Tips and tricks for those moving to London (Part 2 - When you arrive)

Continuing on from the previous post, here are some tips for when you have finally reached your destination (see part one for before you leave here).

6 - When you arrive 

- Hopefully you know someone in London and can stay with them even for a night while you deal with jet lag but if not book into a good hostel, Wombats Canary Wharf is my suggestion for comfort and facilities or The Klink 78 and 26 have a great atmosphere and are in a great location in Kings Cross.

- Now you need to invest in a good pair of boots, a jacket and some gloves. Don't underestimate the cold. If a londoner tells you its been hot, then put on a scarf, jeans and jacket! Although if it is summer you won't need so much. Jeans and a T-shirt will see you through.

- You need a bank account, Lloyds bank will give you an account without an address. You need to take with you, your BRP card (collect this from the post office you allocated) and your passport or if you are using a UK passport take this.

- Get a phone. You need one asap if you want to start looking for work. Head over to 3 and get a 30 day sim, it costs 20 Pound and is unlimited. This will get you by until you know what you are doing.

- You need to get a National Insurance Number this is your UK identity and link to the UK tax system all rolled into one. Head to www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number . They will ask some questions over the phone and send you an application form. This whole process takes about 4-6 weeks. If you have a passport for the UK then they will want to interview and question you so get this organised ASAP to organise it around work or interviews.

- NHS or the national health service requires you to register with your closest local GP. It is easy to do and gives you more benefits than any other health system in the world. Make an appointment, let them know you are not registered and they will set you up in about an hour (exam from the nurse and paperwork). You cannot see the doctor without one (there are a few walk in services however I wouldn't push it that far) so ensure you get one organised before you actually need it. Find a doctor under the NHS scheme near you or learn more at www.nhs.uk 

- Using the tube is easy; you will need an oyster card. You can load money on and touch as you go for use of any public transport inside London. Don't worry about buying one before arriving. There are machines at each station that you can purchase them from and load money onto. Just pay as you go until you know what you are doing, but once you are working and know where and when you will be going buying a weekly or a monthly may be worth your while. Buses are 1.50 regardless of the trip you go on and tubes range from 1.50-5 pounds all dependant on the zones you go through. Take a look at the tube map, it is easy to figure out once you have caught it a few times and if you get on the wrong train it doesn't take long to get onto another and head in the right direction.  Be aware of the zones you are using as it will end up costing you a fortune if you catch the tube for 2 stops if you can walk in 45 mins instead. Walking is always a good idea when you spend most of your time drinking beer and eating mash potato too!

- Walk! Get used the area and get your bearings by walking as much as you can to start with. The tube is great but you pop up in all sorts of places and won't get to know where you really are unless you walk for a while. Download the app City Mapper, this is your new best friend, it will tell you how to get everywhere. Buses, trains, walking. It will give you directions, times, tube lines, stations and directions to travel in. Super easy to follow. Just remember to take a screen shot before you head underground as there is NO reception down there.

- Jump on a few Facebook pages Aussies in London or the one relating to your nationality are always good. If you don't know anyone you soon will, you can find rooms for rent and you will see plenty of events you can attend.

7 - People

If you are not a social person this may be hard but put yourself out there. There are so many people here in the same boat and are all looking for a new friend. Join a local sporting club, go on a pub crawl, mingle with people you meet and their friends and their friends of friends. Everyone needs people especially in a big city!

8 - Holidays

Most people come to London to travel, it is so cheap and so close! Just make sure you stick to this. Too many people get stuck in London and never leave. You don't want to go home without seeing as much as you can. Have Aussie dollars behind you to use for some travel as most of the time your pounds will go to living and fun in London! Make a list of places that are important to you and plot them out. The best thing for me was being able to slowly cull my bucket list! Being so close you will be able to get to all the major events and festivals like St Patrick's Day or the Sangria Festival! Oh and don't forget the wonderful and famous Oktoberfest.

(Travel tips)

- Flights are cheap, keep an eye out for specials and grab them when you can. Easy Jet and Ryan Air are good places to start. Sometimes you will get a return flight for 21 Pounds! Use the app skyskanner to keep an eye out, select everywhere and no dates and you will get some great deals. Its not often you will fly out of Heathrow when you get the good deals so be prepared to travel on a train to the middle of nowhere to use the Luton, Stansted or Gatwick airports. Just be aware of the travel to and from an airport when booking super early or late flights. Totally worth it for a cheap weekend getaway!

- Tours are a great way to see multiple countries and go to festivals. Top Deck, Travel talk, Bus About, Fanatics are all groups that I would recommend. Your choice in company depends on what you want to get out of the trip. Bus About is a very freely run tour you simply use it for travel but they don't offer a lot and Top Deck are comprehensive in what they offer but more expensive.

- Do a bit of both; summer and winter travel that is. Make sure you see all of the wonders of this side of the world while you are here!

- Hostels are cheap and easy, check out the rating of them before you stay in one as some can be pretty awful. If you are alone you will be sharing a room with someone else however if you are in a group you can pay a little extra to get a room together with a bathroom. Your other option is Air BNB its great if you are with more than one other person!

- Travel insurance! Absolutely get this every time you leave the UK it is cheap and important! (before you move purchase travel insurance to cover your first few weeks in the country just incase) 


Up next I have a pile of things learnt from finding work as a Nanny here, so if you are keen to move to London into a Nanny or Au Pair situation, stay tuned! [Edit - See part three here!)

C x

Tips and tricks for those moving to London (Part 1 - Before you go)

London! It’s Lovely! Cold! Wet! Pretty! And full of opportunity! Ever since I can remember, running away somewhere unfamiliar has been a distant dream. As I got older and started working with children and my friends took the plunge, that dream made it's way closer and closer. And now! It is real! Here I am sitting in a cafe in LONDON! Yes London, cold, wet, happy and lovely, writing this!

Before I get into a few essentials I wanted to admit something. We all paint the idea of moving overseas as exotic, exciting, accomplishing. And it is. But most people leave out the reality side or maybe once they return home they have forgotten that side of it. It is hard, it is cold, and it is still life as normal. Granted life as normal is in another city, one in the UK, a really big one with plenty to do and travel around Europe is cheap. It just isn't all parties and smiles. One weekend I was travelling to Europe, only 2 hours away mind you, for drinks, exploring and frivolity, full of parties and smilies. The next I was curled up in a ball, home sick and felt like I had no where to turn. I am what you would call a 'total mush' person, I have plenty of emotions and lots of love, so for me not having 'my people' was a hard thing to overcome. I am confident and have made new friends, great ones, but sometimes you just need 'your people' surrounding you although they may not be next to you. 

Now that's out of the way, here are some tips and tricks that I have learnt along the way (in only 4 weeks). It's a whole new world and these little bits and pieces may help you to stay on track once you arrive.

(Your first step in the process is figuring out whether you can actually come over to the UK. You will need a working visa (must be under 31 years old) or the use of your ancestry for a temp visa or passport. Every visa has different guidelines so jump onto the www.gov.uk website and see which one you can get.)

1 - Be realistic

Why do you want to go? If it is to make money, think again. The best reason for moving overseas is definitely for the experience. It is a big thing moving this far around the world! If you are running away from something at home, must be aware that this is a hard way to do it. Know that you will feel lonely, scared, cold, confused and so many more emotions at one point. Not nervous? , that's great but you will be at some point I am sure of it! Now I sound like a crazy lady, sorry! Just trying to be honest. On top of all the hard and scary things London is amazing, you will love it and you may never want to leave. Total roller coaster I know, just trying to prepare you! Now, everyone will tell you different things, don't listen to any of it, just know that you will soon figure it out for yourself and it will be great or not!

2 - Jobs

The best thing you can do is line up a job or at least some interviews before you come over. The Aussie dollar (sorry if you are based in another country, check your exchange rate as it may work in your favour) doesn't go a long way so you really want to be earning pounds as soon as you can. If you have no qualifications or experience be honest to yourself about the kind of work you will get. Agencies over here are wonderful and there is just about an agency for every person! So find one and get onto them ASAP at least so you know where you are headed.

3 - Time of year

Choose right! If you are used to the heat and decide to move over to the cold try not to leave home in summer and walk into this winter or you will be driven home and go mad all at once! London is always on the go, so check out what is on when you arrive to get you into the groove of it. Shows, festivals, there are endless options!

4 - What you need

Pack light. You will want to buy a few things on arrival. Like a jacket. They are great over here and you will really be dressing for the weather then, if you are from Queensland they don't really have many jackets to suit London cold. If you are coming in Summer you can always wait until it gets colder to buy a jacket. You don't want to have to spend your Aussies (other) dollars as I said before they don't go as far so try not to spend it on pointless things.

5 - Home away from home 

Living in London is expensive and hard to manage. You will attend too many room inspections to count, be stood up by lots of people and most likely fight someone for a room! Of course some people have it smooth sailing and find the perfect fit straight away. You will be living in a share house unless you have won the lottery. So be prepared to pay around 800 pound a month for a room and a shared bathroom with a minimum of two others. Ensure you have about 1300 pound aside for a bond before you look for a place to live.  Short term lets are a great way to get to know which areas you like and where you want to live (London is massive and you may like some places more than others), it is always a way to have a 'home' while you look rather than living in a hostel (which is expensive and uncomfortable). www.spareroom.co.uk is a good place to start. Be prepared for anything and get started as soon as you can. Having somewhere to go home in a big city is something I am sure most of us take advantage of. 

[Part two for when you arrive HERE, and Part three for Nanny's and Au Pairs HERE]

C x

8 things working with older children has taught me!

Before my last position I had never really worked with children older than four years old, full time. I have always been around them and spent time with them but to be completely honest I never felt the desire to work with them. I always considered that they would be stuck in their own way and it would be harder to guide them or set the rules. That was until I found a job, that was an amazing challenge and opportunity with multiple ages and four children! It made me realise it wasn't them it was me, I didn't want to change my ways for them. It was an exciting adventure to embark on and I am so glad I did.

I have learnt many things on this journey and I have another notch in my belt for things I can handle. Trust me there are plenty! I am in particular talking about working with a then 7 year old and 11 year old (who are now 9 and 13. Crazy). We have faced the start of the teens and the end of being a little girl. We have dealt with massive changes in family life, personal emotions, siblings, school and so much more. I wanted to share with you all a few things. The reasons why I now love the thought of working with older children. Maybe it will encourage you to step out of the realm of babies and change who you are as a nanny, parent, carer or grandparent. I know I am not the same since having this experience and I am proud of that.

1 - My mates. I don't think I have ever made better friends. We talk about rubbish and converse about life issues that I would tend to skip over. These children became so concerned with me that they checked on me (genuinely), they were surprised when something was wrong because I was the big strong adult. Imagine that! I am the adult, it still surprises me how shocked I am when I realise I am on the other end of that friendship. I long for our chats and love their love. It is amazing the friendships we have created and the bonds that are unbreakable. One major point to make is that they will remember me when I am gone, they are not too young to remember the role I played and that in itself is a whole new place to be in for me. 

2 - Naivety and knowledge. They are so naive yet have so much knowledge that I don't. The reality is it's been a long time since I was at school, so they have plenty to teach me. And don't they love it when they know something I don't. Their naivety means they absorb more, they learn more and they share more. It's a quality we tend to lose as adults, with the exception of starting a new job or something of the kind. Remember how much you learnt when you were new at something, so eager to not be a novice?  

3 - I'm smart. Now this is one that I hate to admit, but it's true. They make me feel super smart. It's not the same as working with babies, toddlers or even preppies, it's different. I can't lie to them, if I don't know the answer I have to admit that and succumb to Google. They even do the googling. But most of the time, even surprising to me,  I know the answer. Every time I do know it reminds me of when I ask my mother something and how she must feel so clever when she can answer. They hang on to my every whim, like I am Google at times. It's great! It is also a great boost to know that I have a memory and I have retained something even after the sleepless nights and long days.

4 - Lessons learnt. Like I say to everyone, this job is not for the faint hearted, neither is parenting. The lessons we learn are amazing. I cannot believe I can now say that I helped someone through their teens. With lessons should come reflection, children know how to reflect, some of them talk through it and some just have a moment alone. We are all too busy in our world of to do lists (yes even me, especially me) that we forget to take in what we learn. For some reason I find they know to do this without even being prompted. They know when they need to take a break (of course maybe they are over homework or talking and want to play, because they will say anything to get out of it but this still applies) to do something else, change the course of thinking for now. That is a skill I am glad to learn!

5 - Adaptation. I am a different teacher and nurturer now, someone who has more patience and can let go of things I cannot control. Something I am happy to admit I needed to learn! Older children take on much more independence, and so they should. They are preparing for growing up whether we want to admit it or not. They are so resilient! Something I feel we all lose a touch of over the years. From working with babies and toddlers to working with ages 7-13 meant I needed to be different. Different for each one of them. I can now say I am a chameleon and that feels great! To know I can adapt to each child and help them the way they need to be helped, now that is what my job is all about! This may not even be due to ages but because of personalities. Either way, it is something else I can admit is a reason I now appreciate working with older children. 

6 - Mistakes.  At the risk of sounding like I make mistakes all of the time, I want to admit something! I love the thought that I will make less mistakes when I have my own children, well maybe. Not that I make mistakes with other peoples children either, it really is just part of any process, trial and error.  Most parents go through one lot of adolescence and then totally nail the next and the next but me, I am ready to nail the next already and I haven't even really started. This goes for everything in their lives. We all have to trial and error and each child is different so maybe my mistakes have lead me to know, to take it slow and be ready for adapting to each moment and child! 

7 - Staying young. Older children love it when you join in their festivities and jokes! It makes them feel included and heard! It has certainly brought out the big kid in me more and more over the years! They keep me young although I know I'm not old ... Yet. If they can keep me young then hopefully I can keep them young and not let them grow old before their time!

8 - Self sufficient - they are capable of the mundane tasks that younger children take for granted. I love those tasks, it certainly makes me feel needed however it also leaves room for helping them with meaningful things like life changes and growth. This to me is so much more rewarding!

It's amazing what we can learn about ourselves from others. To my two older bunnies, thank you for teaching me! 

Love C x

London To-dos (a local's list)

Well it’s been a whole week since Chantelle became a Londoner!! (How’s that accent coming along Chan?). And as such, an end to our week of Blogging fever - thanks for joining us!! We’ll now be back to more regular schedule of not-so-regular blogging ;) 

We thought it would be great to get together a list of London To-do’s, and as we are lucky enough to have some family and friends in the area we asked a couple of them to share their favourite things to do around town. So without further ado, here are some things to explore in London, from a couple of our favourite Londoners Sarah and Pam (thanks heaps lovelies!)… 

(side note: I’m one of those people who walks out of the cinema after watching the a Bond film with a slight swagger, pretty convinced that I would make a totally brilliant, butt-kicking spy (let’s not shatter the dream right now with my gift of clumsiness or can’t-kill-an-ant-without-feeling-guilty personality, ok?). So speeding down the Thames with theme music blaring would probably have me very delusionally happy…) 

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"Hyde Park - you can walk it, take your skates or even hire a Boris bike or pedalo or simply just people watch very interesting characters in London" - Pam

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“Visit Camden Town - it's a very quirky market where Amy Winehouse was made famous” - Pam 

(H - kicking myself we never made it here. Chan - buy me something brilliant ok?)

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For the kids: “We've now started going to the Hammersmith box track. It's really family friendly, they have striders (balance bikes) for the little kids & bmx's for the older kids including adults. Phil & Sean are really helpful teaching the kids!” - Sarah    Check out their Facebook page

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“Take a boat trip on the river Thames called the Rib Experience it is a speedboat with English film theme tunes and goes very fast!” - Pam

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For a change of cuisine, head to the Big Easy - “We went to the Big Easy on a date night & ate so much we were home in bed by 10pm...” - Sarah 

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And after all that, a bit of pampering is probably due. The Menana spa in Chiswick, with it’s Moroccan Hammam experience sounds dreamy - from Sarah

“Have lunch/dinner in The Shard - it has amazing views over London as it's the tallest building but the food is also fine dining too.” - Pam

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Edit - Chantelle - Oh hi! Being here myself I have already picked up a few tips!...

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Meat is expensive in London so when you find somewhere like this it's a god send! Flat Iron is a steak house which only offers exactly that! And it's delicious! They have 2 locations in town which are close to the tube!

The Borough Market - food food and more food! This place is a must visit! The culture, the location, the people !! The London bridge area feels like old town London, with rail bridges, small old buildings and small streets to walk down. Take an adventure on this side of town and explore the market. I guarantee you will leave smiling with a very full belly and plenty of goodies in hand!

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Oh, and if you are looking for any more ideas, the Timeout site has plenty of London going-ons and places to visit (thanks to Cozi for that one!)

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Let us know your London favourites!

H & C x

3 tips to a more settled "see you soon"

I have been through too many 'goodbyes' in my quarter century, however I feel I have learnt more from those of the children I have cared for than I have my own.  Being a nanny I have experienced first hand how hard it is to face a goodbye and I have seen how hard children find it to understand. Of course as they get older they know it is just something we must accept and they can often deal with it better than some adults. Younger children undoubtably deal with it a lot different and often are affected by it later on. I consider it part of my job to help ease this, especially if the 'goodbye' comes from me. 

If someone was to ask me what my job is I would answer; It is my job to come into a family or child/children's life/lives and be an influence, teach them things they didn't know, help them learn lessons in another way, give them other ways to deal with changes and growth and to love them. This is why I do what I do. So when it is time for me to part ways with a family I have had to be able to come up with an explanation. The best way for me to describe it is that I am off to give the same to another family, I came in to help, I talk about all the things we achieved and let them know it is someone else's turn to learn from me and their turn to learn from someone new also.  It makes you a bigger, better, more a knowledgable person. 

We all step out into new adventures and they make us people who can handle the world and what will happen in the future. How lucky we are to have so many influences in life, how much more will we know compared to others? Now this may sound all too "adult" for children but trust me they understand what we mean and we find a way to tell them so that they do. Maybe with the exception of babies of course, although make sure you have a real goodbye; believe it or not they will know you are not there.

Often a nanny comes on board when a change happens within a family, maybe there is a new baby arriving, mum is going back to work full time or the current nanny is off to another post so it is important to give the children time to understand and transition. This is certainly helpful in the nanny field however this is for everyone, grandparents moving away, parents moving out of the home, friends moving away. And maybe this will even help you when saying goodbye as an adult. 

A quick note to you all; For the sake of our little humans and sometimes ourselves... Remember "see you soon" is a much nicer notion to introduce your children to than goodbye. Most of our "goodbyes" are not permanent so why make it feel that way?! (with the sad exception of passing of course).

Here we go;

1 - Time . We all need time to adjust to anything and we also need time to grieve or process. Children are the same. Often we forget that no matter how small, they know what is going on, and often before we do or are willing to admit it. Be fair to them, give them the time they need, let them feel all of the emotions of the change or the impending change. How many times do you hear of children who show signs of distress well and truly after an event and it is all related? Too much! We want to protect them but sometimes we go too far, so just remember how you would want to be treated in the situation and do the same for them. Don't ignore the situation, help them face it just enough to deal with it. Face your children with confidence on the change so that they know it will all be ok, you are to be their crutch in this, guide them through!

2 - Understanding . We all need something to relate to, so before you mention anything have a think about what you want to say to help them understand. For example I recently told my nanny children from my last position something that I knew they could relate to. We have always talked about stories of travel, in the car I tell stories without saying who they are about and they are real, they include travel, family, adventure and then at the end we guess who it was! Of course they always contain me but who else they wonder?! When I was telling them I had to go and they asked why, the first thing I said was "I am running low on stories to share in the car and need to go find some more wonderful adventures to turn into stories for you all"

This was specific to me as I am travelling and working overseas. However, I am positive you can all find a way to integrate it into their lives, like they are involved in the process and you were considering them. The understanding goes both ways, they need to understand why the change is occurring and you need to understand how they are feeling about it. So take your time and get this part right, it is the foundation for acceptance of the situation. 

3 - Reassurance . Children have a wonderful way of pulling on our heart strings and there is a reason for that. We are here to give them reassurance that we understand, are here and that we are not really going anywhere. Change is normal, change is part of life and we grow from these experiences. They will forget the reason why over and over again and although you may feel like a broken record, it is your job to reassure them. Remember they are only little humans, growing and learning from these experiences. So let them grow, let them feel their emotions and help them through it all, because one day they will be strong big humans and you will be proud! 

No send off is painless and not always as structured or easily handled as this. These have been my three saving graces in my multiple heart melting "see you soon moments" over the years, and to no surprise they are never easier (no matter what we do). We all want them to feel considered in these situations, so I hope this helps just a little. By all means our "see you soon" wasn't painless and there were a lot of tears on every end, but we survived and grew along with it! 

Happy changing, explaining, growing, accepting and living everyone! 

C x 

Britain Daydreaming... (Procrastination Material)

Some of the most gorgeous British instagrams you should probably start following ASAP...

Spring has sprung at number 24 🌸🌸 by @leighcharlottemorris

A photo posted by #prettycitylondon (@prettycitylondon) on Jan 25, 2016 at 1:41am PST

Simple streams. @ryansheppeck | #peakscollective

A photo posted by Peaks Collective (@peakscollective) on Feb 23, 2016 at 1:23pm PST

Moving light

A photo posted by R O B (@bobbimac) on Feb 27, 2016 at 10:35am PST

Take the next step // The @peakscollective gang are taking over @lovegreatbritain tomorrow and will be posting some of the best images from the Peak District. So if you want to check it out, then head over to @peakscollective and @lovegreatbritain //

A photo posted by Daniel Casson (@dpc_photography_) on Feb 29, 2016 at 1:04pm PST

Sun is out in London, impossible not to smile. And this house is just too pretty! Have a fab day. #thisislondon #housesofldn

A photo posted by steffi 🇬🇧 London (@steffi_daydreamer) on Feb 24, 2016 at 12:07am PST

Say hello to the wildlife in the Lake District, home of Beatrix Potter, dramatic landscapes and a fascinating history. We’ve got our ranger Martin Clayton and Panasonic to thank for this beautiful shot. #nationaltrust

A photo posted by nationaltrust (@nationaltrust) on Feb 16, 2016 at 12:46am PST

With #spring on the way & nearly time for #Shakespeare400 anniversary, it's a great time to visit Stratford-upon-Avon and start the celebrations! #ShakespearesEngland #Shakespeare #England #Stratford #Cottage #Garden #SpringFlowers #Travelgram #Travelpic #Travelinspiration

A photo posted by VisitEngland (@visitengland) on Feb 23, 2016 at 10:45pm PST

The last owner of Scotney Castle was Christopher Hussey, a well known architectural historian who died in 1970 and left the estate to the National Trust. He married his wife, Elizabeth, in 1936. Elizabeth was none other than Wallis Simpson's niece. I know that has nothing to do with anything, but she was Wallis' NIECE, y'all! Which of course means that she must have been party to some mighty interesting family conversations in her lifetime. Elizabeth, or Betty as she was known, lived in the house until her death in 2005. The house has a very lived in, homely feel – it’s not that long since Betty’s death and things like her favourite perfume and the cat’s food bowls are still sitting around in the house. Richard Gere paid for a new kitchen for Betty, when in 1979 the house was used in his film ‘Yanks.' I had an almighty girl crush on Richard Gere. His poster was above my bed, and everything. Edward Lewis from Pretty Woman is probably still my ultimate dream bloke. Or wait. He picks up prozzies so maybe not, then. In any case, I almost wish Richard had never set foot in Scotney Castle because that kitchen is ghastly. Believe it or not, but Margaret Thatcher and her husband Denis also had ties with the property. They rented a flat in the house in the 1970s and 80s, and it apparently became her favourite bolt hole. The wallpaper she and Denis put up in the bathroom is still there. I bet Denis chose the pattern and Margaret did the hanging. #castle #victorian #england #history #heritage #historylover #historichouse #pursuepretty #explore #myadventure #neverstopexploring

A photo posted by Katie (@bluekatiecat) on Feb 28, 2016 at 4:33am PST

H&C x