I’ve officially been living in the U.K for 3 years now. Wow! It feels like yesterday that I was selling my car and packing my suitcases for the big move. Since living here I’ve been asked a few times if I’ve grown to love the UK. Do I miss Canada? Would I move back?
I love living in England and wouldn’t have it any other way. That probably wouldn’t have been my answer if you asked me a few months into the move but every adventure has its ups and downs.
We might share our Queen and the English language but there are quite a few BIG differences. I figured why not share a few that I think are funny and/or some I’m still getting used too.
#1. Driving in England
Driving on the “wrong side of the road”. Technically the Brits are correct, driving on the left. I was basically forced to learn how to drive when my husband bought me a car for my birthday and said I had to drive it to get back home. Funny guy right.. but I’m so happy he did because now I find driving in England as easy as driving in Canada. It took me a few weeks, maybe a month to get used to driving on the other side of the car, on the other side of the road but now I’ve even been told I’m a better driver in England than in Canada. Thanks mom 😉
#2. Drinking tea all day, every day
Brits love a good cuppa, and no they don’t have afternoon tea and cakes every day at 1 pm. While most Canadians will enjoy a cup once in a while, and a nice iced tea in the summer, here they drink tea winter like summer. It’s +25 outside and my husband is sat in the garden (backyard) drinking a hot cuppa.
#3. Coffee a.k.a Tim Hortons
Now, this is a funny one. I thought I liked coffee…Canadians love their Timmies, a double-double in the morning, and an ice cap in the afternoon. Ohh and don’t forget the Tim bits. I never realized how weak our coffee was compared to Europe. My husband who is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur says Tim Horton’s coffee is not considered coffee but more like burnt water. Let’s just say Tim Horton’s coffee is VERY weak compared to the coffee here whereas you feel you’re chewing on the bean itself.
#4. Eggs are a different colour
Eggs are brown, not white and you can buy them in a box of 6. Apparently, the colour of the shell has to do with the breed of the chicken. The first time I bought eggs and saw the brown shell I was a bit weirded out, but besides the colour, there’s no difference in taste or nutrition.
#5. The english language
In the beginning, I struggled with the accent, I would go into restaurants and really had difficulty understanding what the server was saying or the other way around. Then, to make things more complicated I realized so many words are said differently or have a completely different meaning.
- Thank you is Cheers
- Chips are Crisps and fries are chips… I still get very confused and always order the wrong one in restaurants.
- A sweater is a jumper
- Pants are trousers and underwear are called pants. I would always ask the girls before going out if they’re wearing pants? Meaning pants or a dress but for the Brits, I was asking them if they’re wearing underwear.. oops.
- Soccer is Football
- The highway is a motorway
- Gas is petrol
- An apartment is a flat
- A baby’s diaper is nappy
- Garbage is rubbish
- They don’t take the metro but take the tube to work
- People don’t smoke a cigarette but they smoke fags.