'I'm Canadian but live in UK and these are things I dislike about living here'

Daily Mirror

28-05-2025

A Canadian man who moved to London over a year ago has shared how life is different on each side of the Atlantic, and recently revealed a few things he doesn't like about UK living
Travelling for a long period or moving abroad can be an exciting yet daunting choice. While it will be filled with adventure and new opportunities, you may also miss some of things you are used to back home - and it may take you some time to adjust to how a different culture works.
A Canadian man, Matt Giffen, has been sharing what he has been up to since moving to London over a year ago. The social media star, who boasts over 332,000 followers on TikTok, has so far ventured Wembley Stadium in a bid to "become a football geezer", enjoyed walks in Richmond, sampled British food and drink, and explored historical spots.
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And while he loves his new home on the whole, Matt has been honest about the things he dislikes about the UK. Matt, from Toronto, said: "Before you come for my head in the comments, this is my own personal opinion based off my own personal experiences."
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Friendliness
Matt, who says whenever he misses home he visits a Tim Hortons to get his Canadian food fix, said the number one thing that surprised him is that it is "not a very warm culture here."
He explained: "That's the truth. It's very 'You alright?', 'Yeah I'm OK' ...as a Canadian, personally that is a big struggle for me. I am used to walking in the parks and smiling at people."
Matt add that he did try to smile at a stranger once and a guy told him to "sod off." He said the longer he lives in the capital city, the more he sees himself adopting British mannerisms.
The weather
It may come as no surprise, but Matt also bemoaned the disappointing weather in the UK. He has been shocked by how much conditions can change from one day to the next.
He said: "The last two days were very sunny and nice and I looked at my British girlfriend and said, 'Oh my god, it's going to be a beautiful summer.' And she looked at me and said, 'No Matt, that's not how it works here'."
He noted that last year in July he was wearing a winter jacket. Soon, Matt will experience warmth again as a 'mini heatwave' is set to hit the UK very soon, bringing highs of 24C.
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Safety
Matt says he has "constant anxiety," often fearing people will steal his phone.
Con artists have recently begun taking mobile phones and before having network providers switch the number to a new SIM card they control, allowing them to intercept calls and texts – including one-time passcodes used for two-factor authentication. This gives them unparalleled access to everything from bank accounts to cryptocurrency wallets.
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Matt said: "It is my job to walk around the city aimlessly and wave my phone around - and do you not think phone thieves are licking their f***ing chops when they see me walking down a street in London."
The Mirror previously explained how to guard against phone hackers, sharing five safety measures you should take. Click here to read more.
Cost of living
Another not-so surprising addition to this list is the cost of living. Sharing how it has impacted him, Matt said: "The cost of living in London is mental. Not just the rent, a house in my neighbourhood just went up for sale - a two bedroom house - for £800,000. That's almost 1.5million Canadian dollars."
He added: "I would love to live in London long term but it ain't gonna happen."
The size of London
He explained: "London is huge. I have made friends who live in the same city as me but it would take over an hour and a half if I want to go see them, which then means we never see each other."