My first visit to the UK was in 2018, my first solo trip during a leave of absence from school. The first foreign city I set foot in was London. Perhaps it was the excitement of my first overseas trip, but the memories from that time remained particularly warm.

Walking the streets of London for the first time, my immediate thought was \"People seem very peaceful and free.\" This was it. The streets were filled not with people rushing about, but with those leisurely drinking coffee or sitting on park benches reading books. It was a stark contrast to Korea, where people live non-stop, and that unfamiliar sense of freedom felt refreshing.

After returning to Korea from my trip, one regret lingered.\n\"If only I had been better at English, I could have experienced so much more...\"\nThat thought kept swirling in my mind, and from then on, I seriously started studying English.

At first, the dialogue in movies was too fast to follow. But as I repeatedly listened and mimicked, I got used to it. Then, at some point, watching a movie 50 or 100 times without subtitles and shadowing became natural for me. It wasn't perfect, but the process itself was enjoyable. I particularly started to find British accents charming while listening to British movies and podcasts. Then, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

\"I want to live in the UK at least once.\"

At first, it was simple curiosity. But as time passed, that feeling grew stronger. The free and diverse culture, the old architecture and streets, the relaxed atmosphere... I became curious about things I hadn't fully experienced through travel.

Around that time, I was studying front-end development. Wouldn't gaining international experience as a developer open up broader opportunities? After much thought, I applied for the UK Working Holiday visa, and in the latter half of 2022, I finally got accepted. Since I had enough time until my departure, I could focus on studying English and development.

But as the departure date approached, worries began to flood in.

\"Will I truly be able to do well?\", \"My English isn't perfect, will it be possible to get a job as a junior developer?\"

Honestly, I wasn't confident. Unfamiliar environment, language barrier, technical limitations... there were many obstacles to overcome. But one thing was clear: I still wanted to give it a try.

I knew that living in the UK would be different from traveling. But I didn't want to leave it as just a vague longing. I wanted to confront it directly and experience it myself. That way, I felt I wouldn't regret it later.

And so, I ended up leaving for the UK.