Welcome to the UK!
The question I dread the most is, “where are you from?” There are lots of scary things in the world but nationality and identity beat snakes and spiders by far. As an American/Jamaican/Danish girl who’s spent the vast majority of her life in Sweden, you can maybe understand how answering that question could be a bit of a predicament.
When I decided to move to Scotland it didn’t occur to me how many times I’d have to answer that question; the implications that came with my answer and the fact that I had one more culture to wrap my head around. There are definitely noticeable differences, but between living in Aberdeen and having three English flatmates, I think I’m almost there!
Keep Calm and Carry On.
I’ve had my fair share of culture-related embarrassing moments. Being the idiot I am, I was strikingly close to being run over by a car because I looked the wrong way when crossing the road and it felt as if I lost 10 years of my life. I also realized my phone wasn’t charging at all and on the 2nd day here I was beginning to panic…I then went grunting to my flatmates who broke down laughing as they explained the concept of socket switches. Right. You have to flick the switches to actually get the plugs working over here…
Anyone for a cuppa?
I mean I knew the stereotype about drinking tea before I moved here but I didn’t realise it had escalated into a whole new food group. You’ve dragged me down with you and I now drink an obscene amount of it. I am genuinely being serious when I say there must be about 30 different variations of tea in my kitchen and probably enough tea bags to give a cup to every first year!
To make it even better, apparently tea is dinner and dinner is lunch and tea is a cuppa…I still have trouble understanding which meal my flatmates are actually referring to unless I have the time on me.
You’re clearly stuck in the past
Apparently you guys like to make your lives just a little bit harder, playing on “expert” mode, so to speak. I’m still getting used to the taps (known as faucets pre moving here). I’m used to the one spout that mixes the water for you – a concept the rest of the world seems to have grasped. And the driving stick-shift on the left side of the road! I know, I know, the majority of the world uses manual cars but I still don’t get it. I mean why get up to turn on the TV when you can use a remote control?! In my eyes it’s pretty much on the same level as washing your clothes in a river, but I guess I’m just going to have to adjust to your caveman ways.
Oii, oii!
Oh, British diction. Some of the words that come out of people’s mouths I’ve had to run by my flatmates to check what they actually mean. “Cheers,” – what are you toasting someone every time I hold a door open or pass someone something?! “Fit like,’” – are you greeting me or informing me of a nearby hottie? Through experience I’ve realized your definition of “fag” and “pissed”, and mine are undoubtedly not the same thing. I also referenced “Where’s Waldo” at a flat party and everyone looked at me like I was on something, and I’ve already learned that using words like “sidewalk” and “trash” will only result in judgemental stares.
That being said, I’m having the best time of my life. Every week I’m becoming more and more British-ized and I love every minute of it. The Brits really do it better!