<p class="ingestion featured-caption">Moving to London was full of surprises.Alyssa Jaffer</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>I moved to <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/london-things-never-do-there-from-local">London</a> from California for my master's degree 10 years ago and decided to stay in the UK.</li><li>Unlike in California, I take advantage of four weeks of paid time off and access to free healthcare.</li></ul><p>In August 2014, I quit my job as a reporter in Berkeley, California, and <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-lesser-known-european-travel-destinations-from-frequent-traveler">moved to London</a> to pursue a master's degree — and also experience an adventure.</p><p>Although I was only supposed to stay for three years, I <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-perugia-best-place-in-italy-better-than-rome-2024-9">fell in love with the city</a>, and 10 years later, I still call London home.</p><p>However, moving to London has been full of adjustments. Here are nine things that surprised me most about <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-aldi-is-like-uk-cheapest-supermarket-for-family-2023-6">life in the UK</a>.</p>