Growing up in Hamilton, Canada was always a blessing – close to a beach (albeit rocky) for summer days, a few awesome hiking spots to check out with my dog, Toronto just a short train ride away for Raptors games, and Niagara (aka wineries) under an hour away for enjoying with friends in the summer! Life was always great…but the pandemic changed something.
I knew after the pandemic that I needed something different – an exciting and inspiring change in my life. And that’s when I came across Australia.
My journey teaching in Australia with anzuk was the most incredible year of my life! What was only supposed to be a six month trip turned into a full year of chasing waterfalls, sunsets on the beach, concerts and flights across the country, and some of the best friends I have ever made in my adult years!
Australia came to feel like a second home, and having set up a life for myself in Melbourne, it was hard to leave my school, my friends, and what felt like my new home in an amazing city behind. But, after the incredible experience I had living abroad once, I knew that I had to continue exploring the world – meeting new people, seeing new places, and trying new things! And so, I chose to head over to the land of Jaffa Cakes, Sunday Roasts, and tea – good ole’ London baby!
After having done all the paperwork and applications for moving to Australia, doing it again for the UK wasn’t as bad, as I had an understanding of what to expect. The best part is the NHS fee, which allows you to access public healthcare in the UK, just like in Canada! In Australia, the healthcare was through private companies, which always made me worry about exactly what they would and wouldn’t cover for.
The UK Youth Mobility Visa is also great because it is a two-year visa (though Canada and the UK recently announced it will be changed to three years) compared to the one year visa I received in Australia. This means even more time to explore the UK and all the amazing European countries nearby!
I’ve been in London for a total of six months now, and it has been mind blowing to think of all of the changes that have happened in my time here!
I’m currently living in Southwest London – known for being much more affordable than central London, but still full of young people who like to explore and enjoy their local communities! It’s home to tonnes of great restaurants, cafes, bars, and parks that become a common meeting place for hangouts during the sunny summer months! Clapham Common is the one that comes to mind to most people, but there is also the beautiful waterfront in Battersea to go for a run on!
Speaking of travel, I have already flown out of four of the major airports in London – Heathrow, Luton, Gatwick, and Stansted. Having so many options has been absolutely amazing for securing good flight deals for all the cities I’ve wanted to visit! And the best part is that the public transportation to get to all of them has been excellent – either a train, tube (underground) or bus that all operate regularly (albeit a bit pricey).
The train has also been awesome for checking out more local towns of England, including a trip to Dover this past weekend in Southeast England to see the amazing White Cliffs of Dover.
In my time here, I have been able to explore Amsterdam for a mate’s birthday, head to Marbella (southern Spain) for a bit of sun during the winter months, and even enjoy St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland – which was absolutely insane! They had the best live music and having a fresh pint of Guinness poured for you in a local Irish pub is definitely something everyone needs to experience once!
London is a city that everyone needs to experience at some point in their lives, as every season offers you something truly unique and special. Winter was an amazing time to see the festive lights and the city light up in Christmas decorations. I have never felt such a magical vibe for the season before, and it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Into Spring now, it has been an incredible time to enjoy all the West-end musical theater productions the city has to offer! The Tina Turner musical, Book of Mormon Show, The Little Big Things, and the ever-iconic Wicked musical have been some of my absolute favourites! And though the weather here can be quite rainy, the milder winter has allowed me to start running (I was never a fan of cardio but almost every park here hosts a Saturday morning parkrun run club and I have now joined the cult myself)!
More adventures lie ahead for this summer – including some amazing music festivals, UK pride festivals, football and rugby matches to watch, and day trips to Brighton for the beach! I’m most excited for Glastonbury – which my friend managed to be one of the 5% of people registered for tickets to actually get them!
All I can say is that if you’ve been thinking about travel and teaching overseas but haven’t decided to yet…don’t hesitate and reach out to anzuk about the UK or Australia. I guarantee you will grow so much from travelling and experience things in your life you never dreamed were possible. Either location has so much for you to enjoy and it will be a life-changing decision you will be so glad you made.
Mark Campbell | Canadian Educator
