Easier for Brits to adjust?

[Jeraly 4]

I find that Jeremy sounds infinitely more American when we are together in person or if he is talking to one of his friends/family members on the phone - when I am talking to him on the phone he just sounds like him but I remember when I first started talking to him that I couldn't tell him and his brother apart

[snowfrostedlashes 0]

Mark does this cute thing where he says some things in a slightly more british way when talking to me sometimes and gets teased by his family and friends because of this - mostly he doesn't realise he's doing it, but I think of it as his special voice for me.

[Jeraly 4]

Haha - I tell Jeremy off when he starts using English words and things - he doesn't say "trousers" so why should he start now?!?!!

Of course I know I will end up speaking American when I moev so...

[Rob1980 0]

I've also found it's the little things. I'd never have imagined how much I miss chips and gravy! There seems to be more of a sense of urgency here... my wife actually agrees with that too. TV adverts are louder and quicker and don't give you any breathing space... except for my friend the Geico gecko. The lack of healthcare amazes me, as does the lack of holidays! My wife considers herself lucky to have 4 weeks (20 days) of 'paid time off', which is sick days as well as holidays. She does also get a week at Christmas and good benefits, but that is still way below what is normal in the UK. I want to work for a non-profit though (she does), so hopefully can find something better in that respect although that's because they pay less so have to make up for it!

Also, being a manc I find it amusing when people say I sound like John Lennon. I know it's only 40 minutes away, but still... Haven't had comments about my accent for ages though, maybe I'm losing it!

As far as beer, he's found tons of good micro-brewery beer. He's a beer freak, so I believe this when he tells me he's not missing anything....that and he can get any beer from just about anywhere if he wants it. He often says that the US shouldn't be defined by Budwiser just as the UK should be defined by Carling. *shrug* There's a lot of good beer out there if you look for it. Just don't look to the mass-producers.

Sounds like he's had much the same experience of the US as I have. I've got the pub for the football, download match of the day every week, all that stuff. I wanted to say, on the beer thing, that I'm a bit of a beer geek, and I love Philadelphia for its pubs and bars. There's lots of good beers here, I don't struggle for a good pint in the slightest. The only thing is that there aren't any English style ales, things tend to be hoppier, lots of IPA's.

i've seen some irish specialty stores that carry UK candy bars like the flake and aero etc

Yes, there's one in Philly that has bread too. I've yet to try it. Everythings about 6x the price it would be in the UK though.

I personally don't like that you can drive thru for almost everything.... I find it like the beginning of laziness or something but it's definitely different!

This is just a personal preference, but I hate driving automatics.

I can't even believe they charge you for water in the UK...

I don't like the drive thru for everything either. When we've gone to South Carolina (her parents have a place there) I've always felt relief that I live in a city where I can walk to a store, or pub. Nothing seems to be within a walkable distance round there. It's the same in the Lehigh Valley too, I think I'd go insane if I lived there.

I prefer driving manual too, purely because I feel more in control. Dont automatics use more petrol (gas) too?

As for charging water in the UK... can they actually do that? I know they can't in pubs, it has to be free. I would have imagined that it would be in restaurants, etc too?

[StillThePrettiest 3]

they can't charge for tap water, as far as I know, but with the bottled stuff it's different (AFAIK)

[Jeraly 4]

they can't charge for tap water, as far as I know, but with the bottled stuff it's different (AFAIK)

That's how I understand it as well

[catrocks 0]

they can't charge for tap water, as far as I know, but with the bottled stuff it's different (AFAIK)

That's how I understand it as well

But if you go to a restaurant in the UK and ask for water, they bring you bottled water. Here, you ask for water and they bring tap water. I don't think they can charge for tap water in the UK but you have to specify that you want tap water.... in my experience anyway. Just a difference of norms.

[StillThePrettiest 3]

I've had both experiences... ie restaurants that understand the request each way

one way round it is to ask for 'a jug of water' which never fails to get you what you want

[mustang-sally 8]

In the UK, I always ask for a jug of tap water with a meal, they often they ask if I want water, I usually ask for tap water. I have heard of some places charging for tap water, not experienced that though.

Not sure if they offer this in the USA, I do like water with my meal but begrudge paying for it.

[catrocks 0]

I always order water with meals here because it's free which makes me happy

[Rosie420 2]

Ah, but were you working?

I find the heat a LOT easier to deal with when I can just laze around! If I'm having to work, especially when it's humid, it can be unbearable! A sunny afternoon just sends me straight to sleep.

I'm hoping I'll be okay with the Californian heat because it's usually very dry heat. I didn't mind the heat in Summer '06, despite the temperatures reaching 40+ degrees. However, that may be because I spent the majority of the day in the fabulously-air conditioned San Diego convention centre

Now, what was bad was driving 12 hours (San Diego to San Jose) in an old Volkswagen Beetle with no air conditioning when an overturned lorry caused us to sit still in traffic for two hours in the middle of the afternoon. Yeah, I'm never going to repeat that.

On a side note: Anyone else have problems ordering water in the US? That's the only hurdle I've encountered on my visits. My requests for water were not understood in five separate restaurants - and one lady even asked if I'd said 'lemonade'. I have no problem ordering anything else, and my accent isn't that obtuse! (I have a Sussex/London accent).

My husband had a really hard time ordering water when he first got here. He's from East London, but I don't think his accent is hard to understand. Over the past two years, he's changed the way he says 'water', kind of 'Americanized' it. So now he doesn't have too much trouble!

[JASONandDAA 0]

How are you wankers dealing with cold beer in America?? I gotta horse out in my yard if you like...

You friendly Yank

[Krikit 1,163]

[Randy + Maggie 0]

How are you wankers dealing with cold beer in America?? I gotta horse out in my yard if you like...

You friendly Yank

On behalf of the people of the United States of America, I wish to sincerely apologize for this persons derogatory remark toward the fine members of this community.

[msu17 0]

Ah, he's much better with the than real words. And WHY is it that everyone thinks people in the UK drink warm beer??? I think I would drink warm beer before my husband would (he's the UKer). I can't believe how many Americans actually think that... I got into a heated argument with one j/a in class about it, refused to believe that the UK ACTUALLY drinks cold beer. My theory is that there is this pub in London (because that's all there is to the UK you see) that has this magical draw to Americans, and it only serves warm beer... It's an international cover-up...