What did you think of the U.S., before you moved here?
Aug 1st 2007, 1:46 pm
#1
Unmitigated Gall
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What did you think of the U.S., before you moved here?
Before you ever moved or visited, what images popped into your head when you thought about life over here? Cowboys and indians? Red carpet celebrities? Racist bible thumping rednecks? Amber waves of grain? A nation without poor?
I'll admit that when I think of England I think of the typical touristy stuff, Red phone booths, double decker busses, gray misty weather, everybody carrying an umbrella, Dickensonian urchins groveling in the streets, (I'll be very dissapointed if I ever visit and there are no urchins!) narrow roads and tiny cars. I figure my perceptions are about 5 decades off (Thanks Disney!
) if not more... Of course, having never been there, and not seeing much of the "real" modern England in the media here, my perceptions were formed by all the old Disney stuff to an extent. Being a member here is helping to change that, of course...
Kind of an odd question I know, but it's early, I'm curious and I think the answers will be interesting. To me anyway.
I'll admit that when I think of England I think of the typical touristy stuff, Red phone booths, double decker busses, gray misty weather, everybody carrying an umbrella, Dickensonian urchins groveling in the streets, (I'll be very dissapointed if I ever visit and there are no urchins!) narrow roads and tiny cars. I figure my perceptions are about 5 decades off (Thanks Disney!
) if not more... Of course, having never been there, and not seeing much of the "real" modern England in the media here, my perceptions were formed by all the old Disney stuff to an extent. Being a member here is helping to change that, of course...Kind of an odd question I know, but it's early, I'm curious and I think the answers will be interesting. To me anyway.
Aug 1st 2007, 2:43 pm
#3
Unmitigated Gall
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Aug 1st 2007, 2:50 pm
#4
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Re: What did you think of the U.S., before you moved here?
I look back now and wonder what was I thinking at the time, I blame myself for watching to many American programmes 
and being as my USC OH had been living out of the country himself for 8 years, so there for he was guilty of rose tinted glasses.
and being as my USC OH had been living out of the country himself for 8 years, so there for he was guilty of rose tinted glasses.
Aug 1st 2007, 2:51 pm
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Aug 1st 2007, 2:53 pm
#6
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Re: What did you think of the U.S., before you moved here?
I arrived here on Sunday. Have not come across any street urchins. Or chavs for that matter. Plenty of people partaking of European street-cafe culture though.
Everyone seems remarkable cheerful and polite - including the ladies who manned the phone at the Inland Revenue and British Gas
Grocery stores do not offer 34 different varieties of Ranch dressing
, but their delicatessen counters would make your mouth water.Luckily I brought the nice weather with me. And I had dinner at Nando's on Monday...
Last edited by Elvira; Aug 1st 2007 at 3:00 pm.
Aug 1st 2007, 2:58 pm
#7
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Re: What did you think of the U.S., before you moved here?
Don't forget Putney!!
I arrived here on Sunday. Have not come across and street urchins. Or chavs for that matter. Plenty of people partaking of European street-cafe culture though.
Everyone seems remarkable cheerful and polite - including the ladies who manned the phone at the Inland Revenue and British Gas
Grocery stores do not offer 34 different varieties of Ranch dressing, but their delicatessen counters would make your mouth water.
Luckily I brought the nice weather with me. And I had dinner at Nando's on Monday...
I arrived here on Sunday. Have not come across and street urchins. Or chavs for that matter. Plenty of people partaking of European street-cafe culture though.
Everyone seems remarkable cheerful and polite - including the ladies who manned the phone at the Inland Revenue and British Gas
Grocery stores do not offer 34 different varieties of Ranch dressing
, but their delicatessen counters would make your mouth water.Luckily I brought the nice weather with me. And I had dinner at Nando's on Monday...
Aug 1st 2007, 3:00 pm
#8
Unmitigated Gall
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Re: What did you think of the U.S., before you moved here?
Don't blame yourself, there's no way to tell what a place is really like until you live there. And in your Hubs line of work, it's not like you could live anywhere you wanted either, being stuck in a place you don't like would suck. I've heard that living on Base is an experience unto itself... Espescially enlisted housing, there's always some drama.
Aug 1st 2007, 3:08 pm
#9
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Re: What did you think of the U.S., before you moved here?
Don't blame yourself, there's no way to tell what a place is really like until you live there. And in your Hubs line of work, it's not like you could live anywhere you wanted either, being stuck in a place you don't like would suck. I've heard that living on Base is an experience unto itself... Espescially enlisted housing, there's always some drama.
Aug 1st 2007, 3:23 pm
#10
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Re: What did you think of the U.S., before you moved here?
Don't forget Putney!!
I arrived here on Sunday. Have not come across any street urchins. Or chavs for that matter. Plenty of people partaking of European street-cafe culture though.
Everyone seems remarkable cheerful and polite - including the ladies who manned the phone at the Inland Revenue and British Gas
Grocery stores do not offer 34 different varieties of Ranch dressing, but their delicatessen counters would make your mouth water.
Luckily I brought the nice weather with me. And I had dinner at Nando's on Monday...
I arrived here on Sunday. Have not come across any street urchins. Or chavs for that matter. Plenty of people partaking of European street-cafe culture though.
Everyone seems remarkable cheerful and polite - including the ladies who manned the phone at the Inland Revenue and British Gas
Grocery stores do not offer 34 different varieties of Ranch dressing
, but their delicatessen counters would make your mouth water.Luckily I brought the nice weather with me. And I had dinner at Nando's on Monday...
Aug 1st 2007, 3:27 pm
#13
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Re: What did you think of the U.S., before you moved here?
Aug 1st 2007, 3:29 pm
#15
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Re: What did you think of the U.S., before you moved here?
Don't forget Putney!!
I arrived here on Sunday. Have not come across any street urchins. Or chavs for that matter. Plenty of people partaking of European street-cafe culture though.
Everyone seems remarkable cheerful and polite - including the ladies who manned the phone at the Inland Revenue and British Gas
Grocery stores do not offer 34 different varieties of Ranch dressing, but their delicatessen counters would make your mouth water.
Luckily I brought the nice weather with me. And I had dinner at Nando's on Monday...
I arrived here on Sunday. Have not come across any street urchins. Or chavs for that matter. Plenty of people partaking of European street-cafe culture though.
Everyone seems remarkable cheerful and polite - including the ladies who manned the phone at the Inland Revenue and British Gas
Grocery stores do not offer 34 different varieties of Ranch dressing
, but their delicatessen counters would make your mouth water.Luckily I brought the nice weather with me. And I had dinner at Nando's on Monday...
Have a great time El.