Maria Polansky reflects on five years of living in the United Kingdom

After years of romanticizing Europe as a lifestyle utopia, Maria Polansky moved from Vancouver to Birmingham, United Kingdom, in 2018 to be with her partner. While her initial experience was positive—characterized by an appreciation for historic architecture, fashion, and the ease of traveling to Mediterranean countries—the novelty eventually faded.

After five years of residency, Polansky found that the aspects she once found charming had become mundane, leading her to conclude that the reality of living in the UK did not align with her long-held expectations.