An American woman who moved to Scotland three years ago has shared the things she wishes she had known before relocating. TikTok user @maggielizsmith posted a video titled 'Things no one prepared me for when I moved to Scotland,' detailing her experiences adapting to life in Glasgow.
One of the biggest surprises was the language barrier. 'You might think you're speaking the same language, but they are completely different,' she said, noting that the slang and vocabulary took time to learn. She joked, 'Let's just say a jobbie is not a career.'
Warm welcome and well-trained dogs
Contrary to her expectations, Maggie found Glaswegians to be exceptionally friendly. 'I was expecting people to be very cagey, very cold at first and not super welcoming,' she explained. 'But everyone here is so open, welcoming and kind.'
She also observed that dogs in Scotland often walk off the lead and are very well trained. 'The dogs go off leash here and they ignore you. They are all very well trained,' she said, clearly surprised.
Dark winters and early subway closures
Maggie admitted that the lack of sunlight during Scottish winters was difficult to adjust to. She also noted that Glasgow's Subway shuts earlier on Sundays, a detail that caught her off guard.
Her video resonated with viewers, with one American who moved to Glasgow in January commenting, 'The slang is WILD, but truly the most warm people I've met!' Another user, originally from the North of England, said they had lived in Scotland for 30 years and still discovered new things.
