A woman who moved to the UK from the US has revealed the aspects of British life which she finds “weird”.
Brittany, who’s originally from Florida, but now lives in Birmingham after meeting her husband, Nick, 36, reveals the stark differences between the two countries with her 20,000 followers on TikTok (@thebrickhousechronicles).
While adjusting to life in the UK hasn’t been too tricky, there are still a few British practices and traditions that the social media marketer is still unable to get her head around.
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And the 32-year-old says they make the UK quite “weird”.
“Food is a big one, as it can be very rich and hearty,” Brittany told What’s The Jam.
“While I enjoy a lot of the food here, having British food day in and day out is difficult on the stomach.
“I can only eat so much of it in one week.
“I love things like bangers and mash, pie and chips and cottage pie – but, admittedly, I only want to have them every once in a while.
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“I’ve also found a lot that I hadn’t tried before, but really love.
“For example; crumpets, Tunnocks teacakes and proper cheese.
“I also had to adjust much more than I thought I would, linguistically.
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“There are a lot more differences between American and British English than I realised – and the UK has so many regional dialects.
“I remember being so confused when my husband’s parents kept asking us over for tea.
“And they actually meant dinner.”
Brittany says another difference which stuck out for her the most, is the way we wash dishes.
She said: “There’s actually a big debate about the way British v Americans wash up.
“I thought everyone in the world would do it the same way, but it appears Brits have their own method.
“You don’t rinse the dishes after washing; it makes no sense.”
Brittany previously went viral after revealing the things in British houses which don’t make sense.
She included double taps for both hot and cold water, rather than a single one, and washing machines in the kitchen instead of a utility room or bathroom.
But there’s also a number of things she doesn’t miss about life across the pond.
She said: “The stress of the healthcare system is definitely something I’m happy not to deal with any longer.
“It’s a relief to not live with the fear of going bankrupt if I get sick.
“I’m glad to be living in a city that’s walkable, too, and has good public transportation.
“Most places in the US require a car to get around, which leads to many Americans thinking 20 minutes is a long trek.”
Brittany moved to the UK in 2019 to settle down and buy a house after working abroad in South Korea and Japan for six years.
While the dreary and cold British weather isn’t for her, she says when it’s summer, the UK is the place to be.
Currently, her living costs per month are just £900 all in.
While she didn’t need to fork out whilst living in the States due to being at her parents’ house, according to Apartment List, the average living costs per month for a household of two is $1,526 (USD) (£1,200) in Florida.
And it’s not a complete minefield, as Brittany has started to embrace her British side.
She added: “I drink a whole lot more, and way earlier in the day, too.
“I think and talk about the weather all the time.
“When it’s nice, I hang my clothes out to dry, which isn’t something I did in the US.
“My language has changed a lot, as I use British English words, phrases and spellings.
“My voice also goes up at the end of a question now, whereas Americans stay pretty flat.
“It’s something my friends and family back home think I’m quite weird for.
“And I actually have a work/life balance.
“My hope is that Brits, who are known for their sense of humour, will take my opinions in their stride and see the funny side.”
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