I thought it might be helpful for me to write down some of the first steps we took when we moved to London. As with most of what I have to say, I have no idea what I’m talking about. It’s definitely in your best interest to do what’s best for you as we more or less muddled our way through.

Moving is challenging but this move proved to be more so because we were no longer under the umbrella of the U.S. Embassy. In Singapore, the Embassy took care of everything for us, including a condo, furniture, electricity, and water and, to which, I tip my hat to you, fellow American tax payers. In London, we are with a larger part of Marcus’s organization which does not sit with the Embassy and so, while we were given guidance on steps to take, it was up to us to secure housing, set-up utilities, etc.

The very first thing you should do, and this is before you even land in the U.K., is to assume that you will most definitely need cold weather things. Even if you are packing in May and hope to receive your home goods by September this is a terrible assumption to make. You will not have four months of a summer in the U.K. like you would anywhere else in the world and you will not receive your home goods in a timely manner. What you will do is find yourself wishing that you had packed that extra pair of jeans and light sweater and rain boots and hiking boots and crappy sneakers and fuzzy robe.

The second most important thing to do upon arrival is to get a phone with a U.K. number. We waited and waited because somehow we managed quite well without really needing a Singapore number but it’s a bit different here. Eventually, I got an eSIM which has proven to be more or less a waste of money as about 50% of my calls and texts come through. In retrospect, we could probably rename this post to, “Don’t Do It This Way” or something like that.

The third thing you should do is get a U.K. bank account. We waited until it was absolutely necessary and ended up having to make multiple wire transfers that required actually speaking to someone over the phone in the U.S. This doesn’t even take into account the time difference which can cause some panic as you wait for money to go through in order to move into a new home. Also, keep in mind that to set-up a bank account in the U.K. you will need proof to legitimize your request so be prepared with as much documentation as you think you may need, including the most recent results of your pap smear, and you should be good to go.

The fourth thing to do, especially since mass transit is a way of life here, is to secure an Oyster Card which is Greater London’s tap-in/tap-out card. While Marcus and I still have yet to get Oyster Cards (again, do as I say, not as I do) I did secure them for the children rather quickly because they can travel for a seriously reduced rate when they use them. Most of this is done online and is super easy provided your phone number works.

The fifth thing you should do, and honestly, it’s probably the first thing you should start to do, is to look for housing which I covered in a previous post and which you can read here. This can be started online though, truly, it must actually be done in person. At the very least, if you have a friend in the area, have them check-out potential places.

The sixth most important thing you should do when you first move to the U.K. is, oh damn. I just remembered a very crucial part of this whole adventure. The most important thing above all is you should get a visa to stay in the U.K. Haha. I was racking my brain for more steps that one should take as I was putting the girls to bed and I remembered that none of this would be possible without the right to actually stay here. So, be sure to do that because without one you kind of won’t be able to do any of the aforementioned steps.