Culture Shock in the UK: My First Impressions as an American
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
- If you're planning on visiting or moving to the UK - watch this video on CULTURE SHOCK in the UK! I am living abroad in the UK as an American and you'd be surprised at how many culture shocks and cultural differences there are between these two English-speaking countries! Let me help prepare you for your time in the UK with these cultural differences.
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0:00 Intro
0:31 Language
1:08 Grocery shopping
1:51 Bill prices
2:50 Small talk
3:40 Building floors
4:07 Plugs/outlets
4:36 Public transport
5:29 Cars
6:23 Apartments
7:00 Driving
7:48 Tipping culture
8:17 Measuring units
9:22 Logistics: temperature, date format
9:57 Outro - Розваги
![How I See the UK as an American Abroad [CULTURE SHOCK]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qaZmoCPLCs8/mqdefault.jpg)
![How I See the UK as an American Abroad [CULTURE SHOCK]](/img/tr.png)
welcome to Brighton
Thank you!!
A boring little seaside town that thinks it is the epitome of glam' style...........lt ain't..........
@@williamwilkes9873 Glamorous it certainly isn’t, however it’s also anything but boring. Always enjoy my visits there (providing of course the weather is good)
@@williamwilkes9873 So many people have a Gay,happy and joyful time there...
What is the capital of
Council tax does not pay for the NHS.
Thanks for watching!
Council tax only pays for the services provided by your local authority, such as waste collection, street maintenance, housing provision, public parks and cemeteries plus social services, local education provision etc. It does not pay for health care as that comes from your general income tax and national insurance, which also pays towards your retirement pension.
@@littleannie390 National insurance pays for the state pension. At least, it is supposed to.
@@RonSeymour1 National Insurance is just another form of income tax; very few taxes - if any - are earmarked for specific purposes.
@@peterc.1618 All money collected goes to the treasury but NHI contributions are at least allocated to an individual. That payment but, strangely, not the amount paid, counts towards your state pension. If you miss enough of them then your pension will be reduced.
The "council tax" is actually based on the value of the property you live in...NOT how many people live there. The "switch" on a socket is there for safety purposes.
Thanks for watching
@@SheRunTheWorld There is a discount of 25% for people who live alone.
The council tax IS partly based on how many people live in a property where those people are over 18.
My guess is that the narrator lives in an apartment with several other adults in which case council tax will be higher than it would be where there are one or two occupants.
England, Scotland and Ireland? What about Wales?
In the medical world body weight is measured in kilograms but otherwise people still tend to refer to their weight in stones. It's just a hangover from pre-metric UK.
As someone once said: "There is no such thing as American English". There is English and there are mistakes. Couldn't agree more!
Lol
Rubbish - English has forever evolved and adapted to different times and places
I thoroughly agree. There is English, and a totally screwed up version used in America.
@@robinj6137 And totally abominated by foreigners who should develop their own language.
@captaintorch983 you're a boring fucker aren't you, wanting an sole, unchanging language to be stuck for time immemorial. Luckily, life doesn't work out like that. Tell the dictionary people who add to the English language every year, often acknowledging American isms etc
I'll think you'll find foreigners have their own languages - they're probably saying things about you behind your back that you will never understand.
You may be referring to English speaking people bringing the English language outside the UK.. Those people in these other countries, often of UK origin, can do what what they want with the language. It's not as if there's one form of English in the UK ffs.
Wait....what? The English speak English? That can't be right surely!
We also have the nerve to pronounce English words the English way!
Yup the English speak English!
The American stereotype lives strong in this one 😂😂
@@101steel4 An image most yanks seem to enjoy?........Dunno why?........
English spelling is better too.
@@fionagregory9376 English spelling is the correct spelling 😉
English people speak English in England? Who would have thought?
It wasn’t said in any negative way?! Haha
The British domestic electrical system is far safer than the US one - or indeed pretty well anywhere else that does not use the British system. Some will tell you it reflects the UK "ring main" system, used for power circuits although not lights or large appliances which are radial as in the US, but this is not the reason for most of the differences other than the integral fuses. Some will tell you it reflects the higher and therefore more dangerous voltage of 230V compared with 110V in the US, which is true to a point but most of Europe and Australasia etc use similar plugs to the US and they have 230-340V. The real reason is safety. There are loads of videos which explain all about this, but just to list a few of the safety features: the earth (ground) pin is longer and enters the socket first, so the ground connection is made before any live connection (I think three-pin US plugs do similar?); the earth pin opens two shutters, which otherwise cover and protect the live and neutral connections, so unlike the US you cannot insert anything into a UK plug and get a shock; each plug has its own integral and replaceable fuse; each socket can be switched off (as you can see) - NOT to save power (although it does, when you switch off electronic appliances that are always drawing some power) but as an additional safety (an d convenience) feature to disconnect an appliance whilst leaving it plugged in (no having to go round pulling out all the plugs before going off on vacation!); the cable leaves the plug at the bottom, so you cannot pull the plug out by pulling the cord; Indeed, it takes some effort to pull the plug out at all, although the plug is shaped to allow a firm grip to help this; the live and neutral pins are insulated for the first part of their length, so once you have pushed the plug part way into the socket and the earth pin has opened the shutters, there is no bare metal you can touch; most UK plugs can be rewired, rather than just being moulded on like in the us, making thinks much easier if the cable is damaged; the three wires inside the plug are all different lengths, deliberately, so if the cable is tugged out (which is very hard, since another feature is a cable grip in the plug) the live wire disconnects first, then neutral and only at the end the earth; and it is impossible to insert a UK plug into a socket "the wrong way", mixing up live and neutral (unless you use a cheap, foreign, uncertified extension lead that is not wide enough). There IS one huge downside to the UK plug, though - it hurts like hell if you accidentally stand on an upturned one when wandering around in the night! Think standing on lego, and move on up several orders of magnitude!
This was so in depth and helpful for understanding the switch information!! Thank you!! :)
@@SheRunTheWorld A bit too deep..............
Can't wait for the sequel................
I don't know.............l live in England cos that's who l am......but Spurs have a break so l may sod off a bit to France.........añyway........love your flippant remarks, though never sussed "shorts",........all or nothing........'bye.........
No sockets allowed in bathrooms and only cord pull switches for the lights and showers. Wet hands and electricity don't mix.
There's simple reason the UK plug and sockets are designed as such because they are the safest by design. You will notice the top pin (earth) is slightly longer. This to prevent you from getting electrocuted because it provides a ground before opening the access points for neutral and live. The safety feature is particularly useful to prevent little fingers playing poking in and getting an electric shock. Most of the rest of the world aren't as safe. As long as an item is plugged in it will use a tiny amount on electric whatever country you are in. That's science for you. By having switches you can cut the circuit rather than having to physically unplug it. This stops any trickle of electricity but also makes things safer. Not all sockets have them built in. You will find more modern ones also have a USB charging socket so that you don't need to have separate power supplies for modern devices with you. As for shopping most people do it weekly at supermarket and if you live in a market town fresher produce is on the market. If you want to experience a proper market town go to one like Bury near Manchester. Mention the weather to try and break the ice, it's the 'British disease', we can have four seasons in one day and people are more likely to talk. Ask a British how they are then they will say they are alright even if they are really ill. Not all roads are narrow and you will find many defined by size and priority as A and B roads. A lot comes from historically they were designed for a horse and cart. Celcius just makes more sense in UK weather forecasts because 0C is the freezing point of water (rain)... And if you are making a brew it's the boiling point of water is 100C. Starting at an arbitary figure like 32 just isn't logical. You'd be surprised to know English people speak English😊
Thanks for watching!!
@@SheRunTheWorld "English people speak English" he says! but apparently has no idea what a bloody paragraph is!! Lol x
Part of the reason they have to be that safe is that mains electricity in the UK is a whopping 240 Volts ie easily enough to kill you.
i grew up in an old Edwardian house and the electricity sockets were round holes for two pins..
and i remember with the tv and his shaver he would poke a match stick in to hold the wires in place! Llol
"Even though they speak English", Genius.
Thanks for watching!!
That's strange. The people of England speak English 😁😀
Even after 14 years living in The USA, people ask me why my English is so good. It can only be ignorance.
A really important thing to remember, especially as you're saying 'Everything' is like this, is that you're experiencing Britain in a particular price bracket, ie, lower. 'The kitchens are all tiny with no counter space' because of the price bracket you're in or seeing, go to higher value properties and you'll see everything you're used to, even dishwashers!!
Very true!! But just in general I’m in an apartment that’s half the size and double the price of my apartment back in the US. And I’m from an expensive city in the US! So I just want to set expectations of what size you’ll get for the price!!
@@SheRunTheWorld The price difference must be terrible for your, but do remember, Britain pretty much fits inside the state of California. So when you have that much space in one country, the value of it will be much lower. You could just state that 'in my price bracket which is X, it's like this'. A great idea for a video, go online & look at property for sale at different price points around the country, very interesting. Britain's not what it was, but hope you have a good time.
Even dishwashers 😂😂
@@SheRunTheWorld Solely depends on where yóu live........l live in London.......pricey, but expected............supply & demand economics........surely understood by now...........
@@phoenix-xu9xj Whatever turns you on...,......
You have been to the UK a few times and have a British dad, but you have never heard of Wales (Cymru)
When did I say I’ve never heard of wales?😂
"But I think you would be surprised at how often it does happen in England, Scotland and Ireland" 00:59 in video. You missed what is known as Gods country. Popular areas of Wales like the Isle of Anglesey, the Brecon Beacons National Park, Carmarthenshire, Dyfed, the (Eryri National Park) Snowdonia the coastal county of Ceredigion, West Wales, Powys County in Mid Wales, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the stunningly beautiful Llŷn Peninsula, the North Wales Coast, the Valleys and coast of South Wales and the Wye Valley in Monmouthshire. In my humble opinion the most beautiful country in the UK with Scotland a very close 2nd. Other opinions are available. Enjoy the UK as a whole.@@SheRunTheWorld
@@mrzacc recently I was looking up the size of Britain compared to Hawaii on Google and the island of Wales was 6.35 per cent of the size of Hawaii!? According to one site ?!
Hawaii is 1,932 sq miles and Great Britain is 94,100 sq miles. Wales is not an island, but Great Britain is. Just for clarification Wales is 8,020 sq miles. Information as provided by Alexa@@charlesloukas1946
By British I assume she means English?
Many Americans don't seem to know the difference.
We have a saying, "I speak English and I understand American".
😂😂
But less and less over time....
@@johnrhodez6829 We have the same problem here in Canada. People from the States will come up here, than Ask if we speak American. We just say Canada and the States speak the same language. Some of Our words are still, linked up to the British form of speaking. Yes We have the U, in colour/labour's.
Council tax does not go to pay for the NHS that's National Insurance (NI) it is taken out of wages either weekly or monthly
before you receive your pay simply
Thanks for clarifying!!
Plus National Insurance comes out of your pay even if you earn below the Income Tax threshold.
Maggie Thatcher tried to make council tax based on numbers instead of property value and had a revolt. People called the Poll Tax and went to prison because of it.
Just remember, it's you that pronounce words differently, English is our language, so we pronounce words correctly......😉😏
Great observations though. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Haha thanks! Yeah neither of us is right or wrong, just different English pronunciations ☺️
Some of the pronunciations and words they use are also old that have dropped out of usage here.
No such thing as British English English is our language full stop
@@austinsouthward8007 - totally agree with you. It really annoys me when people say British English!!!!
Agree with you - We say 'Butter' and Water, American's say budderrr and warderrr
You mentioned England, Scotland and Ireland. Wales exists by the way.
I’m fully aware! Thank you!
we even have a different language! 🙂 x
Anyone who crosses any road without looking both ways, shouldn’t be allowed out without adult supervision. 🤦🏻♂️
Yikes
We all learned the “Green cross code” in primary school. Look it up.
@@McGurk72 even if we hadn’t, crossing a road without looking is Darwinesque…..😂
To be fair having lived in the States. I get it. On my return to the UK I had a few close shaves because I got used to cars coming the other way. On your other point. Why look both ways? If you're used to a road system you'll know which way the cars are coming. If said car/bike or whatever is going the wrong direction it's the moron in the car/bike who shouldn't be allowed out without adult supervision!
The socket switch is there so you don't need to unplug the device. Simple!
Haha ya I guess! I don’t unplug them in the states either tho!! Lol
Hi.Just got recommended your video.
There are a few misconceptions you have.
Council tax is per property not per person. It's based on house values decades ago as to the band of your property and the amount you pay.
Garbage disposals are illegal in many areas as they clog the drain pipes. Dishwashers are normal in most larger homes.
You don't need a TV license to watch tv. You need a TV license to watch any live tv broadcasts and/or iplayer.
The UK used imperial measurements like the US but when the UK joined the EU in the 70's the UK had to move to metric. There was a backlash so now you have both in some cases.
Thanks for watching!!
You do get a discount for 1 person occupancy but there is no upper limit to the number of people provided that the house is suitable.@@SheRunTheWorld
@@RonSeymour1 For those of us who remember the switch from the Community Charge to the Council Tax, the Council Tax was supposed to be a combination of the old Rates system and the Community Charge, i.e. half of what you pay is based on the property, the other half is based on the number of occupiers but only up to a maximum of two people, hence the 25% (half of that half) discount if you live alone. It was also supposed to be a temporary measure until something better could be devised but some 30 years later it is still there.
the UK moved to metric longer before the EU. It did not 'have to" any backlash is due to how it was handled in this country.
@@SheRunTheWorldWell you DID say let you know in the comments , and people are letting you know .
And BTW you forgot about the country of Wales .
$80 per month was a pretty reasonable electricity bill. Most people that I know are paying more like $200, especially during the summer. While Brits pay council tax, you forgot to mention that homeowners in America have to pay property tax. In Austin I'm paying around $4K per year for a 1500 sq ft home.
Ya no complaints about the $80 it was a new building in Austin so very well insulated which kept costs down. And true Texas has insane property taxes!!
A switch on the mains socket, it's for safety obviously.
Thanks for watching
The switch is for safety. You can’t get a shock if there’s no power going through to the plug. It’s also very useful to switch off plugged in appliances at night (tv for example) without having to pull the plug from the wall.
Thanks for sharing!
its the best plug system in the world
Haha I’m glad you love it!
Sockets with switches is more for safety as we use a ring main system, invented in ww2 to save on coper, all sockets are connected together in a ring, on the ground floor and 2nd ring for upstairs, and even all lights on each floor will be on a ring, so the wire in the wall is always live, rather than each socket going back to the circuit braker.
All cables on all circuits, whether ring or radial, have a live, neutral and earth wire. Some, such as multi-switching lighting, have more than one live wire. All cables are live all the time, whether ring or radial. The only real design difference between a ring and a radial circuit is that in the former all three wires form a loop back to the consumer unit, so the current can flow in either direction. This means you can have more load (and more sockets) on a ring circuit than a radial for the same amount of copper (as you say), although you DO have to be careful to balance the load and not have most of the load on just one part of the ring. Lighting circuits, being much lower wattage, are always radial, using either the loop-in or the junction box system. There is no need for a ring circuit for lighting.
Very helpful information thank you!!
Super helpful!! That makes more sense to me now, thanks :)
Also UK sockets run on a much higher voltage than the US so the extra safety feature is helpful.
Everything about plugs and sockets in the UK revolves around safety. This is because our electrical supply is 240V, double that in the US. This is vitally important as we need to boil water in a kettle fast when we’re dying for a cup of tea! 😂 Have you seen how long it takes to make a brew in the States?
The point of the on/off switches on sockets is that you can switch that point on the socket, OFF, if you wish to; it gives you more options!
Definitely!! Thanks for watching :)
The road I go on was built in AD 43 by the Romans, take if it was in America you would alter it and make it straight and wide, all are cars have a steering wheel.
Wow AD43, that’s crazy!! I love the history there
Public transport works well to travel between towns and cities. However reaching rural areas is difficult, not enough passengers to run buses and make a profit.
That actually makes a lot of sense!! Thanks for sharing :)
Also get out of the big cities and there's not public transport later in the evening which makes going out expensive due to taxi fares.
Yes, yet now and again it's reported how volunteer drivers sustain certain key bus routes in places across the country.
Council tax has nothing to do with national healthcare. 🙄
Thanks for watching!!☺️
Britain was never metric pre 1965, imperial measurements had been used for hundreds of years, before any explorer landed in North America, so too in much of the empire, Canada/Australia/NZ/South Africa/Rhodesia. The UK also changed to decimal currency in 1971, I think visitors would have found our old currency confusing.
Yeah it’s very interesting how the two systems are kind of mixed in the present day!
But we are getting there Inch by Inch!
We changed to metric on entering the Common Market .
You can blame Napoleon ,it was all his idea, we would have used it longer if he had successfully invaded England.😂
It's good to be aware of both, while 70% prefer the imperial measures: easier to visualise it. Happily, all public officials are trained in both, so can keep us all content.
Did email the BBC once, to enquire, and a weather forecaster wrote back that Celsius is the standard, yet any day there is an unseasonal temperature it would likely be given also in Fahrenheit. How quaint of them.
@@Colin-to1nv Education in the Metric system started for primary age kids in the 1960s it makes science and engineering much much easier.
With Temperature you only need to know zero is freezing and and 21 or 22c is 70f room temperature.
Interesting! Couple of things you missed out on:
The police do not carry guns, the vast majority of officers in London patrol with batons and pepper spray. Those who do carry a gun require a special license to do so and are deployed only in limited situations.
Doctor, Ambulance, and Hospital care are all "free" in our "socialized" Health Care system, the best in the world, miles better than anything in the USA...
Mount and horse on the left (since 95BC), mount a bike on the left (1818 commonly called a velocipede, and nicknamed hobby-horse or dandy horse) so by the time the car went on the road in 1900 guess which side of the road they were going to use?
Council Tax will pay for Police and Fire services too.
One thing that really won't change anywhere in the world that the metric system doesn't even bother to challenge is the dozen (12), the most convenient number ever! which brings me to the name "stone", it derives from the use of stones for weights, a practice that dates back into antiquity and the use of agreed upon weights, one of which was the hundredweight 112, the stone is an eighth of 112. 14 pounds. Same for the currency that was established, 240 silver pennies to the Pound.
The milestone! Not so visible nowadays, but still out there!
Thanks so much for sharing!!
I watch a lot of UK v US culture shock videos. I have to say it surprises me how few Americans mention our lack of a gun obsession here as a culture shock. If Americans think, as they seem to, that the more guns the better, then surely that has to be a huge shock to visit a country that does not have, or at least has VERY FEW gun deaths. I would assume that would always be the number one shock 🤔
Maybe if I was from a different part of the US, but I’m from LA so we’re definitely not the part of the US that thinks the more guns the better!!😅
@@SheRunTheWorld 🙂👍
Tottenham Hotspur AFC...........CÓYS...........
THE CÚRE............I have everything .........set to go..........will call, 'byezebye..........x.........tell Sharron & Mags'.............ta.........
Switzerland has high gun ownership, but no issue with gun crime, Britain might have fewer guns but has high knife crime including use of a machete.
Don't forget Americans don't speak English they speak American
???😂
awesome video thank you!!
You’re welcome, glad you liked it!!
that was very good vlog. more please
Thank you so much!! :) every Sunday I post a new video!
The date is written shortest to longest, i.e day , month, year, makes sense!
I agree! Not sure why America does everything different - makes it hard on us when we go abroad!
I was building a fence years ago and I bought some wood. I picked out some that was labelled as 3mtrs long. When I asked how much I was quoted £xx per foot!
Hahaha how funny!!
Ñot a metric fan?.........
Always lovely to see Brighton on UA-cam ❤
It’s a lovely city ♥️
There are a few misconceptions in this video. Property/room sizes depends on budget and that also depends on where you are living: London is excruciatingly expensive. You don't see garbage disposal units attached to UK sinks as they're not legal in this country. I've never encountered a UK house without an oven. Dishwashers are fairly common, but not in very small houses/apartments.
Roads are not 'small' they're old. In many towns and cities, the roads can be medieval in origin, or even older (Roman in some cases). Many more 'recent' ones are Georgian or Victorian, all of which pre-dates the existence of the car.
Metric has been taught as standard in schools since the 1960s and is used throughout all maths and science. The only things which are not 'officially' metric are speed limits, which are are in mph and not kph, and distances on road signs, which are in miles. You would have to be over 70 to not have been taught to use metric. Most people can switch between metric/Imperial units if they need to
Thanks for watching!!
National Insurance was covered in my Council tax all these years ! Who knew .
I am going to send this video to HM Revenue and customs and DEMAND over FORTY YEARS of duplicated NI payments .
So glad I watched this , with this impending rebate I will have a great retirement with 40 years of contributions refunded ( index linked)
I am 70 and was never taught the metric system - either in school during the '60's or since. I have a ground floor (purpose-built) flat and have never had an oven, neither a built-in nor a freestanding cooker have ever been installed or included in our kitchen.
(Instead, I've had to buy microwave ovens, toaster ovens, halogen ovens, and recently, my daughter purchased an air fryer. These have been / are our only means by which to cook / make hot meals, other than by using (ordinary) toasters, or the electric kettle.
I continue to use the Imperial system -
"as and when" required but the metric system only _If_ required.
We use a mixture of metric and imperial measures. For instance, 'draught' beers in pubs, and fresh milk are still sold in pints, but for the milk, the metric equivalent is given as well.
Yeah a few people have commented that! Very interesting to combine the two!
Partly true. Only draught beer can be sold as a pint. Any drinks, including beers, in containers must be in millilitres or litres. That includes pints of milk, which must also have the metric volume displayed on the container in addition to its Imperial volume
US pint 16 fl.oz in the UK it's 20
England, Scotland an Ireland,...... what about Wales?
Them too!
Never heard of it what shire is that in England?
@@rogermoore-gd9donever heard of what?
I met an American who did know Ireland is not connected to Scotland by road. It's called the British ISLES for a reason!
@@rogermoore-gd9doWhat? 😭😭 Please don't tell me you're serious. Wales is a country. Deary me..
The switch on electric sockets gives a little more isolation from the power when a plugged-in device is switched off.
Thanks for sharing!
@@SheRunTheWorld
You’re welcome.
@@SheRunTheWorld
You’re most welcome.
Two corrections when you're talking at 2:30 about Council Tax. The amount of tax payable is based on the value of the property sorted into bands i.e. £200-£300,000. It's got nothing to do with how many people occupy the property. Also It's nothing to do with paying towards the National Health Service. That's paid for out of general taxation (income tax, etc.) and National Insurance (deducted from your pay). The largest amount of Council Tax goes towards education (up to age 18).
Thanks for watching
There is in fact a single occupancy discount for council tax, of 25% of the standard rate. It is also generally means-tested so people with low incomes can get some reductions.
Please remember that America has only been an independent country for about 250 years; you still have a lot to learn.
I’m fully aware! Thank you!!
A nation based on idiot puritanical tyrants.........chased from England........,justifiably..........
Nothing you can teach except avoid America............
Hundreds of years pass & native Americans still suffer.........
You & Monsieur Trump........or correct name, Drumpf are gonna teach us your little tricks........ ?........thank you, no way.......
You're most likely to be caught out by things that have the same name but mean entirely different things:
- Everyone probably knows about 'pavement' = sidewalk in the UK but road in US
- There's also 'ghrill' = heat from top in UK and heat from the bottom in the US
- Frown = lowering of eyebrows (and generally scrunching up of your forehead) in the UK and a downturned mouth in the US (incidentally this explains the American phrase 'turn that frown upsaide down' which makes abolutely no sense in the UK!)
- Pint = 20 fl. oz. in the UK and 16 fl. oz. in the US (which also means a UK gallon is 25% larger than a US gallon and so on)
Thanks so much for sharing! I had no idea about the frown difference - how interesting!!
Enough boredom,,........you. want more?
I'm asleep..,......
Edit:
No "h" in _Grill_. ☺️🖖
If you leave the switch on which is by the way a safety thing, but also if it's left switched on a trickle of electricity happens which adds to the bill
Thanks for sharing!!
Commonwealth countries use left hand side driving and weight by stones etc if you choose.Also Celsius.
In New Zealand we also use kilometres now and mostly metric.
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!!
I met an American couple in the UK who said they were surprised how fast and how close the brits drive on their narrow streets and lanes.
Actually yes! That really does shock me! Especially the double deckers, sometimes I close my eyes when I’m on one😂
So do the drivers@@SheRunTheWorld
@@SheRunTheWorldhave you driven at 60mph down a country lane yet?
@@CollectiveWest1😂😂
Remember 3 quarters of europe have tv licenses
Very cool!!
You will notice when driving we still use yards , so on the motorway they will say 300 yards to traffic lights.
Wow very interesting!!
But all motorway roadside markings are in km, with posts 100 m apart.
Motorways also have road locator signs in blue every 500 m, to help with Breakdowns etc, giving the name of the road, the direction (A or B), and the distance in kilometres from a given location eg the start of the motorway. You also find them on major A roads.
Food trucks were mentioned - I’ve occasionally heard them called chuck waggons here in the UK, but don’t know if that’s commonplace.
That’s so good to know!! Thanks for commenting :)
In Prague it wasn§t common to have an oven in the kitchen?? Then, it probably depends on where you lived, because a huge majority of houses in the Czech Rep. have ovens. I would be really surprised to come somewhere where they do not bake in it.... :-))))
Hahaha lots of apartments we viewed when apartment hunting didn’t! But maybe just the smaller ones in city center we were looking at :)
@@SheRunTheWorld That is what I thought. Prague small flats might be those for students or short tourist stays so they do not have all what we usually have at home. :-)
Council Tax is NOT based on the number of people who live in a property. Each property has an amount to pay however you DO get a 25% reduction if only one adult is resident. Children under 16 or under 21 and still in full time education do not count towards residency.
The switches on sockets {"outlets") are there so you can switch off the appliance without the need to do that on the appliance if you wish. It's up to you.
Our roads are narrow because they started many hundreds of years ago when the only vehicles were farm carts and most folk travelled either on foot or, if wealthy, on horse. Therefore they didn't need to be wide.
There is only one country in the world that uses Month/Day/Year as against Day/Month/Year. That country is the USA. 🤣
Thanks for watching!!
The switch on plug sockets is for safety mainly! 😂
Haha ya! People have let me know in the comments - very odd to me!😂
Welcome to the UK, I hope that you are enjoying your time here.
Thank you so much! I’m loving it so far :)
Not once did you resort to using "weird" to describe something other than American. So many others fall into this trap.
Ya I’ve lived outside the US for the last 5 years, so I don’t find non-American things “weird” it’s just different! Makes living and traveling abroad fun to find the differences ☺️
So weird...............
In regards to the small talk thing it all depends on the individual. Some people are very chatty (extrovert) and others more shy (introvert)
Very true!!
4:33 A switch that is ON in the UK plug sockets will draw a metered cost even if the device is switched OFF. So switching the socket OFF will stop the meter count for the socket that bis ON. I used to read meters at home and commercial premises. It does save money over the long run. SO switch OFF sockets on plugged items that are not in use, like a microwave, kettle and maybe other devices on standby even thougt its NOT being used BUT is drawing a current to a socket.
Thanks for commenting
Council tax is based on your property value, which then gets put into different groups (or bands as they’re called) depending on the value of your house. Ie band A will pay 1200 per year, band B will pay 1500, Band C 1750 etc. also, it does not pay for health care. That is paid from a ‘national insurance’ tax which is taken from pay at source.
Yes! Thanks so much for watching! :)
Power outlets have on off switches to prevent kids sticking things in the socket! In the US all your outlets are permanently live which is INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS
Interesting! Everyone here thinks our outlets are dangerous back in the US but I’ve never heard of any problems or dangerous situations with them from anyone lol!!
The switch on the outlet is for safety obviously!
Thanks for watching Ng
UK domestic power is 240v and US is a puny 120v, hence, UK plugs earthed and fused and insulated. When your average US house gets hit by lightening, you can blow any and everything electrical and it happens a lot!
I know a bloke in Milwaukee who has got hit twice, in two houses, i.e. 4 times!
There is a vidro of our plugs/electric, which believe it or not, is quite interesting!
I actually might have to check that out because it does interest me!! Thanks for sharing!
US voltage is 110 . In the UK it's 230. It used to be 240, In some parts of Europe it was 220v so a regulation was introduced requiring appliances to work with both, while electricity grids were standardized at 230v over time. Voltage does vary, depending on the load anyway.
The smaller cars apart from the roads is the fuel economy - check the fuel prices and then you will understand (it is usually double or more that of the US) - Things are smaller as we simply don't have the room and because of that this makes property more expensive for what it is. A lot of people do have dishwashers - I don't as there isn't the space or plumbing in my kitchen. The UK invented the imperial system - as a child my teachers referred to feet and inches for height (my first passport had my height like that) as did woodyards, pounds and ounces for cookery or sale of goods eg fruit and veg on a market -Due to our links with the EU I was actually taught both - so had an idea what Fahrenheit was - we would have thermometers with both on - especially in workplaces as in offices it couldn't be colder than 16C (60F) after the first hour or staff had to be sent home. (Other workplaces were different) Our cars speedometers (anologue) have MPH on the outside and KPH on the inside (Mine is digital - surprising for an 18 year old car, but I can just change it with a few button presses - useful when driving in Europe. We buy our petrol (gas) by the litre which is how it is priced, but measure the fuel economy in MPG (Miles Per Gallon) - We also insist on Pints for milk - but as it has to be stated in litres the figures can be quite odd - as they are a multiple of 568ml. I've lived in other countries too - and noticed who had built department stores - if they were UK companies the escalators would go up on the left hand side - (the country I was in drove in the left too), but if a US company had built it the would be the opposite way round.
Thanks for watching!!
@@SheRunTheWorld Yoú attract people who write books, not replies.............
Yet another would be author............
Stop kissing arse. Replies need to be considered and properly explained, I’m bored is neither.
thankyou for sharing this 🙂 x
come to Wales!
innit
You’re welcome!! I’m trying to plan a trip to wales soon, hopefully sometime this summer :)
@@SheRunTheWorld thankyou for replying.. 🙂 x
wales is a beautiful place with lovely people but some things might seem small..
roads, houses etc..
good video, only thing I'd say is when you were talking about housing sizes. this is just a London/ big city thing I think. Similar to somewhere like New York where square footage is important. Out in the country side there are a lot of bigger houses for cheap with large kitchen, etc like in the US.
Yeah definitely! Cities are always smaller houses. I’d also argue though that average house sizes outside of the cities are bigger in the US as well, as I’ve looked into buying some UK properties and a lot of houses still share a wall with others and are smaller than I’d expect! But of course it depends on the area :)
Council tax is based on the the value of the building, not the number of people. That was tried, and dropped.
Good to know, thank you!
However, you do get a 25% discount if you live alone
Always good to do some research before making a video as so many errors. The switch on a plug is a safety feature and will save you money as stops a trickle feed to any device. Not sure what you have against wales as you totally ignored it. Also you don’t need a licence unless you watch the bbc.Most channels are free unless you subscribe. In the Uk we just want to get things done and not looking for small chat when needing service.
@@kenvoysey8222 that’s incorrect. The licence fee funds the BBC but is required to watch any live tv. It’s not optional, you have to have a licence unless you only watch programmes on catch up.
@@timelord5920 you just answered your own question dude ! It’s live events on the BBC or iplayer so I can watch everything else. More my point is when someone does a blog here and fails to research what they are saying. Highlighted the council tax but ignored the abuse of sick people in the states who have to pay massively over the odds for basic live saving drugs. Not to mention live in a police state that’s so corrupt it’s accepted.
I was told 'Stones' were originally a butchers measurement for animal carcasses and butchers were generally the only people with scales large enough the weigh a person. So you got weighed by the butcher and
Wow really?! That is so fascinating!!!
Stónes & Hackney...............l was born there...........what is going on..........the Stones in the Empire.........too small for a gig.............or is it?............
Surprised she didn’t mention the two taps in the sink. Sink plug
Thanks for watching
We use centigrade (not called Celsius, because Celsius wanted it called centograde) for cold temperatures, Fahrenheit for hot ones.
Thanks for watching!
* Celsius.
Only absolutely bizarre people swap to a different scale for “hot” temperatures. What an embarrassing reply.
It was originally called Centigrade, however the international name is Celsius, used by almost every country, exception being USA still using Fahrenheit.
@@Brian3989 Celsius, who invented it, asked for it not to be called that. As the inventor, he gets to name it.
no, we use celsius. No one under 70 understands it, but the daily express like to bang on about 93o
You said “they drive on the opposite side of the road” it depends who you’re speaking to, around 70 countries drive on the same side as Britain, many of these have historic connections with Britain Aus/NZ/HK/Singapore/
India/ some countries like Japan are on the left but don’t have historic connections.
Yeah definitely agree! I was targeting Americans in this video and what they might find shocking if they came here as a first time traveler - so it would be opposite for them! :)
Sweden only converted to driving on the right in 1967. Historically everyone passed on the left, until cars, even parts of US. Cars being left or right hand drive cemented it.. and.. France..
Jousting sports and horse and cart traditions, are the reason we stuck to the left side. (Whipping hand/Sword/Weapon hands-free) as most of the population are right handed...
So history would trump who is right or wrong, manual cars and licences (stick driving) are still most popular here, unlike the USA, which has mostly automatic cars.
You do not need a TV licence for free TV only BBC....there are hundreds of free to air channels
Very cool!
You DO need a television licence if you watch live programmes, whether received through an aerial or internet.
@Brian3989 by law only BBC content
Some interesting observations.
I have friends who visit from Boston and they are always amused I have a washer in the kitchen.
They also didn’t get the idea of walking places, however I took them on a little hike in the Lakes and when they come over they want to go on a walk! They love the countryside here.
Ya the washing machine in the kitchen is an odd one for Americans!! Lol
I love that they come here and love walking. That’s how I feel about being here too. And I love the countryside here as well :)
@@SheRunTheWorld - It’s funny how the little differences make you think!
They seemed surprised that I have really hot water and a kettle. My friend Dana (we met in the forces) is a very generous guy and in a pub he likes to get a round in. I have to explain to him that people should buy him a drink back, which he finds a little odd. Over here I would be suspicious of someone who didn’t buy a drink back.
It’s a good job we walk, as he loves Indian food and he’s quite an aficionado now! Ironically I prefer Thai which is much more common in the US. Next walk is the Weavers Way in Norfolk for us.
Date formats are a constant bugbear - I mean, smallest to largest just makes sense, and it's actually only the US that does it differently.
btw the ISO datetime format (that all sql servers use) is yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss, so largest to smallest.
e.g. if you type dates into MS Excel as yyyy/mm/dd it will automatically know what you mean, but if you type dates with the year at the end, it depends on your region settings...
Yeah it makes it harder on us Americans when we leave the states & get confused😂 lol
@@SheRunTheWorld It makes it harder on the rest of us when many US software companies use the US format specially when they do quick security updates which they fail to test properly.
My husband, an American, recently had to renew his passport from the UK. Half of the form was mmddyyyy and half was ddmmyyyy.
@@Joanna-il2ur Exactly!
Language differences? Only on your part! It is OUR language after all so dont act as if its us who are different 🏴
All countries whose national language is English speak it a bit differently! Different isn’t bad or negative. It’s okay :)
Always bear in mind that it is you Americans who are different.
All countries do things differently! :)
Yes but the English Language was developed over centuries in England. Even after the Norman invasion of 1066, the Normans who were descendants of Vikings, and spoke a French language, had to learn to speak English to be understood by the people. And that language was Anglo Saxon; a Germanic language and forerunner of modern English. For these reasons English as spoken in England is a mix of Scandinavian, French, and Germanic. @@SheRunTheWorld
Kemptown, St James Street :))
The tourisits go to The Lanes and North Street.....the good food is in Kemptown
Brighton is so easily spotted. There's an excellent vegan pizza place, I can't remember it's name. halfway up on the left.
Anyways, thanks for that
Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
One other point about measurements UK pints are larger than their US equivalent
Garbage disposals are not allowed as these would block our sewage system
Someone else just commented about the pint sizes- I never knew that!!🍻 and ok wow good to know. It would probably be too hard and inconvenient to change the system now!
The reason we use miles but also use metric is because we switched over to metric relatively recently (1970s I think?). So you’re right, we use metric for foreign imports and exports, but many people (especially older people) are still used to imperial since that is what is traditional and what was taught in school until not too long ago. Some people (often people who voted for brexit) feel quite passionate about using imperial instead of metric because it is traditional, and what they did in the ‘good old days’. The relatively recent switch means there is loads of mix and match: many (younger) people use cm, m, kg, g, but when people are talking about distance, or personal measurements like height or weight, many use feet or stone and lbs. Metric vs imperial can often be a big generational divide in the UK!
Wow that is seriously so interesting! I didn’t know about the correlation of imperial with Brexit voters or the generational divide. Thank you so much for sharing!! :)
Fahrenheit and Celsius are also used interchangeably, even by relatively young people.
The switch to metric ie metres and kilos instead of feet and inches and pounds and ounces was dictated by the EU when we were a member. It is also worth remembering that an Imperial mile or gallon is actually more than a US gallon or mile
@@peterc.1618 have to disagree with that. I seriously don't know anyone u under 70 who understands Fahrenheit except when it's hot. Try it out, ask anyone if they need a coat, jacket or t shirt weather when is 52 Fahrenheit. I'm 62 and haven't got a clue
@@duncanmacpherson2013 No it was not. We started to go metric in the early 70s. Absolutely. nothing to do with the EU. On top of with the EU does not dictate, name one policy that was forced upon the UK against the wishes of our government.
Everything isn’t tiny. Somethings are. Plus you’re comparing your situation (seemingly on a budget) as being the U.K. standard.
This is the most expensive apartment I’ve ever had so I’m definitely not on a budget! I wish I was able to stick to my budget here😂 but yeah I’m sure if I could afford it, the apartment could be bigger.
Right now I’m living in something that’s half the size but double the price of my apartment back in the US! Lol
You need to master the verb 'to pop'.
I'm just popping to the shops/pub/gym.
Go on, off you pop!
Just going to pop in on the way home
I do love that one! I’ll start practicing 😂
@@SheRunTheWorldyou WILL enjoy it, for sure: have heard from several Canadians living in the UK being thrilled to be able to pop out. They refuse to give up popping out, to go back to Canada.
Hmm, as an American that has been in England for the last four months, albeit in the countryside, I have found people quite chatty. People are very friendly and regularly engage in small talk with me when I am on a walk or shopping etc. I think it might depend on where you are.
Definitely depends!
do Americans have a habit of just putting the phone down when they've said enough, or finished what they want to say?
so they just go/vanish... ?
When you are working that's whan you pay for your NHS when you're unemployed the social pay for the NHS and prescription And also British homes are better built than American homes British home's last a lot longer than American homes good video though 🇬🇧🇺🇲
Thanks for watching!!
We speak english...........you speak gobbledegook......,....
???😂
Inessential at present.........
Gobbledegook as a term simply means......nonsense.........
@@SheRunTheWorld simply means speaking a nonsense form of language..........
Because we have a 230 volt electrical supply , we have are able to have electric kettles that quickly boil enough water for 3 people to each have a large hot mug of whatever they want in around 3 minutes .
Very cool thanks for sharing
It’s safer to leave your device plugged in but with the switch off than it always being live, I imagine. In the US we have to unplug devices when not in use
Very interesting! Back in the US I’ve never met anyone who unplugged anything regularly- like appliances, TV, lamps, etc., I think that’s why we find it so odd here!
You will realise one reason unplugging devices is not a good idea in the UK when you step on a UK plug!
Fun fact, most mobiles (cellphones) here in the UK are Android. IPhones are the minority.
Same with most of the world besides the US!!
Fun fact 2 most people are using Linux and don't realise Android is built on a Linux kernel😅
I started using Apple in 1987, when they were a small and nice company. Anything else is so clunky, like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time: you can just about do it, but why would you?
@@Joanna-il2ur oh the irony. Jonathon Ive the person behind the iMac, Power Mac G4 Cube, iPod, iPhone, iPad, MacBook is English 🙃
It always amazes me that Americans give the impression that they all live in huge house on big plots of land. Tell that to the millions who live in cities like New York in tiny studio apartments as well as those who live in trailer parks, which are like glorified caravans.
Yeah New York is rare though! Maybe chicago is similar. But other than those 2 cities most of America does not live in apartments as small as ones throughout Europe and the UK
Or tent cities in most of the major states.
Good point although.houses are generally bigger they are not built well according to utube . Films always show Americans living in great big houses I don't think that is the norm whyvwoukd we need air conditioning open a window. Air conditioning is very bad for the environmentv
We fill up the Tank in Litres do a quick conversion to Gallon swear 🤬 in Anglo-Saxon pay then drive away MPH .Then go for a pint of beer 🍺. A British pint is slightly larger than American.
Hahaha so confusing!!😂 oh wow I didn’t know the British pint is slightly larger than American- good to know 🍻
Ps I think we have higher voltage in the uk...hence the off switch on the electric sockets. It's health and safety.
Definitely makes sense!
Good vid but think you need to get around the uk a bit more most cars are small in the uk..I see big SUVs n range rovers ect everywhere in the uk and kitchens are small well you need to visit other bigger properties more too oh and also council tax does not fund healthcare it’s national insurance that funds that from wages
Thanks for watching
“Even though they speak English “. What - you mean they speak English in England you’ve got to be shitting me 🤷🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️😂
Thanks for watching!
Then argue, telling you you're using your language incorrectly 😂😂
Talk about living up to the American stereotype 😂
I used to visit California on a regular basis, usually staying for around 4 weeks each time. I rented an apartment as it was both less expensive and more practical than hotels. Interestingly I didn’t find the culture shock was any big deal at all, in most instances I felt quite at home. In those days, I’m talking late 80’s/early 90’s I found service was overall much better than in the U.K. and often food was better. However those things appear to have gone into reverse and now I much prefer U.K. food and service is overall every bit as good without the obligatory tipping at up to 20% or more.
Interesting how things have changed! Thanks so much for sharing :) hope you enjoyed your time in my home state of california!!
We are, and we do use metric weights & measures as well as imperial too . x
Yes both! Very cool
Whilst I found this interesting, but it is limited by the fact that this young lady is speaking from her experience in the south of the country. Things are quite different here in the north. I moved to the North 38 years ago and wouldn’t move back South now even if I could afford to. But she is wrong about people not chatting to wait staff etc, I think a lot of people merely wait for the other to show that they are willing to converse.😊
Thanks for watching
Like the saying goes it’s always grim up north hence why people would choose to move south if they had a choice many northerners say it’s a sh*thole up there and they’d move down here in a heartbeat if they could
@@NR19770 I have heard that said, however any area could be accused of being grim if it is not what appeals to you. I love it up here and would never return to living in the south. The reason I couldn’t afford too or rather wouldn’t want to afford too is I would have to sell both my houses to do just that. My second house is part of my pension plan.😊 My neighbours are friendly, I live on the coast in a designated area of natural beauty but it doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg to do so. And next year I can retire without the concern of wether I will still have the same lifestyle. Works for me.
Agree … the south east of the country is super unfriendly …. But people in the south west, Wales, the north and Scotland and generally friendly and very chatty
@@hooverbaglegs I spent my early years in Lewisham and returned on a regular basis to visit my grandmother, I remember it being a friendly community. But something changed in eighties. I spent most of my life in a north Dorset town but because it was so easy to get to London as we were on the main line to Waterloo , it became a town of people merely sleeping, my used call it a Dormitory town, and property became beyond the local pocket. My two bed flat that I sold in 1988 for £59,000 was sold in 2012 for £199, 500 I know the person that bought it basically gave up everything she loved doing to afford it. But she wished to remain near her family and there is very little in the way of rentable property. Here we are in a lesser known part of Cumbria though it is very beautiful being on the coast with the fells to the back of us, the perfect place to raise a child. But you are right the people of my Dorset home are very friendly however a lot of us have moved away.
Generally it is normal to tip if the order is done at the table and paid there; if you order at a bar (pub) or counter (cafe) it is not normal to tip. We are now largely metric, which makes things a lot easier. Why we still use miles is beyond me- especially as sport walking, cycling, running etc uses km.
Oh very good to know - thank you!! And yeah the miles thing confuses me too 😂 glad to know I’m not alone!
I'm somewhat out of touch with track and field but running was always done in metres except for the marathon, ten thousand meters rather than ten kilometers etc, though I think the French have more to do with setting the rules for the Olympics etc, the only sport I make any effort to watch now is F1 and have done since the 60's
@@chrisshelley3027Incorrect. For example, running the mile, 440 yards, 100 yards.
@@grahamdhv3812 I haven't heard of these since the 60's-70's
@@SheRunTheWorld - I guess its the huge cost of changing all the road signs that might be to blame and there are still a lot of cars with analogue speedometers which are calibrated miles per hour and record miles traveled - altough this is slowly changing. I am 65 and more comfortable with thinking in miles (and miles-per-hour & even feet and inches) but I really wish that we had bitten the bullet years ago when we joined the EU and we started to move to the metric system - instead of the mess we have now. The really daft thing is that drivers are concerned with fuel efficiency of there car (cost per gallon) , but at the pump we dispence petrol in litres!
Council tax is based on the value of the property, not the number of people
Thanks for watching
Although we use metric units, we still know imperial ones, so if you use feet,inches, yards, miles, pounds,ounces, gallon or fluid oz, people have a understanding of what they are.
Yeah I’ve noticed that! You guys have the best of both worlds then, understanding both systems!
U.K. is in Europe 👍🏻. So you can just say Europe. Yes you can tell I didn’t vote for BREXIT
Hahahah sounds good 😂 thanks!!
English people speaking English lol
Yup!!
The US Ton, the British imperial Ton and the metric Tonne are all different. The US and UK tons are both defined as 20 Hundredweight, but the definition of Hundredweight itself varies between the countries hence the tons are different too. Metric tonne is 1000 kilogrammes.
Very interesting that they aren’t the same. I wonder why it isn’t?! Thanks for sharing :)
US ton is 907.185 kg, British ton is 1016.047 kg. Same ball park but not identical
Outside of London / big cities, weekly grocery shopping is still quite common. We also don't do huge shops because we're a smaller island, with typically dense housing - we don't have the space to store things. It's also not true that we don't do small talk, nor that people won't say how they're really doing - this is, again, a very London perspective (closer to the busy-ness and impatience of New York). In more relaxed suburbs and towns, this kind of chat is common. Council Tax is by property, not people. Outside London and big cities, most people will drive most of the time (sadly). You'll see bigger cars outside of the big UK cities. (Brighton is like London by the sea in its habits ;-)
Thanks for watching!
Who doesnt have a dishwasher? You must be living in a flat.
Of course I am! Viewed about 15 flats before moving in and none had dishwashers lol
I don't.
I live in a house, have done my entire life and I have never had a dishwasher. I've always had to handwash everything and still do. Dishwashers are a rich people luxury lmao
most people have an oven
that made me smile 🙂