06/06/2026
Indian Girl Living in the UK… 5 things nobody prepares you for
1. You’ll start questioning who you really are.
After living in the UK for a while, I started changing in ways I didn’t even notice. Back in India, I loved having people over… feeding guests, making chai. Now I say “Let’s meet outside for coffee”. At first it seemed small. But then I noticed other changes. Some days I wonder am I becoming too British for India? Then there are moments that remind me I’ll never be fully British either. And that’s not easy to make peace with.
2. No amount of financial planning truly prepares you.
You arrive with savings, spreadsheets, a budget. Then reality hits. Rent. Council tax. Transport. Groceries. Unexpected expenses. Money disappears faster than you expect. The first months feel like constant calculations of need versus want.
3. You start doubting your English.
I grew up speaking English. Studied in English. Worked in English. Yet after moving here, I’d leave conversations wondering if I said something wrong. Accents, slang, humour, references, it’s a different language inside the same language. Over time I realised it’s not about better English, it’s about cultural understanding.
4. Sometimes you have to prove yourself twice as much.
As a brown immigrant, you often feel the need to work harder and perform better just to be seen as equal. Not because everyone treats you differently, but because you carry that pressure yourself. It’s exhausting, but it also builds resilience and quiet confidence.
5. Independence becomes your biggest teacher.
Cooking. Cleaning. Bills. Appointments. Everything starts from scratch. Back home, these things felt easier with support around. I missed that at first. But slowly, independence becomes something powerful.
❤️ It’s been 2 years now. Living abroad isn’t about choosing between two places. It’s about carrying your home with you while growing in a new one.
(Day 66/75)
(Life abroad, Indian abroad, struggle abroad, Indians in UK, London life, nri, fyp, international students, students life, abroad struggles)