Any advice on moving to london?

Question

i live in new york at the moment and im moving to london in august because im starting school. i want to know everything there is too know about adjusting to life in london please if anyone has some advice or even some personal experience please let me know. and also answer any of these questions if u can:

what should i pack. i already know an umbrella, jacket and boots..but should i pack lightly but i also dont want to spend

alot of money on cloths..

how is home stay? is it better or cheaper?

how are Hispanics and Americans treated over there?

and plz do not give me a stupid answer to not go..my desicion is final...my ticket is bought and tuition is paid..

Answer 1

CONTRARY TO BELIEF IT DOSENT RAIN HERE ALL THE TIME COLD IN WINTER OBVIOUSLY, SIMILAR TO NEW YORKS WEATHER

WHAT IS HOME STAY?

EVERYBODY IS WELCOME IN LONDON

JUST BRING PLENTY OF MONEY VERY EXPENSIVE HERE AND WELCOME TO THE CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE

Answer 2

London can be a really fun place to live, but remember that it is a very different culture there.  It may seem like a generalisation, but people can get really grumpy with bad weather. I come from Australia so I felt a big difference in attitudes. The friends that I made were awesom, though, so just be yourself and, like any city, you will find people who fit in with your needs.  Just be open and willing to try new things.  Immerse yourself in the local culture.

If you want to shop, there are plenty of places to do it, whether you go out into the suburbs to the malls, or go to central London and walk around Covent Garden, Regent Street and Oxford Street.  You can also try a 'disposable fashion' store like Primark that sells copies of the labels launched around a week or 2 after them.

Umbrellas are handy, but I suggest a weather proof/resistant jacket with a hood as well.  If it has a (fake) fur trim this also helps to keep snow/sleet/rain out of your eyes.  I found it useful.

When I lived in London I socialised mainly with the Latin community.  Different countries have different community centres (not sure what your background is) where you can meet people.  If you are into Latin dancing (mainly salsa, merengue, bachata etc) there are a number of different nightclubs where you will meet a lot of the Latin community.  The good clubs change often as one becomes fashionable.  My favourite was Fiest Havana - http://www.fiestahavana.com . Elephant and Castle is a good area to get Latin music and food and you can pick up one of the 2 free Latin newspapers in many of the stores there.

You won't find yourself discriminated against as London is full of people not from England.  

Homestay can be good as it will give you some security in the beginning and save you buying a few things, but it is good to get into a place that has less rules if you can.  Perhaps stay there first until you are more comfortable with your move and know which area you want to live in.

If you can stay in share accommodation it will be helpful as you will meet other people in the same situation as you.  I always prefer no more than 3 in a house as otherwise it can get a bit crazy!

Try to live in an area that is not too far from Central London.  I wouldn't go more than 3 zones from the centre.

To set yourself up with things for your room, go to Primark or Argos.  Primark is a big store that is cheap and has some homewares as well in some of the stores and Argos is an awesome place where you look through a catalog, write down what you want, then someone will go to the warehouse and bring it all to you.

Best bit of advice.... Get yourself an Oyster Card (travel card) and use the tube and buses to get around.  Walk around areas that are off the beaten track a bit (obviously being safe!) and you will get an experience that you won't forget!

Enjoy!