Overall, the differences, while noticeable, are not big problems and you’ll quickly adapt to the new way of living on the other side of the Atlantic.
There’s always a lot of talk about “The Special Relationship” between the United Kingdom and the United States. The two countries have a lot of things in common, including a shared language, similar cultures, and many historic connections, so it’s understandable that so many of their respective citizens make the trip across the pond each year in search of a new life.
However, for all the similarities, there are many differences between the United States and the United Kingdom. If you’re thinking about starting a new life in jolly old England, for example, be prepared for a few culture shocks.
Faucets (Taps)
Walk into any American kitchen or bathroom and you’ll almost always find one faucet with two knobs. Whichever one you turn, the water will come out of a single nozzle, allowing you to mix the two together to get the perfect temperature.
One of the things that will be immediately obvious to you when you move to England is that the British don’t call them faucets. Some people will understand you thanks to the prevalence of American television and movies in the UK, but you’ll find it easier to communicate if you use the local word, “tap”.
However, perhaps the biggest difference you’ll notice is that many English sinks have two separate taps, one for hot and one for cold. This can be confusing for any visitors to the country as it is something they may not have come across before, though, thankfully, it does become something you get used to.
The reason for this strange plumbing is historic. When hot water systems were installed in British homes, they often used a lidless hot water tank that was stored in the roof space. The water wouldn’t always be safe to drink because it wasn’t stored in a sealed container before travelling along the pipes, so it was originally mandated that the hot and cold supplies should never be mixed.
Thankfully, this isn’t the case today, but since the country is one that is built on traditions, it is hard to break a centuries-old habit.
Casinos and betting
Until recently, there were only a handful of places where you could place a bet on sports in the United States, the most common being Nevada. A piece of federal law known as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act prevented most states from permitting wagering within their borders.
That has started to change since a mid-2018 Supreme Court decision ruled that the act was unconstitutional and paved the way for states to make their own laws around betting.
There are now nearly two dozen states that allow online wagering and several more have physical casinos where you can play games like blackjack and roulette.
However, when you move to the UK, you’ll notice that there are betting shops and casinos everywhere. Most forms of wagering have been legal in the country since the mid-20th century and Brits were one of the first countries to truly embrace online casinos and sports betting sites.
Today, there are hundreds of companies offering these types of games, so competition is fierce. This is great for players as it means they can take advantage of the long list of casino bonuses that are available in order to get more value from their gaming.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Left-hand traffic
The United States and much of the rest of the world drives on the right of the road. This wasn’t always the case, but most countries have slowly transitioned to driving on the same side as the Americans.
One of the most famous switches was “Dagen H” (H Day) in Sweden in September 1967 when all of the country’s road directions were reversed at 5 AM, with most traffic banned from the roads for several hours to give work crews the time needed to switch all the signs.
So far, the United Kingdom hasn’t undertaken such a big change, so its drivers continue to drive on the left, a tradition that dates back at least as far as the era of jousting knights.
If you’re a driver, you’ll likely find it a little tricky at first as all of your instinctive movements will be wrong. Moving your hand to grab the gear stick will result in you punching the door, and looking right to check the rear-view mirror will be fruitless.
It doesn’t take long to get used to though, so just be careful while you’re transitioning.
Tipping
In America, you tip for everything, it is both customary and expected. However, in the UK, there are few scenarios where you would tip a worker. The main ones are in a restaurant or when in a taxi, but again these are still optional.
Workers are (mostly) paid reasonable wages, regardless of whether you tip, but any gratuity you do give is always greatly appreciated.
Transport
America is a big place. A road trip across the USA will take you around two days, provided you don’t make too many stops. That’s not even remotely the case in the UK.
Driving east to west (or vice versa) will take you an afternoon, while driving north to south can be done in around 12 hours.
With everything so close together, it means that you don’t have to drive everywhere. Walking to your local convenience store, library, bank, restaurant, bar, or park are often viable options if you live in a reasonably sized town or city.
Even when you can’t walk, big cities and most towns also offer decent public transport in the form of trains, trams, and buses that can help you get around. In the biggest cities, namely London, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Birmingham, it is perfectly possible to live without owning your own car. Public transport may not always be the most convenient option, but it isn’t as big of a problem as it is in the US.
Small talk
Americans love being friendly, it’s something they take a lot of pride in. In the UK, it isn’t quite the same. Of course, Brits are big on being polite but don’t always expect to exchange life stories with the waitress in a cafe or have a long chat with the cashier at the local supermarket.
Most Brits will go out of their way to avoid small talk with people they don’t know, though they still usually exchange pleasantries in most situations. For example, outside of London, it is the done thing to say hello to a bus driver when you board and thank him when you alight.
Overall, these differences, while noticeable, are not big problems and you’ll quickly adapt to the new way of living on the other side of the Atlantic.
Main photo by Aron Van de Pol on Unsplash
