A QUICK & HANDY GUIDE TO SETTLING IN THE U.K: FOR KENYAN NURSES!
Part 1: LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF - Physically & Mentally.
After months and weeks of frantic preparation, you have finally made it to the U.K to begin the next chapter in your Nursing journey. Congratulations on making it this and best wishes in all your endeavours.
The Covid-19 Pandemic has shown us now more than ever that ‘health is wealth’ and by health i mean overall health( physical and mental). Moving to the U.K might not seem like a big change in terms of things like jet lag etc because there isn’t such a huge time difference like with other countries e.g USA and also being that Kenya was former British Colony, some things are familiar, but it is a big change weather wise, culturally, food wise, socially and even accommodation. Once the excitement of moving to a new place dies down and everyone gets back to the daily grind, it can all seem overwhelming causing anxiety and loneliness in some cases.
That is why looking after yourself and knowing what to look out for and where to get help/ resources when needed is so important. When i first came to the UK, the only serious illness that i had ever experienced was Malaria. So months later i was in bed not able to get up, whole body aches and pains, sore throat and running nose. I genuinely felt like i was dying and having no family or friends around to lean or look after me only made it worse. I was staying at a hostel at the time, where meals were served at set times downstairs in the canteen. I managed to drag myself on day 2 of being ill downstairs and the security guy at the desk took one look at me and said ‘ i see you have finally got the welcome FLU’! He asked if i had any supplies, i had no clue what he was talking about? it was summer, how did i have the flu? He helped me get some food, got me some Lemsip, tins of soup and multivitamins. He then went on to explain to me what he meant by the ‘welcome FLU’! He was from South Africa and over the years he had noticed that those who migrated to the UK, got this one bout of very strong flu within weeks or months of them migrating. I know it is not scientifically backed but then i started noticing the trend amongst friends and colleagues who had migrated as well. So i pass on this tale to you as a forewarning to be prepared and have some supplies, just in case you get hit with this ‘Welcome FLU’. Thanks to him and his rescue pack i was on the mend and back to work.
You can buy your much needed rescue supplies from any pharmacy over the counter or from most supermarkets, but i would recommend BOOTS: https://www.boots.com/ over all the others like Superdrug, Lloyds or Supermarket pharmacies. My tried and tested reasons being:
Their points/ rewards system is the best out of all of them like Superdrug, Holland&Barrett and signing up for their points card is a great way to save money, earn points which you can use to pay for products.
Their own brand products are just a good sometimes if not better than branded ones.
They have a wide variety of products and lines from baby stuff, cosmetics, skincare and alot more especially at their bigger stores, so you can do all your toiletry shopping as well as pick up essential medicines all in one go and have i mentioned while earning rewards. it a win - win for me.
They also offer a wide range of other services depending on store.
So if you have not already done so, get yourself a boots card and thank me later!
You may have come with your friends as a group or have family here in the UK which is great as having loved ones nearby can be a blessing when adjusting to new settings and scenarios. Technology has also made it easy for us to stay connected to those who are far away. Sometimes due to work commitments or time differences it may not be possible to stay in touch with friends and family that you have left behind as much as you would like to or even at all.
You are not alone and there are support networks you can plug into. Most NHS Trusts provide some sort of counselling/ therapy services for staff that you can self refer to or call if you feel overwhelmed and need help, be it work or home related. I am not sure about provisions in other settings like Care Homes or Private Hospitals.
Others that might be interest and are worth noting down/joining are:
KENYA NURSES/MIDWIVES- UK( KENMA UK) : http://knmuk.org/ They aim to bring together all UK Kenyan nurses and midwives for common good and to help collaborate with like-minded organisations across the world.
Equality 4 Balck Nurses: A great organisation that can support you when you are experiencing racism or discrimination at work. They also have a weekly zoom session that you can join as and when for support. https://www.equality4blacknurses.com/
Part 2: LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF - Money Saving/Work/Food/Shopping Tips
You would have to be on another planet, if you are not feeling the pinch or have been affected in someway or another with the global cost of living crisis! Lets just say that even before the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, nursing pay has not been that great and that we have been feeling the economic downturn shift for a while now.
I remember going shopping for food or anything and converting the cost into Kenya Shillings and almost fainting. I still do it even now, 20 something years later! I refuse to buy an avocado for £1! You’ve got to draw the line somewhere. As a Nurse working within the NHS or Social Care sector, you can get discounts across many high-street stores by just showing your Work ID badge, or via your local NHS Staff discount pages that your has managed to negotiate on your behalf as part of their staff benefits, or you can sign up for Discount Cards, that you can use to get money off your shopping, phone deals, home gadgets and much more. Some come with an initial fee to join, but are worth it in the long run. Two that i can think of are:
Blue Light Card: For just £4.99, members of the Blue Light community can register for 2-years access to more than 15,000 discounts from large national retailers to local businesses across categories such as holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones, and many more. https://www.bluelightcard.co.uk/index.php
COSTCO: Great for if you prefer to shop in bulk. https://www.costco.co.uk/
FOOD
If you like eating out and are craving that Kenyan feel to going out, then you are in luck if you are in London, mainly East London, as most Kenyan Restaurants/ Eateries are based there.
If you happen to be based in Swindon then Masai Choma House on 131 Ferndale Road is your place. Other places can be found via Google or word of mouth but remember not all those that use our Kenyan Heritage actually cater for them.
When it comes to food shopping, it is worth shopping around but time to do that is rarely available so my go to supermarkets are: Lidl and Aldi. They are pocket friendly and most of their stuff are own brand and actually taste way better than the branded stuff! In fact buying Supermarket own branded stuff not only saves you money most times, they actually taste better most times ( Think Panadol/Paracetamol).
For Spices and stuff like Maize meal and Chapati flour or even greens and fruits, then its cheaper and better to buy them from your local South Asian store which are mostly branded as Halal stores as opposed to the World foods section that have now popped up in most major supermarkets. I tend to get my Meat/chicken and fish from there as well.
PHONE/SIM CARD PROVIDERS
Calling home( Kenya) used to be a problem, one had to buy a calling card or use access codes to call home. Calling home has never been easier especially with apps like Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger etc, the only problem is that they require the party that you are calling to be online and we all know how expensive bundles in Kenya can be. While you can roam with your Kenyan numbers and use them to call home, you will need a local UK number for day to day use. If roaming, i find that Safaricom is cheaper that the rest.
Most service providers conduct a credit check before you sign up for a monthly/ post paid deal. If a pay monthly deal is not your thing then there are great pay as you go Sim only deals out there. remember to check coverage in your area, you do not want to get a deal where you can only use in certain spots! If you want a UK line that you can also use to call Kenya on then my go to one is LYCA: https://www.lycamobile.co.uk/en/rates/#/international , it has great low rates when calling Kenya and also free Lyca-Lyca calls.
Whatever provider you are looking for, do not forget to check what savings you can make using your Blue Light Card. Usually you can save more on top of discounts already provided by your selected provider.
CLOTHES & OTHER STUFF.
I am not much of a clothes shopping person as most of my time is spent either in my work uniform or in my pyjamas once i am home, so i would be utterly useless at telling you where you can get the latest fashions etc. I also hate shopping so i tend to go to one store and that is it and for 20 or so years Primark has served me well, especially when it comes to essentials needed for work and new items and for other stuff like coats and jackets or seasonal wear, Charity or thrift shops are my go to places. But those are just my preferences.
The UK is a place where you can have four seasons in one day! I have also discovered that an Umbrella is much of a hindrance than help when it is raining as it rarely rains without wind or in a straight fashion! rather, as one friend put it ‘ it rains in a diagonal way’ and half the time you spend trying to stop the umbrella from flying away! Investing in a couple of waterproof good coats is essential. A thick one for winter, a slightly lighter one for Autumn and Spring and a general light rain coat for summer. I would also add a fleece sweater for work, if your work place does not provide one. They are much more comfortable and less bulky to wear when at work.
It would also be a good idea to buy some leggings or thermals that you can wear under your uniform, especially during the cold months as you have to bear below elbow when in a clinical setting, so wearing a sweater on the ward is a no-no. I tend to buy the long sleeved basic tshirts and leggings at Primark, not forgetting a couple of long thick socks.
You will quickly find out how expensive anything Black hairdressing is with varying quality at every turn, so if you have that friend who knows how to braid, plait or style hair then keep them close or else you better learn fast how to look after your own hair and how to make a hairstyle last that bit longer. All things Black hair are a tad expensive and hard to find unless you are in a town that has a Black Hair Store. If you happen to find one in your town, ask them if they have an in house hairdressing place. Most of them do. You can also find a limited amount of Black Hair Products in Boots, Superdrug, Amazon, online stores and some select supermarkets.
These are just some tips that i hope will help. I know it is not at all exhaustive but i hope it can be start into getting you settled. If there is anything else you would like me to touch or expound on, please let me know. Please share with friends or anyone who you think would benefit.
Wishing you all the best in all your current and future endeavours.
