British Expats - What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?

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Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveq (Post 12151239)

The story of the 3 little pigs is drilled into us from babyhood.....

My 4 yo had nightmares about this and he has never lived in a brick house.

Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?

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Originally Posted by Karlosthecackle (Post 12151276)

Oh, and going to a renaissance fair for the first time. All these American's walking around with terrible English accents is just a scream!

I had no idea that turkey legs were the main food source during the renaissance.

Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?

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Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing (Post 12151283)

Are you sure that's not a colloquialism? I don't know anyone round here who would call a Mansion (whether it's masonry construction or not) a castle.

It's hardly their fault the Normans never made it over here though ... :lol:

That's a little unfair, I've always enjoyed going to the Renaissance Faire just over the state line from us in Wisconsin. The participants always seemed like your typical amateur dramatics type crowd (and I'll admit I'm biased here, because I did community theatre for a while back home).

Other than it being a little historically inaccurate, I have a good time when I go. For a while, it was the only place around here where I could get a pint of cider.

Don't get me wrong, I find the fair entertaining. Walking around with a tankard of Ale and a Turkey leg the size of your head whilst a pair of guys i recognize as blue shirts from my local Best Buy swing away at each other with broadswords for entertainment is a great day out. I just find it strange to see that kind of thing in a country that's so "young"

It seems to be a common thing round here for people to refer to the houses in Newport as "castle houses" for some reason and if you google it, it's also a popular search that yields results

Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?

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Originally Posted by Karlosthecackle (Post 12151297)

I wasn't sure what to expect the first time I went but it was just good fun all round. The jousts and the falconry demonstrations are always good shows.

Also, historically accurate or not, turkey legs are the shit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karlosthecackle (Post 12151297)

It seems to be a common thing round here for people to refer to the houses in Newport as "castle houses" for some reason and if you google it, it's also a popular search that yields results

The US, probably a result of its size and how it developed and expanded throughout its history, is incredibly regional. This is probably another example of that.

Now, when we show people here photos of the preserved, 12th century castle that I grew up less than 2 miles away from back home, they are always suitably impressed.

Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?

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Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing (Post 12151302)

Now, when we show people here photos of the preserved, 12th century castle that I grew up less than 2 miles away from back home, they are always suitably impressed.

Heh, we were at a New Years party and my girlfriend (who grew up in Portsmouth) was showing some pictures of our last visit back where we were playing with the kids in Portchester Castle... Shocked faces all round :)

Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?

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Originally Posted by Karlosthecackle (Post 12151316)

Oh yeah, they love a good, proper old castle round my way. My wife, the first time she came out to visit me, was just as impressed with ruins as she was with the fully preserved castle I mentioned before. Though, to be fair, if you've ever seen Dunluce Castle perched on that cliff overlooking the Atlantic, you'd understand why.