I’ve been living in London for over a year now, after moving out of my parents house in the countryside. There are some things that I miss about living further up north and some things that I really don’t. It isn't really until I take a break from London that I realise just how different life in the big smoke really is.
I spent the most part of my childhood living in a small village called Holmes Chapel. Although I visited Manchester a lot of the time, as it was only a short train ride away, London was a bit of a culture shock for me. Everything is just so much bigger, louder and fast paced..which can definitely be a bit overwhelming.
As a country boy moving to the big city there were some facts about London that I picked up on pretty quickly. As I’ve been living here for over a year now I thought it would be funny to look back on some of my first thoughts when moving here. Which I’m sure anyone else new to London can relate to.
1.
WHY IS EVERYTHING SO
EXPENSIVE?
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Seriously everything up north is so much cheaper. The housing, eating out, going to the cinema, everything seems to cost so much more in London. It can even cost more than £5.00 for a beer.
2.
WHY DOES NOBODY TALK?
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Why does nobody talk to each other? I grew up in a village where everyone spoke to each other, it didn’t matter if it was a stranger or friend. When walking past someone I’d always smile, say hello and wish them a good morning...which is completely normal up north. If I did this in London I would probably get some strange looks as everyone kind of keeps to themselves.
3.
I NEVER KNEW IT COULD BE THIS EASY TO GET ANYWHERE.
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For someone like me who hasn’t learnt to drive yet, London public transport is literally a lifesaver. It wasn’t until I stayed with my parents that I realised just how easy it is to travel from place to place in London. There is no train station in walking distance of my parents house and the buses only run every hour, making it really difficult to do….well, anything.
4.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO, BUT WHERE DO I START?
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London always has something going on. There’s always new events, cool new bars and places to visit, but it can almost be too much. It’s impossible to do everything, but I’m also the kind of person that doesn't like to miss out on anything. It’s good to know that there is always something to do to pass the boredom.
5.
I MISS NORTHERN AIR.
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Air pollution is a big problem in London. The air up north just seems so much fresher and cleaner. Although it does sometimes have that farm smell that I’m not too fond of either.
6.
EVERYONE SOUNDS SO WELL
SPOKEN.
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I spent the first part of my childhood living down south in West Sussex and moved up North when I was eight, so I never really considered myself to sound particularly Northern….that was until I moved to London. Everyone is so much more well spoken and my southern friends often find it funny to mimic my accent. When I go back home my northern friends think I sound so much more southern since I moved. I can’t really win, and don’t even give me started on the whole dinner and tea debate.
7.
THE WEATHER IS SO MUCH BETTER DOWN HERE.
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I always thought England was a very wet country because it always seemed to rain when I grew up in the North. The weather is so much dryer and hotter in London during the summer.
8.
THERE'S TOO MUCH FOOD
FOR CHOICE.
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In the village where I grew up there weren’t many options when it came to eating out. There were a few pubs and some takeaways but nothing too special. In London there are loads of new and exciting places to try all within walking distance of each other. I have tried so many new things when living in London, and with so much choice it sometimes makes choosing where to eat incredibly difficult.
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