4 reasons why I like London

I've lived in London for more than 4 months. I came here because I simply wanted to. I grew up in a big, vibrant city, than grew up a little more in an even bigger one. I don't feel very happy in a city where there is nothing to do in the evening, so I ran away to London and it's time for the first résumé.

Why do I like London?

• Freedom: no one cares about you, you're free to do, wear, eat anything you want. You can take a silly picture of your pizza in Flat Planet without anyone thinking "Oh, these people..." Why? Because others are so busy with themselves and their own lives that they just don't care. I will never forget the day I ate a sandwich on a Parisian street. After lunch time. On the street, while walking. Alone. Two French girls looked and me, upset, and one of them summed up my behaviour with the following: "Pff, elle fait trop Américaine". Of course, she was right. It's not healthy to eat between meals and I totally miss the times when I had a healthy eating routine (breakfast, lunch, my 4 o'clock coffee and a little snack and a late dinner.

• Food: I'm addicted to food and eating out. I love discovering new dishes and cultures. You can find everything in London. Indian, Chinese, French, Polish, Vietnamese, Lebanese. And more. I like observing how food trends change. I even like chain coffee shops and the fact that they are literally everywhere if I need an emergency chai latte.

• Culture: Exhibitions, theater, musicals... If you have enough time and money you can have fun every evening. You don't even need money, the majority of exhibitions and museums being free of charge. Example? I saw 3 exhibitions today and payed nothing. They were also 5 minutes from each other which means that you can enjoy art wherever you go in London.

• Parks: London is a very green city. There are a few huge parks, small squares and lovely flowers almost everywhere (sounds a little cheesy though). You don't need to leave the town to spend a calm day surrounded by nature.

There are more reasons why I love this city but these are the most important ones. There are surely some disadvantages of living here (it's noisy, expensive etc.)  but please show me a perfect place: big but cozy, cheap but classy, old but modern. I'm sure I wouldn't like to go there and leave my borough.

Warsaw

 My boyfriend and I have spent 4 days in Warsaw. It was his first visit in my city. We had an amazing time.


- I took my boyfriend to my all-time favourite coffee shop (Same Fusy, Piwna Street). We played Pick up Sticks, had an amazing carrot cake and tea and talked with my Mom about my previous boyfriends she didn't like

- We went to the Warsaw Rising Museum. It made J. feel depressed but it was all normal to me. I grew up learning about the World War II. The museum is great and modern, although there are a lot details to read about and we were too tired (and hungry).

- We had some Georgian food for the first time. Very nice and filling. It's this kind of food you can only have once or twice a year. I cannot even imagine eating khinkali and chachapuri every day.

- I discovered that my beloved little bookshop didn't exist anymore. I wanted to buy some books about my favourite painter. The publishing house only sells books in their office as they don't have a proper shop anymore. Disappointment.

I love coming back to my city, I love seeing how many things have changed. Sometimes I compare it to London and realise that we have everything. Living abroad was exciting when we didn't have H&M (20 years ago). Now it's all the same. But better because I'm home.

7 years abroad - what I have learnt

7 years abroad - how crazy this sounds!

7 years ago I left my comfort zone in Warsaw and moved to France. I was an excited student-to-be, open to whatever comes next. A lot of craziness happened in between, but I have never regretted my decision. Then I moved to Bratislava. Then I moved to London. I had 20 flats (roughly...), 3 best friends and a little more than 30 flights booked.

Here are the 5 (most important) things I have learnt:

- Don't get (too) emotionally attached to things/objects. You will lose 99% of them while moving to a new place. You will leave behind 20 apartments, 3 suitcases, 10 kettles, a lot of friends. You will keep ten times as much memories.

- Learn to be happy on your own. You will be alone. A lot. Learn to like yourself and believe in yourself. Other people will help you. May help you. Might help you. Or not. However difficult it may sound, always count on yourself alone.

- You will become schizo(cultu)phrenic. You will speak 2 foreign languages on a daily basis but never your own. You will have to constantly adapt to your new country, but also to your own. You will feel like a foreigner in your own city. You will not be able to define where exactly are you from (Am I Polish? Or French? If I have more than 1 passport, Am I both?) Deal with it!

- You will be more open-minded. You will learn to love new things or at least to accept them.

- You will have friends everywhere. You will meet barristers from Peru, researchers from Kiev, freelancers from Bermuda and surfers from Melbourne. Eventually you will fall in love with a lawyer from London.

Sometimes it's hard, sometimes it's fun. I still dream in French, my Polish is not as good as in 2010, I don't understand some Polish jokes, sayings, memes. Sometimes I miss Paris 24/7, sometimes I'd like to rent a flat in Warsaw Old Town and delete my memory card. But not today.