Toronto Mike

A Canadian Expat's Guide to Feeling at Home in London

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London is a great city  to move to, whether it is for a job or to further your studies. London is  lively and has all the amenities you need to have fun. There are plenty of  great restaurants to explore, fantastic coffee shops from which you can get  work done, and of course a lot of museums and galleries to visit.
 Even so, it is still  very common for Canadians moving to London to feel homesick and miss their  hometowns a little. Worry not, because we are going to discuss some of the  things you can do to feel more at home in London. Let’s jump right in, shall  we?

Join a Facebook Group

One of the best ways  to feel at home is to connect with other Canadians in the city. Fortunately,  there is a Facebook group you can join called Canadians in London. Not only  will you be able to meet fellow Canadians in the capital city, but you can also  get a lot of information from the page.
 For example, you can  learn the best restaurants to try or grocery stores to visit if you miss the  usual cuisines you have back in Canada. There are no Tim Hortons in the UK, but  other group members can point you to coffee shops that are similar.
 You can share your  experiences and ask questions. Before long, you'll be helping those who are  moving to London adapt just like you did.

Hockey Night

Nothing makes me miss  Canada more than the Saturday night tune playing on CBC. Even if you're not a  hockey fan, hockey night is still part of the Canadian way  of life. It used to be  difficult to get access to hockey matches, but now you can easily have your own  game night at home thanks to streaming TV and satellite services.
 You can even choose to  watch hockey games as well as engage in some wagers to make the whole  experience more fun. Online bookmakers are easy to find in the UK, so you will  have no trouble placing bets on your favorite hockey teams.

Bagel and Cream Cheese

We’re back at Tim  Hortons again. A bagel and cream cheese is the perfect combination when it  comes to enjoying a taste of home. The Beigel Bake at Brick Lane, the Beigel  Shop not too far from it, and Brill near Exmouth Market are the places you need to try.
 The latter is a coffee  shop with good coffee and delicious toasted bagels you need to taste. If you  miss home that badly, you can also order a cup of black coffee with double  cream and double sugar for a hit of Double Double.

Go on Road Trips

You can’t expect to  explore natural beauty in London, but there are great places to visit near the  city. Don’t expect to find anything like the Banff Mountains or Lake Louise,  but a short road trip over the weekend to Primrose Hill or a bike tour around London’s Royal Parks will help you miss home just a little bit  less.
 You can also enjoy a  day at the park for a more relaxing weekend. Regent's Park and Hyde Park are  especially beautiful in the summer. You can just sit down and read a book or  play some games on your phone; click  to investigate Canadian  games you can try on your next day out in the park. Alternatively, do what I do  and take the time to visit some of the most remarkable museums in the city or the  many live music street shows that this amazing city has to offer. If you love  history and art, these places are remarkable.

Join Canadian Gaming Websites

Finally, sometimes you  just want to speak to people from your home country.  If there are no Canadians located close to  you in London, you can easily do this online.   Aside from speaking to friends and family over Skype and Facebook  messenger, I love playing on online Canadian casino websites.  Here I can play poker, roulette, and other  games while chatting with fellow Canadians.   You can find one great option straight  from the source and  it’s really easy to get started.

These are some of the  things you can do to feel at home in London. There will still be a lot of  things you miss from Canada, but you will find London caters to most of your needs.

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About Toronto Mike
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