Anyone else moved to the UK and never managed to fully fit in?

I can relate to this from a different angle - I'm Danish and moved to southern Spain (Costa del Sol) rather than the UK, and the contrast in terms of social integration is stark. I have British friends and colleagues who've shared experiences similar to yours, and what strikes me is how different the social dynamic is in Mediterranean countries. When I arrived in Andalucía, I was invited to neighbors' homes within the first month. People were genuinely curious about who I was and where I came from - not as something exotic to be kept at a polite distance, but with warmth and real interest. The class system you mention is something expats from mainland Europe find particularly baffling. In Spain, while there are of course social stratifications, they don't create the same invisible walls. An immigrant can be genuinely welcomed into social circles without constantly feeling like an outsider performing the right cultural rituals. A few things I've noticed matter for integration in any country: \*\*Language\*\* - Making a genuine effort to learn the local language transforms how locals see you. In Spain, any attempt at Spanish (even broken) is met with encouragement. I've heard from UK-based expats that even with flawless English, they feel the accent or vocabulary marks them as permanently foreign. \*\*Size of the expat bubble\*\* - The Costa del Sol has a huge expat community which can be both a blessing and a trap. Those who integrate best are the ones who use the expat community as a social safety net while actively building local friendships. \*\*Cultural compatibility\*\* - This is real and underrated. Northern European cultures have a concept of "personal space" and social reserve that is genuinely incompatible with many expats' needs. If you're from a more expressive, warm culture, you may simply be more compatible with southern European countries. Your description of the UK class system rings very true - the implicit rules, the judgment for deviation from acceptable topics. I've heard this from multiple people. The UK works well as a place to build a career; it seems much harder as a place to build a life if you're not from there.