EMBARRASSING Mistakes I've Made in the UK as an AMERICAN // American in the UK

From not knowing that I had to order my own food at the pub counter to answering "you alright?" with how I actually am, here are some of the embarrassing mistakes I've made in the UK as an American expat over the years!
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[@rowdyelitehater8595]

just want to say the mistakes you made are not to out there, I woudent have thought you got the bill given to you, thats weird.

[@Davey-Boyd]

In my local pub in Brighton a group of US tourists got angry because of 'the lack of service'. When we explained you have to order at the bar they were really apologetic. We called them over to our table then 'took the p-ss' out of them because we liked them. In fact they cottoned on to that pretty quickly and gave as good as they got. It was their first day here, they loved it and we all got quite drunk. They couldn't get their head around the pork scratchings though...

[@neilforeman3892]

I had pretty much the same experience when I was younger. A bunch of us, about 18/19 years old were in a pub in Harrow, north London, where we met a couple of American businessmen. At first they seemed a bit intimidated by us as we were loud and getting increasingly drunk. Anyway, on hearing their accents we invited them to join us and they very soon dropped their inhibitions and joined in the fun. We arranged to meet the next day for a Sunday lunchtime drink so we were relatively sober. They told us that they were shocked at how young we were, how drunk and how aggressive were were to one another, but in a non-violent physical sense. They were especially surprised how we would relentlessly take the piss out of someone and when we were finished we'd move on to someone else - everyone gets their turn. One of them dryly commented that if did that in some parts of the US we'd be shot. I'm not sure he was entirely joking.

[@speleokeir]

During my uni years we tried to introduce the foreign students to pork scratchings a number of times but they were never keen. It probably didn't help that we told them that sometimes they were crunchy, sometimes soggy and sometimes hairy and that they were made from the left over bits of pigs - mostly scrotums, sphincters and foreskins!

[@Davey-Boyd]

@@speleokeir I have had some fantastic pork scratchings in Northern Spain though, and they serve them fresh and hot!

[@apb3440]

I was once in a pub and stood next to a couple of Americans who actually ordered some pork scratchings, when I finished off my order with ‘and I’ll have a bag of dry, hairy pig fat as well please’ ……….the look on their faces was absolutely priceless.

[@richardwani2803]

They have pork scratchings in the USA but they call pork rinds instead

[@mgmasonbooks]

The second one - we would actually find it rude if they brought the bill with the food. It's perceived that they can't wait for you to leave. The only time this happened, me and my brother deliberately ordered a couple more drinks and a dessert.

[@brendanm6921]

That's the most gloriously passive aggressive thing I've ever read in my life!

[@joshuawiddowson3975]

That's actually a smart business practice. Make them spend more

[@TomLaceyJohnson]

This is because servers/waiters in the US don’t get paid a set wage and work off tips. So the more covers they can serve, the more money the server/waiter is going to make.

[@ddlee84]

@@TomLaceyJohnson I thought that would be the reason. I hate the way wages work in the States for waiters/servers, I've heard horror stories of Pizza shops getting the servers in to fold boxes and do the prep in the kitchen because they only get paid $3 an hour but the kitchen staff get $11 or something. The idea of that just makes me feel physically sick.

[@TheAverageGamer_CJ]

Same lol I'd be like wtf lol

[@garethfarman9540]

Bottled water in the UK is usually mineral water and not tap water in a bottle. Hence the 3 options

[@DitieBun]

and tap water is disgusting

[@pauloneill9880]

If someone insults you openly then it's usually because they do like you and feel confident enough to take the risky chance of the insult/gag. Example, to my girlfriend "c'mon ugly, hurry up".

[@DitieBun]

@@pauloneill9880 if it's a friend doing it yeah but if it's some random dude it's the opposite

[@Jsarson1976]

Nothing wrong with tap water in Wales 😀

[@kissywitch]

@@DitieBun nothing wrong at all with our tap water.

[@doyle8711]

Reginald D Hunter a US comedian living in the UK has a joke about how the British insult you in a way you won’t realise until weeks later it was an actual insult.

[@bernardthedisappointedowl6938]

He's great Mr Hunter, ^oo^

[@bernardthedisappointedowl6938]

@Chaz Indeed - and he made some good programs about music, well worth worth the watch - no doubt back on the iPlayer at some point, ^oo^

[@PIERCED6966]

Alot of them dont get British sarcasm, to this day I doubt the ones I lived with in the USA know I was insulting their intelligence.

[@MaryShelleysNib]

LOVE Reginald 😃

[@kreb7]

Well is the same with the police the interrogate you without realizing it until weeks later. This constable manage to find out about me everything including to see what I had in my wallet go through my cards student ID etc I thought was a polite conversation

[@bluevenom50]

I can just imagine how mortified the person was who said "alright" and you actually went into detail XD

[@jasonhendry8136]

The anxiety that would give me is relentless lol

[@Xenotric]

Brit: Y'alright? Murican: Brit:

[@sk8ergrrl1]

I can just imagine them dying a little inside hahaha

[@wolvesofthevoid1439]

The whole thing is based on the tone you use

[@brvn02]

Dude started saying wagwan from then on

[@Derry_Aire]

I once said to my French girlfriend "We should go to the Spar." She was gutted when we got there!

[@IanDarley]

Don't they have Spar shops in France, they're everywhere in Spain?

[@ekatep6362]

🤣🤣🤣

[@frankw1553]

@@IanDarley they do but you would just say supermarche unless the Spar is your local store

[@alexradojkovic9671]

Spar is also a German word meaning Save. I guess it's apt as long as they have low prices there.

[@Derry_Aire]

@@IanDarley Yes they do but they're few and far between. The French also pronounce the "r" in Spar.

[@johndell3642]

"You all right" can be a lot more nuanced. If you add the word "there" to the end it becomes an offer to help you. A shop assistant will say "You all right there?" as an offer to help you but leave you alone if you don't need help. Also, it can be a non-confrontational way of questioning what you are doing. For example, if you wander into an area you are not supposed to be, a Policeman or Security guard will usually say "You all right there?" rather than come right out and say "What are you doing here?" - Which, to British sensibilities is confrontational, almost rude.

[@thomasalbion1834]

I also don't think we necessarily use it the same in all parts of the UK, either that or its usage has massively increased since I was younger. As a native Brit, this caught me out when I went to university. It's an easy mistake for someone who hasn't grown up here to make.

[@pgking100]

There is a certain intonation as well "You all right?" said in a more jovial way is indeed just a greeting, but said more formally (such as saying in full "Are you alright?") is much more a genuine inquiry. Either way though for a real friend it can be ok to reveal particular problems or frustrations in response. It's just everyone else who doesn't really care or want to know what's actually up.

[@kerryh3833]

@@pgking100 I'd say listen to if they sound concerned or not to know if someone actually wants to know 🙂

[@ashessakura7518]

We use it this way in Merseyside but tend to change ‘there’ to ‘mate’ or ‘love’ XD

[@joshuaking8424]

With ‘alright’ the other other person also respond with ‘alright’. Literally is ‘I’m okay, I’m my normal self’. If we are actually asking how the person is feeling it more like ‘Are you okay?’ More direct as I can see your facial expression says something is wrong

[@torfrida6663]

We are only ever polite to people we don't like, and insult our friends.

[@MaryShelleysNib]

That is so freaking true. Why do we do that?! 😖

[@Bonzman]

@@MaryShelleysNibTerms of endearment 😄

[@Rudromukherjeenerv]

So true!

[@neilgriffiths6427]

Well...we can be polite to friends...but if we aren't polite, it either means we don't like you, or we do like you. Context is everything.

[@Rudromukherjeenerv]

@@neilgriffiths6427 Well I can only speak for myself, but generally, if I pick on someone, its because I like them! If I don't like someone, I generally ignore them or are just perfunctory and polite if in company.

[@lancefawcett1809]

Pub rule number one..if you go to the bar and another patron was there before you, and the bar tender offers to serve you first, you MUST say that the fellow drinker is before you, the other customer will thank you by saying cheers mate,and fisticuffs in the gents will be avoided.

[@christopherjz]

😂 so true

[@tanah6962]

It's just common sense and manners. You literally just arrived, the other person has been there already but some people live on their own world and don't realise.

[@ynysvon]

Yes that kind of ignorance is very annoying. Also it's always appreciated in a busy pub if someone who's been served moves over to give you access to the bar.

[@catherinerobilliard7662]

“Here comes trouble” = “It’s really nice to see you”

[@Roadent1241]

Really? I thought it was "Oh god here we go." I live here??????

[@kerryh3833]

@@Roadent1241 think it depends on whether they're smiling at you or not 😅

[@kerryh3833]

@@Roadent1241 and whether they say it to your face or mutter it under their breath..

[@jackzy4968]

@@Roadent1241 depends on the tone and look on their face tbh

[@eboniz]

@@Roadent1241 that’s the literal interpretation, but a certain intonation changes the meaning

[@michaeltb1358]

In general train doors only open automatically on the London Underground. The reason they don't elsewhere is mainly the weather. In winter you don't want doors opening unless someone needs it open.

[@GooseWaffe]

@Harry Miles South east lines generally are auto open

[@GooseWaffe]

@Harry Miles verrytt true

[@kerryh3833]

@Harry Miles I lived in London for 5 years and didn't take many overground trains the whole time I was there 😅

[@kerryh3833]

@Harry Miles what am I supposed to call them? The underground ones went under the ground, the others don't 😅

[@kerryh3833]

@Harry Miles actually I say that but a significant portion of my time there was taking an "underground" tube that was above ground most of the way (Boston manor to Hammersmith)

[@philipmason9537]

Nearly all European countries have the GROUND floor as the street level not just the U.K.

[@IanDarley]

This allows a US building of the same height to boast an extra floor 😜

[@CrazyInWeston]

But its not just that. Lifts (Elevators) in either country are programmed to stop at the floor you want. To say that she was confused is weird, because in BOTH countries lets say alright imma go to the 10th floor, you'd hit button number 10 in the lift (Elevator) cos its programmed that way, despite that in the UK it would be 1 floor higher. (11th floor in the US) I dont think she should have used lifts (Elevators) as a reference. She should've just plain up say that the ground floor in the US is called the first floor, but in the UK the first floor means the first floor above the ground.

[@barrysteven5964]

In Russia we use the same system as the Americans! Can you believe it?

[@AlejandroPRGH]

I don't know about other countries but in Spain it's the UK system and I seem to remember that France works that way too.

[@alexradojkovic9671]

@@CrazyInWeston And once she wants to get back down to street level, she will have to hit the 'G' button.

[@popculture70]

And also in the UK the waiter doesn't rush over and take your plate away the moment you finish the last morsel food on it, or your glass while you are still swallowing the last drop of your drink... and try to sell you another one. Dining in the UK is much more relaxed. Nobody is pushing you out the door.

[@John-996]

yeah that's a big thing in usa they also create massive lines just to make the place look more busy.

[@warrenrandall6936]

I'm a Brit and once I was in an Indian restaurant that was like a conveyor belt and we were made to feel like our meals needed to be eaten more quickly.

[@StunnedByWrestling]

Sometimes I'd LOVE the waiter to clear the table and bring the bill quickly. The amount of times I've had to shout or get up and ask is infuriating.

[@popculture70]

@@StunnedByWrestling I really don't like it when waiters quickly take away plates while other people at the table are still eating. It's rude, it always leaves one person eating alone, it prevents the sharing of the food, and it gives the feeling of not being wanted there... but worst of all it indicates that the waiters are closely observing you to a creepy degree... spying on you, basically.

[@rossmacintosh5652]

@@popculture70 Or you could look at it as good service...

[@hannahk1306]

Tip for the water: ask for a jug of water for the table. This means we'd like to share some tap water

[@simonburford9306]

I've seen a few KZbinrs saying that it's confusing that we say "Alright?" to mean Hello. The thing is that they then go on to explain that in America you say "What's up?" or some other variant. The thing is, isn't that the same thing? What's up literally means "what's the matter?" which means exactly the same thing as "Are you alright?", so we're both guilty of the same madness!

[@TinOfBeans321]

True but "what's up" is known as a greeting universally whereas "Alright?" is definitely just a British thing

[@wolvesofthevoid1439]

Just base it on the tone they use 😂

[@cherryblossomgurugirl8336]

@@TinOfBeans321 I don't think what's up is universal. I only hear British people say it when they're actually asking someone what's wrong.

[@Laila1272]

I've lived in the US for 40+years and I hate when people ask "what's up", or say "how's it going " without actually meaning to "ask" you anything. I wonder what happened to "hi" and "hello". Don't fake getting personal with me, just say hi or nod and smile if you don't give a hoot. Sigh. And yes, I'm an introvert. Lol

[@puzzywoo]

In some Asian countries "Have you eaten?" is a common greeting. No-one actually cares what the answer is but the first time I heard that I was completely thrown and had no idea what was a polite response. If you were asked that on arriving at someone's house in the UK and you said 'no' they'd probably feel obliged to give you food, but if you said 'yes' and they actually hadn't eaten themselves they might feel like they shouldn't eat while you were there. A minefield! On the other hand, Americans find it weird we say "Alright?" when they say obscure things like "What's popping?" or "How's it hanging?"

[@pieceofgosa]

You would NOT have the same "Spar" issue in Scotland !!! We add like, seventeen extra R's :D

[@bertmchaggis]

I can confirm

[@neilgriffiths6427]

True, most of England is non-rhotic (we don't pronounce our "r's" - although the further West and North you go, the more rolling r's you hear). But the Bostonian accent in the USA is also non-rhotic. So, watch "Patriot Day" (a great movie) and when in England, speak like a Bostonian! (Er...don't talk about tea, though. that's not a conversation that will go well).

[@nukenude]

Really England says it "Spa" 😳 In NI its definitely SPAR. Is there Eurospar then eurospa?

[@kerryh3833]

@@nukenude what do you mean "Eurospar"? It's just spar where I'm from lol

[@kerryh3833]

@@neilgriffiths6427 I'm from SW England and cam confirm you can hear the R in the west country accent 😅

[@wessexexplorer]

To ask for the bill at the restaurant you need to go through the ‘have you caught the waiter’s eye yet?’ We can’t just shout out for the bill!

[@mrmessy7334]

Ah yes, the old raising your eyebrows and lifting your head as you try to make eye contact with a waiter as they breeze by obliviously!

[@jenniedarling3710]

It can be so difficult to get a bill I've waited about half an hour or more to get the bill especially in pizza express.

[@Salix631]

Or if one person is going to pay they just go up to the register, or go up and ask, can we get the bill please?

[@kurluk04]

You have to have one open hand and the other imitating holding a pen and act out writing on your open hand as you mouth “can we have the bill please” if they’re out of earshot 😂

[@pokeyswan5563]

Just walk out. They catch you pretty quick then.

[@pensiveboogie]

I’m Australian. A friend and his wife were in the US having dinner in an up market restaurant. They ordered their food and for some reason they were served a salad they did not order. Thinking that the salad was part of their main course, they didn’t eat it until the mains were served. Quite some time went by, still no food, so my friend called the waiter to inquire why their meals had not arrived. The waiter replied that staff were waiting until they finished their salad. In Australia a salad is part of the meal, served at the same time

[@realhawaii5o]

I'm European and have never heard of anyone who eats salad before the main course.

[@owenshebbeare2999]

@@realhawaii5o It's a peculiarly American thing, as is calling the main course the "entrée", when it obviously isn't.

[@kerryh3833]

In Britain we have the "Harvester" restaurant chain where you can eat salad before but noone waits for you to finish eating it lol it's just there to eat whilst you're waiting and your food will come regardless of whether you finished it or not. But this is the only chain I know that does anything remotely close to what you said the US does.

[@brontewcat]

I would be really confused with a salad brought before the main course. I have seen something like that in movies but I didn’t realise you had to eat it before the main course.

[@blackbob3358]

NAME THE BLEEDING GAFF, cheshbr, will ya. it's counts for nought, otherwise.

[@ItsSpecialHands]

The thing is the UK differs so much from county to county that there's no way to ever really fully prepare yourself. Like just on a local lingo basis it can be confusing even for a native Brit

[@ajs41]

You're absolutely right, British people will almost never insult you directly, which means if it seems like they are, it's a big joke. 100% right interpretation.

[@notthechosen1]

Pretty much if we insult you to your face you are going to know all about it because we will make sure you know we are insulting you, if the insult is more of a passing comment then it's probably a joke though in my experience it often betrays our true feelings about you depending on how much we know you and if we consider you a friend or just an acquaintance. But yeah it can be hard to read a Brit, even us natives can find it hard, especially if you are autistic or have a similar condition that impairs social understanding. Also we're very regional so our use of language can vary greatly depending on where we coming from. Also London is almost universally hated outside the London bubble mostly thanks to Westminster.

[@nutyyyy]

Depends on where in the UK. Things can be quite different in Scotland.

[@garyreid8082]

Yeah we will definitely insult you directly in scotland

[@toothfairy10133]

the closest thing to an insult we get is a backhanded compliment or pretending ur just asking a question. like for example i overheard someone ask a girl who was being bullied if hairdressers wore gloves while washing her hair. even at that, bullying tends to be less insults and more constant pestering - in primary it was "i'm gonna call you the blue widow because your blue coat is blue and nobody will ever marry you" (shh it was upsetting at the time) but in secondary it was more being hugged from behind without warning or asking sexual questions and generally acting super friendly, generally in the same vein as the "my friend thinks your cute" thing. meanwhile, i had an ongoing competition with a friend to see who could insult the other best. nobody's direct with anything here lmao.

[@kerryh3833]

@@notthechosen1 that is similar to what I was going to say. If someone has provoked us enough to make us insult you to your face, all the rage you have caused will come right out. You'll know about it for sure 😂

[@SubnetMask]

I lived in London my whole life, but I learned from this video that the street markings that say "look left" and "look right" are there to help foreigners, and not to help stoners as I had always assumed. As a stoner though they are super helpful

[@sarahcunniffe4678]

You are closer to the truth as we have them in llanelli, including in Welsh. It's for the locals too :)

[@stevenredpath9332]

As someone who has been to a few countries I just tend to follow the crowd when crossing the streets or do a 180 degree look if there’s no crowd.

[@MrSoccerTraining]

What does a stoner mean? In the US it’s someone who smokes a lot of weed, marijuana, cannabis.

[@kpopfan674]

@@MrSoccerTraining Same in UK

[@stevearmstrong9213]

The thing about the "are you alright" greeting is nobody actually says it that was or even "you alright" it's always "alright" or "yalright". If you get it as a full question, somebody probably really is asking if something wrong.

[@Fiddling_while_Rome_burns]

Where I cone from the greeting is, alright mate!, and if someone says, you alright, they're usually saying it with some concern.

[@Isleofskye]

Fair point, thinking about it :)

[@legend9335]

Only by lower schooled individuals, as is the phrase "mate" eg "yalright mate". Builders talk.

[@Isleofskye]

@@legend9335 One simply can not concur mike and my disappointment in you saying that is immeasurable. One frequently says " Alright, My Son" to, virtually, complete strangers here in London Town...

[@jamiel8288]

@@legend9335 you’re not as clever as you think you are, and you probably don’t have friends :)

[@DIGZDIGZDIGZ]

I find it so rude when the waiter/waitress constantly pesters you and rushes you out the door. They'd get no tip from me if they did that 😅

[@Isleofskye]

In 1979 in The USA on our holiday, we left a restaurant without leaving a tip and got chased down the road by the irate restauranteur :)

[@nutyyyy]

Yes its considered very rude. When I worked in a pub while I was finishing high school and starting Uni we would only try and move people along if there was a reservation later but we'd let them know in advance that we needed the table later.

[@caithemburrow5569]

It’s horrible

[@anthonygriff668]

I'd give them a tip "Don't wipe your arse with a broken bottle". One of the best tips I've ever been given.

[@Isleofskye]

The best tip I ever received was don't go to a Supermarket with a Gorilla especially if you are going to Waitrose. In my experience in Central, London, Gorillas tend to be very aggressive because the primary threats are poaching; habitat degradation and loss due to mining, logging, and agriculture; and diseases, most notably Ebola. They seem constantly worried about this and it manifests itself in a combative way. They are usually impatient and forget what they went to the store for and,often, try not to pay at the end which, then, involves Security being called. Nightmare !

[@lawrencegt2229]

Can't tell you how many near misses I've had cycling down Oxford Street, when tourists look left and then step straight out into my path.

[@gos4343]

“Are you alright?” is the same in the UK as you have said it is in the US. “Alright” is a greeting.

[@rusticpartyeditz]

Alright!

[@joshbrailsford]

As a Brit watching this, I'm reminded how generally relaxed we are as a nation when it comes to dining out. I dined at a casino restaurant in Las Vegas one time, and thought the server incredibly rude when she came to take our plates away while we were still eating from them! - she brought the bill before we could even contemplate ordering dessert (which we would have done, given the chance!). Most of my experience dining in the US was perfectly fine, but I'm glad we do things the way we do over here.

[@rusticpartyeditz]

And then you have to tip them!

[@b0tias]

That's odd because servers in the US usually ask if you want to order dessert when it looks like you're done eating the meal. At that time they often ask if they can clear some of your plates. Maybe things are different in Vegas. A lot of things are different in Vegas.

[@graceygrumble]

Two of my brothers once utterly shredded me for something - I can't remember what, it's just par for the course. They acted like a tag-team of evisceration! Obviously, I laughed and told them to F off. Then we returned to conversation mode, eventually. My American cousin, who witnessed this sibling badinage, was thunder-struck! He could not understand why they would perpetrate such 'cruelty' and couldn't believe it hadn't upset me and not only that, but that we didn't know what he was talking about, when he voiced his concern. "But, it's SO MEAN!". We tried to explain it, but he remained unconvinced. Ha!

[@davidfaraday7963]

In France if you want tap water you ask for "eau courante", literally running water. My Dad, wanting to order the house wine asked for "vin courante". He got some funny looks!

[@MaryShelleysNib]

Running wine = keep the wine flowing. Sounds pretty reasonable I think 😋🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷

[@matherubik114]

Tap wine, if only…

[@iangb2000]

The American equivalent of the ‘alright’ greeting is “What’s going on?”. If you’re British and someone comes up and says that to you, you would naturally take it in an accusatory way as in “What are you up to, then?”. The idea that “What’s going on?” doesnt actually require an answer is somewhat bizarre.

[@bansjoslave2]

Meeting a Scottish friend after years apart: "alrii" - head-nod... "pint?"... "Aye"

[@leonrussell9607]

@@bansjoslave2 the only words you need

[@hegedusuk]

When Americans say “what’s up?” to me, I always think they’re actually asking if something’s wrong. Likewise when they say “hey” I think they’re just calling me over and I say “what?”

[@scottfw7169]

I was raised in the US southeast where "Hey!" is the local "Hi!" There were conversation lines such as, "Next time you see Bruce, say hey for me."

[@May-qb3vx]

I'd go to the UK. To narrow it down to the country within that country, it'd probably be Scotland because while I was there studying abroad, I just got so attached to the friendly people (and obviously the landscape is like a fairytale). Plus, they share my sense of humor. I've gotten into so many pickles at home because people don't understand my humor so they just brush me off as mean. When I was in the UK, I was just a normal person. I miss how that feels.

[@neilmorrison7356]

We would love you to come.

[@craigireland5629]

If you fancy a nostalgic trip you might like to check out AdventureShawn. I enjoy his enthusiasm and attention to detail in his travel videos which are more from an 'everyman' point of view rather than an attempt to make really professional tourist type vlogs. He has numerous videos of Scotland which are definitely worth a look for anyone who is interested in the country.

[@marktait2371]

dear a.scots nice and welcome you regardless where your from pub restaurant stores etc. always a greeting and ahve eh gohd deh ello hah ah yeh we stayed port william a week newton stewart 2 days denholm 2 days local folks rhins machars peculiar accent had funny time at p.william news agent young lady clerk couldnt understand and vice versa locals townd and villages we visited nice to us plus odd to them few us tourists go to the rhins or machars wigtownshire saw 2 yanks at castle douglas gardens other than them only yanks ee saw in 2 weeks in scotland locals always nice to us for example stopped for honey at house near monreith gentleman invited us in home for tea

[@ticketyboo2456]

Amanda The nicest Scottish I've met were the ones I met in Scotland itself. It's been my experience that Scots out of Scotland are much less friendly. I think it's due to their having to love outside their beautiful homeland.

[@alfiefenton8179]

just a heads up, the “UK” is not a country, its a kingdom. there are four “countries” in it, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and of course, England. we people from the UK hate that lmao

[@ianpodmore9666]

If someone falls on the pavement in the UK and I ask them if they are all right, it means are you alright.

[@JustOneFatLady89]

I always believe with us Brits, the tone of the voice matters when we say certain things. We can say "ya alright" in a happy way and that's just a friendly hello and then if our tone changes and we ask someone who's not looking alright " are you alright? " my tone goes more sympathetic and calmer.

[@stevegray1308]

Many years ago when camping in France my mother and her sister went to a shop to buy food. They came back with a few dozen eggs to make bacon and egg sarnies in the morning. The eggs were all hard boiled. No one in England sold hard boiled eggs.

[@jeremypearson6852]

The Brits are the kings of self deprecating humor. Watch Fawlty Towers or Monty Python to see it in action. Although Basil Fawlty was pretty much rude to everyone.

[@SamarTareen]

Don't talk about the war

[@davidz2690]

bit dated lol

[@grapeman63]

As a rule I will never say anything behind someone's back that I am not prepared to say to their face. Jocular insults can usually be discerned from intonation, context or facial expressions. In the UK light-hearted banter is a way of life.

[@kerryh3833]

Yes if someone is smiling at you when saying it, there's a very high probability they're messing around :) A genuine insult will be super clear by the aggressive facial expression and tone that accompanies it.

[@daveofyorkshire301]

People who tell you it's easy or "you should know" probably haven't been anywhere themselves more adventurous than the end of their own road. When you travel, really travel making mistakes or dealing with events is part of the experience, like loosing your luggage is a nightmare, but you remember the experience and solution a LOOONG time and probably laugh about it now...

[@joshsheff7189]

Amen!

[@daveofyorkshire301]

Plus making a mistake is inevitable, learning from them is the trick...

[@MaryShelleysNib]

Imagine how dull life would be if you never made mistakes!

[@erico7797]

Wish I had seen this comment before I posted mine. Very well said.

[@susanleeson1832]

From my perspective I was culturally brought up to be polite. I can be polite to somebody who I dislike, or disagree with ... it really doesn't mean that I'm going to talk about, or bitch, about them. If I feel particularly pissed with them I might be a little sarcastic or off hand. If I'm very upset I can be assertive enough ... but, like many Brits, often I just can't be arsed to get into unnecessary confrontation.

[@angeladavies898]

The insult thing is so right! The only people I would dream of insulting to their face are my family and closest friends! Strange but true! 😅

[@toothfairy10133]

"i hate you :/" mostly means "you're ridiculous but i love you anyway"

[@ceridwenaeradwr8105]

Unless you REALLY get into a serious confrontation with someone you despise, but that's a very rare occurrence for your typical conflict-averse Brit.

[@Tenaka30]

You're laughing at your own mistakes? Are you sure you're not British?

[@catherinerobilliard7662]

SPAR was originally DESPAR, an acronym of a Dutch franchised retail stores’ slogan “Door Eendrachtig Samenwerken Profiteren Allen Regelmatig" (everyone works better together)

[@corleth2868]

A lot of these aren't just US vs UK. The bar/pub and having to ask for the bill would also apply to pretty much anywhere in Europe and the train doors too and tap water as well. For me 'alright'' would be to a friend as a greeting but if I ask a stranger 'Are you alright?' then I'm genuinely asking if they're ok not just saying hello.

[@nutyyyy]

True but I've had many many europeans being confused with the pub culture and no table service as well.

[@newbris]

Same in Australia

[@davidrowlands441]

Water never comes out of a hose out the back. It comes out of a tap.

[@veronicataylor9831]

Lol she seriously has me wondering what types of restaurants she goes to that serve tap water from a hose out the back 😅

[@arlasoft]

Whooosh.

[@stuarttaylor1799]

My biggest mistake happened the last time I was in the USA I was picked up by a friend who I was staying with. After loading my bags in the car I straight away went and sat in the drivers seat thinking it was the passenger seat. Of course. It's left hand drive. I laughed so much.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Haha! Happens to my British husband all the time when we go to the States!

[@newbris]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial happened to me in an airport taxi on my first visit to China. He wasn’t happy :)

[@TomLaceyJohnson]

You should watch the episode of Absolutely Fabulous where they are on holiday in France and go wine tasting to buy wine. They both get so drunk that Eddie gets in the hire car, thinking it’s right hand drive, only to say “S**t someone’s taken the steering wheel!” 🤣

[@redf7209]

Its worse when you get in the wrong car

[@Didgemendonca]

OMG as a scot, never get in the front seat of a taxi, ever.

[@blotski]

My best friend is a lot taller than me. He always buys the first round because when we go to the bar he always says 'I'll get this, they can't see you'. I take the piss out of his Liverpool accent in a variety of ways. It was only when we started doing this kind of thing that I considered him as a close friend. I thought it was just man thing but maybe it's a British thing. It IS a sign of affection and a sign that you trust them to understand you don't mean it.

[@stephenflynn7600]

I would live in Italy 🇮🇹! The weather, food, culture!

[@stephenflynn7600]

Ground floor makes sense - one point UK!

[@tuckingfwit]

Australian too

[@DMGamanda]

Definitely not just a guy thing, us girls do it too for sure! 😆

[@MaryShelleysNib]

Very British, not just male, and the self-depreciation 👌🏾Genuine heartfelt affection? Are you soft or something you big girl.

[@adelinestjohn9418]

I am English. We went on holiday last year to Cornwall and we stayed in a really remote village. My husband said to me and my friend, there’s a Spa in the village! We automatically assumed he meant a pamper spa. It wasn’t until he asked me to get food from the Spar that we clicked 🤣 so don’t feel bad about that one!!

[@Ernoskij]

11:07 I find this really interesting, don't you learn to look both ways before crossing a road when you are kids where you come from @Girl Gone London? When I grew up we would be taken into traffic once in a while during school hours to learn how to navigate in traffic, and among that a message that was pounded into our heads repeated was to look both ways before crossing a street, the mantra was "first look left, then look right, then look left, then walk" obviously that should be alternated in UK, but even if you follow the same mantra you would still look the right way at least once.

[@goblinwisdom]

Jay waking in the USA is a crime so it's not a taught life skill because you cross only at the crossing.

[@Ernoskij]

@@goblinwisdom That really only works in larger cities where there are crosswalks all over the place, if you get to smaller towns you aren't likely to have crosswalks all over the place. Also crosswalks is not a guarantee that cars aren't coming at you, especially considering in how many areas "turn right on red" is an acceptable thing to do in USA. You should always look both ways when crossing, even in a crosswalk, so not learning that in school still seems odd to me

[@Rottnwoman]

We learned "look left, right, left again" at school in Australia. Basic common sense and therefore not much used in the USA?

[@jonathanbignall1198]

That was very entertaining! You've no reason to be embarrassed, it's a brave and challenging thing to move to another country with different customs but also very rewarding. My ex wife was Brazilian and she couldn't understand why I was putting cream on a scone when having a cream tea; she thought the cream went in the cup of tea itself, bless her! 😂

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

I have to say that I was also confused about a "cream tea" for a long time!

[@warrenrandall6936]

I originally thought the cream had to go on a body part...

[@jonathanbignall1198]

@@warrenrandall6936 Isn't that: A. Squirty cream B. A rather less wholesome kind of video? 🤣

[@carlhartwell7978]

I feel I could go into more detail about the 'you alright' thing. Maybe this would be obvious, but the tone of speech also matters, we can and do say 'you alright' or 'are you alright', and mean it as a genuine question, but it would sound very different than if it was meant as a greeting.

[@MaritimeWolf]

Was gonna add this. Agreed.

[@phillipescott9764]

There is an American equivalent. It drives me nuts (which is not difficult) when someone approaches me and says, ‘Hi, how are you?’ - and then keeps walking by without waiting for a reply.

[@graemehossack7401]

I once stood behind a American tourist trying to open the door of a heritage railway carriage. After a short while he turned to me and said "I think this door is broken, there is no handle". I then stepped forward and demonstrated the technique of sliding down the window and opening the door with the outside handle. He looked very bewildered. By law, British carriages did not have handles on the inside to prevent people inadvertently opening the doors while the train was moving. This was necessary as it is not just Americans who can be dumb.

[@Stephen-Fox]

There's another difference to water in the UK vs US - Bottled water. In the US, as I understand it, most bottled water is filtered tap water (and for the US where, from the outside looking in, the water standards don't appear to be the greatest this makes a lot of sense). The UK, meanwhile, is a spring water market - Bottled water is spring water, because otherwise what would be the point in buying it when you've got perfectly good tap water at home. Coca-cola did try and introduce Dasani, a filtered tap water, into the UK around the mid 00s - Tom Scott explained how that went in a video far better than I possibly could here (...Though the tl;dr is that it was weirdly similar to an episode of Only Fools and Horses, complete with the contamination ending.)

[@robert3987]

They like to say bottled water is 'spring' water but I have my doubts.

[@johnwellbelove148]

I was in the USA in the 90's and I went into a bakers to buy a 'filled 'bread roll. "What fillings do you have" I said. She looked at me with a puzzled expression. "You mean what do we put ON it?" she replied. On my return to New York, my US friend said that she had probably assumed I was asking about her dental work.

[@daniellastuart3145]

Service is not slow in the UK we just don't like being rushed

[@geoffpriestley7001]

Its called taking the piss it means we like you

[@APenguinsLullaby]

"None committal, none emotional" yeah that sums up London pretty good.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

I enjoy your videos greatly. As a Kenyan who has travelled extensively, including some years spent in England at school, in Canada at Uni, and in the US as a teaching surgeon, a few of your comments here surprised me. Whenever I rode Amtrak( or CN in Canada), train doors never opened automatically. I now automatically take stock of where I am to remember which side traffic drives (Aust, Kenya, are like the UK BTW). If I had to choose to live outside Kenya now, I would stump either for BC or Queensland. If you think British banter is very in your face, you'll be horrified if you get mates in Australia! 🤣

[@picaSapien]

still is mineral water (that comes from a spring) , mineral water is a protected term.

[@rusticpartyeditz]

Tap water (not from a hose) is free. Still or sparking water is from a bottle and charged for. But we know the difference!

[@DMGamanda]

Yeah mineral water actually has to be licensed and is strictly tested. Spring water (not the way use it in your comment but the way it’s used on bottles) is not tested or licensed although still bottled and not also free at restaurants.

[@jeremybarker7577]

Mineral water and spring water are different specific things each with their own legal definition.

[@paulrobson7887]

The Spar vs Spa confusion made me laugh. It had never occurred to me that we pronounce them identical. The key is in the definitive article use…‘I’m going to Spar’ (for cheese) vs ‘I’m going to the spa’ (pool, sauna, hot baths etc). A very different experience 😂

[@eggy1962]

Its amazing that the addition of the word “the” can completely change the context of a sentence

[@Thurgosh_OG]

In Scotland we say Spar, not Spa. Probably because we roll our R's in speech.

[@Lancastrian501]

Not all the UK pronounce "spar" as "spa"...I certainly dont! 😊

[@jonolsen8136]

@@Lancastrian501 how do you pronounce it?

[@Lancastrian501]

@@jonolsen8136 Spar with a strong r sound. R's are pronounced in the area I live in East Lancashire.

[@ItsMeJenBB]

When I was on vacation in London a couple years ago, I went to a pub for dinner one night. I sat there for like 15 minutes waiting for a server. Luckily I was next to the bar, and the bartender was super nice and told me to order with him. And I 100000000% want to move to the UK (as you know lol). I'd be down with Scotland too and yes I know that's part of the UK. ;) Thanks for the heads up about the train- I am planning on a couple train trips if I can ever get back there.

[@ajs41]

Hi Kalyn, embarrassing mistakes I've made in the USA mainly revolve around forgetting to tip in restaurants, bars, cafes, etc. Because in many places in the UK, apart from posh restaurants, you don't usually tip, outside the big cities like London. For instance, if you go to a pub in a small town in England, you don't usually need to tip.

[@-DC-]

Try living in Japan if you try to tip it's a sign of disrespect as good service is taken as something that is provided in the price.

[@ladygeminisamuels7689]

Same!!

[@stevieduggan1763]

When I worked on the Railway: some of our old trains had doors you had to open manually. As a safety feature some doors had no internal door handle, you had to open the window and use the exterior one. I once watched an American lady waiting for the door to open. I had to explain how it worked. I did find it funny, but that's the British humour.

[@CrazyInWeston]

I just dont understand the lack of common sense. IT LITERALLY SAYS "door locked" in front of you, stop at a station you wait for "door unlocked" and you cant see an internal handle but there is an outside one? pull that one... I mean honestly! How can one nation be so dense!

[@johnclements6614]

@@CrazyInWeston People tend to see what they expect.

[@andybaker2456]

God I hated those trains where you had to slide the window down, stick your head out and reach down for the handle. And then you had to pull yourself back in before you found yourself dangling in the window frame of the open door...oh the stress! 😁 It's no wonder people who weren't used to that system got confused!

[@johnclements6614]

@@andybaker2456 They weren't very safe until they introduced central locking. You could open them whilst the train was moving. There were a number of deaths on 125s where the door just opened by itself, most likely because it was not properly closed.

[@andybaker2456]

@@johnclements6614 I remember the old slam shut door commuter trains, you used to see the doors opening and people piling off the train before it even stopped in the station. Not to mention when people would try and board a train when it was already leaving the station. Dangerous times.

[@jeremypearson6852]

It’s the same when I moved from the UK to the US. It really is a different language and when you add in accents it gets even more complicated. I live in South Florida which has a very large Hispanic presence. I had to change my inflection and language to be totally understood and it took a long time. It’s not really a question of making mistakes, it’s just not being used to the culture. You should be looking at this as a growing experience.

[@Isleofskye]

After 67 years in London both Inner and Outer London all my life, I HAVE to say ENGLAND.....I love "nearly" every aspect of it and feel blessed to have been born where and when I was to be honest though there are so many other wonderful Countries that I have visited/wished I had visited :)

[@markflower3934]

I was on a flight and on arriving in Bangkok I had agreed to share a taxi with a American next to me. When walking through the airport and he said I've just need to go to the restroom. As he had been sleeping for most of the flight, I could not understand why you needed a rest. It took him several minutes before he could tell me what he really wanted to do . I had no idea what a restroom was until then.

[@carlhartwell7978]

Definitely look. right. left. right when crossing. The traffic always comes from the right, unless of course it's a one way street (which is also important to know as there are a considerable amount of those especially in City Centers).

[@elemar5]

Lots in city centres as well. :)

[@eamonquinn5188]

It's not just foreigners with "You allright", some of us older folk have been confused by it too!

[@peterrivet648]

I think it became widespread in the 1970s, around the time I moved because of a new job from NE England to Leicestershire. I found it a bit disconcerting!

[@TheLondonLass]

I've got an American friend who was so proud of herself the first time she successfully managed to take the pee out of someone. She felt she was fitting in with her British friends at last! I do find it odd that a waiter would automatically bring the bill over. My friends and family often decide to order a coffee or aperitif at the last moment so that would be annoying for the waiter to bring out another bill.

[@k.stewart007]

That's what I was thinking. Do you have to order starter, main, dessert and drinks all at once? Otherwise they would just bring you the bill with every order. I'm sure I've seen on American TV people asking for the "check". Or is that just TV when people are making a dramatic exit?🤔

[@hannahk1306]

Yes, bringing you the bill implies that they want you to leave and not spend any more money.

[@b0tias]

They don't bring another bill. They pick up your bill from the table and add to it. People don't pay until they are leaving or at least done ordering.

[@kenslater7354]

We used to have 'The Green Cross Code Man' on TV for children. It was a public information film and he was super hero who would say "look left, look right and look left again".

[@jward2266]

Not pressing the button to open the train door is hilarious 😆😂 Poor you. I would have loved to have witnessed that then heard your explanation.

[@elliottmanley5182]

Older Brit here. "what's up?" and "alright? " both still sound odd to me. They are new to the language since I grew up. They both sound to me like someone is concerned for my emotional well-being.

[@catherinerobilliard7662]

Yep, I’m a 65 year old Geordie. The first time someone said it to me, I responded exactly like happened in this video.

[@katelutine7016]

@@catherinerobilliard7662 I’m a 20 year old Geordie and even I still struggle to respond ‘naturally’ to ‘alright’ haha

[@tonybennett9964]

There's the green cross code ,when I was a kid,played by Keith Prowse he later went on Darth Vader in Star wars

[@nickywall872]

Dave Prowse?

[@suferick778]

That would be Dave Prowse. Keith Prowse is a ticket agency

[@john_g_harris]

Someone at work went from the UK to work in the USA for a year or two. One day he went to the department secretary and asked her for a rubber ... She looked at him. Then he realised what the problem was.

[@TP-uf6fn]

Haha a hose out the back. Like a garden hose haha. Tbh I’m used to the underground in London too and I did the same thing in Germany. I missed my stop while these Germans just sat and watched me panic! I was only 18. Took me half an hour to get back to my much brighter friend who got off a door down. This was before mobiles. Thankfully he just waited at the stop for my return otherwise I’d have never found him.

[@eamonquinn5188]

Insults are usually the best way to make a long term friend

[@leecal5774]

This was so funny. Especially about Spar. You’ve got a great understanding of British life. Spot on. I’m British and the country I’d most want to live in is Canada. I have visited several times and have friends/family out there.

[@Aengus42]

I'm a Brit and I was surprised at just how foreign Vancouver was! I think I was expecting Britain with nicer countryside but it REALLY is a very odd place at times! Very puritanical!

[@p.millard557]

Regarding the doors in trains and underground, the answer is simple. The doors in the underground open automatically, the doors in the overground and trains don't, you have to press the button.

[@catherinewilkins2760]

We insult people we like, we ignore those we don't. Don't know if you have heard of "sending someone to Coventry " which means to totally ignore them, could be as a result of them doing you down.

[@josephturner4047]

I had a couple of mates in the navy. One was Mancunian, one was a Sikh. On watch they would slag each other off to extremes. An American exchange officer reported this to the captain with his concerns. "Lenny and Bob?" he said. "You should see them ashore. They are like brothers. If they weren't married, I'd think they were queer".

[@Tacsmoker]

yeah true. some never grasp that we actually mock those we like lol

[@MaryShelleysNib]

@@Tacsmoker it’s like a continuation of the playground, pulling the pigtails and being horrid to the girl you like most.

[@MaryShelleysNib]

@catherine Wilkins Although Lady Godiva’s pretty cool 🐎💃🏽

[@caithemburrow5569]

We did this to someone at school for stealing from backpacks. We didn’t talk to him for 6 months

[@josephturner4047]

Spar is a German convenience store common through out much of Europe. It means save. I don't know why, their stuff is twice the price of Aldi.

[@simonfreeman8233]

sorry to correct you on this but Spar is Dutch not German and Spar name is a shortened acronym for the Dutch phrase "Door Eendrachtig Samenwerken Profiteren Allen Regelmatig" which roughly means 'by working together everyone benifits'

[@andybaker2456]

@@simonfreeman8233 Correct. Founded in 1932 in the Netherlands and originally called DESPAR (in keeping with the phrase you mentioned) before being abbreviated to just SPAR.

[@blotski]

@@andybaker2456 And 'spar' also happens to mean 'spruce' in Dutch, hence the logo.

[@andybaker2456]

I can't help wondering whether they changed the name from DESPAR to just SPAR when they started expanding to English-speaking countries because DESPAR sounds too much like "Despair". 🤔😁

[@JenMaxon]

@@andybaker2456 Yeah that would capture the nature of most Spar stores pretty well

[@lane6866]

I can totally relate to the Spar thing because when I first moved to NYC, I did not know that Duane Reade was a drug store and was so confused when everyone was always talking about going to what, to me, sounded like a shoe store. Never having spent time in the UK, but being an Anglophile and a bit older than you, most of these were ones I'd at least heard at one time, but if I'm ever there, thank you for the train door thing. I would definitely never have caught on to that.

[@Swansea32]

I’ve warned Americans working with me in the UK that “fanny” is really different between the two languages, and cider is always alcoholic. I did buy 4 pints of cider from an apple steam press factory in Essex New England thinking it was alcoholic only to be told by a friend that it was apple juice. Also got my tipping wrong in New York State, luckily the bar staff understood British customers

[@andybaker2456]

Ah, the good old urban legend about British women visiting doctors in the US only to run screaming for the hills when told they need an injection in their fanny! 🤣

[@HighWealder]

Or the American woman who asked if her new dress made her f look big!

[@bencoatesworth7731]

If u walk into a pub and sit at a table without ordering something they will probably ask u to buy something or get out. And the r u alright up north people normally say hiya ya alright as a slang sort of more friendly way of saying hellos its nice to see/meet you

[@the98themperoroftheholybri33]

"Are you alright?" can also mean "are you ok?" In the UK, but its also about the tone used saying it, if they sound concerned then they probably are asking you whether you have a problem that need help.

[@paulus121212]

We can have same phrase mean more then one thing

[@CJLloyd]

Haha. These are pretty good. I'm a Brit living in Asia. One of things I've noticed is that because both the UK and the US have a strong cultural influence throughout the region, you're never sure whether the customs will be local, British or American. Like floors in buildings can be numbered in different ways, service can be done in any number of ways, date formats are especially awkward... 😂

[@Anonymous-wq1rf]

Born and bred in Southern England I have frequently visited Europe for a week, two weeks, a long weekend or even for a day. I understand/speak a little French and some German but most young Europeans are confident English speakers. I was familiar with every nuance of 'American' but when I told an American bank clerk that I was there for a 'Fortnight' he asked 'How the long heck is that"? No problem driving my RHD car in Europe except for overtaking on a two way road. Driving a LHD Ford Mustang in the USA driving standards were appalling!

[@1990NMiller]

While you can take your time sitting at the table after a meal in the UK, and they won't bring you the bill until you ask, if they ask "will there be anything else?" as they clear things from the table that's basically a polite prompt for you to either order something else or pay up and leave. As a rule we'll leave you to it, but if it's getting late or we need the table you may hear that line.

[@kawangkwok5262]

I had live in UK during 1990's, definitely move back to old historic cities like York, or Bath I am glad I had experience there, and I thought it was almost the same in other English speaking countries at the time...

[@corringhamdepot4434]

I know how you feel on the Spar thing, as I used to have a neighbour who kept asking ne to get odd sounding things from "The Farm Shop" . It took me ages to click that she meant the local "Farmfoods" frozen food chain store. As we also have several independent shops run by local farmers in the same area.

[@kpopfan674]

Does that mean you kept getting expensive things from a local farm shop before you realised?

[@corringhamdepot4434]

I spent a lot of time confused, when she kept telling me to get things from the "farm shop". Everything was cheaper at the "farm shop". When I finally sorted out where she meant, she stopped asking me to go there anymore. After she refused to believe me when told her several times that they didn't sell something. She insisted I asked the manager, and he told me that they hadn't stocked the item for years.

[@kpopfan674]

@@corringhamdepot4434 Oh so you didn't get anything for her from an actual farm shop?

[@corringhamdepot4434]

Nope. @@kpopfan674 😅

[@amcortez]

I just waited in the longest line at the post office for the cashier to tell me the envelope was already postage paid. D'oh.

[@MeFreeBee]

I don't think the "Look Left/Right" signs painted on some streets are specifically for the benefit of visitors. They are generally where you are crossing a one-way street or a two-way has a traffic island dividing the carriageway and there is a danger that the default right-left-right sequence will end in unhappiness.

[@jonolsen8136]

Im pretty sure youre right because theyve been in every town ive ever lived and most of those wouldnt welcome visitors let alone expect them

[@spanishdncr71]

When I moved to America from England I was very lucky to be introduced to seasoned expats and Americans immediately. So, I always went out with people who showed me the way, which meant I didn’t go through those teething problems you mentioned. Although, I did and still do when I think about it find the floor labelling confusing. I remember my sister questioned me about that when she visited the states one year. Just liked she and her husband questioned me about four way stops!!

[@neilmorrison7356]

I would like to live in Italy. I love the food and culture. I have worked in Rome for 3 months it was great. The attitude of Italians is great.

[@gwillis01]

People who run restaurants in the U S are eager to serve as many customers as possible. The reason they bring the bill quickly is they want the table to be cleared and a new group of people who will make a new order of food to sit down quickly. It's called [ turning the tables quickly ]

[@jessicat3649]

Re pubs, ordering at the bar comes from the fact that pubs didn't used to sell food, apart from a bag of crisps. Food is quite a modern addition of pubs diversifying to survive, hence ordering at the bar the same as drinks.

[@lad1981uk]

The funny thing is that if a British person asked me "what's up?" I'd probably start listing all my problems!

[@John-996]

i still get mixed up after living in Florida asking for the check when i first came back to uk. then went back to Florida in 2019 and asked for the bill and forgot tip allot. Bathroom and toilets is another one.

[@mrsoikawa]

Interesting video. I have to say at pubs though usually you wouldn't be ordering food at all, you'd just be ordering drinks, and you would take them yourself from the bar.

[@JB-ek4yx]

Never mind train doors not opening automatically. It's only in the last two years that the last of the old-style trains have been replaced. On these you'd have to open the window in the exterior door, lean out & turn the handle on the outside, which could sometimes be very hard to turn. The bonus was that after leaving you get to close the door with a usually satisfying slam

[@jenniedarling3710]

With getting water in a restaurant it's a thing all over Europe to ask for tap water I've been ticked into paying for water as well.

[@tshelby5212]

Cheapskate

[@glazierblue573]

As for British humour, yes we are known for been very 'sarcastic' it's just how we function and "let off steam" or "Break the ice" Want to learn about British sarcasm. Best way is to watch our Britsh comedy. The worse the sarcasm, the funny they are.

[@titchs9098]

I have a friend from Poland who still goes into great detail about her day, when a say “you alright”, despite the fact that she has been living here for nearly 15 years.