10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

Gosh...with the exception of British Expats (for the staying in touch with people on Social Media because they are 'British') I am happy to say I am guilt free on the rest of the weird things list:thumbup:

How many weirdnesses do the rest of you indulge in?

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

pecked - the first three on the list for me, the rest is all hogwash

I suppose an American or Canadian in the UK would have pretty much the same weird list

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

Watching old British television shows just to get a taste of the Mother country.
Nope. I did watch a couple of American things thinking I wouldn't watch if I had access to something better....and then when better came along (access to UK/European stuff) I stopped watching the inferior. This is not to say that much of good TV these days is actually America produced like the brilliant Breaking Bad.

Eating British food we’d never touch in the U.K.
Nope.

Changing our speaking voice at the drop of a hat (or the ring of a phone).
Nope. I still refuse to say Laaht'ns even though the taxi drivers never understand me when I pronounce Lawtons.

Staying “friends” with Brits on social media simply because, well, they’re British.
Nope.

Meeting Brits for coffee or drinks we’d probably avoid in the U.K.
Nope.

Offering tea as a show of sympathy, support or celebration.
:confused:

Adopting American vocabulary with the exception of one single, solitary word.
I do tend to say elevator, parking lot and sidewalk but that's pretty much it.

Starting conversations with complete strangers we suspect might be British.
Once. I was behind them in the post office queue.
There's one British accent in town but I avoid contact as it's owner sounds such a snob.

Buying stuff with flags on.
Attracted by the display if there's a suggestion of something I would like, but not buying it for the flag.

Stalking someone in the store we think might be British.
Listening to see if it really does sound like it but not following around.

I can, however, relate to the thoughts under the headings in the article.

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

Number 7 - I found when doing reading with younger children at my kids school I couldn't say 'Mom' in a convincing way. I'm getting pretty good at 'awesome' though.

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

with the high 5's

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

It was only after moving abroad that I though either a Jaguar or some sort of Land Rover could be a sensible purchase.

(Obviously Aston Martin has always been sensible...)

And only last week I felt the need to put a union jack on my bike jacket- although it was a subdued black/white one.

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

I watch UK shows because I like them, not because of some sense of loss or wishing to reconnect with the UK.

The vocabulary one, yup, but I don't see that as some kind of bad thing, it's part of the assimilating into a new country thing. I do know a few people to do steadfastly refuse to switch things, for example, say parking lot rather than car park, and then act bemused when others give them quizzical looks as they don't know what they are going on about. I suspect these would also be the same people, who, back in the UK, would bang on about "foreigners" who don't adapt / adopt british terminology for things. Double-standards methinks.

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

Absolutely. You never know when that ejector seat will come in handy.

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

Ah, you just reminded me of something I wanted to say earlier.

I did find a few years ago that I watched a couple of Brit shows on TV that I probably wouldn't have watched living in the UK.

I remember mentioning them to a friend and his lukewarm response made me think perhaps I had been starved of something better.

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

I liked the old Heartbeat, The Cafe, Last of the Summer Wine and Doc Martin. Perhaps I'm subconsciously identifying with the old codgers in those shows.

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

One of the locals suggested I try Peep Show. couldn't handle it, felt way too much Office (obviously UK version) like, which just makes my flesh crawl, so much so I cannot watch it.

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

Last night I was watching some fast show. It's very hit and miss- the Scorchio sketches are just pure unfunny now- but unlucky alf and his parrot had me in stitches.

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

Last night I tried watching some Fawlty Towers...so excrutiatingly bad now. Fast Show I used to like Suits you, Sir. Peep Show is hit and miss, but when it hits it's very funny.

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America
 

Yes, I took it out of the library a while back, so my son could see what I watched as a kid...he loved it....but I found it dreadful....excruciating was the word.