Exclusive:
I moved to London from Barcelona at the age of 14, and after 10 years living in this country, I’ve noticed many differences – and it isn’t just the weather
As a teenager who loved going out with friends, moving to a country where a different language is spoken wasn’t on my bingo card – as my generation would say. A decade ago this is exactly what happened – my parents decided to make the big move. Not only did I not like the fact that my life was about to change so drastically, but I also didn’t want to have to adapt to living in a new place, starting from scratch and learning a new language on top of that.
Funny enough, Spain has seen a spike in foreigners moving there due to the Spanish lifestyle, and statistically, it has been proven that people are much happier there. The locals may love it or hate it, but who am I to judge? As I’ve been going on holidays to Spain over the past decade, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of English speakers in Barcelona – and my friends are being forced to learn the language to communicate with them… Isn’t that so funny?
A decade later, and now much older, I’ve realised that it was probably the best decision my parents made. Not only have I made really good friends, but I’m also able to travel to different places around the world – including a minimum of three trips to Barcelona each year. Still, there are many things that, although I’ve learned to adapt to, I still believe don’t make sense.
Long commutes
Because London is so big, every time I make plans with my friends, I have to make a three-hour window to get ready and travel to the place where I’m meeting them. Even now, I find it hilarious that it can take me up to two hours to get from west London to east London by public transport. If I travelled for two hours from Barcelona, I could be in Valencia, which is a completely different city. Though it’s become a normal struggle, if I had a pound for every time my friends and family who have visited me have complained about the long travel times, I’d be a millionaire.
After-work hours
Another thing about London being so big is what there is to do after you’ve finished your shift. What I love about Barcelona, well, Spain in general, and even European culture, is that you can meet up with friends after work for dinner or drinks. But because it takes so long to travel back home from work, is it really worth going out and returning at midnight when you’ve got a 9am shift the next day, especially considering you’ll waste around three hours travelling? I suppose if we take into account the size difference between London and Barcelona, it does make sense. But still, I’ve come to realise that London is all about work, home, work, home.
Nightlife
British nightlife and European nightlife are two different worlds, which is why I now understand why Brits love going out abroad. In Spain, nightlife lasts until 6am, and although the doors open at the standard 10pm, you’ll never see Europeans turning up before 2am. In London, the night ends at 3am, but for us, that’s when it’s just getting started! The atmosphere is also very different. Despite London being a multicultural city, I’m sorry to say I could count on one hand the number of times I’ve had fun in London. The music, socialising, cheap drinks, and, again, the atmosphere, are just on another level.
‘Lovely’ weather
One thing everyone can agree on is that the weather in the United Kingdom is unique, to say it in a nice way. But I have to admit, it doesn’t rain every single day like some people claim. However, the sun – where is it?
Summer in London lasts about a week, the daylight is probably one of the shortest in the world (or at least it feels that way), and the winter is just too much to handle – who wears a jacket in June? Losing my tan in London has been one of the saddest things I could say about living here, which is why I’ll never say no to going abroad, even if it’s just for a day.
It’s so expensive!
Living in London is so expensive – just breathing costs money. Eating out, public transport, rent, a day out with friends – it’s all so costly. Why does a vodka with Red Bull cost me £15? Why is a pack of cigarettes £15.99 or more? Why does a taxi ride from Central London to my house cost £60 when it’s only a 30-minute drive? Why does London have the most expensive public transport in the world? It doesn’t make sense, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that.
Although salaries are quite high compared to those in Spain, most of the money goes towards bills, leaving very little to enjoy ourselves. But with my 25-year-old mindset, what’s the point of working so much if I barely have time to enjoy it and how can I do it without breaking the bank?
Now that I’ve been living in London for quite some time, I can say that I do love the city, and being here has changed my life for the better. Sometimes, I wish I could enjoy my youth more but living abroad has its pros and cons.
