Moving to another country, there are bound to be a few occasions when things don’t run quite as smoothly as you’d planned. Whether it’s due to a cultural misunderstanding, the language barrier or feeling totally baffled by the local supermarket – we’ve all been there! Here are three migrants who found exactly that on their adventures to the UK… see how many you can relate to!
Aarti
Aarti moved to the UK from Mumbai in 2008 to attend University in London. But coming to the UK from a warm, bright, and sun-filled country was not so easy as it seemed. The dark skies, cold mornings, and the local food took a LOT of getting used to.
It wasn’t until she visited her first English pub that she realised how very far from home she really was…
‘Fish and chips’
‘Bangers and mash’
‘Toad in the Hole’
And a ‘Full English Breakfast’?!
All she wanted was some Vada Pav and cutting chai!
Ten years on and while it’s still hard to get out of bed in the winter, she loves London as her second home. Thanks to Lebara’s All in One plans with unlimited international calls and loads of data, she’s able to call and message home whenever she likes. Even if it’s just to get her mum to talk her through her Chicken Biryani recipe for the thousandth time, or to post proud #Foodstagram pictures of her newly-mastered mashed potato!
Check out the All In One deal Aarti uses here: https://mobile.lebara.com/gb/en/all-in-one-plans/c/payg-all-in-one
Andreea
Andreea arrived at Gatwick airport in 2010 from her home in Sibiu, Romania, with one suitcase and a dream to live in the big city for a few years. She wanted to work, study and experience the cultural diversity of London. A qualified nurse, she thought she would easily embrace the pulse of this thriving global city.
But adapting to life in the capital was hard in the beginning. The London transport system was a complicated maze of tube lines with sometimes bizarrely named stations that had no link to the area they were situated in. After getting lost several times, she quickly learned that:
- There is no elephant or castle, in Elephant & Castle.
- Likewise, there are no sheep and hardly any bushes in Shepherd’s Bush.
- Finchley Road is NOT in the same place as Finchley, Barnet. In fact they’re very far apart (she learnt that one the hard way).
Thanks to her Lebara All In One plan, Andreea is now a pro at navigating the Tube. She’s got tonnes of data on hand for accessing all the London transport apps she could ever need. Now, she even knows shortcuts to the 150 stairs when the escalators break down. And on the odd occasion when she does get lost, or city life gets too much, she’s got all the minutes she needs to catch up with friends and family back home.
You can find Andreea’s perfect All In One plan, here: https://mobile.lebara.com/gb/en/all-in-one-plans/c/payg-all-in-one
Maciek
When Maciek decided to leave his home in Konin for the UK, his family and friends said he’d be missing out on so much at home, but his mind was made up! He chose London for its culture and diversity and to meet people from around the world. From the languages heard on the street to the products in store, suddenly life held a new surprise for him each day.
His English was pretty good – so he thought – but he hadn’t accounted for the range in British accents! Yorkshire, Newcastle, Birmingham, Scotland – how could they all sound SO different? And then there were the slang words that they don’t teach you on language learning apps. He had to learn quickly that a ‘cuppa’ means a cup of tea, that a ‘fiver’ means five British pounds and don’t even get him started on the time the lady at the local supermarket checkout called him ‘pet’ – he was confused for weeks (and still is a bit).
Granted, it took a little longer than expected to master the British language, but now he reckons he does a pretty good London accent – something his family find hilarious when he video calls home. And thanks to his Lebara All In One plan, he’s been able to keep up with all the family news in Konin – including his sister’s engagement and his dad’s live football commentary!
Find Maciek’s favourite All In One plan, here: https://mobile.lebara.com/gb/en/all-in-one-plans/c/payg-all-in-one
Got any funny migrant stories of your own since moving to the UK? Let us know your stories by tweeting us @lebara #HelloHome #HelloWorld!
