I grew up in southeast England but moved to Atlanta in 2009 and New York in 2011.
While I love living here, there are many things I miss about life in the UK.
The food, the sayings, the sense of humor, and even the commercials just aren't the same.
When I moved to the US, I was surprised by how much of a culture shock I experienced.In front of the Manhattan skyline in 2013.
Lydia Warren/Insider
I lived in Atlanta for a year in 2009, and after returning to the UK for about 15 months, I moved to New York in 2011, and I've lived here ever since. Coming from the UK — where the language is the same, and music, movies, and TV are steeped in American culture — I hadn't anticipated just how different life in the US was going to be.
Now after more than 10 years living in the US, I'm still acutely aware of the many differences, and while I love my life here, there are things about the UK that I miss.
It may have a bad reputation, but I miss British food, from roast dinners and endless cups of tea, to Walkers crisps and pasties.Walkers crisps.
Lydia Warren/Insider
British people have long been derided for their cuisine but, to me, there's nothing more comforting than Yorkshire puddings, butter-slathered crumpets, and strong cups of tea.
Because I grew up with them, British snacks are more nostalgic (and delicious) than those on offer in the US. While the US has Lay's chips, the UK has Walkers, with unexpected flavors like prawn cocktail and pickled onion. Chocolate, like Cadbury's, is creamier than the kind you can buy here.
And while there are some delicious cuisines I didn't have much access to before moving to the US, such as Mexican food, I miss other cuisines that seemed so much more commonplace there, such as British Indian food.
America has sports bars, dive bars, and swanky rooftop bars, but nothing compares to the great British pub.With my husband at the pub.
Lydia Warren/Insider
There's nothing like taking a muddy country walk to a pub, where you'll order a pint of bitter and a packet of crisps to share over a sticky table with friends, family, or other locals. It's the best place to hunker down in the winter because there's always a fire crackling in the corner, and summertime means pub gardens and chips in the sunshine.
While New York has an incredible diversity of bars, I don't think any come close to having the cozy ambience or sense of community found in a pub. It's often the first place I head after landing back in the UK.
I miss being understood whenever I meet new people because of my accent and the words I use.When I say "water," Americans always ask me to repeat myself.
Getty Images/Matt Cardy
If you're British, you can forget using great, emotive words like "chuffed," "knackered," or "wonky" if you want to be understood in America.
If I used British words here, I'd be forever repeating or explaining myself. It means I've slowly adopted American words and intonation instead. These days I say "sidewalk" instead of "the pavement," and "zucchini" instead of "courgette."
My accent also means Americans sometimes struggle to understand what I'm saying. For example, "water" is a word that sounds totally different in my English accent. I always get flustered and frustrated when I'm trying to order a glass of water in a restaurant and have to repeat myself again and again to be understood.
Sometimes it gets to the point that I ask my husband to call places on my behalf just because I can't take repeating myself again.
Americans are more direct in how they communicate, and sometimes I miss the shared understanding of biting one's tongue.President Trump with Queen Elizabeth in 2019.
DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Americans can be more forthright. They talk about their feelings and discuss subjects that would be off-limits in the UK, such as money ... and their feelings.
While I'd argue there's nothing wrong with this, sometimes I also miss the shared, unspoken understanding that British people have when it comes to communication — that is, that you're supposed to apologize all the time, regularly mention the weather, avoid talking about money at all costs, and maintain a stiff upper lip. I'm English through and through, so it's been a bumpy ride getting used to the American way of communicating. Plus, now when I go back to the UK, I worry I've become far too crass.
I also miss the British sense of humor — some of it just won't fly here.Hosts of the "8 Out of 10 Cats" comedy TV show.
Courtesy Channel 4
Of course there are plenty of funny people in the US, but the type of humor is different. When I first moved to Atlanta, I learned very quickly that sarcasm is not in everyone's language, and I regularly had to add "just kidding!" after seeing the horror on people's faces.
It's the comedy on offer, too. There's just no equivalent to the British comedy panel shows, like "8 Out of 10 Cats" or "Have I Got News for You." These TV shows are quick-witted and cutting, hosted by comedians I've watched since I was young.
When I meet British people in the US, our shared sense of humor is something I notice right away.
The UK has its centuries-old history and deeply ingrained sense of tradition.Historic street in Winchester, England.
Lydia Warren/Insider
It took me moving to the US to realize just how old things are in the UK. (The oldest recorded town in the UK, Colchester, dates back to at least 77 AD.) The historic buildings, higgledy-piggledy streets, cobblestoned roads, and thatched roofs create a sense of charm and authenticity.
Of course, Native American populations have lived in what is now the US for thousands of years, and I've visited many beautiful, historic towns and sights across the US. However, to me, the UK's quaint towns, centuries-old architecture, and the stories behind them just can't be beat.
Marks & Spencer is a British institution that just doesn't have an equivalent in the US.A Marks & Spencer store in Liverpool, England.
Moomusician/Shutterstock
Marks & Spencer is a British department store found in every town and city that sells clothing, food, and home goods, and everyone in the UK buys their underwear there. Its supermarket section — M&S Food — has fresh produce and flowers, as well as high-quality pre-packaged meals, and it's the best place to grab lunch if you're on the go. It also sells a raspberry-flavored jelly candy called "Percy Pigs" and the whole country gets mad if there's even the smallest tweak to the recipe.
A decade of living here and American supermarkets still confuse me — I miss their British counterparts, such as Tesco or Sainsbury's.Customers in a Sainsbury's store in Redhill, Surrey.
Reuters
This might sound like a dull one, but if you're like me and think about food 90% of the time, then it's possible you'll understand just how much joy a supermarket visit can bring. Even after 10 years, I can't get my head around how US supermarkets do things, from how they're organized to the still-alien products on the shelves. Plus, whereas supermarkets in the UK have aisles of wine and spirits, there's often only beer to be found here.
For all the criticism it comes under, I'll admit it: I miss the British media.British newspapers.
Robert Alexander/Getty Images
Every week when I lived in London, I used to go to my local newsagents and buy a copy of every Sunday newspaper across the media spectrum, from The Observer to The Sunday Telegraph to the (now-defunct) News of the World. I'd devour them over jam on toast and cups of tea: I loved the long reads and investigations that appealed to different demographics, and the style and comment supplements would keep me busy for the week to come.
Obviously the US has its equivalents, such as the Sunday edition of the New York Times, but again, for me it's a nostalgia thing and — perhaps because I work in media — a respect and appreciation for the history and craft of Fleet Street.
British newscasters tend to be a bit more low-key than some of their US counterparts.British newscaster Jon Snow drinks a cup of tea during a Channel 4 News break.
Michael Walters - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images
After watching the news in the US for a decade, I'm always surprised, and charmed, by how quiet British newsreaders are. There's no big hair or makeup, and — while shouting matches do happen — they feel rare compared to what sometimes happens on TV in the US.
Here, we usually know where TV networks fall on the political spectrum, but British broadcasters don't align themselves in the same way: The government-approved Office of Communications acts as a watchdog over broadcasters to ensure they're staying accurate, objective, and impartial.
While GB News has recently brought more of a US style to British news with its opinion-led broadcasts, traditionally, British broadcast media makes for more straightforward, calmer newstelling where different sides of the argument are given screen time.
I also miss the TV commercials, where companies show off their sense of humor and don't peddle medicines.A John Lewis Christmas ad.
John Lewis
Relatives and friends always comment on American commercials when they come to visit — how they're shocked to see pharmaceutical drugs advertised with a long list of terms, conditions, and side effects read off at the end.
By comparison, the UK produces quirky, comical commercials in which the hard-sell is a little bit gentler. They even have the power to bring the country together: Every holiday season, the release of companies' big-budget Christmas adverts, like those by department store John Lewis (pictured), is a huge event anticipated by the whole country.
After paying for healthcare, I miss the National Health Service, where I didn't have to pay a penny, and anyone can get healthcare, regardless of income.Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, looks at a tribute to NHS workers.
BEN BIRCHALL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Despite the excellent level of care I have received and the kindness I have experienced from medical staff during my time in the US, I remain bitter that — on top of paying monthly for health insurance — I have to cough up a co-pay every time I visit the doctor or dentist.
In the UK, my doctor appointments and treatments never cost a penny, so I went far more often. The free-for-all system means that sometimes you have to wait for an appointment, but you will get one, rather than not being seen at all. You also won't end up with a bill that you simply can't afford — one ER visit last year cost me almost $1,000.
For all the criticisms that British people love to throw at the NHS, I now realize how much I took it for granted when I lived there.
I also miss being able to vote in a country where I live, work, and pay taxes.Voting booths.
Michael Reaves/Getty
I am extremely fortunate to have been able to move to the US and to have stayed here for as long as I have. But many people, both Americans and Brits included, are surprised when I tell them I still can't vote in the US. Immigration processes can be slow, as well as expensive, and I was married for four years before I had a green card. I'm still years away from citizenship, if that's something I choose.
As many immigrants will understand, there's something unfulfilling about economically contributing to a society in which you have no say.
Of course, I miss being around family and friends I've known my whole life.Family in the UK.
Lydia Warren/Insider
I've met some incredible people during my time in the US, but I definitely miss being around people who've known me longer than 10 years. Social media and WhatsApp make it relatively easy to stay in touch, but unfortunately these apps can't replace weddings, holidays, or my mum's cooking.
Частные объявления в Вашем городе, в Вашем регионе и в России
Smi24.net — ежеминутные новости с ежедневным архивом. Только у нас — все главные новости дня без политической цензуры. "123 Новости" — абсолютно все точки зрения, трезвая аналитика, цивилизованные споры и обсуждения без взаимных обвинений и оскорблений. Помните, что не у всех точка зрения совпадает с Вашей. Уважайте мнение других, даже если Вы отстаиваете свой взгляд и свою позицию. Smi24.net — облегчённая версия старейшего обозревателя новостей 123ru.net. Мы не навязываем Вам своё видение, мы даём Вам срез событий дня без цензуры и без купюр. Новости, какие они есть —онлайн с поминутным архивом по всем городам и регионам России, Украины, Белоруссии и Абхазии. Smi24.net — живые новости в живом эфире! Быстрый поиск от Smi24.net — это не только возможность первым узнать, но и преимущество сообщить срочные новости мгновенно на любом языке мира и быть услышанным тут же. В любую минуту Вы можете добавить свою новость - здесь.