Welcome to the Indian Expat life series! I’m reaching out to Indian expats with families from across the world, to understand how they are leading their lives, in different countries. If you want to know more about what living in Scotland is like, find it here!
Today we are discussing Scotland. The place of castles, stone circles, of myths and legends like the mystical unicorn, of men wearing kilts who dance to the iconic sounds of the bagpipe, all of which I have read in many novels and seen in a few movies.
Anyway, I was glad when I found someone dear, ready to share with us all about this fascinating place and what it takes to lead a comfortable life there.
But before we begin here’s a small context to this beautiful place
- Capital- Edinburgh
- Population- 5.295 million
- Currency- Pound Sterling
- Number of cities- 7
- Language- English, Scott, Gaelic
- Emergency No- 999
(Source- Visit Scotland)
- Tell us about yourself
- Why did you move to Scotland?
- According to you, what should anyone know before moving to Scotland?
- Where do you live in Scotland? Describe the place.
- How much does one need to live comfortably in Scotland?
- Cost of living in Scotland
- What challenges have you faced living in Scotland? And how are you overcoming them?
- How did you find work in Scotland? How different is the work culture from India?
- How has it been living in Scotland during Covid?
- What do you like most about your place?
- Is there anything that you don't like about living in Scotland?
- How's the healthcare system there?
- How's Scottish food? Which dishes have you tried? Do you miss Indian food? How available is Indian food?
- What are your favourite things to do in Scotland?
- Which places in Scotland do you recommend visiting?
- What do you mostly do on the weekends? Which places do you hang out the most?
- What do you miss the most about India?
- Which Indian communities are present there? Is it easy to find friends there?
- What lessons have you learned from your Indian expat life in Scotland?
Tell us about yourself
My name is Daliya Stanley. I am a registered Nurse working part-time with NHS in Scotland. My husband, Stanley Thomas, is a Business Analyst working with SKY. We settled in the UK after Stanley completed his post graduation in 2008. We have two lovely children Zion and Zenith.
We were both born and raised in Delhi and belong to upper middle-class Malankara Christian families. We like to balance our North and South Indian and now Sottish identities to mix and gel with the people around us.
My husband has been here from the last 15 years and I have just completed 7 years in this beautiful place. Both our children were born in Scotland and are growing up knowing and appreciating the different cultures around them.
Why did you move to Scotland?
I moved to Scotland after I got married and Stanley moved to the UK to study MBA from Christ Church University, Canterbury in England.
According to you, what should anyone know before moving to Scotland?
Well as per my point of view, the background information you need to know would depend upon what you want to do in the UK. Of course, speaking English would definitely help and also basic life skills like cooking, washing, driving, etc.
Even for filling up the gas in your car is you often depend on others in India. Here you would be on your own to do everything. It would help to know that there is no shortcut or no easy way out here for anything, be it weather, work, or life. Be prepared to do any work because there is no loss of dignity in any work here.
Where do you live in Scotland? Describe the place.
We live in Livingston which is 20 minutes from the capital and 40 minutes from Glasgow. It is the largest town in West Lothian, Scotland and a relatively new one with only 60-70 years of history.
People here like to live in good houses with facilities in order to raise kids. It’s a town of round-abouts and is known to have structured walking areas, with beautiful country parks and nice walking routes all across the town.
How much does one need to live comfortably in Scotland?
The minimum wage for anyone above 23 yrs of age is £8.91/hr which is equivalent to 916.17 INR by todays rate. The cost of living is definitely high in the UK but clever choices of housing and lifestyle can help you live a pretty decent life with a decent salary.
Hence an income of approximately £21,000 per annum would be good enough for a family to live a comfortable life. Although some immigrants work harder and earn up to £100,000, in niche IT markets.
Cost of living in Scotland
Accommodation
Scotland like any other place has sparsely and densely populated places. There are houses and apartment/ flats. Houses are further classified as terrace house, detached, semi detached, bungalows which come in 1,2 3, 4 or 5 beds and vary from £100,000 to £545,00 as per the area and rooms.
Flat rent starts from minimum £545 for a two bed flat in a town to £1200 in city. House rent starts from £900 in town to £2000 or more in cities. All houses have gardens in front or back, with playgrounds, general practitioners (GP), supermarket, pharmacy and other amenities nearby.
Transport
Cities and towns are connected by trains and buses but the transportation costs are exorbitant. Everyone usually owns a car and mostly tries to travel by road, across the UK. Car fuel is also as per how much the car is used for travelling. In Livingston we need to use the car a lot so a minimum £30 to £40 can be spent in a period of two weeks. If work is far away then the expense would further increase.
Groceries
Groceries come from supermarkets which have enough variety to cater to the needs of all sections of society.
Childcare
Childcare is through child minding services or a nursery which is an added cost. It is very high in the UK. Hence some people work part-time and raise kids so they don’t have to pay hefty amounts for these services. Councils are good at providing child-care services for kids above 3 which can cost up to £800 per child in some places.
Internet
Internet is a must here as everything works on it. Thankfully it is free for us as Stanley works for SKY TV. There are a variety of service providers like SKY, Virgin, Vodafone, 3 etc. that provide rates and offers ranging from £15 a month to £45 a month.
Education
Education is provided free by the State. It starts at age 3 for nursery and 5 for primary. Primary is till P7 in Scotland and then S1 to S7 is high school. Some people who can afford to pay for private education which is esteemed education pay around £15000 for a child per annum.
Eating out
There are a variety of options for eating out but surely not like in India. In the place I live we have take-away services from famous restaurants and food brands like Dominos, Pizza Express, KFC and Mc Donalds. We don’t have many Indian or other Asian restaurants around here.
What challenges have you faced living in Scotland? And how are you overcoming them?
Honestly, I love living here. I love the people- they are friendly and I have not faced any discrimination ever. As I grew up in Delhi there was not much of cultural shock either but people may have different stories to tell from their own experiences.
Challenges that one could face while living in Scotland
- no help for house work
- weather which is always cold or wet and gloomy for a good part of the year
- limited food choices (thanks to a few Indian food shops which come to the rescue).
How did you find work in Scotland? How different is the work culture from India?
I applied for work after doing an adaptation course to get my registration in nursing, through a website. I got a job in NHS which is National Health service. It is somewhat like a government job in India.
Work culture is totally different in the UK as compared to India. There is a relaxed way of working and everyone is accessible. It is a totally open work culture here with no hierarchal barriers and sir or madam customs. People don’t micro manage you.
Our clients treat us with respect and totally rely on our expertise and knowledge. Work is fun. You can laugh, dress (of course in uniform but with no strict dressing up rules) and do your work in a relaxed manner.
How has it been living in Scotland during Covid?
During Covid times, I got the chance to explore our local areas. We were allowed to travel in our county (district). There are gardens and open spaces where we could go for walks. We had 2 lockdowns and things were closed up for a significant period of time. Now everything has opened up after a majority of the population got immunised.
What do you like most about your place?
I enjoy the laid back life, open spaces and no-rush environment. And of course the friendly and lovely natives.
Is there anything that you don’t like about living in Scotland?
Something that I don’t like is the unreliable forecasts of the Met Office department because of which we cannot pre-plan for a long period. In Scotland, we can get 4 seasons in a day. That’s how unpredictable it can be.
How’s the healthcare system there?
I like the NHS, but people at times hate it. The delay in getting appointments and waiting lists can put people off. However, those who get treated in the system, benefit a lot by not needing to pay anything immediately. We pay our national insurance which helps to pay the cost.
How’s Scottish food? Which dishes have you tried? Do you miss Indian food? How available is Indian food?
Scottish food is ok and bland but alright. I have tried everything from Haggis, Black pudding, pies, crumbles, cakes, breads etc. We have learnt to prepare all kinds of Indian food at home; from golgappas to bhature, sweets and sadhyas. Rest we can buy from Indian restaurants, though not that authentic or go to shops in Asian dominated places and eat. So we don’t miss Indian food.
What are your favourite things to do in Scotland?
Camping, going for walks, appreciating nature, exploring places and their history and indulging in activities for the whole family.
Which places in Scotland do you recommend visiting?
Scotland is a beautiful country. All towns and cities have something to see and explore. I would suggest the Highlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrews, Dumfries etc.
What do you mostly do on the weekends? Which places do you hang out the most?
I work on one weekend day so the other day we try to go out an do something. If the weather permits, we go to country parks, for walking, camping, fishing, boating, or explore museums, safari parks, sea world, garden centres, or shop, visit friends, BBQs, or go to the beach, biking, etc
What do you miss the most about India?
Family
Which Indian communities are present there? Is it easy to find friends there?
We have a lot of communities here. Malayalees have Syro malabar, Syro Malankra, Malayalee Hindus, and other malayalee associations. Livingston Indian Community, Telugu community, North Indian community etc. are also very active. If you are ready to go out of your comfort zone and be more receptive, it is easy to find friends anywhere. But definitely there are many Indian families around.
What lessons have you learned from your Indian expat life in Scotland?
- To be thankful and grateful.
- To be hands on for anything
- To explore, be open to learn and experiment
- To appreciate our Indian culture and celebrate everything from Vishu to Diwali, Holi, Eid or Christmas. Also learnt to adopt other cultural festivities like Burns Night or Halloween.
Hope you enjoyed reading Daliya’s experience on living in Scotland as an Indian expat. Stay connected for the next country in our series, in the coming month.
If you’re interested in being interviewed for this series, or want to see a certain place featured email me at rubitah@beingrubitah.com
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