Hi fellow students,

My home country is England (aka the UK) but London is the capital city and where I was raised.. 

There are many languages spoken in the UK as it is very multicultural. English is the most spoken with Scottish, Welsh, Polish, and Punjabi/Urdu comprising the top four.

The population of London is bigger than the population of Sydney and Melbourne combined! There is not just something for everybody in London but so many things for so many types of people. No matter how unusual your likes/dislikes are, there will probably be lots of options to keep you entertained/satisfied.

Now I have lived in Australia for a while, I realise how lucky I was to experience so many choices of recreational activities, entertainment, sightseeing, shopping, nightlife, and cheap overseas travel that takes no time to get there eg. 1-3 hr flights to France, Spain, Italy, etc.

Coming to live in Australia was a shock as it seemed like a small country town compared to London. It took a bit of time to adjust and realise I needed to slow my pace down and relax more. It also surprised me that I had trouble understanding Australian English many, many times during my first few years here. I had not expected Australian English to sometimes mean something so different to British English!

For anyone thinking of visiting the UK, or London, I recommend you go between May-September if you don't like cold weather. October-April can often be extremely wet and cold.

I would also recommend you take another trip outside of the UK. There are always cheap, last-minute fights to Europe, USA, Canary Islands, etc. You might be lucky enough to go somewhere like Portugal for as little as GBP 5 one-way (approx $8)! There are often crazy discounts on travel to multiple destinations and most places are just a short plane ride away.

Taking the Eurotunnel train to France is also an amazing experience. It is really fast and it is incredible to know you're travelling under the English Channel on the sea bed!

For anyone who is new to Australia, I wish I'd worn more sunblock when I first arrived. I kept getting sunburned just by walking around. The sun's rays really are harsher here. Remember to slip, slop, slap!

I would also recommend you travel within Australia to experience this vast country. Each state is like a different country in my opinion! Different fashions, foods, attitudes, and cultures. Maybe rent an RV and drive around so you can get a taste of the 'real' Australia. I've seen so many people come here for 1 or 2 years and get stuck living in the place they first came to. You will not regret adventures to new locations, seeing new things and making fond memories.

Travel, have fun, and experience new places, foods, people and past times!

I hope to read about your home and your Australian experience soon!