Vlogging about my visa application and move:

Hi there expats!

I had an idea recently that I might vlog(video document) my experiences moving from Texas to the UK(Yorkshire). I thought I'd start with getting all of my paperwork, and the entire visa process too, then getting ready to move and moving over there. The entire shebang. I'd like to keep documenting getting settled there and just adjusting to life in general with all the differences. For example, getting my DL, registering for the NHS, grocery shopping, buying a home, geography, driving on the other side of the road, ...not speaking to total strangers like you know them(It's very normal here), etc.

 I'd like to refer people to this site as well as it's been so helpful. I'm filing for a spousal visa to join my husband in July.

 I'm going to post it over in the expat section too for people who aren actually living in the UK  because it's absolutely future and fellow expats that I'd want this aimed at. Is this something you'd watch? Would it be something you'd be interested in?  Would it be helpful? I'm a bit on the fence.

Thanks for reading!

Is this something you'd watch? Would it be something you'd be interested in?  Would it be helpful? I'm a bit on the fence.

Absolutely! I was just looking at this sort of thing as I got on a bit of a "Yankee in Japan" youtube kick a while back. I then looked at a few "Yankee in UK" vids to compare.

This was all very un-scientific, but I sensed some trends.

I noticed, and again I just sampled four or five US/UK vlogs, that the American in Japan vlogs often centered around things like walk-throughs of the apartment, neighbourhoods and shops, etc.

The US/UK vlogs, and again I just watched the top search results for things like "American in England", seemed to be more so personal interviews/man on the street kinds of things. 

I would guess language has something to do with this. But it resulted in a situation where I noticed "cultural cringe" in the US/UK vlogs. They ended up going down the old route of Yanks are idiots/Brits are weird.

Now I must say that it seemed to me that the US/UK vlogs seemed more student based, where as the US/Japan vlogs were more worker related.

But I really like the US/Japan ones where they demonstrated say the rice cooker....or the walk up to the train station or the local 7-11's selection of exotic snacks. Something about some of them were triggering the tingly/ASMR/Bob Ross effect....just the showing of everyday things in a new environment.....

Anyway, very unscientific I know....

Yeah lol. I'd like to not really get on the whole 'yanks are idiots/brits are weird' trend, as you mentioned. Especially being Texan lol. I'd rather not add to that stereotype more than absolutely necessary. The videos from Japan sound really cool. I imagine you're right about language, and also, the differences in culture would be considerably more at odds with the US(I would think, anyway).

 I'm not entirely sure what I'd do with it but I figured things that I found really different from Texas that my friends and family might find interesting. Regardless, I thought it might be really cool to document it, if nothing else, for my own memories.

Thanks for your feedback!

I've been in the UK a few years now and I would watch something like that, even today. I think it's nice to see/hear current experiences from other people - something that makes you say, "Oh, I really identify with that!"

When I was in the process of getting my visa together, there was a girl (coincidentally, also from Texas) who posted a few YouTube videos breaking down all the forms and paperwork. I found them to be very helpful, in addition to this forum. It's nice to have so much help from UK Yankee, however I think having someone "speak to me" and explain everything "face to face" was very beneficial.

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That's what I was thinking too! It can be so overwhelming and this forum is fantastic. I just thought maybe having someone who can document exactly what went into everything(even simple things like parking at the immigration place or where it's at here in Dallas), like hiccups and unexpected things, etc, would be great.

I'm with you! I love watching experiences like that because it's nice to know you're not alone and even if it does seem silly to locals who are used to it(or they just don't even think of a question like that), other people have gone through it too.