I just moved from the UK to the US. Here are 9 things I already miss.

My move to NYC came two months after the birth of my first niece, Kaia. While I'm grateful to have been in London the day she was born, having to leave the country a few months later made me realize how much I'm about to miss out on.

In the next year, she'll be crawling, sitting up, and maybe even speaking her first words — all while I'll be in NYC.

Though I'll likely be able to hear and see these milestones happen through social media and FaceTime, there's nothing quite like experiencing those special moments firsthand.

Most of my family and friends live in the UK, except for my parents, who travel between London and Spain, which only has a one-hour time difference.

As someone who likes to check in with their family daily, I've had to be more conscious of when I call them now that there's a five-hour time difference. This means planning when I'm going to have long catch-up calls ahead of time and making myself more available in the mornings before I start work since most of my loved ones back in the UK are getting ready for bed by the time I'm finished.

The UK isn't without violent crime, but the frequency and type of violence are completely different from the US. This is especially true of gun-related crime — while people can still apply for licenses to own and shoot shotguns and rifles in the UK, lawmakers banned the private ownership of handguns following the Dunblane school shooting in 1996, in which 16 children died.

But in the US, gun violence continues to be referred to as an epidemic. Just a week after I moved, 18 people in Lewiston, Maine, were killed in the 36th mass killing in the US so far this year, according to a database created by USA Today, the Associated Press, and Northeastern University. While paying tribute to the victims on November 3, President Biden reflected on the number of mass-shooting sites he'd visited since becoming president, saying it had been "too many to count," Reuters reported.

Violent crime is still pervasive in the UK, but from my experience, I always felt safer being out and about — whether alone or with others — knowing that the likelihood of gun violence occurring is minimal in comparison to the US.

One of the things I'm most excited about is experiencing Thanksgiving in the US for the first time since college. I mean, what's not to love about roast turkey, gravy, and a bunch of side dishes?

The only problem with Thanksgiving is that it only happens once a year. But back in the UK, we get to have a similar meal every week — a traditional Sunday Roast.

Though I didn't grow up having a Sunday Roast every week, as my parents aren't British, I started getting into it as an adult. Up until I left in October, I was visiting pubs and restaurants around London in search of the best roast with friends and family. For me, there was something special about enjoying a delicious meal with the people I love most before kicking off a new week.

Compared to what I've experienced in the US so far, the drinking culture in the UK felt much more casual, which I loved.

My favorite place to grab a drink was my local pub, where people of all ages could gather to enjoy drinks and good food. Like most pubs in the UK, the atmosphere was always super relaxed. There weren't any dress codes, and people were always allowed to bring their pets and children.

As someone who prefers an early night, I loved that pubs usually closed around 11 p.m. I'm slowly getting used to the different atmosphere surrounding drinking culture in the US, and specifically how late nightlife is in NYC, but I still have a soft spot for what it's like back home.

Moving to the US has made me realize just how spoiled I was to be able to hop on a train and be in the center of Paris just a few hours later or take a flight and land in Spain or Austria the same day. Weekend trips to a different country were standard, especially in the summer when there were several public holidays.

That said, I am excited about having the opportunity to experience the variety of travel that exists within the US. But I will miss how easy international travel was when I lived abroad.

The UK may be a fraction of the size of the US, but there is still a lot to explore within it.

When lockdown rules eased during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people like myself started to appreciate traveling to different parts of the country. From exploring Bath — where several "Bridgerton" scenes were filmed — to checking out Cornwall and sampling the fresh seafood on offer, travel restrictions made me realize the UK has a lot to offer outside of London.

I also miss how close everything was. Unlike the US, where road trips can last days, my different travels in the UK never took longer than a few hours in the car or on a train.

The UK doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to weather, and as someone who lived there for most of their life, I can vouch for the fact that it is as rainy and gray as people say.

But now that I live in the US, I have found myself oddly missing the rainy British weather. I've definitely complained about it in the past — but, in a way, there's something cozy about sitting at home in the warmth as the rain falls.

I have also come to appreciate how consistent the weather is. For the most part, you can expect it to be gray and wet from September to April. Meanwhile, from what I've experienced so far, the weather in the US varies a lot more.

A friend of mine moved from NYC to London last spring, and one of the first things I told her was that she'd come at the perfect time because summer was right around the corner.

It's not just that blue skies and sunshine feel that much more special when the weather has been dreary most of the year, but it truly feels like the country comes alive in the summer.

In London, places like Regent's Park and Hyde Park are flooded with people enjoying picnics, there are outdoor music festivals and markets taking place on most weekends, and pubs are bustling with customers sipping on Aperol Spritzes and Pimm's, a traditional British summertime drink. The atmosphere is so vibrant, and one that I no doubt will miss next summer.