I’ve been working with expats relocating to other countries for many years now, and while they come from all kinds of cultural backgrounds, I’ve noticed that the questions they ask are surprisingly similar. Many of them visit my website, so this post is meant to address some of those common questions in advance and hopefully give you, and them, a bit of insight into the kind of work I do and the services expected. This will be the first of many, because it’s simply not possible to cover such a broad and layered topic in just a few minutes of reading, it would be too much to take in all at once. Trust me, the last thing you want is to feel overwhelmed before your relocation even begins. If there’s something you’re wondering about that I haven’t touched on here, feel free to leave a comment below so I can make sure to include it in a future post.
This post is divided into three parts. The first addresses a question I’m often asked: what is the role of relocation and intercultural communication training, coaching, and mentoring, and how can it help in both professional careers and personal lives? Seasoned expats already understand its value, but for many, especially those relocating to seemingly “similar” parts of the world, it can feel unnecessary at first. Interestingly, most of them change their minds well before our work together is done. The second part focuses on life in the UK and how surprisingly strange or counterintuitive it can seem, even for those who thought they’d feel right at home. Of course, it doesn’t cover everything, just a handful of the most common questions clients ask me in our early sessions. There’s often a childlike curiosity at this stage, and it’s important to satisfy it quickly so they can begin to settle in. The final part is about the services I offer: how clients can explore these topics more deeply with support, and how I can help guide them along the way.
Please keep in mind that these answers aren’t meant to be definitive. They’re intended to give you a quick, condensed, and approachable introduction to topics that are often quite complex. You’ll notice that many of the answers include a note about future posts, those will dive deeper into each subject over time. Think of this as a starting point, not the full picture.
relocation training, coaching and mentoring
Moving to live and work in a different country is tougher than most people expect. In the beginning, your family is usually excited, after all, who wouldn’t love the idea of travel? But unfortunately, moving abroad is nothing like travelling. Sure, at first it feels amazing: temporary housing is often arranged for you, and in many cases, there’s a relocation package, so money isn’t an immediate concern. It can feel a bit like an all-inclusive holiday. And if you’re relocating alone, that feeling might even last for a while.
It’s a bit different when you’re relocating with your partner and/or kids, depending on their age, children are either wildly excited or deeply offended by the idea of moving (but we’ll save that topic for another time). Your partner, meanwhile, becomes what’s often referred to as a “trailing spouse” (though some prefer the term “accompanying partner,” just so you know). They typically come along to support your career move, but unlike you, they don’t step into a built-in routine or professional network. They don’t head off to work each day or automatically meet new people. Instead, they stay at home and take on the very real, often invisible task of organising your new life. And that’s a substantial job! At first, they imagine they’ll have time to explore the new country, maybe take some language classes, visit museums, and they’d even love for you to join them and share in their discoveries, usually on weekends, when you, after a long workweek, would often rather rest at home. And if you’re lucky, you might even go together… once or twice.
This phase is often called the honeymoon period, it’s all about the excitement and novelty. Just like any honeymoon, though, it eventually comes to an end. Sometimes it lasts a month, other times two or three, but it always fades away. And that’s completely normal; it happens to everyone. That’s exactly what training is for – to prepare you for the inevitable challenges ahead, because sometimes “better the devil you know” really applies. Coaching sessions help you uncover options and strengths you already have but might not yet recognize. And mentoring? Think of it as a private class with someone who’s “been there, done that” – that’s me.
Culture is much more than just language. You might speak fluent English, maybe it’s even your mother tongue, but after relocating to a new place, you can still find yourself struggling to understand the nuances and unspoken rules around you. That’s why intercultural communication is a core part of every relocation training I provide. There’s a famous quote often attributed to George Bernard Shaw that the United States and Great Britain are “two countries separated by a common language”, and it’s often my American clients who end up the most surprised by cultural differences once they’ve settled in.
Think of it this way: even within your own country, where most people often speak the same language, there are countless stories about how life and attitudes differ between those living in the capital, the oldest city, or more remote areas. People are different. If regional differences can be noticeable, imagine how much more pronounced these differences become between nations. Attitudes toward cooperating with authorities, working as part of a team or individually, responding to criticism, being more or less direct and expressing needs all vary widely. So yes, you might speak the same language, but do you truly understand each other?
Short answer is: it depends on you!
A little longer… Let’s imagine you’re moving to the UK. I highly recommend starting with a one- or two-day training, beginning with building cultural awareness. This means you’ll learn to recognize subtle cultural nuances, not only of British culture but any culture, really, by understanding whether certain behaviours come from universal human traits or specific personal or cultural characteristics. After that, we tailor the training to your particular needs and explore how life in the UK compares to your home country: what feels familiar and what feels different. You can choose to have this training before you relocate or after you arrive; the timing and length of the session are entirely up to you. While face-to-face sessions are ideal when you’re in the UK, we’ve all become accustomed to online work, so that option works well too.
Coaching and mentoring usually begin after you’ve relocated, so you can get the most out of them in real time. These sessions are typically held online, unless you move to London and prefer a face-to-face chat over a cup of coffee. Each session lasts about 60 minutes, and from my experience, around 10 coaching sessions are more than enough (you only pay for the sessions you actually have, of course). Mentoring relationships often continue for longer, depending on your individual needs and goals.
Training, coaching, and mentoring programs are offered independently, but you can choose to engage in all of them together, with a discounted price, or select only the ones that suit your needs. Before we sign any contract, we always start with a free chemistry session to discuss your goals and decide if and how we want to work together.
If you’d like to discuss your options, let me know here.
life in the UK
Yes, it may be – England ≠ Great Britain ≠ the UK.
It’s a common mix-up, but they’re distinct entities: England is one country within Great Britain, which includes Scotland and Wales, and the UK (United Kingdom) adds Northern Ireland to the mix. The UK has been created as a union of 2 kingdoms – England and Scotland in 1707 and there are still many significant differences between its parts – especially visible in separate legal, education and health systems.
Why Wales is not mentioned? It was often considered part of England, especially after the Laws in Wales Acts of the 16th century, which legally incorporated Wales into the Kingdom of England. Even today, many administrative and cultural ties reflect that shared history, though Wales has its own distinct identity, language, and devolved government. So while Wales is officially one of the countries within Great Britain, its historic relationship with England explains why sometimes it gets overlooked or lumped together in casual conversation.
Apart from Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales – which together with England form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, there are other territories that many people assume are part of the UK but actually aren’t. Places like the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, and Gibraltar fall into this category. They have unique statuses and relationships with the UK, and I’ll definitely be writing a post to clarify all of that soon.
Just remember, never call anyone from Glasgow, Belfast or Cardiff English. In the best case scenario, they would think you’re ignorant. You do not want to learn about “not the best” case scenario, trust me.
I know, this one is confusing! Many people assume that since the UK drives on the left-hand side, pedestrians would do the same. I wish it were that simple! In reality, most people walk on the right-hand side, unless there’s a particularly interesting shop window, in which case they’ll happily cross right in front of you, no matter the usual flow.
To make things even more complicated, sometimes the mysterious “they” want you to walk on the left instead. This usually happens in crowded places like London Underground tunnels, airports, or railway stations to help manage foot traffic. Thankfully, there’s usually a sign to guide you, though sometimes there isn’t. In those moments, the best advice is simple: just go with the flow!
PS: There’s one very strict rule about escalators here – always stand on the right and only walk on the left if you really need to. But even then, think twice, if the answer is still yes, think again! After all, the escalator is doing the work for you.
Long story short: it isn’t bad at all! It’s true that it might lack the finesse of many French dishes (sorry, but calling them in French, dressing them up, and charging a pretty penny doesn’t change the fact that escargots are still disgusting!) or the lightness of Mediterranean cuisine – but that doesn’t mean it’s not good. British cooking evolved as a practical response to the climate and traditions, designed to provide enough energy for a full day of work, especially since there was no such thing as a long lunch break, even in the heat of midday summer. Being efficient and pragmatic, the British made sure to use as much of the ingredients as possible, including the parts that make haggis unappealing to some, like the pluck. By the way, haggis is quite tasty, and we use pluck in Polish cuisine too – it’s just pork instead of lamb.)
And the British are pretty innovative in the kitchen too! There’s so much more than just “fish and chips” or the “full English breakfast.” They invented the sandwich – a staple in countless cultures; their Cornish pasty hits the spot perfectly after a night out. And don’t get me started on Eton mess – it’s simply divine (my love for meringues is inversely proportional to their weight). What’s important is that the British aren’t afraid to experiment. Without them, we wouldn’t have the modern, approachable versions of curry enjoyed worldwide today. Sure, British curry might not be the most authentic, but ask your mum to try a proper vindaloo; mine said: “The water has never tasted so good!”
The British love their traditions and take pride in doing things much like they were done before the Danelaw – if it was good enough for Boudicca, it clearly must be just right for John Smith or Hyacinth Bucket.
When it comes to the infamous separate hot and cold taps, the explanation is a bit more complex. In older times, the only way to get hot water at home was to boil it and store it in a tank. Ever visited a pond? If so, you probably noticed a certain “funky” smell. Stagnant water, whether in a pond or a tank, is a breeding ground for bacteria and parasites, especially if contaminated with animal waste or carcasses. Cold water, meanwhile, usually came from the mains supply, maybe not as early as the year 1000, but still quite early in the UK’s history. Mixing water from different sources, especially with varying pressures, could disrupt flow in the network and cause cross-contamination, potentially affecting many households, not just the one responsible for malpractice.
Why is it still done this way? Simply put – if it works, why change it? The only people complaining tend to be foreigners, anyway; the British have long since grown accustomed to it. In fact, they take pride in how they solved these challenges centuries ago and aren’t shy about reminding everyone that they did it first, well before anyone else.
I’m sure now, when you know the answer, scalding and freezing both your hands at the same time will be definitely more pleasant than yesterday.
Definitely not! Oyster cards were introduced by Transport for London in 2003 as an integrated payment method covering all travel modes. They were incredibly useful from the start, offering daily and weekly caps, easy top-ups whenever needed, and if you registered your card, you could even get a replacement with your remaining balance if it was lost.
Transport for London is gradually phasing out the Oyster card in favor of contactless payments using debit or credit cards. You still need to tap in and out to record your journey, but the fares remain exactly the same. Just be sure to create a TfL account to link your cards, it helps resolve any issues that might come up (I’ve lived here for the past 10 years and only had minor hiccups). Plus, you’ll still benefit from daily and weekly fare capping.
Regarding fares: back when working five days a week made a weekly travelcard worthwhile, switching made sense. Nowadays, it’s often better to stick with pay-as-you-go options; just use your phone or smartwatch for contactless payments and enjoy the convenience of getting around London without worrying about buying a weekly pass.
The English? Yes, they absolutely do queue! To quote George Mikes, whose book How to Be a Brit I can’t recommend highly enough, “An Englishman, even if he is alone, forms an orderly queue of one.” Of course, that’s not true everywhere; good luck queuing in London – and good luck spotting an Englishman there, too. But at places like the post office, bus stops, or any gated entrance, there’s never chaos, only order. And you know what? After living here a while, you’ll come to love it and won’t imagine life without it. Trust me, it’s incredibly convenient.
Have you ever been to Japan or South Korea? Those countries don’t really use addresses the way many others do. I sometimes suspect the British authorities might still be stuck in a Cold War mindset, doing everything they can to keep foreign secret agents from easily finding the right place!
The address looks straightforward enough, the first line with a number and street name is supposed to be key. You find it on Google Maps, you go there, and it’s not the place you expected. You wouldn’t believe how many people end up in Barking instead of St. John’s Wood when searching for the famous Beatles’ album cover crossing. I once lived on West Heath Road, right next to West Heath Avenue, West Heath Close, and West Heath Drive – talk about confusing! That brings me to the most important part of any UK address: the postcode. We’ve all heard stories about letters delivered to “the red building right next to the crossroad in the city centre”, but how many of us actually know that place? Probably not many.
And here’s a word of advice: if your address includes a flat number, never put it on the first line. Often, computer systems – yes, I’m looking at you, Uber Eats!, omit that detail, leaving whoever’s delivering with just the flat number and postcode. Unfortunately, that’s never enough to find you!
Are you familiar with the aforementioned Mrs. Bucket? The British don’t pronounce words the way they’re written; it’s all about history and tradition. My international clients often get lost in London looking for places like Hoborn or Totnam, and when they finally realize that if a place name ends with -ster, whatever’s between the first and last syllable often gets dropped (like Leicester pronounced “Lester,” Gloucester as “Gloster,” and so on), they might try to buy a train ticket to “Chister.” The tricky part is that since the English “invented” the language, they’re still convinced everyone should know these quirks. Don’t bother arguing; let them think they’re right, including Mrs. Bouquet. Next time, try mimicking their pronunciation. I’m afraid it’s the only way that really works!
about the services
Most intercultural communication and relocation specialists work independently, even though sometimes their services are offered through agencies. Simply put, agencies market and sell the services, connecting clients with individual trainers and coaches who work on their behalf based on specific needs. But the reality is, I’m my own boss and use these middlemen mainly for their commission and client sourcing. I collaborate with numerous companies that bring me clients and handle the logistics, yet I also maintain my independent practice.
This kind of work demands ongoing personal development, which happens best through connecting with other specialists – that’s where the “we” part comes in. If you’re relocating to places I’m less familiar with, like Germany or China, I’ll connect you with trusted professionals I’ve worked with before. I can guarantee you’ll be satisfied because I know how they operate; we’ve probably even collaborated at some point already.
I’m a native Polish speaker and, like many people worldwide, I took English classes in school. Later, when I lived in the US, my accent got a bit mixed up. Even after living in London for 10 years, I often prefer using American English pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary in many situations. I used to feel ashamed of this, but then I realized that for many of my clients, it’s actually an advantage to work with someone whose English isn’t “perfect.” My accent simply means one thing: I’m bilingual, and that’s something I’m very proud of.
According to wordpress, this post is already almost a 15 minutes read and I think it’s enough for the time being. If you are interested in learning more, let me know in the comments below or fill the contact form so I could get back to you.
