From time to time, I’ve thought I would like to live in London. I’ve visited just once, but it seems like a great place to get around in, it has a lot of great attractions, and would provide the opportunity to visit other places in Europe for vacation. Alas, I’ve never really worked out the particulars of how an American would get employment there.
Anyway, if money was no object, I’d sure like to live here! But of course, the reality of the situation is I’d probably end up living here.
So while we’re on the subject, does anyone have any places they’d like to live someday but probably won’t? Or for that matter, any LonDopers want to brag about their living spaces?
I won’t brag about my living space, as I’m in a plain ol’ studio flat, but I really like living in London. I’m in Marylebone, which is the area of central London that contains Baker Street and the Wallace Collection, to name a couple of local landmarks. It’s a great part of town, IMHO - central but residential and not overrun with partiers on weekends.
I’m a stone’s throw from Regents Park, and my office is just a half-dozen Tube stops away, which is nothing in terms of London commutes. There’s plenty of shopping, pubs and restaurants within convenient walking distance. I’m also near Maida Vale, where I go out to pubs quite often with friends who live in the area.
The best way for an American to get a job here, IMHO, is to get hired in the U.S. by a company big enough to have European businesses (either an American company or a U.S. unit of a foreign company) and wangle a transfer from your employer. AFAIK it’s the case pretty much everywhere in Europe that foreigners can’t just show up and start looking for jobs, a work permit is required, and an employer has to apply for one on the prospective employee’s behalf.
I wouldn’t mind living in Primrose Hill or one of those really nice blocks of flats on Prince Albert Road at the top of Regents Park, but Marylebone is just fine with me.
Is it possible for you to get a passport from an EU country? Some countries like Ireland and Greece are particularly flexible in their eligibility requirements. They’ll allow citizenship based on heritage stretching back to your grandparents and beyond in some cases.
I live in Hoxton (which is in Shoreditch). Its in N1, which means that its pretty damn close to the centre - I can walk to Liverpool Street in 15mins and Old Street tube (zone 1) is about 5mins away.
My best mate and I rent a flat in an old converted pub which is pretty spacious. Every saturday Hoxton Market is right beneath our living room window and right outside our front door.
I work in Holborn in the centre of town - its just across a bit from Covent Garden. I normally walk to work, which takes about 45mins and gives me time to think and enjoy the city. If i’m feeling lazy i can jump on either of the two buses which go from the bottom of my road and they’ll drop me pretty much right outside my office. If i’m running desperately late, i’ll flag down a black cab which will get me there quicker, but will cost about £7
I love living in London, you couldn’t get me out with a crowbar. London fecking rules.
not exactly right for Ireland, and the reuirements are being tightened up considerably, including a proposed referendum on what constitutes citizenship.
I’m moving to london in about 3 months (I hope!) from Canada. Canucks under the age of 30 are allowed to live and work there for up to 2 yrs. I’m about $1300 short of what I need now so hopefully 3 months as I said. So yeah, dreams can come true.
I live in Southfields, which is at the end of the District Line. It’s pretty much your standard 1920s suburbia. The only thing that it is well known for is that it is where the “Wimbledon” tennis courts are. It is also on Wimbledon Common, so handy for Wombles (the little feckers are getting in my bins).
If I were single I would probably live in Fulham (like I used to when I was), but it is prohibitively expensive for a family sized home (at leat £750,000 for the same as I have a bit further out).
If money was no object I would live on Richmond Green or in Strand-on-the-green in Kew (a genuine fishing village in London).
I believe the easiest EU passport to get hold of is a Belgian one.
It is exactly right but there are caveats. This is the definitive guide. It’s clear that the further back one needs to go, the less likely one is eligible but the prospective applicant (aside from the bureaucrat in the Justice Department) is the best person to make this call. The referendum isn’t even a sure thing yet and, worst case, people have still got at least a couple of months before it could change the rules.
