I had the pleasure of working and living in the UK for nearly eight years, from 1997-2005. I found it to be an enormously rewarding experience on several levels. At the time, I did not have my British citizenship and had come over on a work permit issued in my American passport. I moved from South Florida to a somewhat less attractive climate, which some people thought was a bit crazy. Let me outline some of the fantastic things I found about my experience.

You’re literally two hours from anywhere on the Continent. In South Florida, I could fly to Atlanta in two hours and still be in the southeastern part of the United States. In the UK, I was fascinated that I could do day trips to Madrid, Paris, Stockholm, Rome, Munich, or any number of other places. It made it very easy to do business with people all across Europe. You also have the smaller City Airport in East London, which can be a great option for hopping over to the Continent. It is a lot less hectic than Heathrow and easily accessible on public transport, and offers a couple of flights to New York.

The UK Government instituted a system at the border called IRIS to speed my immigration process. As a frequent traveller, it was incredibly simple to sign up and have a “retina-print” taken which is then used at UK immigration. I very seldom had to queue any longer at passport control; instead, I stepped up to the IRIS kiosk where it checked my retina print via camera, and allowed me back into the country. This is an absolute must for anyone who visits/lives in London and travels frequently. Unlike the Global Entry system in the US, IRIS costs nothing to join.

There is an amazing vibe, feel and social life attached to living and working in the UK, particularly London. I fully embraced the whole London experience. Prior to moving to the UK, one of my best friends gave me Nick Hornby’s book Fever Pitch to read, which is all about Arsenal Football Club. I became hooked. I enjoyed a lot of great matches at the old Highbury Stadium, and to this day still follow Arsenal closely! The pub is a natural place where work colleagues and friends meet and enjoy hanging out together after a day in the office. That vibe is really strong in Shoreditch today. Great pubs and restaurants are opening up everywhere, and East London is where all the construction takes place.

There is also a better balance in your life when you live in Europe. In America, I seldom found an opportunity to take the holidays I was entitled to. When I did go, I kept my phone and email at the ready and never found a way to switch off. It is very different in Europe. When you go on holiday, that’s it. You’re practically expected to go off the grid during that time. And you know what? The world continues and life goes on. You come back so much more refreshed and balanced and ready to go.

Without question, the UK is the easiest place to move to if you are an English speaker. Some people might say that it is easy to feel alone in a big city like London, but I’ve never lacked for evenings out with friends each time I visit. I honestly think that the friends I’ve made in the UK are probably my closest and best friends. London has so much to see and do – whether you like art and film, music, great restaurants or theatre. I love the number of parks that exist in the city; I will try and run nearly every day I’m there and I am still wowed when I go by the Palace or Parliament.

For me personally, London always feels like home.