9 THINGS
YOU NEED
TO
CONSIDER
BEFORE
MOVING TO LONDON
1.
Why London?
Why London and not, for example Oxford,
Cambridge or Birmingham? What attracts
you to this city? Is it because it is a
metropolis where you can find a mixture
of races and cultures, is it because it is a
young and trendy city, full of clubs, bars,
discos and megastores? or is it because it
offers those job and career opportunities
you cannot find in your own country?
2.
Yes, it is true, London
offers all this and much
more but it s a metropolis
and as such it is expensive, it has a fast
paced lifestyle and people are not very
patient, To live in this city you must be
used to traveling, be independent and
basically look after yourself. . The best
thing to do, to see whether you really like
it, especially if you have never been here,
is to come for a short course or even just
a week end. Londra does not remain
indifferent: you love it or you hate it.
3.
Consider your Level of
Knowledge of the English
language
If you come to London to live and work
here, your level of English must be at
least upper-intermediate. You must be
able to understand and express yourself
fluently. The best thing to do, if your
English is not good enough, is to enroll
with an English course in your own
country, and once here continue with
another English course, and only when
your English is good enough, look for a
job here. Speak to us about an English
course. TECLA Languages offers a wide
variety of flexible courses and if you are
already here in London you can even have
a trial lesson.
4.
Where will you go and
live?
Have you considered it? or are you just
going to come and find a place? This
second option may become very costly as
hotels are pretty expensive and hostels
are sometimes not so clean. If you are
going to remain here just for a few weeks
home-stay accommodation is a very good
option, as being on a half board basis you
would save money for food, moreover
living with an English speaking family
would force you to speak English
continuously and you would learn a bit of
the English culture too. After all, aren't
you here to get to know the culture as
well?
If instead you are going to remain here for
a longer period, then a flat or house share
are better options At. TECLA Languages we
can offer several types of accommodation:
home-stay, flat or house shares, residences
or luxury serviced flats or apartments.
There are quite a few agencies in your
own countries that let houses or flats. Just
make sure they are in safe areas and you
won t be sharing your room with another 5
people! otherwise it may become a bit too
crowded. If you have the opportunity pop
over here for a week end and go and see
the area and the place where you would be
staying.. DO NOT TRUST those agencies
that ask for payments via Western Union,
Travelers Express and Money Gram, as
there are many scams linked to letting
agencies. Ask us and if we are not able to
help you directly we will refer you to
trusted and recognized agencies.
5.
Will you find a job easily?
In London there are many job
opportunities but the employers are
demanding and expect a good command
of the English language. Moreover consider
you will compete with many other people
with the same need: that of finding a little
job that allows them to live and study, and
many of them speak a very good English!
If you don’t speak good English when
you get here, you will struggle to find a
job, you will finish your pocket money and
will not even have enough to pay for that
course that could improve your English and
thus your situation. You will end up
working as a kitchen porter or a cleaner,
jobs that are not highly paid and will
prevent you from improving your language
skills further as they will take up lots of
your time… at this point you may have
stayed in your own country!
Our advice, if your English is not good
enough, is to delay your dream of coming
and live here, but still come for a short
stay, follow an English course, live with an
English family, go out with your classmates
and your teachers, visit London, attend all
social events, have fun and talk, talk, talk
with your new international friends. The
experience will be useful anyway as you
will have spoken English and you will be
more familiar with the city and the culture.
If, it is case of "now or never", PLAN IN
ADVANCE and enroll to an English
course a few months BEFORE you come
here. If it s the case get a private tutor
(MOTHER TONGUE) and speak to them
in English ONLY!
If your Engish is good enough, however,
at TECLA Languages we can help you
preparing your CV, preparing you for a
job interview and find a job.
6. How much money will
you need at the beginning?
It s difficult to say, if you rent a place
normally you will need to pay a month
deposit in advance, plus a month rent.
Also consider that if you need to attend
an English course you would need to
enroll straight away, while you still have
the money, don t wait to find a job first.
Consider that if you find a job you will
get paid at the end of the month
therefore you will need enough money to
live at least for a month, our advice,
however is to give yourself a set time
within which you will have to find a job or
go back, otherwise this could become a
very costly adventure and you may have
to go back to your country without a job,
without having improved your language
skills and having wasted lots of money…
we have see it happening a few times…
7.
What do you have to
take with you from your
own country?
Very little really, this is London and you
will find everything here from all over the
world. Just bring jumpers, waterproof
jackets and shoes and an umbrella.
English weather is utterly unpredictable
but it can turn very wet.
8.
Who will you turn to in
case of need?
Moving to London implies a series of
steps necessary to settle down: you will
need to find a job but also you will need
to request a National Insurance Number,
to register with a medical centre, to open
a bank account, etc... who will help you?
Who will advise and guide you? Moreover
what happpens if you cannot find a
job?or if your flat is not as you expected?
what will you do? who will you turn to? It
is important to have a contact, someone
who knows tha language and the system.
9.
Can I contact TECLA
Languages?
Even if you are not attending our courses
you are very welcome to contact us. If we
cannot help you directly we will give you
advices or contact details of people who
can help you concretely.
Moving to London?
Terms & Conditions
TECLA Languages London telephone number: +44 (0) 203 014 8949
Established 2009
OUR GUIDE
2012
Why London and not, for example Oxford,
Cambridge or Birmingham? What attracts
you to this city? Is it because it is a
metropolis where you can find a mixture
of races and cultures, is it because it is a
young and trendy city, full of clubs, bars,
discos and megastores? or is it because it
offers those job and career opportunities
you cannot find in your own country?
2.
Yes, it is true, London
offers all this and much
more but it s a metropolis
and as such it is expensive, it has a fast
paced lifestyle and people are not very
patient, To live in this city you must be
used to traveling, be independent and
basically look after yourself. . The best
thing to do, to see whether you really like
it, especially if you have never been here,
is to come for a short course or even just
a week end. Londra does not remain
indifferent: you love it or you hate it.
3.
Consider your Level of
Knowledge of the English
language
If you come to London to live and work
here, your level of English must be at
least upper-intermediate. You must be
able to understand and express yourself
fluently. The best thing to do, if your
English is not good enough, is to enroll
with an English course in your own
country, and once here continue with
another English course, and only when
your English is good enough, look for a
job here. Speak to us about an English
course. TECLA Languages offers a wide
variety of flexible courses and if you are
already here in London you can even have
a trial lesson.
4.
Where will you go and
live?
Have you considered it? or are you just
going to come and find a place? This
second option may become very costly as
hotels are pretty expensive and hostels
are sometimes not so clean. If you are
going to remain here just for a few weeks
home-stay accommodation is a very good
option, as being on a half board basis you
would save money for food, moreover
living with an English speaking family
would force you to speak English
continuously and you would learn a bit of
the English culture too. After all, aren't
you here to get to know the culture as
well?
If instead you are going to remain here for
a longer period, then a flat or house share
are better options At. TECLA Languages we
can offer several types of accommodation:
home-stay, flat or house shares, residences
or luxury serviced flats or apartments.
There are quite a few agencies in your
own countries that let houses or flats. Just
make sure they are in safe areas and you
won t be sharing your room with another 5
people! otherwise it may become a bit too
crowded. If you have the opportunity pop
over here for a week end and go and see
the area and the place where you would be
staying.. DO NOT TRUST those agencies
that ask for payments via Western Union,
Travelers Express and Money Gram, as
there are many scams linked to letting
agencies. Ask us and if we are not able to
help you directly we will refer you to
trusted and recognized agencies.
5.
Will you find a job easily?
In London there are many job
opportunities but the employers are
demanding and expect a good command
of the English language. Moreover consider
you will compete with many other people
with the same need: that of finding a little
job that allows them to live and study, and
many of them speak a very good English!
If you don’t speak good English when
you get here, you will struggle to find a
job, you will finish your pocket money and
will not even have enough to pay for that
course that could improve your English and
thus your situation. You will end up
working as a kitchen porter or a cleaner,
jobs that are not highly paid and will
prevent you from improving your language
skills further as they will take up lots of
your time… at this point you may have
stayed in your own country!
Our advice, if your English is not good
enough, is to delay your dream of coming
and live here, but still come for a short
stay, follow an English course, live with an
English family, go out with your classmates
and your teachers, visit London, attend all
social events, have fun and talk, talk, talk
with your new international friends. The
experience will be useful anyway as you
will have spoken English and you will be
more familiar with the city and the culture.
If, it is case of "now or never", PLAN IN
ADVANCE and enroll to an English
course a few months BEFORE you come
here. If it s the case get a private tutor
(MOTHER TONGUE) and speak to them
in English ONLY!
If your Engish is good enough, however,
at TECLA Languages we can help you
preparing your CV, preparing you for a
job interview and find a job.
6. How much money will
you need at the beginning?
It s difficult to say, if you rent a place
normally you will need to pay a month
deposit in advance, plus a month rent.
Also consider that if you need to attend
an English course you would need to
enroll straight away, while you still have
the money, don t wait to find a job first.
Consider that if you find a job you will
get paid at the end of the month
therefore you will need enough money to
live at least for a month, our advice,
however is to give yourself a set time
within which you will have to find a job or
go back, otherwise this could become a
very costly adventure and you may have
to go back to your country without a job,
without having improved your language
skills and having wasted lots of money…
we have see it happening a few times…
7.
What do you have to
take with you from your
own country?
Very little really, this is London and you
will find everything here from all over the
world. Just bring jumpers, waterproof
jackets and shoes and an umbrella.
English weather is utterly unpredictable
but it can turn very wet.
8.
Who will you turn to in
case of need?
Moving to London implies a series of
steps necessary to settle down: you will
need to find a job but also you will need
to request a National Insurance Number,
to register with a medical centre, to open
a bank account, etc... who will help you?
Who will advise and guide you? Moreover
what happpens if you cannot find a
job?or if your flat is not as you expected?
what will you do? who will you turn to? It
is important to have a contact, someone
who knows tha language and the system.
9.
Can I contact TECLA
Languages?
Even if you are not attending our courses
you are very welcome to contact us. If we
cannot help you directly we will give you
advices or contact details of people who
can help you concretely.
Moving to London?
Terms & Conditions
TECLA Languages London telephone number: +44 (0) 203 014 8949
Established 2009
OUR GUIDE
2012