[0:12]These days, people don't always stay in the country where they were born. Many people choose to live in other countries and in other cities. They sometimes live a long way from home. In an international city like London, you can meet people from lots of countries. Some people left their home country a long time ago, and some people have just arrived in the city. They all have different reasons for moving to another country. I left about five years ago, and came to London just to work really. I left my home country about 20 years ago to go abroad to study. I left in uh September of this year to study Shakespeare at uh Shakespeare's Globe. Living in a different country can be very exciting. You experience a new culture, and it's great for learning a new language. People often love their new home. The food, culture, music, theater is really wonderful here, and you get a sense that there's a real great buzz around London. I love the the international feel of of London, the fact that walking to and from school, I'd hear five or six languages easy. What I like is the uh weather, the uh adventure of being in a new country, and the people.
[1:55]But it can also be a challenge living far from your own country. And there are some things that everyone misses. I suppose I miss my friends and my family a lot. I have a lot of friends in London as well, but you always remember your friends from home. I miss the uh culture, the language and uh my family. I miss having children in my life, my nephews and my nieces running around.
[2:25]Living in a different country, whether it's for family, work or study, can be a great opportunity. And for some people, the longer you stay, the harder it is to go home.
[2:54]Adriana Gonzalez-Vera trained as a vet in her home country. She came to the UK with her British husband, Mark, ten years ago. I was born in Santiago, capital of Chile, in South America. She didn't only work with animals when she lived in Chile. I worked as a veterinary surgeon and I also worked as a consultant in retail and pharmaceuticals.
[3:26]I met my husband through work. He was the managing director of the company where we worked. Adriana swapped the busy lifestyle of a South American city for the peace and quiet of the English countryside. What did her family think about her moving to another country to live? They thought that it was very far away for all of us and that it was going to be a little bit more difficult to meet up. Adriana doesn't work as a vet in the UK. She's using other skills from her home country, Chile. I run my own Spanish consultancy company, where I train company directors and help them with their presentation. I also do some translations and some Spanish teaching.
[4:28]Most of my family are still in Chile. I have my mother, my father, my youngest sister, her husband and her daughter, and my two grandmothers living in Chile. I miss the weather. I miss the hot summers, and I miss the warm people, the friendly people in Chile. I miss my mommy's cooking, really. And I miss the long talks with my father. Adriana's two daughters are now nine and seven years old. They are very adorable girls. Camilla loves reading and she loves the outdoors. Isabel, she likes fashion, she likes makeup and everything in pink. For now, Adriana enjoys the quiet country life in England. But she would like to go back to Chile one day. I really like to work as a vet again. Unfortunately, I would have to qualify again in the UK. Perhaps we will stay here for a long time, or maybe we will go back to Chile if my husband can find work there.
[6:31]Anita Patwardhan moved from her home city of San Francisco to live in the Spanish city of Barcelona. Her parents are Indian, but she was born in the United States. Well, I first came to Barcelona in 2003 because I wanted to study Spanish. And then I fell in love with the city at that time, so I decided that I wanted to come back. Luckily, in 2005, Anita found a job in Barcelona. So I decided to come back and and I'm really happy here, I really enjoy it. Today, Anita's home is in an area called San Jazi, about 15 minutes' walk from the city center. Uh it's very convenient for me because I have my job within walking distance. I can take the bus directly to the beach and I'm there in 15 minutes. Anita spoke fluent Spanish when she came back to Barcelona, and found a job with an American online marketing company. I work for a company that provides different online marketing services for hotels, and uh specifically, my team builds websites for hotels. So I work with designers and programmers.
[8:03]As well as a great job, Anita has many friends in Barcelona. Uh we're all very close, we're friends, so it's almost like a second family away from home. We have dinners together, we we celebrate birthdays together, so it's a nice feeling. Although she has got a good job and close friends, she still misses home. I miss my family most of all. Uh it's it's very difficult to not be able to give my mom a hug or to enjoy my dad's barbecue. So I I feel happy if I can see them. But staying in touch with family overseas is much easier today. So my family and I, we speak generally every weekend. Uh either through Skype or or uh through email and every now and then on the telephone too. They have come to visit me a few times and I try to go back and see them at least once a year.
[9:21]Anita really loves her new life in Barcelona. Barcelona is an amazing place. You have a combination of so many wonderful things with weather, uh cultural activities, beautiful architecture, and most importantly, the beach. You know, how can anyone not like the beach? But still, she's not sure where her life will take her in the future.
[9:47]I don't know if I will stay in Spain forever. Forever seems like a really long time. So uh for now it's nice. I'm I'm really happy here. I enjoy it a lot. But I don't know if I will be here forever.
