Author: Joanna Chan
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The new barriers to belonging
How Britain’s 2026 policy wave of visas, rental, and employment rights is reshaping who gets to stay in London For many expats in London, 2026 is not simply another year on the calendar – it feels like a quiet stress test of whether staying is still realistic. From soaring visa costs to housing reforms and…
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A seat at the table
From the sugar of the Empire to the fish and chips of the East End, British cuisine has always been about arrival. Today, every newcomer to the city is reshaping life in London – through what they bring, adapt, and transform at the table. When people first land in London, many experience a sensory gap.…
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The canvas of power
Understanding British politics through the paintings of satirist Kaya Mar For anyone who came from another place, politics in London can feel overwhelming. Newspapers shout from tube stands, television panels fill with suited commentators arguing, and everyone seems certain about which side they are on. It is loud and confusing. This is a city where…
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Red threads
Tracing London’s most persistent colour – from public space to everyday moments Walking in London, you always spot the colour. At first, it stands out as pure infrastructure – an iconic phone box, a passing double-decker bus, the Underground logo, or a row of bikes catching your eye against the grey. As time passes, red…
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In transit: The time we don’t count
We measure our London lives in milestones – the new job, the new flat, the new postcode. But we rarely measure the hours spent inside the carriage. Londoners spend an average of two years commuting in their lifetime. These scattered fragments seem like meaningless blanks, yet they are the deepest fingerprints the city leaves on…
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Fox tales
We follow London’s wildest resident to learn how someone can find their place in a city that isn’t theirs The first introduction to London often happens in silence. The boxes are still unpacked, the flat is unfamiliar, and the city outside the window feels like another world. We often orientate ourselves by reading guidebooks or…
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So, I guess we are staying!
After eight years living across three countries, bloggers and authors Nana and Even reflect on finding a sense of home in London For Nana and Even, suitcases have never been just containers for clothes, but tools that support a life shaped around their creative interests. Over the past eight years, they have moved with everything…
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Clocking in: Updating to the London OS
How newcomers learn the unwritten rules of the London workplace Whether it is 7 a.m. outside Westminster station or 5 p.m. under the clocks of Canary Wharf, the city’s rhythm remains the same. Cyclists shuttle across bridges while commuters pour through the ticket barriers. No matter where you are from or where you are heading,…
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Pieces of me
From a mother’s scarf to a well-worn book, two young residents share the objects that travelled with them when they moved to London. Every day, the tide of the River Thames recedes, briefly revealing fragments of the past: a Roman coin, a Victorian clay pipe, a shard of medieval tile. For centuries, the river has…
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A forever outsider
Read more about Kaya’s painting: