By Steven Smith

Copyright walesonline

An Australian woman who relocated to the UK has revealed the biggest “shocks” she’s faced – including the lack of plug sockets in bathrooms and “terrifyingly massive” seagulls. Nina Skalonja, 31, moved from Adelaide to Swansea in October 2024 after “falling in love” with Welshman and electrical engineer Ben Roberts, 28, during a solo trip to the UK in November 2023. The pair met on a night out in Cardiff and, after nine months of long-distance dating, Nina made the 10,786-mile move to be with him. Now, after 11 months living in the UK, Nina has compiled a list of cultural differences she’s still adjusting to. Topping the project planner’s list includes the absence of power outlets in bathrooms and the famously unpredictable UK weather – which Nina says makes the Aussie sun feel like a “luxury”. As well as the “heavy” day drinking culture, which is something she “hardly saw any Aussies doing”. Nina, who also runs an online skin-care business, Stillnked, said: “I love living in the UK, but there are a few things that I struggle to get used to, whether that be the terrifying size of British seagulls or the narrow country roads. However, it’s part of the British charm. And there are definitely things in Australia which would shock a lot of Brits, too.” Topping Nina’s list of “shocks” includes British day-drinking and the large size of the nation’s seagulls. “In Australia, I think a lot of us save our drinking until the weekend,” Nina said. “But in the UK, it seems to be 24/7 – especially when the sun comes out. She added: “When I travel to London, even if it’s in the middle of a weekday, the pubs always seem full. I think I’m more confused about how everyone can afford to drink all the time. In Australia, you can get a pint for £3 or maybe £4 tops – but in London, you’re looking at over £8.” Nina also described British seagulls as “terrifyingly massive”. She said: “The first time I saw one, I was with my friend and I asked if it was an albatross. They look nothing like the ones in Adelaide and I was shocked to see they even came in different colours here.” Another notable shock the Aussie expat noted included “tiny country roads”. Nina said: “I drive a small Volkswagen Polo and I still worry about navigating the small country lanes. In Wales, there’s a lot of high shrubbery that grows on roadsides, which makes it difficult to see.” She added: “The first time I drove a manual in the UK, I stalled every day for a week at least once.” Nina was also surprised to notice the lack of plug sockets in UK bathrooms and was “gutted” to find out the two-bed house she shared with her boyfriend was no exception. “Drying my hair in the bathroom was a critical part of my morning routine in Australia,” she said. “It was easier to clean hair off the tiles. But now I’m often running between my bedroom and bathroom searching for a plug for my blow dryer. It’s definitely a thing I’m adjusting to.” Nina also mentioned she “never understood” why Brits pay for a licence to watch TV when it’s free in Australia and that she sometimes struggles with communicating due to the UK’s many accents. “I feel like within a 20-minute drive, I come across a new accent I haven’t heard of before,” she said. “It can be confusing – and I do catch myself asking people to repeat all the time.” But Nina does “love” how close the UK is to a lot of destinations and how cheap flights can be, unlike Australia. During her initial visit to the UK from April 2023 to February 2024, she flew to Croatia, Italy, Dublin and Bosnia from Heathrow – and said she “never spent more than £30” on a single ticket to each destination. “In Australia, even if you want to go to a nearby country like New Zealand, you are looking at £300 for a plane ticket,” she added. Although Brits often ask Nina why she would ever leave Australia, she says there’s a “certain charm about the UK that you just can’t find anywhere else”. “I don’t think this will be our forever home, but never say never,” Nina said. “And even though there are certain things I miss about Australia – like chicken salt and their coffee. “I’m happy living life as a Brit. Perhaps one day I’ll even bump into the royal family .” 1. Drinking culture 2. No plug sockets in bathrooms 3. Seagulls 4. Country roads 5. TV licence 6. Variety of accents 7. Cheap flights abroad