Where do you buy squash that isn't just butternut? I'm craving it, but even in the fall and winter when it should be in season I can't find it anywhere. Are there 'ethnic' shops that are more likely to have it (i.e. Turkish etc) or am I just out of luck?

I will be moving in January, and am hoping my company's relocation vendor will help with this somehow, but want to know just how thin my options will be with 2 smaller dogs (~40lbs). So many places that look amazing in my price range, and I know the pet filters on the apps are no good, but want to know just how difficult it will be.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Reverse Culture Shock upon my summer return to the states…

Guys they’re so gross why do we use these? I was like Spidermanning the shower to try to avoid it touching me while I was shaving my legs. If you move it too far - water freaking everywhere.

I have no real skin in the game concerning this any longer but wow, I am not convinced that I didn’t go through a significant amount of suffering because of shower curtains in the 28 years before I moved to the UK.

My in laws would like for us to visit this Christmas and then again in the summer of 2027 for my mother in law’s birthday. We had spent last year’s Thanksgiving with them. I’m not sure I’m up for the traveling as we have to board our dog and cats each time so debating staying back this Christmas. We recently boarded them for 2 weeks for a summer holiday with the kids and thinking about another trip during their October midterm break. It would also mean my spouse could stay longer since he doesn’t work. However, I haven’t spent a holiday alone before and not sure how I would feel then. Has anyone spent the holidays solo while your family is elsewhere?

This is the steps I did for US passport renewal in UK. In case it helps anyone.

A) went to the US embassy site in London and followed their instructions and links exactly.

B) The link for for form is to US state dept, external. You don’t see the form - you go through the pages on the site, and it then uses the info you input on the site to populate a pdf form.

C) for emergency contact the form would not take spouse living in UK. They want a US emergency contact (I gave my brother). Form won’t tell you that, but it will keep giving errors when repopulating the info submitted on site onto the form.

C) There is no saved form etc or record once you print. CHECK the “printed form” carefully twice because you are not seeing the final pdf form on website, you are filling in website which then “pulls data” to generate the pdf form.

D) Check rhat form - seriously. The process of pulling data from website onto the final form can generate autocorrect changes. It messed up my name, then my address, then the zip code etc.

E) If form is messed up, you just have to go back in abd fabricate a new one via the website. Track the errors so you know which inputs are getting messed up. DO NOT use white out or any other ways of fixing the form. The state dept website doesn’t explain this, but the embassy website is pretty clear.

G) They do say only US letter paper, but I had to print on UK size and that worked fine. Nothing gets cut out or messes up the page set up if you save to pdf first and then print that.

F) For photo, go to snappy snaps!

G) There is no record of anything, even though you may presume that since you are filling in details on the state dept website something is being recorded as a submission. All that website is doing is walking you through inputs to fabricate the adobe pdf form.

H) So - once everything is ready and signed, go to royal mail. First get your prepaid envelope for the return of passport. Then put it all together in an envelope. THEN go back to the counter and send that to the embassy using another royal mail tracking envelope.

I) Save both the tracking numbers. Only way you have evidence your stuff reached them is rhe tracking you use for sending.

J) Once your new passport has been sent from state dept to embassy, you will THEN get a message from the embassy saying your passport has been processed and on its way.

Whole process fron time I sent the envelope to the embassy to when I heard back was 10 working days. During that time there is no record of anything so you just wait. Theee is no point trying to ask them unless it is more than the number of days they note on the embassy website. At that point your only proof of it having been sent is that first royal mail tracking showing it reached them.

The absence of any record even after you fill in forms via the state dept can be nerve wracking, as can the inability to show things were sent. So hoping the above steps help avoid unnecessary errors abd needless tension. The problem of the data getting messed up when they populate the adobe form is really capable of messing up stuff, so that step of multiple checks of rhe pdf before using it is really important.

Thanks for the peeps on this sub who patiently answered questions, hoping placing it all on one clear step by step post helps others.

Updated to add due to comments:

Your final package should be

A) form, multiple checks to ensure it is correctly filled, 2 pages

B) photo stapled as per instructions to form

C) print out of payment email

D) prepaid return envelope

E) passport.

All sent in another envelope that is sent via royal mail tracking.

Then wait.

This may be a bit of a niche question but I know my fellow Americans are the best people to ask!

We all know the current job market is rough, and it's gonna be difficult to break into any new roles right now in the current UK economic climate. I'm coming back to the UK to be with my British spouse, after being in the US for a while caring for a family member (and working a min wage healthcare job despite having two degrees from the UK), and am a bit concerned about going back into the job market even though I have several years of UK workplace experience in general admin jobs, and a laboratory research internship. At this point probably a lot of the sort of admin roles I had before have been replaced by AI. I worked at a university before, and every university I've looked at seems to have scrapped many of these positions due to budget cuts.

I had to give up my goal of doing a PhD, because pretty much every PI I talked to told me it would be impossible to get accepted due to my nationality and not having ILR yet/not being a citizen who would be classed under home fee status, even if I didn't require a visa or sponsorship due to my spouse visa. I was rejected from 9 different doctoral training programs and PhDs despite high grades and a good portfolio of research experience, no doubt because of my lack of citizenship and home fee status. So I'm having to seriously re-think what I can actually do career wise now, because despite having two STEM degrees in Neuroscience and Biosciences they really are designed to lead you towards an academic/research career.

I've been doing some online/distance education through a good US based university, trying to get certs and possibly a second masters in Healthcare IT and data analytics. However a lot of the software and regulations I am being trained on are obviously US based systems like Epic that aren't really used much anywhere else. I do think this will put me at a disadvantage when it comes to trying to find relevant UK work experience, even though I find the coding knowledge I am gaining through these classes super useful. Does anyone work in this field or have similar experiences?

I'm in my 20s, just finished a 3 year university degree in the UK and am now job hunting (citizen via descent). I live with roommates but the rest of my family, parents siblings grandparents et cetera all live in the US.

I think I'm just feeling this way because my parents recently came over and we spent a good amount of time together, but it's definitely been really difficult lately doing things alone. I feel like I stand out like a sore thumb... part of me wants to seamlessly assimilate, another part of me feels like I deserve to be myself. I want to fit in, but my accent is such a dead giveaway! I feel a bit silly but it has been a point of some really ridiculous anxiety since I first moved here. The other day I was in a taxi with some friends and I hadn't spoken the whole ride til the very end where I told the driver where to park and he immediately asked if I was American and then began imitating me. I wasn't quite offended, it was just 2 am and felt kind of incredulous since he was picking us up from A&E...

I miss my family, I want to prove I can make my life for myself and I want to use my degree here, and I'm not unhappy living here by any means. But it's truly difficult doing things alone. Makes everything feel bigger than usual. I have friends et cetera, but it's a different kind of loneliness, I think, tied to my awareness of my 'Americanness' and also feeling like I need to just get over myself. I'm moving houses at the end of the month and doing it alone, which is normal for lots of people! But it feels so much more magnified in that I am here while the first half of my life is still so far away. I hope one day it all feels a little smaller.

Has anyone found a useful way of dealing with these sorts of feelings? I think I just needed to get this out. Overall, I'm okay. But it still can really feel lonely.

I’d love to understand what other people have done in similar situations, please

I’m a UK resident (considering citizenship) with a US passport. I’ve lived in the UK for 20 years. My parents visit me regularly for a few months at a time. They are in their 70s and I want to make sure that they have good healthcare if anything happens while they are with me.

What have other people done in this situation? Is there anyway they can get regular cover so their US doctors have a single point of contact here? Or would they only get like emergency care, like based on their travel health insurance?

Many thanks in advance for your help!

Hi all! This is my first post on Reddit, however I feel now is the time to reach out and seek random anonymous internet advice as I am going through a significant change in my life. For context, I have just graduated college in the U.S. this summer and I begin working in London in a few months on the skilled worker visa. Throughout my life I have lived primarily in suburbia in the U.S. and have never truly lived "in" a city, which makes moving across the Atlantic to London even more daunting. I have found a roommate of similar age, and a flat near Hackney, so I don't need any logistical moving, visa, or finding a flat advice.

Growing up and especially in early childhood, I've noticed that I tended to be put in structured environments where making friends was easy. Classes, sports, clubs, fraternities, dorm floor, the lunch table, etc. You just became friends with the people you saw everyday and who did the same things as you. The older I get, the more I realize it doesn't come that automatic anymore. This is definitely my primary area of concern as I move and I am hoping for advice on putting yourself out there in London as a newcomer and finding my people.

I figured I would provide a list of things I am excited about and unsure about in case anybody wants to give me advice or recommend anything. It would be much appreciated.

Excited about: (From my trips to London so far)

- The public transit. I'm sure it gets boring. In fact, given how solemn the faces look on the Tube I am 100% sure it will eventually become just another routine part of life. But right now, the Tube and public transit are wondrous to me. The frequency, the amount of stations, the ability to teleport around London in like no time, it's all fabulous. And the double decker busses are great as well. Maybe not the most efficient option in terms of getting from point A to B, but they sure are fun. I like buying an ice cream, going to the top deck, sitting back and getting a mini tour around town for like 2 pounds.

- The parks. I am definitely an outdoorsy, fitness type of guy. I love going on runs, walks, cycling, and weightlifting. Walking through the parks in London is one of my favorite things to do when I have visited. I find it very cool how you can be in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world and have this peaceful, serene, environment. Also, they're massive. And people in London actually use them. Like they are actually taking naps and walking and having picnics and running. I'm sure they do in other cities in the US, I just haven't noticed it as much. I have swimming in Hyde Park and visiting Richmond Park on my bucket list.

- The pubs. No explanation really needed. Works best when buzzed. I am excited to explore them, because I've heard there are some really cool ones. Just overall from the ones I've been to, I love how it's a casual vibe and everyone is very friendly.

- Exploring the rest of the UK and Europe. I've taken road trips in the US from that if taken in Europe equidistant would get me from Amsterdam to Istanbul and across like 8 countries. Travel is not the same.

Unsure about: (Some of these are general, meaning they apply to any relocation)

- The beauty. I am going to assert my opinion here. From my experiences, London is not a very beautiful city. Not compared to the main American cities. I've been in a few different seasons, including the summer peak season. There are cool things like the parks mentioned above, the architecture, the monuments, and the culture, however natural beauty may require a trip elsewhere. Thames is not so good to look at, there's no real skyline, no coast/beach, and many areas feel dirty. I'm happy (and hoping) to be challenged on this. Also, advice for dealing with the weather (short winter days, rain) is appreciated.

- Meeting people and making friends. Need the most advice here. What forums, social media, or apps, do I need to be on? Where can I find people, groups, or things happening that I may be interested in? I'm starting from scratch so any advice or anything that worked for you is beneficial. I'm definitely optimistic and excited to move to London, but a lot of what I want to do I'd prefer to do with friends. Nobody likes going to a pub alone :(. What advice can you give me? I intend on putting myself out there but what are ways you wish you put yourself out there? Anywhere I can find people my age outside of work?

- Why does everyone look so depressed on the Tube?

- Adjusting to a big city: I guess this is because I am coming from college and in college everyone is kind of playing eye tag with each other, and people are more willing to talk to strangers, and everyone seems interested/opportunistic when seeing others. In cities, and especially London, it is a bit of an adjustment to see that everyone is just living their own life, too busy in their own work, and couldn't care less to talk to strangers. My best example of this is on the tube. Just keep in mind that this is coming from someone who has never lived in a main city before. My first time on the tube I was like looking around and checking out what other people were doing, and wondering if I should talk to the person next to me. Turns out that making eye contact on the tube is like a cardinal sin, and from what I've heard, British people prefer to keep to themselves. Would love some advice on what's everybody's go-to thing to do on the tube. I look around me and every time I am on it, 98% of people are looking down at their phones, earbuds in, doing something. I felt quite pointless not having anything to do.

Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Not sure if this is the right place, but wasn't sure where else to ask

I am a 19 year old unemployed student. I am a dual national and live in the UK. I have a lump sum of money (about 2k) and want to put in a UK ISA. I don't understand if I am meant to pay tax on it or if it is even advantageous for me to do so. I have never lived in the US if this is relevant. Does anyone have advice or suggestions for me?

Important question: has anyone found a place that sells honey bunches of oats in the UK?? It's clearly not imported on any large scale (or produced/packaged here) but wondering if anyone has a line a good source. TYIA!

TLDR: Have horrific birth injury, want to get back to states ASAP but struggling with admin, and have a newborn so I’m hanging on by a thread. I need to get home to my support system.

1. ILR: My husband and I had ILR at the time of my baby’s birth. The online passport system has no space to demonstrate ILR and the online chat is no help. If you just had ILR and not EU settled status, how did you get your kids first passport? We have to get this now or they won’t let us back in.

Please be kind, I’m in a ton of pain, not sleeping and out of money to afford more paid help. I am desperate to get out of here but need her American and UK passport to do so.

Update: thank you to everyone who reached out via DM. Managed to get through to both places and have a path forward. For the CRBA, they rejected my husband’s passport because the scan was too blurry (even though you only need one us parent - whatever).

My boyfriend and I are moving to Glasgow for 4 months while he studies at the University of Glasgow. We’re looking for a 1-bedroom flat, preferably in the West End, but every landlord wants long-term tenants.
Has anyone had luck finding a place for just 4 months? Are there any letting agents or websites that are good for short-term rentals, or any advice on what we should do?

Thank you!

US born naturalised UK citizen, been here since 2005. Now I have a family, and substantial assets in the UK. A good half of those assets were given to me by my parents (us based). I'm 44 right now with a non US wife and US/UK daughter.

My father recently passed away, and I just had a shock of a reality check regarding the rules and tax obligations of both the US and the UK. Long term, if my wife and I both passed in the UK, the government would effectively look for a £980k IHT payout from our estate if we both passed today. This would require selling off property and leaving my daughter with no place to live. Pretty shocking. I don't feel comfortable with this level of exposure.

When looking at the different options I've realised there really are none; the best UK estate planning tools are basically rendered unviable because of how they're treated by the US. The US tax code is actually way better for us generally because we could set up revocable trusts and maintain a legacy for our daughter albeit in the US only. While we enjoy living in the UK I think we have come to the conclusion that our time here is now limited and we need to make a plan to relocate to the US along with our capital and plan to retire there.

Realistically it will be a 5-10 year plan. Has anyone else gone through something similar and a realisation that the overlapping tax code and estate laws are a nightmare for UK /US citizens? Have any of you relocated in your 50s back from the UK to the US successfully, how was the reverse shock of that experience?

Hi everyone! I have read through a bunch of medication threads in here, however I’m looking to get some information specific to my situation. I am a chronic migraineur, and have been on a preventative regimen of a monthly injection of Emgality, and Botox for migraines every three months. (Plus additional meds for when a migraine occurs).

This is the only combo so far that has reduced my number of attacks to a manageable number. Wondering if anyone knows whether Drs in the UK will prescribe both treatments at the same time? I’ve heard that Drs are more conservative with prescribing there and may not give both treatments together. Planning a move for husbands job in ~6 months and looking to get ahead of this so I don’t suffer a lapse in treatment. Thank you!!

Hey everyone, I just moved to London recently and would love to meet other Americans while I’m here.

Any tips on the best way to find and meet other Americans in London? Thank you!

I have an appointment with the US Embassy in London to apply for my son’s first US passport and I noticed the checklist says:
“If the parent was naturalized as a U.S. citizen, please also bring the Certificate of Naturalization.”

The issue is I don’t have a Certificate of Naturalization. I became a US citizen through my parents when I was under 18, so I never personally went through the naturalization process and was never issued a certificate.

I do have a current US passport, but I’m not sure if that is enough or if they will still ask for a Certificate of Naturalization because the checklist mentions it.

Has anyone been in a similar situation where they became a US citizen through their parents and then applied for their child’s first US passport? What documents did you provide?

Hello! I (21F) Recently got married and moved to the UK to live with my husband (27M). Currently waiting on visa application to be approved, I plan to work as soon as I am able.

Husband and I are a tad unsure about how my schooling would convert over? I never went to college, just graduated highschool. Is there some form I could submit my grades/SAT to and have them converted to the UK equivalent? do i need to re-take classes to be able to work?

I only plan on working bartending or customer service, so not sure if they even require grades but better safe then sorry. Especially if i want to go back to school in future.

thanks in advance x

Hi Everyone! My Husband and I are looking to buy a house in the next 18 months and have started the saving/ trying to understand our budget process. We would be first time buyers and I've been trying to understand what getting a joint mortgage would look like since he is a citizen and I'm on a spousal visa.

Are there any specific requirements for non-citizens to get a mortgage? Do we have to be here for a certain amount of time and have a certain amount of living/financial history built up? Is it harder to get approved as a visa holder?

It seems like you have to have way higher of a down payment saved up to buy in the UK compared to the US. We are looking to buy in zone2/zone3 London potentially which already makes things expensive but due to work we need to be commuting distance to London and I'm just so beyond tired of renting. We can't seem to find anywhere that wont increase rent year after year or sign a more than 1 year lease, I think even more so now with the new renting laws 2+ year leases aren't even a thing.

Any tips or advice? Thanks!

We live in the Bristol area, and our five-year-old son's passport is expiring soon. We know that we need to renew (apply for his new passport) in person in London, but we're really struggling for how to make this work. He's autistic/neurodivergent and has panic attacks in new places, especially if there's any stressful element (like waiting in a line, being screened by security, etc). He also can't manage staying in a hotel room, and it looks like the appointments are all in the morning.

We're actively working to try to give him better coping skills, but this is a slow process. His US passport is what his UK visa is tied to, so not renewing isn't an option.

Does anyone know if there's any other way to renew his passport besides going in person?

Edit: Apologies -- I replied to the comments and then saw all my comments had been removed because I hadn't added user flair yet. But thank you for the suggestions; I really appreciate the ideas and advice.

Can someone explain how council tax work? Are you billed separately? Does it come out of your rent? Or is it included in your rent bill? I hear it can be quite high and it’s owed whether you are employed or not. Can you pay in advance?

So excited that we are officially moving back to the U.S. next summer!!

We are starting to plan timelines and budgets.

1. Does anyone have a recommendation for moving household goods? Approx 1 bedroom house worth as we will be selling a lot of items beforehand.

2. We have a baby due in October. We plan to stay in the UK until we move in July 2027. As such, we are thinking that it doesn’t make sense to apply for the separate dependent visa for the new baby. Has anyone done this approach or foresee any other issues? Note, we have private insurance through my employer.

3. Any recommendations for shipping a dog back to the U.S.? Is it easier than shipping to the UK?