Moving to London as a Canadian: Emily Houghton

Moving to London from Canada

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What made you want to move to London from Canada?

I finished my Master’s degree in International Business in the Spring of 2020 and I started looking for work knowing that I was keen to move abroad and work for a global firm. I got a job at an education technology company in London and made my move to the UK right after that.  
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Had you been to London before moving?

I had been once before on a trip when I was in high school. I loved London but I never thought that I would actually live here one day.
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What was the hardest part about your moving to London journey?

The hardest part of my London journey was sorting out my visa. I moved on the Youth Mobility visa which is typically a very easy visa to move on but because it was the middle of the pandemic everything had an additional layer of complexity with visa offices being closed etc.
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Were you prepared and organised or did you wing it?

I was prepared and organised with as much as I could think of but there were definitely things that I didn’t know I should have sorted earlier until I actually made it to London.
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What part of your move would you have done differently?

I wish I had done a bit more research on neighbourhoods to live in when I first moved.  I found a nice flat that was close to my office at the time but the neighbourhood was much more residential than I was hoping for. I wanted to live somewhere with great restaurants, pubs, cafes and just a general buzz. I eventually moved to Islington which I absolutely love now but I think I prioritized being super close to work a little too much. It’s so easy to get everywhere in London and I didn’t really realise just how easy until I moved here.
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What’s one piece of advice would you give to others moving to London?

Do your research on what’s most important to you in terms of where you want to live and have a good idea of your budget going in. Having a good sense of your non-negotiable things and how much you want to spend will help you navigate London’s crazy housing market a little bit more easily.

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Life in London

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How long did it take you to feel settled in London?

I had a bit of a weird transition because I moved during the pandemic so I would say it took me about a year to feel fully settled.
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What’s it like living in London now that you’re settled?

It’s amazing! London is an incredibly vibrant, fun and global city that offers so many unique experiences.
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What’s your favourite area of London?

My favourite area is Islington but I’m probably biased because that’s where I live at the moment.
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What’s your favourite thing to do in London?

I love taking advantage of the amazing green spaces the city has to offer, exploring local markets, trying fun restaurants and going to the pub.
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What’s surprised you most about living in London?

I knew it would be relatively easy to get around in London but the underground system still amazes me. Considering how old most of it is, it is a really cool piece of infrastructure that allows you to get across London, which is absolutely enormous, in no time.
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What’s your least favourite thing about living abroad in London?

I’m from a really small town in Canada so I’m used to everyone being very friendly and strangers talking to each other all the time. Living in a big city like London it isn’t like that at all and sometimes I miss how friendly people are back home.

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20 this or that questions

Fish and chips or Sunday roast?

Sunday roast. The Pig and Butcher in Islington does a great one.  
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North, South, East or West London?

North London
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Soho or Shoreditch?

Shoreditch
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Pub or club?

Pub
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Marmite or marmalade?

Neither 😂
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West End theatre or Premier League football?

West End Theatre
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Day out exploring or night out partying?

Day out exploring
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Tube or Bus?

Bus. I love to sit on the top level to get great views of the city.
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Pint or cocktail?

Pint
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Tesco or Sainsburys?

Tesco. Tesco Clubcard is the best thing ever.
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Borough Market or Brick Lane?

Borough Market. So many yummy food places to try!
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Hyde Park or Regents Park?

Regents Park. Primrose Hill is just above the park and has an iconic view of London’s skyline.
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British Museum or Natural History Museum?

Natural History Museum 🦕
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Old pub or fancy club?

Old pub
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London summertime or London Christmas?

London summertime. There is nothing better than London in the summer ☀️
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Oxford Street or Carnaby Street?

Carnaby Street. Oxford Street is always a bit too busy for me.
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Big Ben or St Paul’s cathedral?

Big Ben.
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Weekend in Europe or weekend in the UK?

Weekend in Europe. Who doesn’t like a proper escape from rainy London? You can get really cheap flights to Europe from London and it’s pretty easy to get to any of the airports from the city.

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Harry Potter or James Bond?

Harry Potter. Would 100% recommend checking out the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio in Watford. It’s amazing!  
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Sausage roll or Scotch egg?

Sausage roll but I’m a big a fan of the veggie ones most places have.

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