Wish you would go into the contrast with Ireland more. What is bread like in Ireland, what are the holidays celebrated like in Ireland, what is driving like in Ireland?
Sherri Thompson , for a start bread nearly everywhere else in the world doesn't have as much sugar. Unless you buy specialised breads from specialised bakeries in the USA , the standard bread is poor quality white bread, doughy texture and is more like a sweet bun. The American bread closely resembles bread sold in Asia where is not a staple food.
6 років тому+1
You CAN buy commercialized sandwich bread in America, but IF you take a couple of extra steps to your grocery store's BAKERY, you can find all kinds of breads which are individually made and baked in loaves. You may have to pay a buck or two more for it, but that's how much you'd pay overseas for bread anyways.
Traditional Irish bread is made with bread soda and buttermilk. The flour in it is different too. Wheat doesn't grow well in Ireland, so the flour is 'softer'. And there is never sugar in bread over here. As Laura said in the video, holidays are social events, but we don't decorate our houses for them, apart from Christmas (and maybe a pumpkin or turnip at Halloween). Driving in Ireland is probably daunting for Americans. Our cities are old, so the streets are often narrow. On my road, no one has driveways, so everyone parks on the street. Two cars can't pass each other, so you have to find gaps and wind your way along the street. Can get awkward at times!
There's an interesting reason behind the fact that you have no school choice, and it's because your property taxes fund your local school, and only your local school. It's part of the reason schools across the states can be so inconsistent, compared to other countries. For example, I'm Canadian, and I know schools are funded on a provincial level, so while you're defaulted into your local school, changing schools isn't that hard if you have a reason. It sounds like in Ireland, they're funded at a National level. I think it's one of the biggest drivers of inequality in the states - poor neighbourhoods get poorly funded schools, while richer neighbourhoods get well-funded schools, compared to other schools, whereas if there's a struggling school in our district will get more funds if it needs it. Food for thought.
Driving force is definitely your property taxes, and states and federal governments have been greatly reducing the support they've given over the past while. You can believe all you want, research shows that a lack of access to textbooks and poorly paid teachers with no experience because anyone who wants to be paid more than minimum wage gets out of teaching definitely hampers a school's success (just saying). Funding definitely has a huge impact on schools' and students' success.
Junlan Li I agree that teachers should be paid more and that there is a lack of funding equity in the United States. I think the impact of that is easily discovered by looking at individual school’s testing scores , graduation rates, and ratings and then looking up something like median income or median home prices for the school’s catch area. (BLS and Census websites make this easy) I’ve done it across the country just sort of randomly picking and results were as you’d expect. Public schools in wealthier neighborhoods tended to have better test scores and better parent ratings. But I don’t think those disparities are solely due to a lack of funding for schools. I actually think it’s even worse than that. The studies that I’ve seen show that kids in poorer areas actually do not enter school as prepared for learning as children from wealthier families. They also don’t have access to the same level of healthcare or even the same amount or quality of food. All of this combines to make it that much harder to teach kids. Also wealthier parents have more resources to help their kids in school if its needed. Like hiring coaches, therapists, and tutors. I wish that Americans felt that all children were as deserving as their own. We actually need every kid to thrive. Teachers do make more than minimum wage though even at the start. Median starting salaries are ~$38K. Less than science or finance jobs typically but about the same as social work or journalism.
Mary Contrary Straighten up and fly right attitudes drive me bonkers. It’s like having a race between two runners only one runner has 150lb backpack, and then criticizing the one carrying more weight for not being able to run as far or fast. It’s codswallop, and you know it. If money really makes no difference, why do schools in wealthier districts perform better? Why won’t anyone agree to just swap funding sources? We could use the property taxes from wealthier neighborhoods to pay for schools in poorer neighborhoods. No one will agree to that. We can’t even get voters to agree to funding equity. We should try to compensate for the effects of poverty not compound them. I think your statement about kids learning more with fewer resources is based on feelings not facts. One thing makes that statement impossible: there is actually more knowledge today than there used to be. And yes, kids in K-12 actually have to know more than earlier generations. Think about the advances in science and technology that previous generations didn’t have to contend with because those advances didn’t exist yet.
I am not sure if it is in Florida only but we have a program that called "School of your choice" and you could apply for any school you want, however it does not mean that your child will be able to go there as they might not have enough spots. However "freedom" exists... LOL
A lot of these things vary wildly by state/region. For example, in Seattle, if a pedestrian steps a foot off the sidewalk, all the traffic stops to let them cross. Here in Colorado, if you do that you’ll get run over. We have lots of micro-cultures here. I’ve traveled all over the U.S. and have barely made a dent in all there is to see and experience.
Oh there'll definitely be huge variations, just as there are in Ireland. I suppose we're all limited by our experiences. Even the most traveled people won't know all the different cultures and their nuances.
Of course, us Europeans have to keep in mind the sheer size of the US - and the variety of traditions and regional focusses. Ireland is a part of Europe, and within Europe, we differ widely where values and traditions are concerned. So it's not surprising that there is a lot of variation in the US, which is so much larger than the EU. Thank you for pointing out how much variation there is within the States, Deb. But I know where she's coming from - literally feeling your gums deteriorate because your bread doesn't require proper chewing, everything being super sweet (coffee capsules with sugar added, WHAT!), a totally different approach to recycling (a party of 40, make that 120 disposable plastic plates and sets of cutlery, plain water from 0.2 l plastic bottles x 120, etc., etc.). Over here in good old Europe that'd be grandma's crockery coming up from the basement, glass markers, water jugs filled from the tap, cutlery being held onto or thrown into a bucket to go to the dishwasher and straight back onto the turf.
Stefanie Mohrmann I know you responded here a year ago but it made me tear up a little ;.) I hate the excess pollution problem and carelessness here so bad- I’ve heard several times if the world consumed like Americans we’d need 2 1/2 earths- and that was probably a decade ago! Who knows how much worse it’s actually gotten.
In Canada we have lovely freedom. We also don’t have an old 1870’s motto “though shall bare arms” which to me was only referred to in battle not every day life but USA has developed that you must carry firearms or possess guns at all times. We don’t believe that here and no one carries guns here unless they are criminals and planning some bad crime. I find over the years it is hard to find anything actually canadian as all fast food is USA, stores are from states a almost all items to buy is “made in China” so that I can’t even send a gift to a friend in China as they don’t allow China made items back in China. So frustrating!!
I take no issue with your criticisms of American culture. In fact, I share many of them. The video was definitely more like "What I dislike about America" which is a perfectly fine video to make. I just expected more of a give and take or a discussion of cultural differences in a more objective way based on the title. I would really enjoy a video like that!
@@zerocats: You are absolutely right. I used to live in the City Different and sang with the Desert Chorale while friends sang with the Santa Fe Opera. Trips to Chimayo and Bandelier were great and the sunsets were awesome. Northern New Mexican food is unlike anything in the U.S. :-)
I don't know anyone who actually decorates their houses for every holiday...I feel like the retailers push that stuff so hard for naught. It's a waste and it's sad to me. In California we have to pay for bags, but I was bringing my own long before! I guess it just depends on the state.
Favorite thing about where I live? I live on the Central Coast of California and the weather is so good and everyone is SO happy and friendly and always commenting on what a beautiful day it is! Plus there are so many wineries, which visiting is a social activity and often quite pretty.
I decorate my home for 1 or 2 holidays outside... maybe 1-3 inside. Halloween and Christmas. But usually just Christmas. I hate decorating my house for Halloween because I don't have a porch light and kids never come by because of that and because we are out. But my work cubicle I decorate for every holiday because my cubicle is boring otherwise lol
Stephanie Douglass it isn't all that small I actually work for the local health department. I mean it is no Wal-Mart but not my smallest either that was 6 people strong lol
If you have an Aldi in your area, shop there!!! Everything is simple and you bring your own bags, pack them yourself, and return your own cart. Plus there's not 5000 brands of the same thing.
How to Get Your Shit Together all Aldi pretty much have the same product line so you probably would be disappointed. It's all normal stuff like beef, chicken, pork, cereal, chips, canned foods, frozen veggies, flour, sugar.... There are organic alternatives to most of it. I gotta wonder what it is you actually eat if basic Ingredients aren't part of it, lol! I am a bit biased because I work there, but I shopped there for years before I worked there and I do 99.9% of my shopping there. If you like a fresh bakery and butcher on-site then I do understand the dissatisfaction, but how wrong can you go with the other staples?
How to Get Your Shit Together oh that reminds me, we recently (in the last 3 months) started carrying grass fed beef cuts and more organic and fair trade coffee, sugar, and other stuff. Do pop back in from time to time because we are constantly improving and growing. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask! Aldi is definitely "weird" compared to "normal" markets.
I live in Wisconsin and have that same issue with reusable bags. I’m now used to consistently reminding cashiers that I have my own bag or don’t need a bag. And most do only fill them up halfway. I either start “helping” by adding items to the top of bags or I have to tell them it’s ok to pile my bags high. I wish more places had room so you could bag it yourself. It would save me so much anxiety/annoyance.
Great video!! Thanks for sharing. In Austin, Texas we banned plastic bags so when I went to Ireland, it was no surprise to bring my own bag. Things I love about Ireland: full doors in the rest room stalls, thick toilet paper (vs. the thin sheets in US), nice & chatty people--some of the nicest I've ever met! Can't wait to go back.
Also, the many "celebrations" at school will ease off, but has it occurred to you yet that your daughter will see all this as normal since she's experiencing it here? So, not too much hate. Just wait until you have the school projects you find out about at the last minute that are due the next morning. Then you will really go over the edge. (Usually assigned a week or two in advance, but you won't find out about it until the night before). Hint: have things like glue, pom-poms and popsicle sticks sitting around in a drawer ready to go for just such an emergency.
as a New Yorker....this made me laugh, it was so accurate. didnt take offense to any of it. funniest bit was about the tailgating, the speed limit is never the "actual" speed limit here LOL
To be fair, the car park thing does depend a bit on the city. In the suburbs and smaller cities, you're more likely to have large car parks like you describe, but in more downtown areas / large cities, it's pretty common to look up where there's a garage or street parking before you leave to figure out how you're going to park!
That's a fair point. Though I still feel that availability of spaces wouldn't really be an issue. Would that be an accurate assessment? In Ireland, car parks are frequently full.
How to Get Your Shit Together I live in Northern Va/D.C. area and a lot of times parking is awful if you aren’t in the suburbs. It’s hard to find a space or parking garage that isn’t full in D.C./Arlington area. People tailgate here too and we have the worst traffic. Maryland drivers are the worst with tailgating as well.
Thank you for giving your thought and giving me some insight about the differences of usa and Irish culture. I would love to hear more sights. Again thank you.
Hi Laura It was fun watching this! I made the move in my 20's from Canada to Belgium and lots of the things you speak about really resonated in reverse 😊 I got a good laugh out of your video, so thanks!
@@HowToGYST Yup, I am and now in my 18th year in Belgium! Crazy country but I'm a little/lot crazy myself so it's not a bad fit 😉 Survived a divorce a few years ago (my ex is Belgian and the reason I came here), made a new life, made friends, learned the language, brought some of my culture and traditions and merged them with the local ones... Time has given me an appreciation of both sides of the Atlantic 😁 I'm the crazy lady with the big dogs (I have two Irish Wolfhounds) to my neighbours but we've all come to appreciate our differences and found that, essentially, we're not so odd.
My grandmother was from Ireland. Hearing you speak made me miss her sweet voice. A lot of what you talked about with school, doctors and commercial competition has changed America. It wasn't always like this here. I lived in upstate NY most of my childhood. I love my hometown it was beautiful, historic, full of culture and traditions. I moved to SWFL 15 years ago and the sunsets are what postcards are made of. Keep posting for your new subscriber, thank you.
I have a friend from Ireland that moved here & her family came to visit once. I went to her house to meet them & they were so friendly! You would of thought I was their long lost daughter! Are most people from Ireland so friendly?
I just watched this video today...it was so funny. I hail from Ireland but live in New York. You totally hit the nail on the head regarding so much of everything compared to Ireland. I love the fact that Americans are so family oriented, and the schools want to have the parents involved also. It creates a great community & many memories. It can be overwhelming but the kids love it
Although I am American, I have not lived there full-time for a few decades. I lived in the UK and am now in Japan. But I visit my family and friends who are on the US East and West Coasts. The farmers' markets sell gorgeous fruits and vegetables and fully healthy, delicious, homemade bread. I also find the food in non-chain restaurants is often well-prepared, healthy, and the portions are more sensible. I don't doubt that I benefit from recommendations, which makes me feel sure that you will meet more people for recommendations and find more delicious foods with time.
As an American who has visited Ireland, I found the shop keeps and people in general kinder, humble and much more generous, not just of possessions but of self, in Ireland.
Props to you Laura for your fresh eyes commentary into life in the USA! I have no quibble with your observations. I too, had the experience of living abroad with a family in tow (2.5 years in Great Britain and 3 years in Italy). I was truly humbled to come to terms with how much I took for granted. Life abroad was wonderful, but my new “normal” looked decidedly different. I carry those lessons learned (in adaptation and grace) in my “Bag of Tools” , hopefully making me a wiser and gentler woman. We can all learn from each other. Soak it up, Laura & keep sharing💖
Yup, the consumerism in America is a national epidemic. Not hating on ya -- it all sounds quite recognizable and true. Some specific comment: re the shopping bags --- lots of jurisdictions have enacted bag taxes so for example in my own locale outside of Washington DC we all bring our own shopping bags to the store now and we recycle our plastic bags, if we get any. If you don't do that you will pay for the privilege of getting a plastic bag. As for the rest --- disgusting portion sizes, sickening tons of excess food, massive consumerization of holidays -- many of us don't participate in this because we know it is an unhealthy, financially dangerous dead end way to live.
Would you say it's more expensive to live in Ireland than it is in America the reason I ask is I looked at some vids of people who moved to Ireland and I was very surprised when they said that it is expensive.
I ride a bike or walk to the grocery store and I use tote bags that I've been given or just put items in my backpack. I hate it when people leave shopping carts out in the parking lot. Sometimes I take one or two and put them in the appropriate place. Just inside the grocery store is an area to get or leave shopping carts and sometimes I'll re-arrange the carts to make the space neater and more efficient! Not OCD, just being courteous.
I hope you don't mind me asking, this is the first video of yours that I have found, but what part of Ireland are you from? I am moving to Tyrone Co. (Which I know is in the north, but I am hoping it will be united again at some point lol). I am trying to get used to the accents. I can tell two different accents in Dublin, two different accents in Belfast (I know there are more), and my fiance's accent. I find it funny that his ma has a different accent from him and his sister has a different accent too. I know accents are super localized, to the point you can pin point what part of town people are from, which blows my mind.
Kiss me im Irish !!!!! Happy St Patrick,s day to you.Subbed and scribbed here in Texas.My great grandmother was born in County Cork,Ireland so I have corned beef,potatos,carrots and cabbage in the crockpot.And some Guinness.So glad I found you today.Cheers to you and your family.You know what Americas like now.A bit too crazy,lol !!!!!!
I went to Ireland last June. So Beautiful there. Saw Dublin, Cluck Jordan (where my daughter lived for 9 months) Cork, Gallway, Bellfast and back to Dublin in 10 days. What a whirlwind. Drivers are crazy there and you are right about the bread, It is the best bread ever
I completely agree with you about American drivers. I’m American, born and raised in rural Florida. (Yes, most of Florida is actually rural). I certainly was aught to drive much differently from what I see all around me today. It ranges from irritating to terrifying. In regards to your shopping, you might enjoy searching for and shopping at smaller independent stores (often called Mom and Pop stores)...or they might send you running back to the mega marts where you can find everything you need and lots of stuff that you don’t.
We know what it's like here. What's it like in Ireland? Also some of the things you mentioned like school districts are done differently depending on where you live in America. We have school choice. Same with the driving too. You will find different thing to complain about in the south or in the west. Or just maybe you can find things to appreciate about each place. Depending completely on how you look at the world around you.
Have the things you mentioned about choice and size been a challenge to your minimalist sensibilities? How have you handled the cultural differences as a minimalist? I’d love a video on what it means to be minimalist in Ireland vs here. Love your stuff!
You're right about school stuff. I don't know why everything got so crazy. When I was growing up in the 70's/80's we just wore normal clothes and/or a uniform. I took care of my own homework and, aside from the occasional field trip, my parents didn't have have much paperwork to sign. Now it's just an avalanche of paper everyday. Who has time to deal with all of that and the emails too?
I totally agree with you about having too many choices. It’s overwhelming sometimes. Here in Texas, it’s very common for us to use reusable bags at the grocery store. I am sorry that you have had some bad experiences, and I hope you won’t lump us all into the same category. I do try really hard to use my turn signal/indicator, to not tailgate, to not hit someone else’s car with my door, and to return my grocery basket/trolley. When I moved to Texas from Alabama, it was almost like moving to a different country because things were sooooo different. It has been six years since I moved, and i am still adjusting to the change. Hopefully things will get better for you here.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day! The bread! Three weeks in Ireland, I asked everyone how to make bread. "Oh, tis only brown bread." No one's talking. If you buy Irish soda bread here, it is not surprisingly sugared, like King Cake. What I like best about being here; I used to say the changing seasons, wide open spaces. However, your video and "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" ringing in my ears make me long for the Burren and gales!
Honestly, I agree with every single point you made! You were spot on.(I am American). Your daughter is only in Pre-K now. Just wait. The school activities and papers and projects get worse every year. It's exhausting. My youngest son just graduated from grammar school last year. I have 2 boys , six years apart. I feel like I can finally reclaim my life again after 16 years of indentured servitude. Good luck! And Happy St. Patrick's Day! 🍀💛💚🍀
Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too! You haven't filled me with much hope. 😂 I'm hoping to get involved in some parent council and then bring down the system from the inside. 😂
How to Get Your Shit Together Sorry to sound so negative! It may just be schools on the East coast. (I'm in NYC). Getting on the parent council sounds like an excellent plan. At my children's school they didn't really have a parent council, just a parent/teacher organization for fund raising. Again, lots of luck to you!🍀
I just love you soooo much, and especially for this! I howled laughing, because I agree with almost everything, even though I've never lived anywhere other than the US! Maybe I should...
My husband is from korea and with the first few years living together in the US he is very surprised about all the same things especially holidays my grandfather is Irish and comes from a farming potato family so tonights dinner he will be so surprised tonight. Also I completely agree on the food especially! Its my pet peeve I have to go out of my way to farmers market or places like trader joes or Asian markets to get somewhat healthy foods
I visited Ireland in 2015 (I want to go back!). As far as I know, I'm the first person in my family to go to Ireland since my Irish forebears came to the US in the late 1800s - it was my first (and so far only) time traveling off the North American continent. In any case, I have to agree with you about the food! Pretty much everything I ate in Ireland was like a revelation - and it was the basic, everyday food that surprised me the most because it tasted so much better than the US versions of the same items. Like really, noticeably better. Butter, bread (OMG the bread), eggs, yogurt, tea, meat, potatoes. It was all so good! I had a truly transcendent bowl of lamb stew in a totally un-fancy pub in the outskirts of Dublin. And that brown bread!! I hunted down a recipe for a yeasted version that I make at home - but it's really hard to find the right flour. Most US grocery stores don't carry it (what they call "stone ground whole wheat flour" is not as coarsely ground).
P.S. I live in Seattle now, but I grew up in Michigan. When I walked out of the airport in Dublin, I thought..."Hmm. Maybe climate preference is genetic," because the weather was *exactly the same* as the weather I'd just left in Seattle: rainy and overcast. And I am much happier living in Seattle than I was in Michigan. It's not as cold in the winter, and we seldom get any snow. It mostly stays up in the mountains, where it belongs. ;-)
just use wholemeal flour .you need buttermilk as well for soda bread to be delish.i used make it when i lived in america24 yrs ago!and of curse you must butter it with some kerrygold ;)
Have been driving in Ireland for 15 years, never once had an accident or been close to one. Been on holiday to the US about 5 times and been in 3 car crashes. I was always a passenger in a taxi. My sister is the same, never in an accident in Ireland, moved to America and people have crashed into her about 6 times now.
Oh I so agree with you regarding Americans and driving and all the school papers, etc etc. I live in Ohio as well. On a side note, I participated in a study abroad program during college and I had the opportunity to live and go to school in Derry for 16 weeks. We visited all sorts of places... Dublin, Belfast, etc. I simply loved it there! Did not want to come home, lol! When I did come back I had a super hard time learning to drive on the right side of the road again and everyone sounded like they had a southern, hillbilly accent to me. Lol
Agree with most of your comments - especially the school work. Findlay market has good bread, spices, cheeses, and all the other unprocessed food you could want. Only problem is it is hard to find parking on the weekend:)
I'm born and raised in the USA and laughed out loud when you talked about driving. I feel the same way and I'm from here lol. Drivers in Ohio never use turn signals and always drive slow in the left lane (which is the fast lane). Drivers in Arizona run red lights; idiots. Every state in the USA has some idiosyncrasy when it comes to driving. 🙄
Oh how your comments were spot on! I’m an American and lived my first 43 years within 50 miles of Seattle. We even went to Ireland on our honeymoon because we’re both part Irish and we knew we would love it there...even the weather! We have moved from Seattle to Nebraska almost 10 years ago and even that was a culture shock. The Pacific Northwest is more eco-friendly when it comes to reusable bags and taking your car everywhere. There isn’t always a parking spot available now. They encourage bus and walking. Though it’s gastly expensive to live there. I’m not saying I don’t love my new state, I really do...but the bread and the cheese sucks! Panera does sell their bread though so that’s a glimmer in a cloudy processed bread sky.
Having visited America it was to find the bacon was not like any bacon - well, maybe streaky - we have in Scotland. Glad you are all still happy and enjoying the adventure.
Totally with you on the grocery bags. Been bringing my own for a while. Consider bringing reusable Tupperware for leftovers at restaurants. Some surprised looks but totally worth it to cut down on Styrofoam waste with such big portions.
Jacqueline Balderrama I’ve been toying with this idea for a while. Glad to know someone actually does it. Might make me finally give it a go next time I go out to eat.
Love the video! I'm in Ohio also. I really hope you are enjoying your life here. My family and I are from Columbus originally but now live in the Cleveland/Akron area. We and I also lived in Mansfield for ten years and my wife graduated from BGSU in Bowling Green, Ohio (where I drove up to visit her a lot). So, having lived in central, northwest, north-central and now northeast Ohio, we really miss Columbus. The other areas are nice, but they don't have the variety of things to do that Columbus has, so that is the part of Ohio I suggest you visit (unless that's where you already live). Having done genealogy for about six years now, I have traced my family back to my seventh great-grandfather who came Ballybay, Ireland to America in the 1700's (on my dad's side). On my mom's side, my second great-grandfather moved from County Down, Ireland to Lanarkshire, Scotland and then to the U.S. in 1881. I'm glad you're here in Ohio now and wish you all the best! Go Buckeyes!
That’s so weird, I live right in between ballybay and county down. 20 minute drive each way but ballybay is literally just full of farmers, (we call them culchies), its in county Monaghan which is very well known for just farmers, being there a few times myself😂
Not every state has the school in a specific district problem. Colorado has choice schooling. We can take our kids anywhere we want to. I imagine even across state if we want a 2 to 8 hour drive to school every morning and evening depending on where they go. Our kids attend two different schools currently. My preschoolers is in a school very near our home and my kinder, 4th and 7th graders attend a school 15 to 20 minutes away :)
Must have felt good to get that off your chest! I think once your kids grow up the consumerism around ‘holidays & celebrations’ lessens significantly (at least for me it did). I’ve always lived in New England and my favorite part is the four seasons. Plus nothing’s too far away, so while we do have to drive most places, we can get errands done in bunches. And I bring my own bags too! Some towns are outlawing the plastic bags already thankfully! You’re right about the processed junk - wasn’t as bad when u was younger. We’ve gone backwards there. Thankful we have choices and the ability to read labels. I too dislike regular bread and go for the heartier versions like Dave’s Killer Bread or nit from a local bakery where they’re using solid ingredients.
I once asked a European that same question on his return flight from the US after his first visit here, and he said 1) he couldn't believe how Americans rely on fast food, drive-thru ordering, eating in their car, like so few people actually prepare their own meals, 2) the fast pace here, everyone is in a hurry, 3) how "sports happy" Americans are, so many different sports, overpaid athletes worshipped, and everyone wearing team apparel, 4) the commercialism, billboards everywhere, advertising everywhere, TV flooded with ads, magazines, etc. I agree with others, another follow up video of other differences (incl. culture) would be great. It's amazing how few Americans have traveled outside the US.
Welcome to America! And Happy St. Patrick's Day! I went to Ireland in the 90's. There is some beautiful country over there. It is very green! As we speak, my mom decorates the house for every occasion except Halloween. My parents are from Panama, so I am not sure the customs over there, but as we speak, there are shamrocks and tinsel and green and white lights on our house outside, and Irish flags and little leprechauns inside the house. I actually like it and it makes the place seem more festive.
My father was in the military and because of that I have lived all over the country including six years in Germany. America is a huge country and depending on where you live things can be very different. I live in South Carolina and I love it. Travel and see the rest of the states don’t limit yourself to Ohio. That being said I take my own tote bags to the store and I recycle. When my son was still in school all of the crazy days were stupid. School wasn’t that way when I was coming up I don’t know why it changed. And I agree about the bread so I bake my own.
All of them is same between Canada and Hungary. Some stores ask 5cent for a plastic bag, but people don't care, use 20 of them. One extra: food goes to garbage. At home (Hungary) the parent eat their kids leftover or the husband the wife's leftover, or ask for a box here in Canada people send their half hamburger to the garbage. It is not normal for me, not at all.
I have lived in New York City all my life and I love it here. I agree with your experiences, however I get most of my bread in bakeries or small shops that get deliveries of fresh bread. Its not better than in Europe but its close enough. Happy St. Patricks Day!
You will find that pre-schools and grade schools celebrate Valentine's Day, but it will fall to the wayside after that. No one really celebrates Columbus Day. Mostly young adults celebrate Mardi Gras and the drinking holidays, like St. Pats. You must know that most people will drive 5 miles an hour or so over the speed limit. It is expected. And if you drive slow, do not drive in the middle lane because you don't want to deal with merging traffic. Your place is the far right lane. If people are tailgating you, you are probably driving too slow. Yes, I know there are some jerks who are too lazy to move to the unoccupied lane, but they are few. Guess you don't have Aldis in your area, because you would like the way they do bagging.
I’m an Aussie, if I went to America, I would love to visit the National parks, they look awesome! Funny video, thank you, huge step you guys took, well done, chip away at it, you will settle in 👍
I'm American and I agree with the observations you made. In particular... "As a parent, I haven't done so much work for school since I was in school myself". Teachers and school staff seem to want to control too much of our limited time (parents & the kids) beyond the school (and work) day--and it causes a lot of resentfulness within the family. My son, only child, has graduated and left the nest about a year ago...and it still bothers me when I think how they monopolized so much of our time. Also, your comments on "buying" and going all out for holidays. I really wish the norm, here, was if you want to acknowledge these occasions/"holidays", let's relax a little bit.
I love living in New Englabd, because it's where I'm from, and it's one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Mountains and beaches, small, old towns. Four gorgeous seasons, Cape Cod, tons of history. Also the WORST drivers in the country, possibly the world - don't love that. And I agree about the bread, best to avoid it & make your own. The holiday nonsense drives me batty, too. I refuse to celebrate Christmas until Christmas Eve, and Easter until Easter & keep them low key. Speaking of which, happy St. Patrick's Day. 🍀
A lot of these sound very Midwest-y. Here in Seattle, a lot of things sound more similar to Ireland: there is much less parking, we use our own bags, meals are not enormous like the Midwest (usually quality > quantity). Not sure about schools, since I don't have children. Our public schools are good so no one has a problem with just sending their child to the local public school, since the system will have all of the college courses they could want to take once in High School and good Computer Science and other vocationals.
Yes, I'll admit my experience here is limited, but I'm thrilled to hear that things like recycling and the use of reusable bags are more common in other areas. Even since we moved here I've noticed our local store is now offering paper bags, so things are changing! 🙂
Its 15:42 in South Africa I lived in the states when i was 15... favourite thing in america cheap goid quality cosmetics. However trying to diet there is impossible even the salad dressings had high fructose corn syrup in them, and its cheaper to eat out than buy raw ingredients and prepare your food. Hmmm favourite thing about Cape Town South Africa .. no matter where you are you're only ever a 20-40 min drive from either the beach or the mountains and our country is beautiful. Admittedly going through a nationally declared disaster drought and we're on level 6B water restrictions which is something like only 50 litres per person per day so were having to shower for 1 1/2 mins only.. 90 secs yes its doable.. collect shower water in buckets before it can run down the drain, use grey water to flush loos and only wash clothes once a week. But hopefully winter rains arrive before we run completely out of water. 😉
Very insightful. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. My favorite things here are guns, girls and access to some of the wonderful spirits brought to us from Ireland (Guiness andJameson).
A small note on the driving; it's actually illegal, though usually people don't care that much, to pass on the right in the US. So if someone is tailgating you, try moving over to the right to see if they just felt they couldn't pass safely. I live in a small town, and I love how walkable it is. I can get groceries, go to work, and go out to eat without needing a car, as long as I have a lot of time!
Best thing about Edinburgh is the public transport. Our buses are frequent and go to edge of town shopping malls too, so not having a car doesn't disadvantage people. A day ticket let's you travel on as many buses and trams as you like and they are cheap to buy. For tourists thinking of visiting.....no change is given on buses so make sure you have the correct change. 😂😂
I felt awful for you when you said that you were in Ohio! I'm a native Ohioan and live in the Cleveland area. I hope it gets easier for you :-* As for the differences, I haven't been to Ireland but did live in France and Germany. There are a lot of differences between the two countries and throwing in the US is an invitation for disaster. We can be so different from our European brethren it's crazy. As for the school thing and celebrating everything, I think it's been like that for the last 15-20 years. It's a lot for anyone to sanely handle. I don't decorate for every holiday and don't have decorations for all the holidays except for Christmas and Halloween/Thanksgiving (I just decorate with pumpkins and leave them up for a couple of months). I miss the bread from over there. I do go to bakeries and get some good stuff though! I just started watching and subscribed to your channel earlier this week and love your wit!
Hi Kelly! 🙂 I genuinely like it in Ohio, but I suppose nothing will ever really compare to home. 🙂 As an outsider, I find a lot of things very frustrating and unnecessarily complicated. Ireland seems so laid back and straightforward by comparison. But maybe it's just because it's what I'm used to.
I totally get the home thing. I started missing things/food that I couldn't care less about when I was home. I think people in the states as a whole find that the Irish are very laid back, good for a laugh, and fun loving. It sounds like that is very much the case! I do hope that it gets easier. If you ever make it to Cleveland, I can give you ideas on where to go!
*_St Patrick's Day is a global celebration of Irish culture on or around March 17. It particularly remembers St Patrick, one of Ireland's patron saints, who ministered Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century.In Ireland,St. Patrick, as the patron saint of Ireland, lived in Ireland in the late 4th and early 5th centuries._*
No argument here! I haven't been to Ireland yet, but having visited Scotland once and England multiple times, I can see where you're coming from. I am in the suburbs of Chicago and I found Cincinnati a little "foreign" feeling too! Lol!
Definitely won't get hate comments from me. I think it's good to make these problems known so that they can change or adapt. So props to you for speaking your mind. Fun fact about saint patrick's day, the reason it's such a big deal here is because there are so many Irish people here. Aside from Germans and hispanics, Irish is one the biggest populations with over 30 million. In New York alone, if I remember correctly, there are more Irish people than Ireland. It's wild. If you look around you can find Irish communities that probably share your views on all these things
I think this is a decidedly suburban US experience. In the city, parking is scarce, we walk all over the place, and we don't decorate for most holidays (Christmas, maybe). And here we can apply to different schools, too. I have friends whose kids were in four different schools at one time. You're spot on about too much choice in stores, though here in Chicago we have to pay for plastic bags. I've brought reusable bags to the stores for years, and now I'm in good company. There is good bread here, but you have to look really hard for it.
Wonderful to hear another perspective, Jill, thank you. 🙂 I love that reusable bags are slowly becoming a thing over here. I’ll be in Chicago next month. It’ll be my first time visiting. 🙂
You'll love it!! Things should be greening up by then, though I will apologize in advance for the soggy weather you're likely to encounter..maybe it will make you feel a bit at home?
I'm sure it will. 🙂 I'll be co-hosting a meet-up with Carie Harling in downtown Chicago so I'll be there for 2 days. If you're free on April 14th, pop along. It'll be in the Renaissance Downtown Chicago Hotel at noon. 🙂
Most of what you said even Americans don't like either and hopefully you'll find more to like about living here. Bread in the supermarket is awful so I either buy bread in the bakery in the grocery store or I go to Whole Foods and buy my bread there, it can be more expensive there but the quality is so much better plus their bread freezes well too. Thanks for sharing.
In Canada we also have to pay for plastic bags in most stores. It is encouraged to bring reuse able bags. We have to stop with the plastic. A personal pet peeve of mine. :)
No hate from me! I moved to the Cincinnati area nearly 25 years ago, and I would say that a few of the things you mentioned are more exaggerated here than in other areas of the U.S.. However, I agree with you on every. Single. Point. P.S. - Check out Fresh Thyme Market. They are smaller than our traditional grocery stores and carry more fresh items than processed.
You are hilarious, so glad I came across your channel! Some of the things you've mentioned vary depending on what part of the country you live. Definitely try local bakeries for bread. And just because a company makes a ridiculous product doesn't mean we buy it or like it--deep fried Twinkies. Over-The-Rhine has a great farmer's market if you haven't been yet. You should go to Jungle Jim's grocery store, they carry items from all over the world!
Yes, we found a local bakery that has halfway decent bread. Still not a patch on Irish bread, but it's a step up! And I'm a regular at Jungle Jim's. 😉 Haven't been to a farmer's market yet but there's one in Findlay Park I've heard is very good.
Very accurate commentary on American culture and way of life. The school thing...was a great reminder of all the shenanigans that I don’t have to deal with (and their dumb fundraisers, too!) as I homeschool my kids. I remember you stating your own opinion on the possibility of you homeschooling, so I am not suggesting that. 😂 I also hate the decorating for everything and buying crap...we do Christmas because I have sentimental ties to it and family heirloom decor, and the Valentine BSery because my kids’ co-op does a thing and I don’t want them to be the misers. But I do just go to Dollar Tree and grab cheap stuff lol. Whatever it ends up in the trash a couple days later. 😆 I just try to be as counter culture as possible, and moving from L.A. to West TX has helped with that immensely. ❤️
I lived in Wyoming for around 18 months and I agree with just about everything you said. I also hated that the public toilet stall doors in Wyoming, and surrounding States, gave little privacy because of the wide gaps. That said, I did like that they provided paper toilet seat covers though, something I haven't seen in public toilets here in Australia. OH, and I mentioned it on your other video but I could not eat the American bread unless it was toasted and, even then, it wasn't that enjoyable. It was dry and sweet which made me cringe when it came to making a savoury sandwich. Stopped eating bread over there and missed our Aussie bread terribly.
![49 Things that are Different in Ireland! [According to this American]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nw9oKEGCTH4/mqdefault.jpg)
Wish you would go into the contrast with Ireland more. What is bread like in Ireland, what are the holidays celebrated like in Ireland, what is driving like in Ireland?
Sherri Thompson , for a start bread nearly everywhere else in the world doesn't have as much sugar. Unless you buy specialised breads from specialised bakeries in the USA , the standard bread is poor quality white bread, doughy texture and is more like a sweet bun. The American bread closely resembles bread sold in Asia where is not a staple food.
You CAN buy commercialized sandwich bread in America, but IF you take a couple of extra steps to your grocery store's BAKERY, you can find all kinds of breads which are individually made and baked in loaves. You may have to pay a buck or two more for it, but that's how much you'd pay overseas for bread anyways.
Traditional Irish bread is made with bread soda and buttermilk. The flour in it is different too. Wheat doesn't grow well in Ireland, so the flour is 'softer'. And there is never sugar in bread over here. As Laura said in the video, holidays are social events, but we don't decorate our houses for them, apart from Christmas (and maybe a pumpkin or turnip at Halloween). Driving in Ireland is probably daunting for Americans. Our cities are old, so the streets are often narrow. On my road, no one has driveways, so everyone parks on the street. Two cars can't pass each other, so you have to find gaps and wind your way along the street. Can get awkward at times!
Susan Gallagher
What type of flour do you use there in Ireland? the reason why I'm looking for gluten-free options.
@@elishevabulwark1787 every or most shops in Ireland will have a gluten free part
There's an interesting reason behind the fact that you have no school choice, and it's because your property taxes fund your local school, and only your local school. It's part of the reason schools across the states can be so inconsistent, compared to other countries. For example, I'm Canadian, and I know schools are funded on a provincial level, so while you're defaulted into your local school, changing schools isn't that hard if you have a reason. It sounds like in Ireland, they're funded at a National level. I think it's one of the biggest drivers of inequality in the states - poor neighbourhoods get poorly funded schools, while richer neighbourhoods get well-funded schools, compared to other schools, whereas if there's a struggling school in our district will get more funds if it needs it. Food for thought.
Driving force is definitely your property taxes, and states and federal governments have been greatly reducing the support they've given over the past while. You can believe all you want, research shows that a lack of access to textbooks and poorly paid teachers with no experience because anyone who wants to be paid more than minimum wage gets out of teaching definitely hampers a school's success (just saying). Funding definitely has a huge impact on schools' and students' success.
Junlan Li I agree that teachers should be paid more and that there is a lack of funding equity in the United States. I think the impact of that is easily discovered by looking at individual school’s testing scores , graduation rates, and ratings and then looking up something like median income or median home prices for the school’s catch area. (BLS and Census websites make this easy) I’ve done it across the country just sort of randomly picking and results were as you’d expect. Public schools in wealthier neighborhoods tended to have better test scores and better parent ratings. But I don’t think those disparities are solely due to a lack of funding for schools. I actually think it’s even worse than that. The studies that I’ve seen show that kids in poorer areas actually do not enter school as prepared for learning as children from wealthier families. They also don’t have access to the same level of healthcare or even the same amount or quality of food. All of this combines to make it that much harder to teach kids. Also wealthier parents have more resources to help their kids in school if its needed. Like hiring coaches, therapists, and tutors. I wish that Americans felt that all children were as deserving as their own. We actually need every kid to thrive.
Teachers do make more than minimum wage though even at the start. Median starting salaries are ~$38K. Less than science or finance jobs typically but about the same as social work or journalism.
Mary Contrary Straighten up and fly right attitudes drive me bonkers. It’s like having a race between two runners only one runner has 150lb backpack, and then criticizing the one carrying more weight for not being able to run as far or fast. It’s codswallop, and you know it.
If money really makes no difference, why do schools in wealthier districts perform better? Why won’t anyone agree to just swap funding sources? We could use the property taxes from wealthier neighborhoods to pay for schools in poorer neighborhoods. No one will agree to that. We can’t even get voters to agree to funding equity. We should try to compensate for the effects of poverty not compound them.
I think your statement about kids learning more with fewer resources is based on feelings not facts. One thing makes that statement impossible: there is actually more knowledge today than there used to be. And yes, kids in K-12 actually have to know more than earlier generations. Think about the advances in science and technology that previous generations didn’t have to contend with because those advances didn’t exist yet.
I am not sure if it is in Florida only but we have a program that called "School of your choice" and you could apply for any school you want, however it does not mean that your child will be able to go there as they might not have enough spots. However "freedom" exists... LOL
We have schools of choice in several states, as well as lotteries for some programs like International Baccalaureate openings in some districts.
A lot of these things vary wildly by state/region. For example, in Seattle, if a pedestrian steps a foot off the sidewalk, all the traffic stops to let them cross. Here in Colorado, if you do that you’ll get run over. We have lots of micro-cultures here. I’ve traveled all over the U.S. and have barely made a dent in all there is to see and experience.
Oh there'll definitely be huge variations, just as there are in Ireland. I suppose we're all limited by our experiences. Even the most traveled people won't know all the different cultures and their nuances.
Seems like every State is separate country...
Of course, us Europeans have to keep in mind the sheer size of the US - and the variety of traditions and regional focusses. Ireland is a part of Europe, and within Europe, we differ widely where values and traditions are concerned. So it's not surprising that there is a lot of variation in the US, which is so much larger than the EU. Thank you for pointing out how much variation there is within the States, Deb.
But I know where she's coming from - literally feeling your gums deteriorate because your bread doesn't require proper chewing, everything being super sweet (coffee capsules with sugar added, WHAT!), a totally different approach to recycling (a party of 40, make that 120 disposable plastic plates and sets of cutlery, plain water from 0.2 l plastic bottles x 120, etc., etc.). Over here in good old Europe that'd be grandma's crockery coming up from the basement, glass markers, water jugs filled from the tap, cutlery being held onto or thrown into a bucket to go to the dishwasher and straight back onto the turf.
Stefanie Mohrmann I know you responded here a year ago but it made me tear up a little ;.) I hate the excess pollution problem and carelessness here so bad- I’ve heard several times if the world consumed like Americans we’d need 2 1/2 earths- and that was probably a decade ago! Who knows how much worse it’s actually gotten.
In Canada we have lovely freedom. We also don’t have an old 1870’s motto “though shall bare arms” which to me was only referred to in battle not every day life but USA has developed that you must carry firearms or possess guns at all times. We don’t believe that here and no one carries guns here unless they are criminals and planning some bad crime.
I find over the years it is hard to find anything actually canadian as all fast food is USA, stores are from states a almost all items to buy is “made in China” so that I can’t even send a gift to a friend in China as they don’t allow China made items back in China. So frustrating!!
I take no issue with your criticisms of American culture. In fact, I share many of them. The video was definitely more like "What I dislike about America" which is a perfectly fine video to make. I just expected more of a give and take or a discussion of cultural differences in a more objective way based on the title. I would really enjoy a video like that!
me too
My favorite thing about where I live is how beautiful it is here. People are more laid back and the food and culture are divine. Taos, New Mexico
@@zerocats: You are absolutely right. I used to live in the City Different and sang with the Desert Chorale while friends sang with the Santa Fe Opera. Trips to Chimayo and Bandelier were great and the sunsets were awesome. Northern New Mexican food is unlike anything in the U.S. :-)
Anything else, that is. I don't want to find myself in the New Mexican as a story for "One of our 50 is missing"
I don't know anyone who actually decorates their houses for every holiday...I feel like the retailers push that stuff so hard for naught. It's a waste and it's sad to me. In California we have to pay for bags, but I was bringing my own long before! I guess it just depends on the state.
Favorite thing about where I live? I live on the Central Coast of California and the weather is so good and everyone is SO happy and friendly and always commenting on what a beautiful day it is! Plus there are so many wineries, which visiting is a social activity and often quite pretty.
I decorate my home for 1 or 2 holidays outside... maybe 1-3 inside. Halloween and Christmas. But usually just Christmas. I hate decorating my house for Halloween because I don't have a porch light and kids never come by because of that and because we are out. But my work cubicle I decorate for every holiday because my cubicle is boring otherwise lol
Brittany that's so nice! I forget about small workspaces like that. :)
Well in ireland we decorate our houses in and out-side on every occasion and its different in every country (and just to clear it out its not a waste)
Stephanie Douglass it isn't all that small I actually work for the local health department. I mean it is no Wal-Mart but not my smallest either that was 6 people strong lol
If you have an Aldi in your area, shop there!!! Everything is simple and you bring your own bags, pack them yourself, and return your own cart. Plus there's not 5000 brands of the same thing.
Yeah, I immediately thought of Aldi too during her comments on shopping.
Our local Aldi has a very small selection of things. Nothing that I'd normally eat. So I'll have to venture further afield to find a different one.
How to Get Your Shit Together all Aldi pretty much have the same product line so you probably would be disappointed. It's all normal stuff like beef, chicken, pork, cereal, chips, canned foods, frozen veggies, flour, sugar.... There are organic alternatives to most of it. I gotta wonder what it is you actually eat if basic Ingredients aren't part of it, lol! I am a bit biased because I work there, but I shopped there for years before I worked there and I do 99.9% of my shopping there. If you like a fresh bakery and butcher on-site then I do understand the dissatisfaction, but how wrong can you go with the other staples?
How to Get Your Shit Together oh that reminds me, we recently (in the last 3 months) started carrying grass fed beef cuts and more organic and fair trade coffee, sugar, and other stuff. Do pop back in from time to time because we are constantly improving and growing. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask! Aldi is definitely "weird" compared to "normal" markets.
Aldi owns Trader Joe's.
Irish butter tastes so much better than American.
I will drive to a different grocery store to find Kerrygold butter.
Try Trader Joe's for Kerry Gold butter
they sell it here in Australia too!
OMG, Amy I am from UK and used to go to Ireland to see my family. The food there is soooo much better, butter basically all food. x
I am American. I agree.
I live in Wisconsin and have that same issue with reusable bags. I’m now used to consistently reminding cashiers that I have my own bag or don’t need a bag. And most do only fill them up halfway. I either start “helping” by adding items to the top of bags or I have to tell them it’s ok to pile my bags high. I wish more places had room so you could bag it yourself. It would save me so much anxiety/annoyance.
We Americans also hate all the crazy sock day, crazy hair day, nonsense that the schools do...lol
Heather Estes so true
I love the spirit days because my kids get so excited about them.
Great video!! Thanks for sharing. In Austin, Texas we banned plastic bags so when I went to Ireland, it was no surprise to bring my own bag. Things I love about Ireland: full doors in the rest room stalls, thick toilet paper (vs. the thin sheets in US), nice & chatty people--some of the nicest I've ever met! Can't wait to go back.
Oh, I forgot to mention the toilet doors and paper. YES to both of these! What part of Ireland did you visit?
Also, the many "celebrations" at school will ease off, but has it occurred to you yet that your daughter will see all this as normal since she's experiencing it here? So, not too much hate. Just wait until you have the school projects you find out about at the last minute that are due the next morning. Then you will really go over the edge. (Usually assigned a week or two in advance, but you won't find out about it until the night before). Hint: have things like glue, pom-poms and popsicle sticks sitting around in a drawer ready to go for just such an emergency.
as a New Yorker....this made me laugh, it was so accurate. didnt take offense to any of it. funniest bit was about the tailgating, the speed limit is never the "actual" speed limit here LOL
To be fair, the car park thing does depend a bit on the city. In the suburbs and smaller cities, you're more likely to have large car parks like you describe, but in more downtown areas / large cities, it's pretty common to look up where there's a garage or street parking before you leave to figure out how you're going to park!
That's a fair point. Though I still feel that availability of spaces wouldn't really be an issue. Would that be an accurate assessment? In Ireland, car parks are frequently full.
How to Get Your Shit Together I live in Northern Va/D.C. area and a lot of times parking is awful if you aren’t in the suburbs. It’s hard to find a space or parking garage that isn’t full in D.C./Arlington area. People tailgate here too and we have the worst traffic. Maryland drivers are the worst with tailgating as well.
Lived in Massachusetts most my life. I like it here but... I agree with you on much ! I would love to go to Ireland love your video. So good !
Book those flights and get yourself over there. 😉
Thank you for giving your thought and giving me some insight about the differences of usa and Irish culture. I would love to hear more sights. Again thank you.
Hi Laura
It was fun watching this! I made the move in my 20's from Canada to Belgium and lots of the things you speak about really resonated in reverse 😊 I got a good laugh out of your video, so thanks!
That's a big move! Are you still there?
@@HowToGYST
Yup, I am and now in my 18th year in Belgium! Crazy country but I'm a little/lot crazy myself so it's not a bad fit 😉
Survived a divorce a few years ago (my ex is Belgian and the reason I came here), made a new life, made friends, learned the language, brought some of my culture and traditions and merged them with the local ones... Time has given me an appreciation of both sides of the Atlantic 😁
I'm the crazy lady with the big dogs (I have two Irish Wolfhounds) to my neighbours but we've all come to appreciate our differences and found that, essentially, we're not so odd.
My grandmother was from Ireland. Hearing you speak made me miss her sweet voice. A lot of what you talked about with school, doctors and commercial competition has changed America. It wasn't always like this here.
I lived in upstate NY most of my childhood. I love my hometown it was beautiful, historic, full of culture and traditions. I moved to SWFL 15 years ago and the sunsets are what postcards are made of.
Keep posting for your new subscriber, thank you.
I have a friend from Ireland that moved here & her family came to visit once. I went to her house to meet them & they were so friendly! You would of thought I was their long lost daughter! Are most people from Ireland so friendly?
I just watched this video today...it was so funny. I hail from Ireland but live in New York. You totally hit the nail on the head regarding so much of everything compared to Ireland. I love the fact that Americans are so family oriented, and the schools want to have the parents involved also. It creates a great community & many memories. It can be overwhelming but the kids love it
Although I am American, I have not lived there full-time for a few decades. I lived in the UK and am now in Japan. But I visit my family and friends who are on the US East and West Coasts. The farmers' markets sell gorgeous fruits and vegetables and fully healthy, delicious, homemade bread. I also find the food in non-chain restaurants is often well-prepared, healthy, and the portions are more sensible. I don't doubt that I benefit from recommendations, which makes me feel sure that you will meet more people for recommendations and find more delicious foods with time.
Happy St. Patrick's Day Laura.....You are correct on so many levels....With you in spirit !
As an American who has visited Ireland, I found the shop keeps and people in general kinder, humble and much more generous, not just of possessions but of self, in Ireland.
What’s the difference with the bread?
I love living on the east coast near the water. It’s so calming all year long being able to walk on the beach.
I love living by a large freshwater lake in my home state of Michigan. I also adore the change of each of the four seasons.
Props to you Laura for your fresh eyes commentary into life in the USA! I have no quibble with your observations. I too, had the experience of living abroad with a family in tow (2.5 years in Great Britain and 3 years in Italy). I was truly humbled to come to terms with how much I took for granted. Life abroad was wonderful, but my new “normal” looked decidedly different. I carry those lessons learned (in adaptation and grace) in my “Bag of Tools” , hopefully making me a wiser and gentler woman. We can all learn from each other. Soak it up, Laura & keep sharing💖
Yup, the consumerism in America is a national epidemic. Not hating on ya -- it all sounds quite recognizable and true. Some specific comment: re the shopping bags --- lots of jurisdictions have enacted bag taxes so for example in my own locale outside of Washington DC we all bring our own shopping bags to the store now and we recycle our plastic bags, if we get any. If you don't do that you will pay for the privilege of getting a plastic bag. As for the rest --- disgusting portion sizes, sickening tons of excess food, massive consumerization of holidays -- many of us don't participate in this because we know it is an unhealthy, financially dangerous dead end way to live.
Would you say it's more expensive to live in Ireland than it is in America the reason I ask is I looked at some vids of people who moved to Ireland and I was very surprised when they said that it is expensive.
I ride a bike or walk to the grocery store and I use tote bags that I've been given or just put items in my backpack. I hate it when people leave shopping carts out in the parking lot. Sometimes I take one or two and put them in the appropriate place. Just inside the grocery store is an area to get or leave shopping carts and sometimes I'll re-arrange the carts to make the space neater and more efficient! Not OCD, just being courteous.
I hope you don't mind me asking, this is the first video of yours that I have found, but what part of Ireland are you from? I am moving to Tyrone Co. (Which I know is in the north, but I am hoping it will be united again at some point lol). I am trying to get used to the accents. I can tell two different accents in Dublin, two different accents in Belfast (I know there are more), and my fiance's accent. I find it funny that his ma has a different accent from him and his sister has a different accent too. I know accents are super localized, to the point you can pin point what part of town people are from, which blows my mind.
Kiss me im Irish !!!!! Happy St Patrick,s day to you.Subbed and scribbed here in Texas.My great grandmother was born in County Cork,Ireland so I have corned beef,potatos,carrots and cabbage in the crockpot.And some Guinness.So glad I found you today.Cheers to you and your family.You know what Americas like now.A bit too crazy,lol !!!!!!
I went to Ireland last June. So Beautiful there. Saw Dublin, Cluck Jordan (where my daughter lived for 9 months) Cork, Gallway, Bellfast and back to Dublin in 10 days. What a whirlwind. Drivers are crazy there and you are right about the bread, It is the best bread ever
I completely agree with you about American drivers. I’m American, born and raised in rural Florida. (Yes, most of Florida is actually rural). I certainly was aught to drive much differently from what I see all around me today. It ranges from irritating to terrifying.
In regards to your shopping, you might enjoy searching for and shopping at smaller independent stores (often called Mom and Pop stores)...or they might send you running back to the mega marts where you can find everything you need and lots of stuff that you don’t.
We know what it's like here. What's it like in Ireland? Also some of the things you mentioned like school districts are done differently depending on where you live in America. We have school choice. Same with the driving too. You will find different thing to complain about in the south or in the west. Or just maybe you can find things to appreciate about each place. Depending completely on how you look at the world around you.
You are adorable. I could listen to your voice for years. My dad once said, "Do you know what you call a beautiful woman in Ohio?....A visitor.
😂 Harsh!
Wiley Warren 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Agreed on every single point. Including the eggs and bread. I’m from PR. Our bread it’s amazing there.
Have the things you mentioned about choice and size been a challenge to your minimalist sensibilities? How have you handled the cultural differences as a minimalist? I’d love a video on what it means to be minimalist in Ireland vs here. Love your stuff!
You're right about school stuff. I don't know why everything got so crazy. When I was growing up in the 70's/80's we just wore normal clothes and/or a uniform. I took care of my own homework and, aside from the occasional field trip, my parents didn't have have much paperwork to sign. Now it's just an avalanche of paper everyday. Who has time to deal with all of that and the emails too?
I totally agree with you about having too many choices. It’s overwhelming sometimes. Here in Texas, it’s very common for us to use reusable bags at the grocery store. I am sorry that you have had some bad experiences, and I hope you won’t lump us all into the same category. I do try really hard to use my turn signal/indicator, to not tailgate, to not hit someone else’s car with my door, and to return my grocery basket/trolley. When I moved to Texas from Alabama, it was almost like moving to a different country because things were sooooo different. It has been six years since I moved, and i am still adjusting to the change. Hopefully things will get better for you here.
You never fail to lift my spirits Laura ❤️☘️🇮🇪
Then my work here is done. 😉😁
Happy Saint Patrick's Day! The bread! Three weeks in Ireland, I asked everyone how to make bread. "Oh, tis only brown bread." No one's talking. If you buy Irish soda bread here, it is not surprisingly sugared, like King Cake. What I like best about being here; I used to say the changing seasons, wide open spaces. However, your video and "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" ringing in my ears make me long for the Burren and gales!
Honestly, I agree with every single point you made! You were spot on.(I am American). Your daughter is only in Pre-K now. Just wait. The school activities and papers and projects get worse every year. It's exhausting. My youngest son just graduated from grammar school last year. I have 2 boys , six years apart. I feel like I can finally reclaim my life again after 16 years of indentured servitude. Good luck! And Happy St. Patrick's Day! 🍀💛💚🍀
Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too! You haven't filled me with much hope. 😂 I'm hoping to get involved in some parent council and then bring down the system from the inside. 😂
How to Get Your Shit Together Sorry to sound so negative! It may just be schools on the East coast. (I'm in NYC). Getting on the parent council sounds like an excellent plan. At my children's school they didn't really have a parent council, just a parent/teacher organization for fund raising. Again, lots of luck to you!🍀
I just love you soooo much, and especially for this! I howled laughing, because I agree with almost everything, even though I've never lived anywhere other than the US! Maybe I should...
D Duke same here😂
My husband is from korea and with the first few years living together in the US he is very surprised about all the same things especially holidays my grandfather is Irish and comes from a farming potato family so tonights dinner he will be so surprised tonight. Also I completely agree on the food especially! Its my pet peeve I have to go out of my way to farmers market or places like trader joes or Asian markets to get somewhat healthy foods
I really appreciated the hell out of this video as a yank. Thanks for sharing.
How did you come to live in America? I’ve watched you for while but have never found that out! x
My husband's company is based here. 🙂
Its 12.30am here in Australia and Im off to bed! Good night Laura you lovely human! Great laughs from this video. 😂
Good night Jem! I'm completely thrown with the time zones now that I'm back in Ireland. 😂
I visited Ireland in 2015 (I want to go back!). As far as I know, I'm the first person in my family to go to Ireland since my Irish forebears came to the US in the late 1800s - it was my first (and so far only) time traveling off the North American continent. In any case, I have to agree with you about the food! Pretty much everything I ate in Ireland was like a revelation - and it was the basic, everyday food that surprised me the most because it tasted so much better than the US versions of the same items. Like really, noticeably better. Butter, bread (OMG the bread), eggs, yogurt, tea, meat, potatoes. It was all so good! I had a truly transcendent bowl of lamb stew in a totally un-fancy pub in the outskirts of Dublin. And that brown bread!! I hunted down a recipe for a yeasted version that I make at home - but it's really hard to find the right flour. Most US grocery stores don't carry it (what they call "stone ground whole wheat flour" is not as coarsely ground).
P.S. I live in Seattle now, but I grew up in Michigan. When I walked out of the airport in Dublin, I thought..."Hmm. Maybe climate preference is genetic," because the weather was *exactly the same* as the weather I'd just left in Seattle: rainy and overcast. And I am much happier living in Seattle than I was in Michigan. It's not as cold in the winter, and we seldom get any snow. It mostly stays up in the mountains, where it belongs. ;-)
You could just grind your own flour. Lots of grocery stores carry whole grains. Or you could just order some Irish flour.
Do you mean brown soda? Why did you want a yeast version? Just curious
just use wholemeal flour .you need buttermilk as well for soda bread to be delish.i used make it when i lived in america24 yrs ago!and of curse you must butter it with some kerrygold ;)
Have been driving in Ireland for 15 years, never once had an accident or been close to one. Been on holiday to the US about 5 times and been in 3 car crashes. I was always a passenger in a taxi. My sister is the same, never in an accident in Ireland, moved to America and people have crashed into her about 6 times now.
Oh dear. Have you ever been to Italy? I think crashing a car is almost a rite of passage there. 😂
Oh I so agree with you regarding Americans and driving and all the school papers, etc etc. I live in Ohio as well. On a side note, I participated in a study abroad program during college and I had the opportunity to live and go to school in Derry for 16 weeks. We visited all sorts of places... Dublin, Belfast, etc. I simply loved it there! Did not want to come home, lol! When I did come back I had a super hard time learning to drive on the right side of the road again and everyone sounded like they had a southern, hillbilly accent to me. Lol
Agree with most of your comments - especially the school work. Findlay market has good bread, spices, cheeses, and all the other unprocessed food you could want. Only problem is it is hard to find parking on the weekend:)
Loved this one!! The driving here is nuts! I'm from southern California and if it rains here people completely forget how to drive!!
I'm originally from Belarus and have been living in Canada for a long long time now, but i completely share your sentiments!
I'm born and raised in the USA and laughed out loud when you talked about driving. I feel the same way and I'm from here lol. Drivers in Ohio never use turn signals and always drive slow in the left lane (which is the fast lane). Drivers in Arizona run red lights; idiots. Every state in the USA has some idiosyncrasy when it comes to driving. 🙄
Oh how your comments were spot on! I’m an American and lived my first 43 years within 50 miles of Seattle. We even went to Ireland on our honeymoon because we’re both part Irish and we knew we would love it there...even the weather! We have moved from Seattle to Nebraska almost 10 years ago and even that was a culture shock. The Pacific Northwest is more eco-friendly when it comes to reusable bags and taking your car everywhere. There isn’t always a parking spot available now. They encourage bus and walking. Though it’s gastly expensive to live there.
I’m not saying I don’t love my new state, I really do...but the bread and the cheese sucks! Panera does sell their bread though so that’s a glimmer in a cloudy processed bread sky.
Here in the pacific north west of the usa we don't have plastic bags. You have to bring your own or buy paper ones if you forget. Great video.
I love living our small town life. Hate going to the city for anything. People are so friendly and the pace is much slower.
Having visited America it was to find the bacon was not like any bacon - well, maybe streaky - we have in Scotland. Glad you are all still happy and enjoying the adventure.
My mom was one of those that over decorated for quite a few holidays 😆
Totally with you on the grocery bags. Been bringing my own for a while. Consider bringing reusable Tupperware for leftovers at restaurants. Some surprised looks but totally worth it to cut down on Styrofoam waste with such big portions.
Jacqueline Balderrama I’ve been toying with this idea for a while. Glad to know someone actually does it. Might make me finally give it a go next time I go out to eat.
Love the video! I'm in Ohio also. I really hope you are enjoying your life here. My family and I are from Columbus originally but now live in the Cleveland/Akron area. We and I also lived in Mansfield for ten years and my wife graduated from BGSU in Bowling Green, Ohio (where I drove up to visit her a lot). So, having lived in central, northwest, north-central and now northeast Ohio, we really miss Columbus. The other areas are nice, but they don't have the variety of things to do that Columbus has, so that is the part of Ohio I suggest you visit (unless that's where you already live). Having done genealogy for about six years now, I have traced my family back to my seventh great-grandfather who came Ballybay, Ireland to America in the 1700's (on my dad's side). On my mom's side, my second great-grandfather moved from County Down, Ireland to Lanarkshire, Scotland and then to the U.S. in 1881. I'm glad you're here in Ohio now and wish you all the best! Go Buckeyes!
Hi neighbor! I'm in Dayton.
Nikki Tajkowski Hi there! I've been to Dayton more times than I can remember! Nice town! Love the Air Force Museum!
That’s so weird, I live right in between ballybay and county down. 20 minute drive each way but ballybay is literally just full of farmers, (we call them culchies), its in county Monaghan which is very well known for just farmers, being there a few times myself😂
Not every state has the school in a specific district problem. Colorado has choice schooling. We can take our kids anywhere we want to. I imagine even across state if we want a 2 to 8 hour drive to school every morning and evening depending on where they go. Our kids attend two different schools currently. My preschoolers is in a school very near our home and my kinder, 4th and 7th graders attend a school 15 to 20 minutes away :)
You are so right!
Must have felt good to get that off your chest! I think once your kids grow up the consumerism around ‘holidays & celebrations’ lessens significantly (at least for me it did). I’ve always lived in New England and my favorite part is the four seasons. Plus nothing’s too far away, so while we do have to drive most places, we can get errands done in bunches. And I bring my own bags too! Some towns are outlawing the plastic bags already thankfully! You’re right about the processed junk - wasn’t as bad when u was younger. We’ve gone backwards there. Thankful we have choices and the ability to read labels. I too dislike regular bread and go for the heartier versions like Dave’s Killer Bread or nit from a local bakery where they’re using solid ingredients.
I once asked a European that same question on his return flight from the US after his first visit here, and he said 1) he couldn't believe how Americans rely on fast food, drive-thru ordering, eating in their car, like so few people actually prepare their own meals, 2) the fast pace here, everyone is in a hurry, 3) how "sports happy" Americans are, so many different sports, overpaid athletes worshipped, and everyone wearing team apparel, 4) the commercialism, billboards everywhere, advertising everywhere, TV flooded with ads, magazines, etc. I agree with others, another follow up video of other differences (incl. culture) would be great. It's amazing how few Americans have traveled outside the US.
Welcome to America! And Happy St. Patrick's Day! I went to Ireland in the 90's. There is some beautiful country over there. It is very green! As we speak, my mom decorates the house for every occasion except Halloween. My parents are from Panama, so I am not sure the customs over there, but as we speak, there are shamrocks and tinsel and green and white lights on our house outside, and Irish flags and little leprechauns inside the house. I actually like it and it makes the place seem more festive.
My father was in the military and because of that I have lived all over the country including six years in Germany. America is a huge country and depending on where you live things can be very different. I live in South Carolina and I love it. Travel and see the rest of the states don’t limit yourself to Ohio. That being said I take my own tote bags to the store and I recycle. When my son was still in school all of the crazy days were stupid. School wasn’t that way when I was coming up I don’t know why it changed. And I agree about the bread so I bake my own.
All of them is same between Canada and Hungary.
Some stores ask 5cent for a plastic bag, but people don't care, use 20 of them.
One extra: food goes to garbage. At home (Hungary) the parent eat their kids leftover or the husband the wife's leftover, or ask for a box here in Canada people send their half hamburger to the garbage. It is not normal for me, not at all.
Unfortunately the physical is to keep track of the child's wellbeing. If their being taken care of properly.
heather edwards I really don’t think that’s a bad thing.
Yeah they need a physical because America's, food, environment, and way of living is shit.
As a Canadian... I agree 100%.
a care park must be our parking lots lol..I live in Michigan, so I love the 4 seasons and the sugar sand beaches
Yup, parking lot. 🙂 I'm hoping to visit Michigan someday.
I have lived in New York City all my life and I love it here. I agree with your experiences, however I get most of my bread in bakeries or small shops that get deliveries of fresh bread. Its not better than in Europe but its close enough. Happy St. Patricks Day!
Nice video!
You will find that pre-schools and grade schools celebrate Valentine's Day, but it will fall to the wayside after that. No one really celebrates Columbus Day. Mostly young adults celebrate Mardi Gras and the drinking holidays, like St. Pats. You must know that most people will drive 5 miles an hour or so over the speed limit. It is expected. And if you drive slow, do not drive in the middle lane because you don't want to deal with merging traffic. Your place is the far right lane. If people are tailgating you, you are probably driving too slow. Yes, I know there are some jerks who are too lazy to move to the unoccupied lane, but they are few. Guess you don't have Aldis in your area, because you would like the way they do bagging.
To continue, I am sure that I will get comments to the contrary. Anyway, good post and so much truth about many areas of our country.
I'm sure in a few years it will all feel completely normal to me. 🙂
I’m an Aussie, if I went to America, I would love to visit the National parks, they look awesome! Funny video, thank you, huge step you guys took, well done, chip away at it, you will settle in 👍
Oh we're already settled, thankfully. I still find some things frustrating though. 😉
I'm American and I agree with the observations you made. In particular... "As a parent, I haven't done so much work for school since I was in school myself". Teachers and school staff seem to want to control too much of our limited time (parents & the kids) beyond the school (and work) day--and it causes a lot of resentfulness within the family. My son, only child, has graduated and left the nest about a year ago...and it still bothers me when I think how they monopolized so much of our time. Also, your comments on "buying" and going all out for holidays. I really wish the norm, here, was if you want to acknowledge these occasions/"holidays", let's relax a little bit.
I love living in New Englabd, because it's where I'm from, and it's one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Mountains and beaches, small, old towns. Four gorgeous seasons, Cape Cod, tons of history. Also the WORST drivers in the country, possibly the world - don't love that. And I agree about the bread, best to avoid it & make your own. The holiday nonsense drives me batty, too. I refuse to celebrate Christmas until Christmas Eve, and Easter until Easter & keep them low key. Speaking of which, happy St. Patrick's Day. 🍀
*New England
Boston drivers are worse than even NYC drivers. Then again, most of NYC is a grid and not a spaghetti bowl of cow paths.
New England sounds heavenly!
I'm also from NE, but I live in China now. I can tell you the drivers are far worse here
A lot of these sound very Midwest-y. Here in Seattle, a lot of things sound more similar to Ireland: there is much less parking, we use our own bags, meals are not enormous like the Midwest (usually quality > quantity). Not sure about schools, since I don't have children. Our public schools are good so no one has a problem with just sending their child to the local public school, since the system will have all of the college courses they could want to take once in High School and good Computer Science and other vocationals.
Yes, I'll admit my experience here is limited, but I'm thrilled to hear that things like recycling and the use of reusable bags are more common in other areas. Even since we moved here I've noticed our local store is now offering paper bags, so things are changing! 🙂
Its 15:42 in South Africa I lived in the states when i was 15... favourite thing in america cheap goid quality cosmetics. However trying to diet there is impossible even the salad dressings had high fructose corn syrup in them, and its cheaper to eat out than buy raw ingredients and prepare your food. Hmmm favourite thing about Cape Town South Africa .. no matter where you are you're only ever a 20-40 min drive from either the beach or the mountains and our country is beautiful. Admittedly going through a nationally declared disaster drought and we're on level 6B water restrictions which is something like only 50 litres per person per day so were having to shower for 1 1/2 mins only.. 90 secs yes its doable.. collect shower water in buckets before it can run down the drain, use grey water to flush loos and only wash clothes once a week. But hopefully winter rains arrive before we run completely out of water. 😉
HFCS in dressings?? Not if you make your own.
Very insightful. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. My favorite things here are guns, girls and access to some of the wonderful spirits brought to us from Ireland (Guiness andJameson).
A small note on the driving; it's actually illegal, though usually people don't care that much, to pass on the right in the US. So if someone is tailgating you, try moving over to the right to see if they just felt they couldn't pass safely. I live in a small town, and I love how walkable it is. I can get groceries, go to work, and go out to eat without needing a car, as long as I have a lot of time!
You are SOOOOOO right about American bread, AND too much stuff!
Visited Ireland twice. Enjoyed the "smaller"! ;)
Best thing about Edinburgh is the public transport. Our buses are frequent and go to edge of town shopping malls too, so not having a car doesn't disadvantage people. A day ticket let's you travel on as many buses and trams as you like and they are cheap to buy. For tourists thinking of visiting.....no change is given on buses so make sure you have the correct change. 😂😂
I felt awful for you when you said that you were in Ohio! I'm a native Ohioan and live in the Cleveland area. I hope it gets easier for you :-*
As for the differences, I haven't been to Ireland but did live in France and Germany. There are a lot of differences between the two countries and throwing in the US is an invitation for disaster. We can be so different from our European brethren it's crazy. As for the school thing and celebrating everything, I think it's been like that for the last 15-20 years. It's a lot for anyone to sanely handle. I don't decorate for every holiday and don't have decorations for all the holidays except for Christmas and Halloween/Thanksgiving (I just decorate with pumpkins and leave them up for a couple of months). I miss the bread from over there. I do go to bakeries and get some good stuff though! I just started watching and subscribed to your channel earlier this week and love your wit!
Hi Kelly! 🙂 I genuinely like it in Ohio, but I suppose nothing will ever really compare to home. 🙂 As an outsider, I find a lot of things very frustrating and unnecessarily complicated. Ireland seems so laid back and straightforward by comparison. But maybe it's just because it's what I'm used to.
I totally get the home thing. I started missing things/food that I couldn't care less about when I was home. I think people in the states as a whole find that the Irish are very laid back, good for a laugh, and fun loving. It sounds like that is very much the case! I do hope that it gets easier. If you ever make it to Cleveland, I can give you ideas on where to go!
Plus you don't have to pay taxes to watch TV here. I went to Ireland and loved it.
cough*** tv licence :)
*_St Patrick's Day is a global celebration of Irish culture on or around March 17. It particularly remembers St Patrick, one of Ireland's patron saints, who ministered Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century.In Ireland,St. Patrick, as the patron saint of Ireland, lived in Ireland in the late 4th and early 5th centuries._*
No argument here! I haven't been to Ireland yet, but having visited Scotland once and England multiple times, I can see where you're coming from. I am in the suburbs of Chicago and I found Cincinnati a little "foreign" feeling too! Lol!
Definitely won't get hate comments from me. I think it's good to make these problems known so that they can change or adapt. So props to you for speaking your mind.
Fun fact about saint patrick's day, the reason it's such a big deal here is because there are so many Irish people here. Aside from Germans and hispanics, Irish is one the biggest populations with over 30 million. In New York alone, if I remember correctly, there are more Irish people than Ireland. It's wild. If you look around you can find Irish communities that probably share your views on all these things
Oh yeah, we're everywhere. 😉😂
Do ya feel better now? Where in Ireland are ya from. Lot's of your criticism is right on but no immersion to worry about.
EVEN THOUGH I AGREED WITH MOST OF WHAT YOU SAID, THERE REALLY WASNT MUCH OF A COMPARISON BETWEEN IRELAND AND AMERICA
Using ALL-CAPS makes commentators sound like they're angry, shouting, and/or crazy.
Was that your intention?
WELL SAID 006THERESA.
No need to yell 😕
I think this is a decidedly suburban US experience. In the city, parking is scarce, we walk all over the place, and we don't decorate for most holidays (Christmas, maybe). And here we can apply to different schools, too. I have friends whose kids were in four different schools at one time. You're spot on about too much choice in stores, though here in Chicago we have to pay for plastic bags. I've brought reusable bags to the stores for years, and now I'm in good company. There is good bread here, but you have to look really hard for it.
Wonderful to hear another perspective, Jill, thank you. 🙂 I love that reusable bags are slowly becoming a thing over here. I’ll be in Chicago next month. It’ll be my first time visiting. 🙂
You'll love it!! Things should be greening up by then, though I will apologize in advance for the soggy weather you're likely to encounter..maybe it will make you feel a bit at home?
I'm sure it will. 🙂 I'll be co-hosting a meet-up with Carie Harling in downtown Chicago so I'll be there for 2 days. If you're free on April 14th, pop along. It'll be in the Renaissance Downtown Chicago Hotel at noon. 🙂
Couldn’t agree more about the driving! My husband and I drive for a living. No one knows what they are doing
Most of what you said even Americans don't like either and hopefully you'll find more to like about living here. Bread in the supermarket is awful so I either buy bread in the bakery in the grocery store or I go to Whole Foods and buy my bread there, it can be more expensive there but the quality is so much better plus their bread freezes well too. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, thanks for the tips!
In Canada we also have to pay for plastic bags in most stores. It is encouraged to bring reuse able bags. We have to stop with the plastic. A personal pet peeve of mine. :)
Some areas in the States are starting to do it, so hopefully it'll catch on everywhere else soon. 🙂
No hate from me! I moved to the Cincinnati area nearly 25 years ago, and I would say that a few of the things you mentioned are more exaggerated here than in other areas of the U.S.. However, I agree with you on every. Single. Point.
P.S. - Check out Fresh Thyme Market. They are smaller than our traditional grocery stores and carry more fresh items than processed.
I'm Irish! shout out to all Irish people
You are hilarious, so glad I came across your channel! Some of the things you've mentioned vary depending on what part of the country you live. Definitely try local bakeries for bread. And just because a company makes a ridiculous product doesn't mean we buy it or like it--deep fried Twinkies. Over-The-Rhine has a great farmer's market if you haven't been yet. You should go to Jungle Jim's grocery store, they carry items from all over the world!
Yes, we found a local bakery that has halfway decent bread. Still not a patch on Irish bread, but it's a step up! And I'm a regular at Jungle Jim's. 😉 Haven't been to a farmer's market yet but there's one in Findlay Park I've heard is very good.
Brilliant video👌
Thank you.
Very accurate commentary on American culture and way of life. The school thing...was a great reminder of all the shenanigans that I don’t have to deal with (and their dumb fundraisers, too!) as I homeschool my kids. I remember you stating your own opinion on the possibility of you homeschooling, so I am not suggesting that. 😂 I also hate the decorating for everything and buying crap...we do Christmas because I have sentimental ties to it and family heirloom decor, and the Valentine BSery because my kids’ co-op does a thing and I don’t want them to be the misers. But I do just go to Dollar Tree and grab cheap stuff lol. Whatever it ends up in the trash a couple days later. 😆 I just try to be as counter culture as possible, and moving from L.A. to West TX has helped with that immensely. ❤️
I lived in Wyoming for around 18 months and I agree with just about everything you said. I also hated that the public toilet stall doors in Wyoming, and surrounding States, gave little privacy because of the wide gaps. That said, I did like that they provided paper toilet seat covers though, something I haven't seen in public toilets here in Australia. OH, and I mentioned it on your other video but I could not eat the American bread unless it was toasted and, even then, it wasn't that enjoyable. It was dry and sweet which made me cringe when it came to making a savoury sandwich. Stopped eating bread over there and missed our Aussie bread terribly.