Moving to England – Take Two!
Hey there!
Remember I told you recently that I got into grad school? Well, guess what, I’ll be leaving for England in January to start that journey.
Yes, doing this again feels a bit surreal, but since I’ve done it before, I’m kind of planning this better than the last time.
A little flashback here. Back in 2010-11, I lived in South Yorkshire to complete my MA in Sheffield. That was without proper planning, plus I made some not-so-good financial decisions which left me broke and put me in debt.
During that time, I basically didn’t do anything fun that costs money. I lived all by myself and didn’t really make friends apart from my four classmates, whom I’m excited to possibly meet again. I hardly explored outside England, and let’s just say it was nothing like I’m planning to do this time.
Now, I have enough savings to cover my tuition and some stable freelance work. I even hope to reduce costs by teaching at the school after my first year.
The catch here is I’m moving to London this time, which is far more expensive than Sheffield. However, things are a bit simpler now with the advanced tech – It’s possible to work online conveniently and managing an international bank account isn’t a hurdle anymore. I’ve even managed to set up a Wire account which will make renting a place and managing cell payments easier in London.
The plan is to live in postgraduate campus housing initially to get more involved with the campus community. However, if that doesn’t work out, I might look for roommates. It seems more sensible to start with cheap housing options, and maybe move to my own place when I know my finances are stable.
This time, I plan on setting down roots because I’ll be staying for around three to four years, not just the one like last time. I’m over the rush of my mid-twenties and have adopted a new mindset – to try and enjoy the journey.
I’m also pretty excited to meet some old acquaintances and a friend who is coming to London next February.
Since you guys have given such good advice before, I’d appreciate any tips from you especially from those who moved from the US to UK recently. Got any recommendations for frugal-friendly places in London? Is it better to bring certain things from the US, or should I buy them there? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!