Is the UK actually good for foreigners?

After seven years living in a small town outside London, I was thinking about whether the UK was actually good for someone like me, a Canadian who had moved here. A day in London seemed like a chance to show some of that life. I had an appointment, a laptop and a book to pack, and rain to contend with before I’d even left home.

Most days, though, I worked at my desk. I didn’t go into an office anymore, and I’d never imagined having a job like that. This was an outing because I was actually leaving the house. Later, while editing the footage, that distinction became the thing I wanted to talk about.

Two hours to London for an appointment

A month earlier, I’d had laser eye surgery in London, and this trip was for a check-up. I expected the appointment might take about half an hour, while getting there was going to take two hours. I packed the laptop because I thought I could do some work while I was in the city and make the journey worthwhile.

For that particular trip, the high-speed train cost me about £25, which I thought was for the return. I’d used a railcard and felt it made a difference. I thought the fare was reasonable, even if the time involved for a short appointment was annoying. I also had to take the Tube once I got into London.

I had sold my car at the beginning of the pandemic and was travelling by public transport. I stressed about missing trains, so I was dressed and ready long before I needed to be. There I was, standing around worrying about an ordinary journey. Eventually I set off for the station in the rain.

Coffee, a cinnamon roll and no work

I got into London fine, and the appointment at the clinic on Harley Street went well. I was pleased with how my eyes were doing. The clinic didn’t want to see me again until my final check-up eleven months later, which meant I wouldn’t need another appointment there until the following year.

On my way to a cafe, I stopped for a seat in some gardens. I loved finding those little pockets of greenery in such a large city. The benches were mostly full of people taking breaks, having coffee or a smoke away from work. It was a nice place to pause, although I was also hungry and wanted a pastry and a big coffee.

At the Monocle Cafe, I had a giant cinnamon roll and a coffee, and did some reading. Did I do any work? No. I’d carried the laptop around with me, but that was the extent of its contribution to the day.

Afterwards, I met a friend for fish and chips at a pub. Neither of us lived in London, but she was working in the city and we’d ended up about two blocks from each other. We had a lovely catch-up and lunch, with the rain coming and going. Doing no work meant I’d have more to do that evening or the next day, but I’d enjoyed myself.

I like visiting London and coming home

I was grateful I lived close enough to get into London reasonably easily. I didn’t want to live there, though. It was too loud and there were too many people for me. I needed the countryside, and the small towns and villages were the places I preferred.

On the way home, I ran for my train and caught it, so at least the running was justified. Back at home, I was exhausted. I’d had a successful check-up, seen a friend and eaten an enormous lunch. As a Canadian, the idea that I could simply go to London and come home again still struck me. I didn’t want to take that for granted, even though I knew city life wasn’t for me.

Living abroad still means working

While editing the London footage, I thought “living abroad” could be a misleading phrase. I spent so much of my time working that “working abroad” seemed more accurate. A London excursion was enjoyable, but my usual day was at home, finishing work and getting hungry for dinner.

I thought the UK offered a better work-life balance than Canada, while knowing every job here wouldn’t be better or perfect. I’d also been feeling a bit depressed lately. I saw living and working abroad as a privilege, but that didn’t make life perfect or mean personal struggles disappeared. On the working day when I recorded those thoughts, I felt better. I’d made a plan and got a lot done.

It would have been cheaper for me to stay in Canada. I’d spent a lot for the chance to live and work here, and at that point I still had more visa costs ahead. I loved England and liked my working life here, alongside those costs and the ordinary days at my desk.

A lot of my life was boring, but peaceful, and I liked that. I was ready to put my pyjamas on, make dinner and curl up on the couch, perhaps with Animal Crossing or a movie before an early night. The day out mattered to me, and so did that quiet evening at home.

Watch my London day out and thoughts on living in England.