Any British on here who are living in Florida?
Apr 21st 2014, 6:46 pm
#76
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Any British on here who are living in Florida?
But bear in mind being American is an ice breaker, I've noticed this living in Calgary, there are so many British people about that no-one bats an eyelid so it makes it difficult to strike up a conversation with a stranger. In the US everyone would always pick up on my accent and that would start a conversation.
But anyway on the actor conversation, I have this all the time when I'm in the US, so many people don't realize their favourite TV show is shot in Canada and half the actors in it are Canadian. "I like watching so and so in such and such." "Yeah, s/he's Canadian." "REALLY???" "Er yeah, it's actually shot in Vancouver/Toronto." "NO WAY!!!"
Like did you ever watch the credits.
Did you not notice the CN Tower or Vancouver Lookout in all the city shots.
Or even worse is when they realize they're not American, but think they're British. Orphan Black being the most recent example.
So to answer your question, move to Palm Beach. If you want to live at ground level at any rate. I dunno when the last time was that you were in Broward but try going to Sawgrass Mills and you will see just how crowded it is now.
But anyway on the actor conversation, I have this all the time when I'm in the US, so many people don't realize their favourite TV show is shot in Canada and half the actors in it are Canadian. "I like watching so and so in such and such." "Yeah, s/he's Canadian." "REALLY???" "Er yeah, it's actually shot in Vancouver/Toronto." "NO WAY!!!"
Like did you ever watch the credits.
Did you not notice the CN Tower or Vancouver Lookout in all the city shots.Or even worse is when they realize they're not American, but think they're British. Orphan Black being the most recent example.
So to answer your question, move to Palm Beach. If you want to live at ground level at any rate. I dunno when the last time was that you were in Broward but try going to Sawgrass Mills and you will see just how crowded it is now.
Apr 21st 2014, 6:51 pm
#77
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Any British on here who are living in Florida?
I don't think Americans are especially 'happy', or especially fake.
They have more possibilities, culturally, and more opportunities, generally, based on the luck of their location of birth - and this makes people more hopeful than those who live their lives without as much access to possibility and opportunity.
They have more possibilities, culturally, and more opportunities, generally, based on the luck of their location of birth - and this makes people more hopeful than those who live their lives without as much access to possibility and opportunity.
Us poor downtrodden Brits?
Apr 21st 2014, 6:52 pm
#78
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Any British on here who are living in Florida?
We had a thread about it in the Canadian section and it's even more pronounced here, I met a couple from Alberta when I was in the US and even by American standards they were far more reserved, it was not my imagination. The British may have a stiff upper lip but Canadians have a frozen upper lip, caused I think by spending winter in the basement watching hockey, all their social skills go out the window.
It makes people come across as being "fake" because you really have to chisel away at them to get to their true feelings about things.
Also Americans and Canadians have this bigger tendency to try avoiding responsibility for things which gets up the nose of British people who are used to people being more direct. It's like Americans get embarrassed more easily whereas British people don't give a shit.
Apr 21st 2014, 7:14 pm
#79
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2014
Location: London, UK (for now)
Posts: 237
Re: Any British on here who are living in Florida?
Sally... more than many people in many other countries.
There are so many countries that simply don't have many opportunities for anyone... There are countries that do not have free, public education for all... only wealthy people can go to school. I don't just mean university - I mean they do not get any education at all.
And, yes, I do believe that Americans believe they have more opportunities than the British people believe they have... Not because it is a fact, but because they are spoon fed the 'Land of Opportunity' slogan from the moment they are born.
There is opportunity in the UK. It is just not the National Slogan, and it is tightly regulated by the class system.
There are so many countries that simply don't have many opportunities for anyone... There are countries that do not have free, public education for all... only wealthy people can go to school. I don't just mean university - I mean they do not get any education at all.
And, yes, I do believe that Americans believe they have more opportunities than the British people believe they have... Not because it is a fact, but because they are spoon fed the 'Land of Opportunity' slogan from the moment they are born.
There is opportunity in the UK. It is just not the National Slogan, and it is tightly regulated by the class system.
Apr 21st 2014, 9:37 pm
#80
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Any British on here who are living in Florida?
Sally... more than many people in many other countries.
There are so many countries that simply don't have many opportunities for anyone... There are countries that do not have free, public education for all... only wealthy people can go to school. I don't just mean university - I mean they do not get any education at all.
And, yes, I do believe that Americans believe they have more opportunities than the British people believe they have... Not because it is a fact, but because they are spoon fed the 'Land of Opportunity' slogan from the moment they are born.
There is opportunity in the UK. It is just not the National Slogan, and it is tightly regulated by the class system.
There are so many countries that simply don't have many opportunities for anyone... There are countries that do not have free, public education for all... only wealthy people can go to school. I don't just mean university - I mean they do not get any education at all.
And, yes, I do believe that Americans believe they have more opportunities than the British people believe they have... Not because it is a fact, but because they are spoon fed the 'Land of Opportunity' slogan from the moment they are born.
There is opportunity in the UK. It is just not the National Slogan, and it is tightly regulated by the class system.
Apr 22nd 2014, 12:03 am
#87
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Any British on here who are living in Florida?
This is the reason Britain had such a big Empire imo, this innate culture of going around the world telling people what they should be doing and thinking.
This is one of the big advantages of living in Canada. Everyone in Canada knows that no-one outside of Canada really gives a crap what we think so people tend to be more laid back and a bit more open to new ideas.
In the US, well, it's the "greatest country in the world" so by definition everything they do is the greatest in the world. I call it "Dick Cheney" syndrome. He actually believes his own propaganda. So when the US does something questionable or bad, by definition it can't be because the US is "the greatest country in the world". So in other words, everything the US does is right. This is really how he convinces himself that waterboarding terrorists was not only justified but the right thing to do.
The British on the other hand have never come to terms with the fact that they have no Empire anymore (or maybe it's just a cultural trait) and go on about things as if people outside the UK give a shit - guess what, they don't. I can't ever recall having a conversation about some sort of international event and anyone saying, "well the British think this". The Russians, the Chinese, the Germans, the Americans, even the Japanese, but not the British.
Apr 22nd 2014, 12:07 am
#88
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Any British on here who are living in Florida?
The US is a very jingoistic country but on the other hand Britain has it's own brand of jingoism, which I call: being the world's most opinionated people on subjects they know nothing about. Although Americans do that too, but in the UK it's more homogenous, "right think".
This is the reason Britain had such a big Empire imo, this innate culture of going around the world telling people what they should be doing and thinking.
This is one of the big advantages of living in Canada. Everyone in Canada knows that no-one outside of Canada really gives a crap what we think so people tend to be more laid back and a bit more open to new ideas.
In the US, well, it's the "greatest country in the world" so by definition everything they do is the greatest in the world. I call it "Dick Cheney" syndrome. He actually believes his own propaganda. So when the US does something questionable or bad, by definition it can't be because the US is "the greatest country in the world". So in other words, everything the US does is right. This is really how he convinces himself that waterboarding terrorists was not only justified but the right thing to do.
The British on the other hand have never come to terms with the fact that they have no Empire anymore (or maybe it's just a cultural trait) and go on about things as if people outside the UK give a shit - guess what, they don't. I can't think I can ever recall having a conversation about some sort of international event and anyone saying, "well the British think this". The Russians, the Chinese, the Germans, the Americans, even the Japanese, but not the British.
This is the reason Britain had such a big Empire imo, this innate culture of going around the world telling people what they should be doing and thinking.
This is one of the big advantages of living in Canada. Everyone in Canada knows that no-one outside of Canada really gives a crap what we think so people tend to be more laid back and a bit more open to new ideas.
In the US, well, it's the "greatest country in the world" so by definition everything they do is the greatest in the world. I call it "Dick Cheney" syndrome. He actually believes his own propaganda. So when the US does something questionable or bad, by definition it can't be because the US is "the greatest country in the world". So in other words, everything the US does is right. This is really how he convinces himself that waterboarding terrorists was not only justified but the right thing to do.
The British on the other hand have never come to terms with the fact that they have no Empire anymore (or maybe it's just a cultural trait) and go on about things as if people outside the UK give a shit - guess what, they don't. I can't think I can ever recall having a conversation about some sort of international event and anyone saying, "well the British think this". The Russians, the Chinese, the Germans, the Americans, even the Japanese, but not the British.
Apr 22nd 2014, 2:29 am
#89
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,532
Re: Any British on here who are living in Florida?
The US is a very jingoistic country but on the other hand Britain has it's own brand of jingoism, which I call: being the world's most opinionated people on subjects they know nothing about. Although Americans do that too, but in the UK it's more homogenous, "right think".
This is the reason Britain had such a big Empire imo, this innate culture of going around the world telling people what they should be doing and thinking.
This is one of the big advantages of living in Canada. Everyone in Canada knows that no-one outside of Canada really gives a crap what we think so people tend to be more laid back and a bit more open to new ideas.
In the US, well, it's the "greatest country in the world" so by definition everything they do is the greatest in the world. I call it "Dick Cheney" syndrome. He actually believes his own propaganda. So when the US does something questionable or bad, by definition it can't be because the US is "the greatest country in the world". So in other words, everything the US does is right. This is really how he convinces himself that waterboarding terrorists was not only justified but the right thing to do.
The British on the other hand have never come to terms with the fact that they have no Empire anymore (or maybe it's just a cultural trait) and go on about things as if people outside the UK give a shit - guess what, they don't. I can't ever recall having a conversation about some sort of international event and anyone saying, "well the British think this". The Russians, the Chinese, the Germans, the Americans, even the Japanese, but not the British.
This is the reason Britain had such a big Empire imo, this innate culture of going around the world telling people what they should be doing and thinking.
This is one of the big advantages of living in Canada. Everyone in Canada knows that no-one outside of Canada really gives a crap what we think so people tend to be more laid back and a bit more open to new ideas.
In the US, well, it's the "greatest country in the world" so by definition everything they do is the greatest in the world. I call it "Dick Cheney" syndrome. He actually believes his own propaganda. So when the US does something questionable or bad, by definition it can't be because the US is "the greatest country in the world". So in other words, everything the US does is right. This is really how he convinces himself that waterboarding terrorists was not only justified but the right thing to do.
The British on the other hand have never come to terms with the fact that they have no Empire anymore (or maybe it's just a cultural trait) and go on about things as if people outside the UK give a shit - guess what, they don't. I can't ever recall having a conversation about some sort of international event and anyone saying, "well the British think this". The Russians, the Chinese, the Germans, the Americans, even the Japanese, but not the British.
Canada is an interesting case. It was a major military power until the end of WWII. Still developing military aircraft until the late 50s. And until the 1930s, Canada was a place British people lived and went out to rule the Empire (soldiers, civil servants etc.). And of course, supplied British Prime Ministers and press barons etc.
