Finding Your Way

Author: peteranders85e15bd358

  • UK Weather Patterns: When and Where It Snows

    The joys of weather in the UK

    One of the questions I often get asked about moving to the UK is the weather here. “Doesn’t it just rain there all day”? And the answer to that question is: well, kinda. It rains the same way that it rains in most places despite the reputation the UK has developed as always being “rainy”, it depends on where you are in the UK also.

    But that leads to the second question of when and where does it actually snow in the UK? Well, in terms of the countries in the United Kingdom, Scotland is where you are most likely to find snow. This perhaps is not the biggest surprise , as it is the more mountainous region of the UK. Cairngorm National Park in particular is where in Scotland you are more likely to find snow.

    Other places in the UK also get snow and cold weather, especially in the Northern parts of England. And last winter in Wales, it did in fact snow for the first time in awhile and some of the public services like busses and trains did not handle it the best.

    Arguably I wrote this post in order to try to dispel some of the common perceptions about weather in the UK. Hardly the most pressing topic and I will write more long form ones, including the previously promised post explaining Northern Ireland in the context of the UK and history and what it means today to someone who is not from the UK, but I figured this would be a good post to tide things over till then.

    Does it rain as much as people joke about in the UK? Yes, but it sometimes snows too.

  • Adjusting to UK Time Zones: My Sleep Struggles

    This is one of the biggest problems I had when I first arrived to the UK is the time zone difference. Having a 12 hour time zone difference from where I came from took weeks to adjust to and whenever I visit home it takes a bit to adjust and vice versa. But as a consequence, my sleep schedule has never materialised to become something consistent. Sometimes I fall asleep at 9 at night, other times its not till midnight or later. It is not a good habit, I intend to fix it by ensuring regardless of me being tired or not I am in bed by 9. Hopefully it works out.

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?
    View all responses

  • Overcoming Unorganisation: Tips for a Better Life

    When I came to the UK, I had expected my tendency to be unorganised to be an outlier. I was wrong. Being late and unorganised is as common in the UK as it is in America, from the bus schedules to the trains, to even getting paid.

    But that being said, just because a lot of people in the UK and the systems here seem unorganised at times does not mean I should not aim to improve my organisation. I am proud that since coming here I sort of been forced by circumstance to have some form of organisation, from always ensuring I have copies of important documents to having physical calendars and writing down my work schedules.

    Let this be a lesson: just because people are unorganised or messy around you does not mean you have to be.

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?
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  • Understanding the UK School System for American Families

    When I came to the UK, one of the things that I did not expect to be different from the US when I came here was the schooling system. For those who are coming here with dependents, such as children of their own, I figured it could be helpful for me to lay out the schooling system.

    Education in the UK is split into a few different blocks so to speak: Primary, Secondary, and Post-Secondary Education (further education, higher education).

    Primary education in the UK typically consists of the following years:

    • Foundation Stage (Reception Year): Age 4-5
    • Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2): Age 5-7
      • Year 1: Age 5-6
      • Year 2: Age 6-7
    • Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6): Age 7-11
      • Year 3: Age 7-8
      • Year 4: Age 8-9
      • Year 5: Age 9-10
      • Year 6: Age 10-11

    This structure forms the basis of primary education in the UK before moving on to secondary education.

    Secondary education in the UK typically consists of the following stages and years:

    • Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9): Age 11-14
      • Year 7: Age 11-12
      • Year 8: Age 12-13
      • Year 9: Age 13-14
    • Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11): Age 14-16
      • Year 10: Age 14-15
      • Year 11: Age 15-16

    Post Secondary-Education in the UK consists of Further Education and Higher Education. The biggest surprise to me personally was learning that College and University were completely different in the UK, unlike in America where they are one in the same.

    • Further Education (College)
      • Post compulsory
      • includes courses and classes similar to those taught in universities
    • Higher Education (University)
      • Pretty much the same as in America. With Undergraduate and Graduate degrees that can be pursued, alongside PHDs.

    The education system in the UK is not as hard to get a grasp on but I hope this post helps those who need help navigating some of the differences.

  • Drinking in the UK

    My personal recommendations

    Those who come to the UK might be surprised to learn that Wednesday is when everyone in uni and a large segment go out for alcohol at the pub. It is a time honoured UK tradition, and it is a quick way for new arrivals to make friends is to hang out at the pubs, not even to drink necessarily,

    There have been plenty polls and surveys that indicate what the most popular drinking brands are. But some of my favourites are:

    • Budweiser
    • Heineken
    • Blossom Hill White Wine
    • Smirnoff Vodka

    Stores like Asda, Morrisons, and Tesco are some of the places I go to most often, with discounts and sales and rollbacks. But drinking alone is not the way people in the UK tend to do it. I do, but generally speaking pubs are where people go to drink and socialise. If you want to keep costs down when doing this, popular pub brands in the UK include places like Wetherspoons (the most affordable and my personal go-to) or Greene King

    Before I finish this blog post I want to be responsible and say that alcoholism is a serious problem. The UK is definitely not the exception. There are resources for getting help and I am going to list them.

    Never feel forced to drink if you do not want to. I explained above that social culture in the UK is heavily associated with pubs and thus, getting drunk by default, but never feel forced into it. You can still meet and socialise with people in the UK without drinking, and I am going to write a post soon explaining other ways in the UK you can meet with and socialise. I just felt it was important for me to say this in relation to drinking despite this post being how I go about it and explaining the culture around it to new arrivals.

  • Do Brands Matter? A Contrasting View from the UK

    Some people have favourite brands. There are the infamous “Disney adults” who swear up and down to the House of Mouse, there are the weirdo “Tesla bros”, in the UK there is not as much of a culture around brands as far as I have seen. I could be completely wrong but it seems to me that unlike back home in America “brand fever” is less prevalent here. Everyone just uses whatever fits their needs and moves on; which is the way it should be. I cannot fathom having loyalty as a consumer to a product brand, it is pure dystopian nightmare fuel to me when I see people lining up out the door to buy products on release day such as Pokémon cards, or people who brag about only buying Apple products.

    This is just my old man perspective I guess.

    Daily writing prompt
    What are your favorite brands and why?
    View all responses

  • Why Coming to the UK Was Worth the Risk

    When it comes to taking risks, moving to the UK was a significant gamble for me. Relocating to a new country, even one with many cultural similarities to the United States, is not as easy or seamless as I initially expected.

    However, I am genuinely grateful for my decision to come here. The laid-back culture in the UK offers a nice balance of relaxation and engagement, making it easy to connect with the locals. Additionally, I’ve discovered that the food in the UK is significantly healthier compared to what I used to consume during my college days in America.

    Building a new life in the UK has provided me with unique opportunities for personal growth that I never could have experienced otherwise. While taking risks may not be suitable for everyone, I encourage you to embrace the possibility of change. If I had allowed my doubts to guide my decision, I would be in a much less fulfilling situation today.

    Moving to the UK was a risk, but it’s one that I am thankful I took. If you’re considering a move to this vibrant country, don’t let doubts and fears hold you back. Embrace the adventure and discover the rewards that await you!

    Daily writing prompt
    When is the last time you took a risk? How did it work out?
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  • Why I’m Done with Facebook: A Personal Journey

    Social media is my least favourite invention of the 20th century. I was an avid Facebook user from 2013-2020, I will fully confess to that.

    But the Covid pandemic and the way the Facebook user-interface has gone downhill it feels like since 2015 drove me off the site to the point I only use it to keep in touch with family members.

    Honestly, the only social media platform I actively “use” is Instagram, primarily for its Reels feature, which occasionally showcases entertaining movie clips and hilarious memes. Beyond that, I engage very little with social media, as I find it to be a toxic environment saturated with negativity and distraction.

    Daily writing prompt
    How do you use social media?
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  • How to Cope with Spring Colds: A Personal Guide

    As we enter Spring here in the UK, the lovely tendency of my body to give me the finger and try to make my life difficult has come around again as I find myself facing a cold. Now, I want to help people who come here to the UK know some tips and tricks for how I handle these colds and perhaps it could help them as well.

    Three ways, though I must stress I am not a doctor and this is just how I do it, results may vary.

    One:

    I tend to eat a lot of Welsh yogurt or yogurt in general. Muller Strawberry Yogurt is my go-to but I can vouch for the Vanilla Chocolate Balls as well. It helps my throat if it feels like its clogged up.

    Two:

    LemSip is a go-to for me as well as Boots Paracetamol. It has helped me plenty of times.

    Three:

    Tea. Lots of tea. Drinking lots of tea.

    Daily writing prompt
    Jot down the first thing that comes to your mind.
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  • Why I Avoid Visiting Texas: A Personal Take

    As an American currently residing in the United Kingdom, I must admit that I have never had a desire to visit the state of Texas. I’ve heard negative things about the weather from locals, and as someone who dislikes hot climates, that plays a significant role in my aversion. Even if there were other attractions that appealed to me, the culture of Texas seems to be the complete opposite of what I enjoy. Consequently, I cannot envision myself visiting the Lone Star State anytime in the future.

    Daily writing prompt
    What place in the world do you never want to visit? Why?
    View all responses