I saw a similar post on a blog and I thought I should write my own guide which I named 15 Ways to Feel at Home in a Foreign Country. There are a few obvious things anybody who wants to move in another country has to do, like learning the language and a bit of geography, familiarizing with the law and customs. If moving to United Kingdom, refer to it as UK, don’t say England if you are referring to the whole country (only imagine what Nicola Sturgeon would say about that). Beside that, the only thing needed is a desire to integrate and keep an open mind. It’s that easy.
I enjoyed thinking of this topic.

1. Make you house your home.
I started with this because it’s one of the most important things regardless if the move is to a different flat/house, city or a country. I don’t think I should even start talking about the importance of having a nice and cosy home, everyone knows that. I know it’s more difficult when the house is rented, but it can be made homely with pictures, favourite books and vases, a cuddly toy and nice things bought from travels. I have in my living room a cuddly toy my husband bought for me in our honeymoon, a 500 years old piece of pottery I got from London last year. Little things can make a huge difference.

2. Local foods.
Try local foods. There are plenty of new and exciting things to try in a new country. Imagine if you really like the new food. Also, it doesn’t matter if you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat it again, but at least you’ve tried it. Also, if you are talking with someone about food, you will know what they are talking about.
It might sound obvious, but it’s not. I had a chat with an expat who had no idea what a Christmas pudding is, despite celebrating Christmas two times in UK. Maybe not everybody likes it, although I can’t understand why someone would not try a pud filled with dried fruits and booze. I can’t imagine now my Christmas day without a Christmas pudding. My husband doesn’t like raisins, so it’s not as keen on it.

3. Read books written by British authors.
I think reading a few books will make the culture of the new country easier to understand. I didn’t do that from the beginning, but I’ve read British authors since I was a teenager and I read novels in English 5-6 years before moving to the UK. This is what I would do if I would move to another country. I think it’s a really helpful way to learn a few things before moving.

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I am asked funny things sometimes and I wanted to share 3 of those questions. When I hear a question like this I’m lost for words. How can I reply?

1. You put your food & snacks on the plates only for taking pictures?

Hmmm… the obvious answer is no, I eat from plates like, hopefully, most of the civilized world. I don’t like eating out of a bag, so, if I can avoid it, I would toss the crisps/popcorn/puffs in a bowl and eat it from that.

I use props for taking food pictures, but those are obvious. I don’t think anybody eats their cookies with jars of flour on the table, sprinkled raisins and whatever props appear in the photo.

2. If you are vegetarian, you can’t have turkey, what do you eat at Christmas?

I was amazed to be asked something like this. I have an accent and it’s obvious for a Brit I’m not born in the UK. Besides UK and the English-speaking countries (US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) which started as colonies, the rest of the world has different customs for Christmas. I never had turkey for Christmas, not even when I wasn’t vegetarian, it’s not something people eat in Romania.

Funnily enough, there are more vegetarian or easy to make vegetarian options in the British Christmas dinner comparing to the Romanian one. Brussels sprouts can be vegan or vegetarian, the same can do done with roasted root vegetables. Onion gravy is delicious too, that too can be vegetarian.

3. Can you read in English? After a 5 minutes chat, the second question: When was the English Civil War?

The first question wouldn’t exactly be funny unless paired with the second one. I really can’t imagine how you get from: “can you read?” to a question about a 9 years time frame in the British history from the 17th century. This happened at a house transformed in a museum, in a small village up north.

I said 1648 and I got it wrong, but not by much. The Civil War started in 1642 and the second one started in 1648, as I said, when Charles I was captured and was executed the following year. That was what I knew, the year when Charles I’s was in captivity. I also knew the Civil War finished in 1651.

The lady who asked the question said she is not sure and this is why she asked me. First of all, I can’t understand why somebody who works in a historical museum has no idea when the English Civil War was, it’s not like knowing all the kings and queens from 1066 and up to date. Britain has only one civil war and it was the only time when there weren’t any kings on the throne. Although, considering that Oliver Cromwell was buried as a king and his son followed him, it’s not exactly a huge difference.
I had a look online to learn a bit more about that time and on 29th May 1660 the English monarchy was restored with King Charles II.

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