the end of my life savings. But that just means that I will be able to sign up for some state benefits soon, which won't be enough to keep a roof over my head, even if I starve myself.
I take pride whenever I go to America to specifically highlight how much better our health service is.
This comment reads like it's 2 years old
😂
Well based on your Twitch streams, you definitely enjoy colourful language, so that's a bonus for living in the UK.
I'd love to live in the scenic English countryside, in an antique cottage with an established flower garden, near a quaint village, not far from an ancient market town. I'd also like heat vision and some working web-shooters 😆😆😆
😂😂😂😂
I am a Canadian who fell in love with a man from England, 5 years ago. We want to get married, we've been traveling back and forth. Now, we're on to the paper work. Is there any advice you can give me? The paperwork looks so daunting...
I just Moved to England on a Spouse Visa From Texas, I needed this, Thank you for this Video!!!
Maybe you could do a compilation video of your early times here when you weren’t sure if you could last the first few months and how, now, you’ve acclimatised so well.
Thank you so much for making this video! i want to move to Canada but this video is still really helpful for me! I've been looking into moving country a lot, but i have anxiety so it can seem scary! But you and your videos genuinely make me feel more confident about moving to a different country! Thank you so much! This video was so good! I really appreciate all of your videos!
Ahh thank you Aaron!!
Hey Alanna!
Another great vid 👍🏻
Yay, thank you!
@@AdventuresAndNaps Anytime! Great insights as usual 😀
The thing about weather and the darkness is that it shapes the culture more than you realise. The pessimism, cynicism, even manic depression... all influenced by the dark, cold, dank rainy days that are a constant most of the year - occasionally giving way to a 3 week heat wave where everyone goes completely mental before the rain returns.
I’m English but lived 16 years away from UK (Spain and UAE), so going back to London in two weeks, but I think this advice applies.