Monika W
When I moved to London, I knew basic English but the first few months were difficult. Being able to speak to people and getting to know the different cultures and traditions helped me to feel more confident.
Top tips
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Learning English is the key to living an independent life
Being able to speak English helped us to feel settled and part of the community. It meant we could use the local services, find a job, build a community of friends and most importantly, to ask for help when we needed it.
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Learning English is not as hard or as costly as you may think
There are many free or low-cost ways to learn and practise from attending classes (‘ESOL’) to downloading free language apps, watching TV with English subtitles or simply speaking to local people!
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It’s common for things to get lost in translation
When different cultures come together, misunderstandings can happen - we all have stories to tell! You will hear new accents, phrases and come across different mannerisms. It may feel like a lot to take on, but with time you will get adjusted.
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People can seem unfriendly at first but give them a chance!
It can seem this way especially when people are rushing around, especially during work hours but we’ve learned that most people are willing to help if they can.