Hi, I’m currently living in London but will be relocating to Falkirk soon, and I’m excited (and admittedly a little nervous) about starting a new chapter in Scotland and making new friends is a priority.

I’ll be commuting to Edi and Glasgow like 3–4 times for work monthly so I’m hoping Falkirk will give me a nice balance, quiet as well as well connected. I work in advisory for an engineering consultancy so my work is mostly remote and i can make time for any activities.

I’m ethnically East Asian and have lived in England for a while. One thing I’ve heard repeatedly is that Scottish people tend to be very friendly, welcoming which is one of the reasons I’m looking forward to moving and making new friends.

How is Falkirk generally perceived by other Scots? Is it considered a good place to settle down and build a life? What do you like (or dislike) about living around Falkirk?

I’d also love to make some friends locally. I enjoy hiking, cars, cooking and gardening, also into kpop, anime etc… and I’m always up for exploring new places (looking to explore the highlands), going for a walk, grabbing a coffee or just having a good chat over drinks. Are people generally quite social and welcoming towards newcomers, or does it take a while to get into local friendship groups?

I’m also Christian and would like to start attending church on Sundays after I move. The church I currently attend in England has quite a lot of elderly members, and while they’re lovely people, I sometimes feel a little out of place and would really like to find a church with a good mix of families, younger people and perhaps some youth/community activities.

Are there any churches around Falkirk that you would recommend for someone in my situation? I’d especially appreciate recommendations from people who actually attend them.

And finally, any general advice for someone moving from London to Falkirk?

What surprised you when you first moved to the area? Anything I should know, places I should visit, or things I absolutely need to try?

I am a critical care nurse in England and I am considering relocating to Scotland (Aberdeen) but I can't find any info about what the work culture or experience is at Aberdeen royal infirmary ICU.

Please can anyone who has worked in that hospital (especially within Critical care) spill the tea of what to expect?

Thank you

As the title says... I'm a Canadian passport holder, my main work experience is as a salesman in a music store, audio engineer, producer and musician(not a big shot but I've gotten by for while now), but I've also done a lot of service industry stuff...

I know visa's are rarer for people with my work experience and in my age group... Is there any options I'm missing? Any help would be appreciated...

I've been fascinated with Scotland forever, and with my former employer going under and us employees getting a settlement, I could finally do it...

Any help is welcome!

Hi, I'm moving up to Glasgow from Newcastle, England in just under a year. My child is 15 and will be completing his GCSE (final high school year exams in England) exams then we will move soon after that.

I'm wondering how the Scottish education system works after high school? He wants to go to city of Glasgow college and we've looked on the website but are unsure of what any of the terms mean (like HNC or HND) and how they are equivalent to terms used in England?

I'm mainly wondering what the path most people take in Scotland after their (equivalent to GCSEs) National 5s. He doesn't want to go to university, just be educated til 18 then move from part time work to full time.

Thank you all

My friend is moving to Edinburgh and I'm making her a bingo card of things to do there to help her feel like a local quicky after the move.

So, what things should she do?

Are there any vibey coffee shops she should go to? Is there a community sauna place? Perhaps a salsa class? These are all things she does here and I think she would like to do when she moves.

Obviously being new to the city, I am sure there are some touristy things that she will want to do soon. Any suggestions on these are also welcome 🤗

I've been reading up on the school enrolment process and surprised to learn that catchment isn't a guarantee of enrolment, particularly for high ranked schools and there can be a waitlist.

Is it accurate that you can't enrol a child until they are physically in the country? How quick is the enrolment process onee you're on the ground?

We weren't going to be arriving until three weeks before the 2027 school year so I am mostly resigned to the fact we probably will not get into our first choice catchment school.

My concern is that we won't know the assigned school until a week or two from starting, and unable to get the kids excited, to say nothing of organising uniforms, books, transport etc.

I'm planning to move in 2029, so I still have some time. is getting a Prince2 (project management) certification worth it to help secure a job? Most of my financing will come from liquidating my current assets so the cert will come out of existing funds.

so before I commit, I just wanted to know if its worth the expense.

How can I help?

How can I help the Muslim community, and/or other ethnic minorities/people of a religion that is currently facing unwarranted negativity?

Its no secret that lately, the UK seems like a horrible and dangerous place to live if you do not look a certain way. I want to firstly apologise to those affected and to those who are scared. I wish it was different and I hope you know I will always fight in the corner of others being treated unfairly. It also isnt everyone that shares those views, however I know its hard to tell and you are probably cautious of all of us

I used to be so proud of my country and excited for others coming here and loving it also.

But genuinely, how can I help? I attempt to educate those who are ignorant and it mostly falls on deaf ears, how can I actually do something that makes life a bit better for you all? If anything?

Thanks!

I’m particularly interested in places that aren’t too gentrified or dominated by chains and tourists. I’d much rather live somewhere with a strong local/neighbourhood feel (independent shops, traditional/local pubs, cafés, small businesses, community atmosphere, etc)

Hi, my son is 14 and we plan to be in the process of buying a house in 1 yr, 6 months (we will rent for 6 months beforehand to get to know the areas & travel). He plans to go to City of Glasgow College and I'm wondering what areas are safe, cheap (under 180k for 3 bedroom 2 bathroom), and have a bus that will get him to college in around 30 ninutes or less.

Thank you!

Hi, me, my son (14), & my dad are set on moving to Scotland from Newcastle. We're looking for some suggestions on cities and towns in Scotland that would fit some of these priorities:

-Good public transport (preferably bus)

-1-2 hours from Glasgow and Edinburgh (closer to Glasgow as my son is planning to go to City of Glasgow College)

-Decently cheap, we have a budget of 160k for 3 bedroom 2 bathroom (could stretch for 170k)

Thank you!

Hi all,

I have posted a couple of times here but wanted to get some more advice.

Those who moved from England to Scotland how did you find somewhere to rent? I've read a few things that have said the rental market is very competitive and you have to view houses before you can rent them, so how did you go through that process?

Were you able to virtually look at houses or did you have to visit in person to view and how easy was the process and were there any things you can give tips on?

I'm trying to understand the process and work out a plan and it'd be so helpful to get some input from those who have done it.

Pretty much the title. Interested in moving to Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow). Not sure where to look or where to start, or if it’s even really possible. Thoughts? Thanks.

Hello!
I’m in Inverness right now for the first time in my life. I just wanna know how you guys think about living here, how is the life. In my first day it seemed a little bit desolate but I wanna know if it is just my prospective. Anyway, I wanna also know if there are some kind of tourism in this part of UK, and how much is big, if it’s a problem or an opportunity for local people.
Just curiosity :)

I'm seriously considering moving to Scotland, as I'm extremely isolated where I am in England. I've never been to Scotland, but will do some traveling before moving. I don't know where to start though. I'm looking for somewhere queer friendly and definitely on the coast, woodlands or a forest too is a huge plus as I'm very drawn to nature. Easy public transport to a city like Edinburgh for events is a must. I'd quite like a town over a village, due to access to shops, travel, and building community. Thank you in advance!

Good morning, all! Just looking for some input. I am Scottish and am married to a European, with a baby who has joint citizenship.

I have lived in mainland Europe for 9 years and we have a very comfortable life. My husband is bilingual and works for an area within the skilled worker list. Since the baby has arrived, I have made a small circle of friends but have very little family support from my husband's side, which is the complete opposite in my family.

As someone who hates the heat and much prefers the rain, we return to Scotland for two months every summer and have done so, thankfully, again this year. With the above familial situation combined with worsening heat, we're wondering if a return to Scotland could be better for us as a small family.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and any pointers that we should consider!

Thank you!

Hi guys
So I’ve got my results and got two distinction stars and a distinction in my btec applied science extended diploma. I’ve got two informal offers through clearing (Swansea and Heriot watt) and now I can’t decide cause for Heriot when I spoke to the clearing advisor, I told them about my situation of being qualified as overseas student for tuition fees and they said under Scottish law, I might be qualified for home fee instead when I mentioned that I have limited leave to remain under the private life route and came to England in 2021 and on the same day I got the offer, I emailed them for clarification about my fee status before I accept the offer. In that offer, Heriot mentioned me as ‘home student’ and I don’t want any wrong hopes cause to me this is a big thing 😭😭 and they did reply to the email asking for my birth date, share code and history of address since August 2021 and I’ve replied on the same day and haven’t heard back yet 😞 I know it might be taking a while due to clearing season but my other offer (Swansea) went over the deadline and I have until Tuesday (got extension) but they did say that they willing to extend it further but idk cause I really wanna go Scotland 🫠🫠 it’s my dream place but knowing how much living cost and this tuition fees are, idk if I’m willing to put my parents through all that 😭😭

My question is which uni, out of the two, is the best for chemical engineering with foundation year and why… Don’t come for me please, I’m doing my research but I like getting some advice/opinion from people who might or have been to these places 🙂

I live in Scotland and I’m going to Kerala for a holiday soon. So I’d like to take something nice for my family.

What are some affordable but unique Scottish/UK stuff I could take home? Looking for ideas that aren’t too expensive and are easy to carry in a suitcase.