Name: Ron Scott
Where you can find Ron: Twitter & Instagram.
Nationality: American
Current Host Country: The United Kingdom
Previous Locations: USA
Years Abroad: 6
Years in Current Location: 6
Occupation: Sports Entrepreneur
I moved to my current country because…Since I first came to London in 1999, I knew I wanted to move to the UK, but didn’t exactly know how to go about it. It helped that I had business interests in the UK and my mentor was well known in business circles in London. Together we embarked on a sports media business opportunity and when the idea was further developed and funded to some degree, it just made sense to move from NYC to London in 2015.
Also, I had begun to get tired of the lack of progress on racial issues, gun violence and constant political division. I was seeking a fresh perspective, a new beginning, an adventure!
The best thing about living in the United Kingdom has been:
From the beaches to Cornwall, to the Highlands of Scotland and everything in between just a train or short flight away. Also, Europe so close that once could never tire of the getaway options. I like the calm of the British, the stiff upper lip and all that. I like the fact that the police are held accountable for the most part and that random gun violence is not really a thing here. I like that fact that political advertising is not a thing, nor is pharmaceutical ads on TV. And importantly, access to free healthcare. The NHS is fantastic!
The three things you need to make it here is: (1) Patience….just because Americans speak the same language as the Brits, the cultures are entirely different. It takes a while to acclimate and understand the nuances of class and social hierarchy. Not that one must comply and adapt, but you sure have to pay attention and that takes time and patience. (2) A Sense of Humor……sometimes things just don’t make sense. The weather, the drinking culture, the obsession with football, the sarcasm. Oh joy! (3) A great job, business or hustle……because London, just like NYC could be miserable without the financial means to really enjoy this place. $7/gallon for gas? Really?
My favorite experience living here has been…London is just amazing and at my stage in life, it has everything one could want. Coming from NYC the pace was a tad bit slower, but after awhile, I grew to appreciate that sometimes a slower place to really appreciate life’s journey could be a good thing. Sure, I gave up the convenience of fast Chinese food delivery in NYC, but now I have the best Indian food I’ve ever had delivered to my door within 30 minutes!
I have some of the best wine from France and Italy, as well as unpasteurized cheese (illegal in US) a short walk away. And the music, theatre, art and clubs scenes are truly world class. The best part is that I’m an hour or two from the best destinations in Europe. Enjoying weekends in Paris is actually a thing!
If you’re considering living here… I would say leave the “America is the greatest country in the world” mindset back in the US. Come here with an open mind and open heart and trust me, the UK accept you with open arms. Sure, it has its problems, but when I really looked at the pros and cons, the decision to move here was easy and one of the best I’ve ever made (the other was marrying my wife!)
The biggest lesson I learned as an expat is...
just do it.
Whatever that is that's a burning desire, just go for it. I didn't get my passport until I was 34 but since then I've been to 38 countries and many of them several times over. I really wish I started traveling earlier rather than spending so much time in the US.
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