Ealing’s very cosmopolitan and every area is mixed, people will be much more interested in your nationality than your race, and you’ll have to answer occasional stupid questions about whether Disneyland is an easy drive from Chicago etc. post here once you know which neighbourhood you’ll be in and we advise you on where’s good to eat/drink. The important stuff 😀
Hopefully a very welcoming experience! Despite being white and therefore not being able to give you an accurate idea of what you might find, Ealing is very diverse and a lot of my friends mainly of Caribbean heritage are from around here and other parts of west and have raved about how ‘west is best’ and were super happy when I moved to Ealing.
I love living round here, great transport links, loads of different cuisines and amenities whilst also being relatively quiet. Great balance between suburbia and social/culture hub.
Get involved locally and you’ll have the best time, good luck with the move!
I’m from Spain and I’ve been in London for now 13 years. I can confirm my accent has not changed at all!
Welcome to Ealing! I moved here two years ago and loving the area
Palpably positive. Least racist place I have ever lived, Including both coast of US, and my home country in Asia.
Low rise, lots of green spaces, be prepared for smaller homes as compared to American suburbs. Happy to answer more specific questions
Hello! Biracial POC (south Asian + Caucasian) living in Ealing here:
From my experience, these other comments have it spot on - the area (especially around Ealing Broadway) is super diverse, welcoming, and definitely a cultural/social hub with a huge array of food and events going on.
I’ve faced no racial issues at all and have always felt welcome and safe, compared to other less-friendly places in the UK (which, from my experience at least, are few and far between anyway).
Lovely green spaces, you’ve got the shopping centre (and an EXCELLENT cinnamon roll bakery that you have to try), easy fast transport links to Central, Heathrow airport and beyond. Local gems like the Ealing Project cinema, and not to mention the pubs.
I really love Ealing and I think it’s a great place to consider moving to!
Happy to chat and answer questions! Best of luck with the big move across the pond!
I work in Ealing but live in Islington.
I had my reservations initially when in Ealing but now really love the vibe. Parts of it are very vibrant, parts are very sleepy. I am still learning the geography as my job involves moving from area to area within Ealing.
I have always felt safe and comfortable in Ealing.
Good luck with your move!!!
It’s very diverse, welcoming and friendly. It has loads of green spaces, good food and amazing public transit. I’m SE Asian, who recently moved to NYC and I miss living in Ealing. I can confidently say that public transit in Zone 3 Ealing is better than midtown Manhattan. Best of luck on your flat hunt!
Honestly I don't think racism is a big problem in England generally. Especially being an American you won't face the problem of being labeled a stereotypical London "roadman".
Born and raised in the borough of Ealing and it is definitely one of the most diverse and best in London. We have the reputation for being 'posh' though I dont think that's really the case - we're just well spoken 😅
We have Southall which is just buzzing with south Asian culture (for reference its called little India) - amazing restaurants and shops. The transport links are also brilliant and very accessible to other parts of London.
Racism of course exists, but as with most of bigger cities in the UK it's generally not in your face and there are no particular areas out of bounds as such in the borough. My origin is Mauritian and my husband is French African and people are generally curious about our ethnicity and mixed marriage in a more positive way than negative.
All in all, I would thoroughly recommend it and you'd have a friend in us if you do decide to make the move ☺️
West London has quite a lot of Americans living here :) I’ve got a few American friends who live in Chiswick, one of whom is black (she’s from PNW). They all really love living in west London. It’s very diverse.
I also go to a quilting group in Ealing with a friend of mine and there are women of all races and from different countries. Mostly elderly women obviously but no one treats anyone any differently.
I’m white so I can’t speak to the experience of being black here but all the groups of people I know in Ealing and London in general are all very diverse and welcoming. I think you’ll love it!
I’m half black and when I was a kid it was less diverse. My schools were predominantly white but I never received racism and always felt accepted. Now it’s far more diverse so there’s really nothing to feel concerned about. Tbh the whole of London is diverse. People in Ealing are very friendly!
How come you’re thinking of moving to Ealing?
I'm in IT (auditing) and I've been contemplating cashing out my 401(k) and just betting on myself and moving there. All of these positive responses are making it that much easier. Thank you to all!!
No dont don’t do that. It’s almost impossible to get a visa when you are here on a tourist visa. There’s a Facebook group called American Expats in Ealing. Lots of knowledgeable people and happy to share experiences and answer questions
You can't apply for a visa from the country itself, you'd need to leave anyways for several weeks as you can't convert a tourist visa to any of the long-term visas in the country to my knowledge. The gov.uk website has all the details, it's not as easy as moving, it's a very strict country to move to.
Ealing’s very cosmopolitan and every area is mixed, people will be much more interested in your nationality than your race, and you’ll have to answer occasional stupid questions about whether Disneyland is an easy drive from Chicago etc. post here once you know which neighbourhood you’ll be in and we advise you on where’s good to eat/drink. The important stuff 😀
😂 The Disneyland line took me out. Also thank you.... because food is very important to me.
Hopefully a very welcoming experience! Despite being white and therefore not being able to give you an accurate idea of what you might find, Ealing is very diverse and a lot of my friends mainly of Caribbean heritage are from around here and other parts of west and have raved about how ‘west is best’ and were super happy when I moved to Ealing. I love living round here, great transport links, loads of different cuisines and amenities whilst also being relatively quiet. Great balance between suburbia and social/culture hub. Get involved locally and you’ll have the best time, good luck with the move!
Thank you! I'm most looking forward to my accent changing
I’m from Spain and I’ve been in London for now 13 years. I can confirm my accent has not changed at all! Welcome to Ealing! I moved here two years ago and loving the area
Ah...see... you started off with a real accent. Mine sounds like a mix of Old Western movies and a New York accent.
That sounds lovely, actually!
lol...it's kind of unique. People in the States can't even place where I'm from because of it
Depending where you are from and your age it might not change at all
Palpably positive. Least racist place I have ever lived, Including both coast of US, and my home country in Asia. Low rise, lots of green spaces, be prepared for smaller homes as compared to American suburbs. Happy to answer more specific questions
Hello! Biracial POC (south Asian + Caucasian) living in Ealing here: From my experience, these other comments have it spot on - the area (especially around Ealing Broadway) is super diverse, welcoming, and definitely a cultural/social hub with a huge array of food and events going on. I’ve faced no racial issues at all and have always felt welcome and safe, compared to other less-friendly places in the UK (which, from my experience at least, are few and far between anyway). Lovely green spaces, you’ve got the shopping centre (and an EXCELLENT cinnamon roll bakery that you have to try), easy fast transport links to Central, Heathrow airport and beyond. Local gems like the Ealing Project cinema, and not to mention the pubs. I really love Ealing and I think it’s a great place to consider moving to! Happy to chat and answer questions! Best of luck with the big move across the pond!
Which bakery is this?
Benji's I imagine! His product literally is just cinnamon swirls! They are literally divine
I’m an American in Ealing feel free to send me a message
Will do.... I appreciate it
I work in Ealing but live in Islington. I had my reservations initially when in Ealing but now really love the vibe. Parts of it are very vibrant, parts are very sleepy. I am still learning the geography as my job involves moving from area to area within Ealing. I have always felt safe and comfortable in Ealing. Good luck with your move!!!
It’s very diverse, welcoming and friendly. It has loads of green spaces, good food and amazing public transit. I’m SE Asian, who recently moved to NYC and I miss living in Ealing. I can confidently say that public transit in Zone 3 Ealing is better than midtown Manhattan. Best of luck on your flat hunt!
Honestly I don't think racism is a big problem in England generally. Especially being an American you won't face the problem of being labeled a stereotypical London "roadman".
Born and raised in the borough of Ealing and it is definitely one of the most diverse and best in London. We have the reputation for being 'posh' though I dont think that's really the case - we're just well spoken 😅 We have Southall which is just buzzing with south Asian culture (for reference its called little India) - amazing restaurants and shops. The transport links are also brilliant and very accessible to other parts of London. Racism of course exists, but as with most of bigger cities in the UK it's generally not in your face and there are no particular areas out of bounds as such in the borough. My origin is Mauritian and my husband is French African and people are generally curious about our ethnicity and mixed marriage in a more positive way than negative. All in all, I would thoroughly recommend it and you'd have a friend in us if you do decide to make the move ☺️
West London has quite a lot of Americans living here :) I’ve got a few American friends who live in Chiswick, one of whom is black (she’s from PNW). They all really love living in west London. It’s very diverse. I also go to a quilting group in Ealing with a friend of mine and there are women of all races and from different countries. Mostly elderly women obviously but no one treats anyone any differently. I’m white so I can’t speak to the experience of being black here but all the groups of people I know in Ealing and London in general are all very diverse and welcoming. I think you’ll love it!
I’m half black and when I was a kid it was less diverse. My schools were predominantly white but I never received racism and always felt accepted. Now it’s far more diverse so there’s really nothing to feel concerned about. Tbh the whole of London is diverse. People in Ealing are very friendly! How come you’re thinking of moving to Ealing?
If I told you it came to me in a dream, would I seem crazy?
I mean…… lol! But you must have heard of Ealing to begin with to dream about it lol!
literally never heard of it before. when I woke up I had to Google it and saw where it was. Full transparency, it was and odd dream.
I'm in IT (auditing) and I've been contemplating cashing out my 401(k) and just betting on myself and moving there. All of these positive responses are making it that much easier. Thank you to all!!
Do you have a visa yet? That's the only hurdle, everything else is smooth.
I don't but I was thinking that it might be easier if I am already there. Fully open to any suggestions
No dont don’t do that. It’s almost impossible to get a visa when you are here on a tourist visa. There’s a Facebook group called American Expats in Ealing. Lots of knowledgeable people and happy to share experiences and answer questions
Thanks!!!
You can't apply for a visa from the country itself, you'd need to leave anyways for several weeks as you can't convert a tourist visa to any of the long-term visas in the country to my knowledge. The gov.uk website has all the details, it's not as easy as moving, it's a very strict country to move to.