USA to UK relocation guide
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- cherub0
"I'm still trying to get my head around how Wales could be better than Texas."
Wales is the butt of every joke, and I tend to side with the underdog in a David and Goliath type way.
Besides, for someone from the states all the castles are kinda rad. I like the idea of walking around Dr. Who's stomping ground lol.
Took some photos. None of England tho, I never got to see England while I was there except paddington. I'm still upset about that.
- breadlegz0
If you're a Peaky Blinders fan, come to Birmingham... we still dreess and talk like Thomas Shelby.
- wow another brummie on this site.fadein11
- You'm welcome bab.Morning_star
- Doris_McSquirter1
Portmerion is nice.
- cherub0
Time. How could I forget time. I switched my mobile to 24 hour format when I was there, and kept it that way after coming back so I don't have to get disoriented all over again when I go back.
- I don't think this one is universal tbf, more so on mobile phones if anything. Ain't no one gonna be like "let's meet for tea and biscuits at preciselykalkal
- thirteen hundred hours. Pip pip."kalkal
- Uk websites use 24 hour format, and the train times are too. But come to think of it, I never heard a person say 13 hundred. They would just say meet me at 1.cherub
- Honestly thought this one was an Americanism which we'd adopted, don't remember seeing this format much in the 90'skalkal
- kalkal0
kicking off = starting up / get going - Also arguing or starting a fight
Cheeky - going a bit too far with either humour or a request for something that might not be deserved. Two very different uses.
Housing options? Never even heard this myself
Mind - as in "mind yourself"? because this would be more like... "watch yourself"
Not sure what relation meant/supposed are supposed to have either.
- Mind as in, "mind you don't drive to fast down this road."cherub
- Meant as in, "We were meant to stay at the pub until 1 but it closed early.". In American english we would say "supposed" right there, not meant.cherub
- We might also say "mind you" as an alternative to "on the other hand" too :)kalkal
- https://www.youtube.…
Obviously slightly out of date, I like to think it's quite relevant still though...kalkal - "Mind" is starting to get awkward to think about in my mind... oof so awkward and I realize you're right. It's not remember.cherub
- It sticks out in my memory because my ex used to say it constantly.cherub
- cherub0
It costs nothing to register, but you technically aren't supposed to access the NHS on a 6 month tourist visa, according to the Home Office. The reason for this is in the UK there is a legal concept called "leave" and this is where it gets complicated. You can have "leave to enter" (like I did) but not "leave to remain" (like I didn't have but wish I did lol). "Leave to enter" means simply, the home office says you can COME IN to the UK but not necessarily stay. "Leave to remain" means you have permission from the home office which will allow you to stay past the all important 6 month period (for first time visitors to the UK). In other words, you have a right to be there.
"Leave to remain" is connected to the NHS such that, since you have leave to remain you can access social services such as the NHS, and you'll be able to apply for a national insurance number.
These things are important for establishing what we might call "residence" in the US.
- Once you have established yourself with a local adress, a local GP, ect... it will make the difficult process of getting a current account much much easier.cherub
- Beeswax0
Wales means Ian Rush for me
- raf1
> Even if only going for a visit, you'll want to know how to speak like the locals. I was in Wales, but here is a list of slang I made that should help you.
That's mostly true for non-English-as-their-first-langu... speakers.
Learn that shit, of course, understand it and use it but bear in mind Americans are perfectly understood in UK and Ireland. They sound ridiculous when trying to blend in too much.
More importantly, do not change your accent. That will only lose you respect, on both sides of the pond. You will get stuck in an accent limbo — will never sound like them and will sound ridiculous to your folks.
You don't want to sound like Madonna.
- BusterBoy0
And aluminium is pronounced ALOOMINEEUM not ALOOMENUM.
- cherub0
@nairn: food is cheaper in the uk as long as you prepare it yourself. at worst(takeaway), it's exactly the same. look below, these are cardiff prices for a thai entre(average £9), and a cookie shake(£3.99). At current exchange rate, that's $11.23 for the entree, and $4.99 for the shake. Compare that shake price, with the cost of a flavored frappe or fruit smoothie at my local coffee shop - $5.
but like I said, that's only true for takeaway. Buy it at Sainsbury's, Tesco, or Coop and it's cheaper, even after you factor in the conversion rate.
So much so, it makes me jealous what you pay for food. The pound has awesome buying power, I don't care what anybody says. The pound is king of europe.
The tenner I brought back with me is my favorite thing I brought back from the uk. I showed it to some Americans in Houston and they were amazed lol.