Ask the American Expatriate

[meegannie]

I couldn't think of another (favourable or neutral!) adjective to describe me.

And I'm bored.

 

[BVS]

So when and why did you move?

What's the penguin's name?

 

[Irvine511]

do you find you drink much more than you did when you lived in the US?

do you find yourself defending the US in much stronger terms than you would ever use at home?

what do you wish you could change about the US, based on your experience living abroad?

what do you miss most about the US?

what do you think your host country could learn from the US?

what do you think the US could learn from your host country?

(i was an expat for a while, too)

 

[Judah]

Are your teeth in better or worse condition?

Do you sense any prevalence of "patriotism" with regard to the British Army being in Iraq or is it all negativism about the war?

What's more cool? Cricket or Baseball? (Growing up in Pakistan, i have my biases.)

 

[nbcrusader]

What food do you miss the most (grocery or restaurant)?

 

[pax]

Megan, I actually have quite a few questions for you. I'm glad you posted this thread, so I don't feel quite as odd about asking.

Would you mind if I PMd you or e-mailed you?

 

[Vorsprung]

What do you miss least about the US?

 

[Doozer61]

will you ever live in the US again?

 

[deep]

Is there any truth to this Big Ben thing?

 

[Judah]

Must be sleepy time in Norwich right now.

 

[meegannie]

I didn't actually expect to get any questions!

So when and why did you move?

What's the penguin's name?

I moved to England in June 2003 to do an MA in Modern History, then got married last August, so I'm here indefinitely.

The penguin's name is Demarcus Beasley.

 

[Vorsprung]

The penguin's name is Demarcus Beasley.

So what do you think of PSV's chances against Olympique Lyonnais??

 

[meegannie]

do you find you drink much more than you did when you lived in the US?

Probably less, actually, but I've never been much of a drinker. When I worked in DC, I went to lots of receptions with free alcohol and went to a lot of gigs where I had a drink or two. I don't really do much socially here (though part of the reason I'm not very social is that I don't drink much), and alcohol makes me very, very depressed for several days if I've had a few drinks, so I only really drink the occassional glass of wine with dinner.

do you find yourself defending the US in much stronger terms than you would ever use at home?

I wouldn't say much stronger because I'm very non-confrontational and usually don't say anything unless someone directly asks my opinion, but my dislike of many things about the US has defintely mellowed since moving away. I do get annoyed when people make sweeping generalizations about all Americans, though.

what do you wish you could change about the US, based on your experience living abroad?

Healthcare is probably the one serious thing I would change about the US. While there are some things I find frustrating about the NHS, it's nice to be able to go to the doctor about things I wouldn't have when I lived in the US, and it's good to know that if I have to have any tests done or if I needed emergency care I wouldn't have to worry about the cost.

what do you miss most about the US?

This is probably just indicative of my own laziness , but I miss the familiarity of the US. Even after living here for almost two years, I still constantly have moments when I realize I have no idea where to go to purchase a particular item (or what section of the shop it would be in) or I discover that something I could easily get in the US isn't sold here. I'm not a UK citizen yet and won't qualify for permanent residency until September 2006, so I'm not elligible for certain things (home fees at universities, benefits, etc.), and there are so many things I have to go through a lot of red tape and paperwork to do and things like taxes and pensions that I have to learn how to do correctly in this country.

I also miss free drink refills, 7-Eleven, and the general kitschiness of so many things in America.

what do you think your host country could learn from the US?

How to install electrical sockets in bathrooms. Window screens.

what do you think the US could learn from your host country?

How to not take everything so seriously. How make better chocolate. Sausage and mash.

 

[meegannie]

Are your teeth in better or worse condition?

Worse, definitely. Despite the fact that neither my husband nor anyone else I know here drinks tea, I drink excessive amounts and whitening toothpastes here aren't as effective (or harsh, I guess, but who needs enamel? ) as American whitening products.

Do you sense any prevalence of "patriotism" with regard to the British Army being in Iraq or is it all negativism about the war?

I haven't really encountered much patriotism regarding the British Army in Iraq, but I haven't seen much military-oriented patriotism here overall (certainly not compared to the US, even before the war).

What's more cool? Cricket or Baseball? (Growing up in Pakistan, i have my biases.)

I don't like either, but I'd have to say baseball only because cricket lasts too long and takes up valuable TV time. Though now that Channel 4 no longer has the rights to the cricket, I don't have as much dislike for the sport in general since I won't have to see it anymore.

 

[meegannie]

What food do you miss the most (grocery or restaurant)?

Arby's, the Cheesecake Factory , cinnamon gum, most Mexican food, the huge selection of cake mixes and cereals in the US, grape flavoured things, brown sugar and cinnamom PopTarts, frozen Cokes, onion soup and ranch dressing mixes (to make dips), Fritos, chili dogs, marshmallow fluff... There seem to be more and more American foods every time I go grocery shopping, though, so I'm hoping a couple of those will eventually turn up here.

 

[meegannie]

Would you mind if I PMd you or e-mailed you?

Nope, go ahead. My e-mail address is agirlinthisvicinity(at)msn.com, but PMs are fine too.

 

[meegannie]

What do you miss least about the US?

The US media, the government, adverts every five minutes on TV, the serious lack of decent public transport in most areas, and longer work hours/less holiday time.

 

[meegannie]

will you ever live in the US again?

Possibly, but most likely not until I've gotten citizenship here (if it weren't for the fact that I have to have indefinite leave to remain first, I would qualify in June 2006, but since I don't qualify for ILR until September 2006, I can't apply for citizenship until after then). My husband and I both want to live abroad for at least a year at some point, but I don't know where we'll end up ulitimately.

 

[meegannie]

Is there any truth to this Big Ben thing?

I've seen Big Ben, so I'll say yes...? Or maybe no.... It's a mystery. Who knows, really?

 

[nbcrusader]

brown sugar and cinnamom PopTarts

Ha!!! I lived in London way back in 73-74 (I was in 4th grade). The one thing I really missed were PopTarts!



What is your reaction to British television? I remember only 3 or 4 channels way back then.

 

[meegannie]

So what do you think of PSV's chances against Olympique Lyonnais??

I know next to nothing about football (though I do understand the offside rule and don't get why it's supposedly so hard for most non-football fans to grasp)...I just saw the name DeMarcus Beasley when my husband was looking at football scores last week.

 

[meegannie]

Ha!!! I lived in London way back in 73-74 (I was in 4th grade). The one thing I really missed were PopTarts!



What is your reaction to British television? I remember only 3 or 4 channels way back then.

We have PopTarts here, but just the strawberry and some other kind....though I've just looked at Tesco's website and they have strawberry, chocolate, cookies and cream, "chocomallow", and "burstin' berry" now, apparently (they didn't last time I was there or last time I ordered groceries online )!

We only have terrestrial TV, so we just get five channels. My husband's parents in London have Sky (digital satellite), so I've seen that when we lived there the past two summers. We have a Freeview (digital terrestrial) box which is supposed to allow us to watch about 20 additional channels, but we don't have the right type of aerial on our building. Anyway, I think the quality of TV is a tiny bit better than in the US (there are still WAY too many antiques, gardening, and home buying shows for my taste, but I like the commedies and documentaries better here), and we eventually get most US shows here (though several months late), so I don't miss much about US TV.

 

[Pearl]

Where else do you and your husband want to live?

 

[U2Bama]

There seem to be more and more American foods every time I go grocery shopping, though, so I'm hoping a couple of those will eventually turn up here.

But wouldn't that be yet another sad example of American culinary imperialism?

 

[joyfulgirl]

I do get annoyed when people make sweeping generalizations about all Americans, though.

What are most common sweeping generalizations about Americans do you hear these days?

What does a movie cost in US$?

What the hell is mash?

 

[meegannie]

Where else do you and your husband want to live?

Anywhere, really, but I imagine that if we do go abroad it'll be somewhere in the EU or the Commonwealth.

 

[meegannie]

But wouldn't that be yet another sad example of American culinary imperialism?

I don't care as long as I can have my cinnamon gum. Really, though, I don't think it's much of an issue since the American food I've found in grocery stores here is usually only available in very small quantities (TINY jars of peanut butter!), not in a lot of stores, and not at all advertised. There seem to be a lot of Americans in East Anglia (I read somewhere that it used to be called "Little America" during WWII, and there's still an Air Force base nearby), so I have an easier time finding American foods than I did when I lived in Nottingham, which is probably why I notice more every time I go shopping.

 

[meegannie]

What are most common sweeping generalizations about Americans do you hear these days?

Mostly things like all Americans are obese, stupid, loud, religious fundamentalists, American girls are all easy, etc. Usually people say things to me like "I thought all Americans were supposed to be loud, outgoing, confident, and very opinionated!" because I'm so quiet and shy (a lot of people -- including Canadians -- think I'm Canadian because I'm not stereotypically American [and because I've developed some kind of freak accent that most people can't identify!]).

What does a movie cost in US$?

I usually cheat and pretend to be a student which is £4 (around $7.70 USD), but a normal ticket is £5.50 ($10.50).

What the hell is mash?

Mashed potatoes. The sausage here is so much better than the American kind, though, so it goes really nicely with mashed potatoes and onion gravy.

 

[nbcrusader]

What other aspects of British cooking are we completely missing here in the US (i.e., things we overlook due to common perceptions of British cooking)?

 

[joyfulgirl]

Mostly things like all Americans are obese, stupid, loud, religious fundamentalists, American girls are all easy, etc. Usually people say things to me like "I thought all Americans were supposed to be loud, outgoing, confident, and very opinionated!" because I'm so quiet and shy (a lot of people -- including Canadians -- think I'm Canadian because I'm not stereotypically American [and because I've developed some kind of freak accent that most people can't identify!]).

What sources do they cite as evidence of this generalization? I used to have an Italian boyfriend and when I went to Italy to meet his friends and family one of his friends told me he expected a loud, blond, tough, chain-smoker like the women on "Dallas," and that was many, many years after "Dallas" but the impression was imprinted. I was horrified because I, like you, don't fit any American personality stereotype. I'm kinda quiet and reserved. In France the French always assume I'm French.

I usually cheat and pretend to be a student which is £4 (around $7.70 USD), but a normal ticket is £5.50 ($10.50).

That's cheaper than I thought. Someone who'd been to London in the last year told me movies were like $15.