Oh look! A New Girl in Town!

Hi, I’m Jordan! I am a 24-year-old girl with a passion for fashion who just moved to London from Canada and am navigating the job hunt (which is definitely scary).

I started this blog as an outlet for my creativity – a place to share my thoughts, experiences, and everything else I am learning along the way. After graduating from university, I was unsure of what the next step was. I knew I did not want to settle in Edmonton and always dreamed of moving to a big, lively city like London, but I didn’t know how to make it happen.

After a couple of years of fun, growth, and constantly asking myself the haunting question so many people in their twenties face—”What do I want to do with my life?” I realized I had to have a big change like this before I did anything else. So I took the leap!

The first thing people said to me when I told them I was moving to London was:

“Wow, that’s amazing, what an adventure, good for you, that’s so brave”

The next thing was:

“How are you going to afford it? It’s so expensive there! What are you going to do over there? Why would you want to leave your family? Do you have a job?

And frankly, all of those things are true. It took me two years to get here, one year of being scared of the unknown and leaving everything I know and love behind. Then came the commitment to the dream and working my tail off to make it happen. I worked two jobs, six days a week, so I could save enough money to fully embrace this experience in one of the world’s greatest and most expensive cities.

I have been here two weeks, and I am captivated by the city, the people, and the life that pours from its roots. London has a certain energy that is hard to describe unless you are here, and it is so different from being back home in Alberta. A limitless potential feels like it lives in the air as you walk down the street along with thousands of people, and it’s inspiring. My aunt mentioned something to me the other day about how everyone in London came from somewhere. I love that perspective because it makes me feel slightly less alone in this big city, and reminds me that everyone is on a mission to build an amazing life for themselves – you can feel it.

It’s exhilarating to have the chance to meet so many new people from all walks of life with differing perspectives and ideas. Someone back home recently said to me, ‘I don’t think I have a lot left to learn.’ At the ripe age of 32! It has stuck with me because I do not think I could be any more different from that. The world and the people around me give me so many reasons to be curious and to learn new things. Discovering things you never knew about is what makes life so exciting. This city alone has so much to teach me, and I am excited to learn and take in everything, and I am incredibly inspired to be around people who have such ambition, drive, and individuality.

I remember talking to my therapist about this decision over and over again because I have wanted to do this so badly for so long, but I was scared, had so much doubt, and did not want to leave my family. It still is scary, and I miss my people, but I do believe the greatest things come from what’s uncomfortable because it forces you into a position where growth happens. Simply, sitting on the tube by myself or walking around like a local or hanging out with my roommates, talking about weekend trips to Paris, I almost have to pinch myself because I cannot believe this is my life. I am excited and incredibly motivated to make life work here for myself, and I am proud of myself for getting here. I also recognize that it is such a beautiful privilege to be able to do this; I know I can always go home and that I have so many people who believe in me. It is definitely not the easiest or most affordable city to live in, and it’s really hard being away from family. But I think it is worth it to have the opportunity to be successful in an amazing city like this one.

When I think about what I want from this experience, it’s actually quite simple: to prove to myself that I am more capable than I ever imagined, to be brave and bold enough to put myself out there, even when it’s uncomfortable, and to embrace this city and all it has to offer. There are a lot of unknowns about where this journey will lead me, and that’s scary, but I am doing it anyway, and that takes courage. The saying ‘what is meant for you will always find you’ is something I believe in strongly. All the highs and lows in my life have led me here. I am so sure that this city is what is meant for me, and I am lucky enough to have an army of people cheering me on from home.

Follow along as I navigate life in a new city, learn how to build a life for myself, and find out what it means to be a woman in this world.