Surprising things for American in England

[@johnallsopp6324]

To quote Micky Flanagan, speaking of Americans, ''after a while their positivity exhausts you''.

[@davidbentley4032]

Even Phoebe had her fill of it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZTOiHSch66BhLMsi=OIlI_8YO8T-0h2LW

[@antonycharnock2993]

"They don't know how to take the piss..."😂😂

[@jaynepaige5702]

Bastard of a wig.

[@shadowysea]

“Go back to England where sanity prevails”

[@logant6490]

It's all fake

[@annfrancoole34]

Been to New York several times nobody but nobody say hello.

[@TheCornishCockney]

Same for me when I went there.

[@sh.4409]

Why would strangers say hello?

[@Orlando_from_The_Bronx]

You're too often exposed to way too many people in NY. After realizing you're saying hello every second, you'd stop saying it and that eventually becomes your default. That's why foreign immigrants and out of state transplants to NY also don't say hello.

[@DarrenGregg-j3e]

@@sh.4409 Because they do elsewhere.

[@philipcochran1972]

If you want 'direct' try Yorkshire, Liverpool and Glasgow. London is not representative of the UK. Driving on the left in the UK is not the 'wrong side'.

[@georgecooksey8216]

The left is the wrong side and the driver's seat is on the wrong side of the car as well!

[@KeithWilliamMacHendry]

@@georgecooksey8216 Lol Rubbish, the UK drives on the left because we never changed, all nations used to ride on the left until the left handed Napoleon introduced right side traffic. The Romans rode on the left & introduced it to Britain, that was before the Germanic English arrived. When the US adopted right side driving followed by mass car production many countries were compelled to change, like Argentina, the Philippines & Canada as examples. Riding a horse in earlier times meant producing your sword with your right hand, 90% of people are right handed & kept to the left of on coming riders in case they felt threatened & would produce their their sword with their right hand. By countries changing to the right it only meant you'd end up with countries throughout the world being on either side. Right side became dominant but there are still some 35% on the left. Keep left, you know it makes sense. 🤪

[@georgecooksey8216]

@@KeithWilliamMacHendry I surrender! How could I not after that brilliant explanation. I stand corrected and in the future I will respectfully correct my compatriots when they err on this issue. Years ago I drove a rental car from London to Brecon and it was the most mentally exhausting drive of my life - fighting the persistent urge to drive on the right side while trying to enjoy the scenery of the beautiful countryside.

[@AnthonyHunter-xd4wk]

​@@KeithWilliamMacHendry😂😂 no side is the right or wrong side to drive on. This argument is so petty.

[@davidthomas3826]

The left is very much the correct side to drive on when in the UK

[@colinhingston4048]

I do get a bit fed up with Americans saying that they don't have a class system in the US, yet one hears about "trailer trash" and "Hollywood Celebrities"

[@lizbignell7813]

Americans have a class system but it isn’t as classy as ours…!

[@fredfred1651]

Its true, Americans have NO Class ;p

[@thadtuiol1717]

Americans have a money system. The old WASP class system died over a 100 years ago. Now your importance/worth is judged on how rich you are

[@Otacatapetl]

@@thadtuiol1717 The Americans didn't have a class system, so they had to invent one. As you say, it's based on money.

[@Lnel3799]

😅

[@johnnynephrite6147]

You don't say hello to everyone in New York City. Dont compare London to Appleton Wisconsin.

[@isaactuuri6488]

well said. When I visit rural mid-west America, folks say hello to strangers. When working in LA and SF, people look at you pissed off when you say hello.

[@keithewright]

I come from Scotland. I went out with a girl from London. We visited the city and took the bus to her grandads. As we were getting off I shouted down the bus to the driver "Thank you." Was the normal thing to do on a bus in Scotland, but the gf almost went into shock saying "Don't do that" So yes it is more a London than a UK thing.

[@johnnynephrite6147]

@@keithewright Scotland boys London girls, theres a song in there somewhere.

[@ianjames9970]

We Brits do not like in the face salespeople. If we wish help, then we ask. We hate over the top FAKE emotions. No class system??????? What joke.

[@isaactuuri6488]

100% agreed, from an American looking to work abroad after I learn the language and culture of where I am going. America is largely arrogant and lacking in reflection and truth.

[@TimBadger-w7d]

@@isaactuuri6488I’m British and have lived in The USA for 14 years. My wife is American although has lived most of her life outside of The USA. We have some really interesting conversations about why Americans are so fake. We think it’s because they know just how ignorant they are so it’s a protective facade to make them feel better about themselves.

[@antonycharnock2993]

I remember when the Disney store first opened in my local shopping centre. They had people stood outside saying "Have a nice day!" It didn't last long like most american work practices.

[@pholdway5801]

Sales men

[@Oldlard]

I remember when Burger King was relatively new in the UK, I went on their training days and was told to always say "your welcome" and "have a nice day". After doing this for 5 customers and them in turn looking at me like I had the plague, I immediately stopped.

[@annfrancoole34]

Why is she comparing rural American to London. That's like comparing Windsor to New York or Chicago.

[@nickbrown6457]

She makes some interesting observations, but if she went out of London to rural England, she would find people much more like those at home in rural USA. London is a foreign country to most British people.

[@TR4zest]

Is Windsor your idea of rural?

[@blackvulcan100]

@@nickbrown6457 Indeed a country to be avoided as much as possible !

[@RippySharp]

Yes that’s like saying I went to New York and nobody spoke to me and when I got back to my rural Suffolk village I realised how friendly everyone was???

[@petee074496648]

I could not believe I read that Windsor is rural it has a castle and the royals spend a lot of time there !!😂😂😂​@@TR4zest

[@LNixon-d2r]

Come to the North of England, most local folk say hello and are polite, and are very socialable.

[@jdlc903]

Southern England too, London is a huge city.

[@helenwood8482]

We're not unfriendly. We just respect personal space.

[@kenthefley2226]

Saying hello is not an invasion of personal space. Being offended by someone doing so is pretty silly.

[@JackNeil-zz2uw]

@@kenthefley2226 saying hello is definitely invading someone space what right do you have? Do you say hello? If you do not know them. Maybe they just want to walk past you from someone who’s lived in England a long time. I understand this.

[@kenthefley2226]

@@JackNeil-zz2uw I feel sorry for you if that is the society you live in. What a dark place. We say hello to strangers all the time. If anyone is offended, they can pound sand.

[@JackNeil-zz2uw]

@@kenthefley2226 or they would pound you, but each to their own maybe that’s something other people should learn, not everyone is the same

[@kenthefley2226]

@@JackNeil-zz2uw They ain't pounding me, tough guy. That's your preference.

[@OriginalNiceButOdd]

London is not the whole of the UK. People outside of London are extremely friendly and open, tourists go to London and assume it’s the same all over the country.

[@timmurphy9132]

I don't know. In a too small villiage, at the pub I notice very much how uncomfortable my foreignness is and I'm extremely hard to detect. Just being obviously from London is bad.

[@old.not.too.grumpy.]

40% of people living in greater London where born outside the UK. Culturally it is very different to the rest of the UK

[@patriciaorourke8850]

Totally agree.

[@brendacowling4219]

The American class system is based around which University you attended, which frat clubs you were accepted into, what sports (rowing, lacrosse etc) you did, and whether you held office in things like the Law Review. And of course you can get scholarships, but many of the top schools are filled with old money kids who attend their father/mother's former college as "legacy" entrants.

[@mrclam954]

I want to raise a point you make about the so called British class system. As someone who has an American wife of 45 years and visited the USA many times my observation is that there is more of a class system in the USA than there is in the United Kingdom. The problem is that it is never mentioned in the American media, it is kept under wraps. The 'class system' was all about money and education many years ago. When I look at the American society of today I see many of these things; i.e. the criteria for a class system.

[@matthewjamison]

It's in every society

[@louisemiller3784]

Having been in NYC, I’ve never come across the level of rudeness I experienced there, but not all Americans are like that

[@schrodingerscat1863]

Seems to me she spent most of her time in London which is a very different vibe to the north of England and more rural areas generally. There locals are a lot more outgoing and friendly to strangers.

[@DW-py4up]

Meh depending on what on those strangers look like

[@witwicky5565]

​@@DW-py4up no, stop labelling rural and northern areas as racist

[@DW-py4up]

@@witwicky5565 who mentioned race or racism? Sounds like you’re playing the race card.

[@skipperclinton1087]

I hate to break it to you but as a US citizen that's lived in SE Asia for 22 years us "yanks" are not looked upon fondly by Australians either.

[@thadtuiol1717]

FFS, judging English people on what you experienced in London is like judging all Americans on what you experience in NYC.

[@Lily_The_Pink972]

Sounds like she didn't use her 25 days holiday to explore our fantastic country!

[@user-zw4mz2gx5w]

⁠@@Lily_The_Pink972: To talk weather? 😢

[@Lily_The_Pink972]

@user-zw4mz2gx5w Don't be ridiculous. British people talk about a whole lot more than the weather. And if she'd travelled round the country she'd have a met a huge variety of different and interesting people who would be happy to converse about all sorts of things.

[@Lxx-tc4xc]

Yes!!!!

[@ibizawavey8630]

I have no qualms about judging the English. I had one as a General Manager, what an absolute prick, had I known what I know now I would've played him like a fiddle.

[@Otacatapetl]

I don't know what makes Americans think that the British would speak American and not English.

[@wulfgold]

as Borat would say "it's a very funny retardation".

[@Lxx-tc4xc]

Many working class Brits speak an outright dialect which goes well beyond an accent.

[@Otacatapetl]

@Lxx-tc4xc Still not American though, is it?

[@hubertcraig442]

Oscar Wilde quote two countries divided by a common language 😂

[@wessexdruid7598]

@@hubertcraig442 Noah Webster set out to make American a separate language, quite deliberately.

[@MrVvulf]

The "upspeak" trend among younger Americans drives me up a wall. Every sentence they utter sounds like they're asking a question. It's even worse than the Valley Girl speaking trend of the 1980s.

[@Lily_The_Pink972]

It's so irritating! And all the girls with their squeaky, baby doll, cutesie voices!

[@chrisbamborough222]

Yes i hear this so often and its caught on in the UK .When i hear it on the Radio i have to switch it off.

[@lemming9984]

The first time I heard of the Upspeaking was on a Frank Zappa song from 1974 - called "Valley Girl" !

[@rbnhd1144]

Thank you, well said, its off putting and sounds so stupid, that's the TV doing the teaching here.

[@kobostinywings]

Or the croak voice as they end their sentences. It's incredibly irritating.

[@jaysterling26]

'Driving on the wrong side of the road'.( besides India , Japan..etc..)...oh,dear...By the way, as a native Brit I appreciated the subtitles.

[@nickbrown6457]

A third of the world drive on the 'wrong' side of the road, including most of south east Asia, Japan, Australia, and about a third of Africa!

[@wessexdruid7598]

@@nickbrown6457 And it used to be more.

[@tpkyterooluebeck9224]

I nearly couldn't get my driver's license in the USA because as a native Yankie, I wanted to drive on the correct side of the road, which for my brain, was the left side. 🤣 I was never out of the USA, so I blame Genetics for that one as my Great Grandma was British.

[@shanghaiffgg]

I lived in London also for 8 years. The British are friendly people but they are reserved and will generally go about their business unless there is a good reason to communicate with you. It would be a mistake to misread that for a lack of friendliness or rudeness.

[@belm3243]

Thank you for saying this.

[@robertparsons313]

My UK friend describing an American woman getting the vapors after hearing about a failed terrorist attack: "You know how dramatic they can be."

[@jamiesimms7084]

The north isn't like London and most people will say hello some places on the coast and South South are friendly too

[@neilmccarthy5102]

I’d imagine the unfriendly nature of people in London would be true of people in New York or any other mega city.

[@georgecooksey8216]

That's true. It's pointless to generalize - and I don't think being reserved necessarily means being unfriendly.

[@antonycharnock2993]

I'm from Sheffield a big city renowned for its friendliness then as a student I moved to Manchester which I found very unfriendly.

[@bushwhackeddos.2703]

The Cockneys were very friendly, maybe that’s why the powers that be, cleansed them from their city.

[@Sue474]

Talking of the drinking and socialising in a pub, buying rounds, there's no stigma in having non-alcoholic drinks in a pub. No need to drink more (or any) alcohol than you want to.

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

My husband always took part in rounds, paying when it was his turn. And he's ALWAYS been teetotal. Nobody cared if it was x beers and a coke.

[@NightSkyTower]

Unfair..bad comparison....try saying hello to folks in New York vs NYC and that's the same as London..... Midwest yes, lived in Arkansas... very different to New York City. All big cities folks are the same...go go go..

[@FumFel20]

Absolutely true.

[@Lnel3799]

The class system in Britain is based on hundreds of years of feudalism; the American class system is mostly based on modern capitalism. Yes, there is a difference. One is more entrenched and taken seriously by its adherents; the other is more fluid and casual.

[@AdrianLee-i7g]

Feudalism was imposed in England by the Normans after 1066. Some counties, such as Kent, never adopted it. The feudal system did not last here as long as people think. It died during the Black Death between 1347 and 1351. So many people of all classes died that the whole rigid system could not be reimposed again successfully. Ironically, it lasted until the 1960s in the American South, with the sharecropping system.

[@louisemiller3784]

No class system in the US? Is she kidding??????

[@sotecluxan4221]

At least no LOrds, Queen, Princes.....paid by taxpayers, though those r incredibly rich, without doing a thing.

[@louisemiller3784]

@@sotecluxan4221 yes but it still has a class system

[@christinac3929]

Is she kidding? Where would she encounter Michael Bloomberg or other billionaire?

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

@@sotecluxan4221 Maybe learn a few facts, they AREN'T paid by the taxpayers but many of the wealthy in the US ARE. You have it back to front. sorry.

[@digidol52]

Not as strong as it was but the old WASP crowd are still around although they stick together and tend to be somewhat hidden. Obviously this woman has never applied to join an old-established country club.

[@alexlanning712]

Here in Australia I've come across the odd American, and it appears to me they're so "self-absorbed" they're like a fish out of water

[@leec6707]

I think Brits and Aussies gel but many yanks are jarring!

[@alexlanning712]

@@leec6707Yanks cant "adapt" all they want to do is change things

[@jhindle7883]

I think that is the most accurate description of the American tourist type I've ever heard. Good on ya Bruce.

[@alexlanning712]

@@jhindle7883 Thanks J, I'll go have a chunder in the Pacific

[@TonyZoster]

That young woman reminds me of an US American man I met on a plane who said to me and my wife that "he just done Europe in two weeks." My wife and I looked at each other speechless because we had just spend 12 moths traveling throughout Europe in a camper van and had not seen everything . Please note that there are many different nations on the continent America and all their population are Americans. I emphasised that my comment is about an US American.

[@seijika46]

London is not England, let alone the whole UK. In most countries the capital city is wildly different from the rest of the country - its own little world, largely despised by those who toil under its misrule. As for being unfriendly, I consider it immensely rude and presumptious for strangers to accost you with random chatter - particularly when its generally surface-level chatter to pass their time at the expense of yours. When it comes to class divide, its pretty much just ended up the same way here as in the US (and indeed most of the world): rich versus poor, haves vs have nots. It might be more blatant with titles and such, but segregation via private schools and areas of wealthy housing are the same as anywhere else. With regard to things being "wrong" here, its simply different. If we're judging things as to what is more prevalent globally - the US really should have gone over to celsius and the metric system (amongst other things) long ago - but they won't out of the sheer arrogance that they are right and everyone else is wrong so everyone else should do as they do.

[@tpkyterooluebeck9224]

Metric failed in the USA because a bunch of fools insisted it would be too costly to make that switch and many cities, counties, and whatever agency is behind the cost of replacing all those signs, all put their foot down and said "no". :P This is what my Math teacher told me, so if there is any factual errors, I blame the teacher.

[@helenwood8482]

American class is based on money. Ours isn't.

[@Lxx-tc4xc]

My American family of origin lived in genteel poverty, a status that most Americans don't know about, but which used to be common in the UK. My American family was posh in some ways, such as the occasional foreign trip, the magazines we subscribed to. To many Americans, the lifestyle of my parents simply did not compute. I discovered British genteel poverty thanks to the fact that genteel poverty was the lifestyle depicted in quite a few British novels. When I attended USA universities, I had to spend my money very carefully. At the same time, I did not need a scholarship thanks to small inheritances.

[@georgecooksey8216]

American "class" is based on mobility which may or may not involve wealth. Some of the most classless people are very wealthy.

[@timmurphy9132]

money is great - all you have to do is get some to move "up"...whereas parentage isn't something you can change.

[@iainholmes2735]

Agreed. Class is a very subtle thing in the UK. We can usually tell within a few sentences of speech which class someone belongs too.

[@alexroberts6416]

Uks IS based on money. I've never met an upper class person on the dole in a council flat. Nor have I met a working class person living in a castle or mansion.

[@paolow1299]

The class system exists in the US just as it does in the UK .if you look back far enough you find the same families are all related to each other even today .The Queen was related to more than one President .

[@ericadams3428]

All Presidents apart from one (Martin van Buren) have descent from King John

[@antonycharnock2993]

The Kennedys married into British aristocracy and the American landowners must have had that link originally,

[@martinj40m]

Ive never started a conversation with someone I don’t know by talking about football or cricket - perhaps she works in sports marketing

[@antonycharnock2993]

I used to sell subscriptions for the Times newspaper and I've got a strong Yorkshire accent(someone said I sound like Sean Bean) It was one of the things we had to discuss with potential subscribers. You can imagine the people who read The Times. I had a few "Oh I'm sorry Lord so and so isn't here at the moment..."😂😂

[@Jill-mh2wn]

A very interesting interview . It reminded me strongly of something I learned from a friend who worked in the London branch of a huge American concern ,Merrill Lynch. Their executives were expected to do a stint in all the major cities of the World at some time and it was almost certain that each would say that the most difficult place for their families to settle in was the UK .Not because of any prejudice, but because when they first knew their next placement ,they would prepare very carefully and intensively beforehand. They KNEW that this was not necessary of the UK, after all it was just like the USA only smaller.!

[@emmypuss4533]

Interesting, insightful, empathetic lady. I think I would enjoy her company.

[@tony152]

London isn’t England it’s like saying New York is American.

[@Mr_Kenneth]

Exactly. Plus NY is NOTHING like California, or like Texas

[@AnthonyHunter-xd4wk]

New York is more American than London is England. It's like comparing apples and oranges outside of a shared language we have different historical experiences and different culture.

[@DarrenGregg-j3e]

@@AnthonyHunter-xd4wk What??????? How do you get more English than London. You know....the capital.

[@judegrindvoll8467]

@@DarrenGregg-j3eCome on, you know most capitals don’t reflect the typical population. Most capitals often have a higher transitory population for a start.

[@SamianHQuazi]

The Bri'ish sound very much like the Japanese, when you're crammed into a small series of islands and high population density, you're forced to become reserved, polite, even two-faced at times to maintain social order and peace, even at the expense of free speech and being able to freely speak your mind.

[@TR4zest]

Absolute bollocks from this woman, and you, apparently.

[@cr9153]

No, London isn't the UK. Just as Tokyo isn't Japan.

[@Tbone1492]

I was born in Italy moved to the U.S. I travel back and forth yearly. I thought America was one stereotype. It's like 50 Country's with a common language. I try not to put people in 1 category🙏

[@delskioffskinov]

Excellent video Max very informative and Laura seemed like a very likeable Lass! Enjoyed watching this thank You!

[@garmit61]

I think you misunderstood the use of a ‘Jolly’. In the context you are using this, it’s most normally used when doing something or going on a trip, usually in association with meeting customers or suppliers at the expense of your employer. I’ve never heard anyone use this for a trip to the supermarket in work’s time.

[@kortyEdna825]

The financial sector and derivatives may have a Hindenburg moment if the US Treasury market collapses.Rising market illiquidity in the $14.8 trillion U.S. Treasury market, according to Bank of America, might affect other financial markets.

[@PatrickFitzgerald-cx6io]

We face a new challenge every day. The new normal is this. We now see that this is the new normal and must adjust, having initially believed it to be a catastrophe. Across the country, this year will be quite painful economically.

[@Pamela.jess.245]

I completely agree, which is why I prefer delegating daily decision-making to an investment coach. It is nearly difficult for them to perform below par given their specialised knowledge, extensive research, and the fact that every ability they possess is focused on maximising risk for its asymmetrical potential and minimising it as a safety net against certain unfavourable turns. I've worked with an investing coach for over two years and have made over a million dollars.

[@KaurKhangura]

Impressive! I've actually been looking into advisors lately, the news I've been seeing in the market hasn't been so encouraging, who's the professional coaching you?

[@Pamela.jess.245]

Certainly, there are a handful of experts in the field. I've experimented with a few over the past years, but I've stuck with ‘’ Colleen Rose Mccaffer” for about five years now, and her performance has been consistently impressive.She’s quite known in her field, look-her up.

[@KaurKhangura]

I copied her whole name and pasted it into my browser; her website appeared immediately, and her qualifications are excellent; thank you for sharing.

[@Kevinattheabbey]

Probably the majority of 'unfriendly' people you came across in London were in fact tourists from other parts of the globe. Go outside of London and into smaller towns and you would have found it different. My friend has a polish partner and he finds it funny and strange that we make conversation in coffee shops etc. with people we don't know. Other Americans living here mostly comment how friendly we are.

[@chriskberks5471]

This is a really interesting discussion. I loved the questions and the lady’s responses were so considered. Excellent viewing.

[@dankuo8561]

Laura is insightful and articulate. Thanks.

[@davidjohns4745]

“Posh” comes from the boats on the river Nile. When travelling out one side would be shaded and the other in direct sun. The expensive seats were always in the shade. On the journey back the other side of the boat was shaded. They were marked Port Out Starboard Home. Ie the “posh” seats. Funnily enough though British class is not about money, it’s more about upbringing.

[@HuwRichards-e2z]

I always understood it to be about the journey from Britain to India and the far East (and back); on which side of the ship is your cabin. Having travelled by ship from Singapore to Britain via the Suez Canal, just before it closed in 1956, I can assure you that cabins on the sunny (south side) of the ship were almost unbearable in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

[@davidjohns4745]

@@HuwRichards-e2z It must have applied in multiple instances. Sorry to hear that you didn’t have the “Posh” cabin 😝 You must have had a “Soph” one.

[@alicedell8595]

About strangers not saying"hello" to you. Middle America will be mostly locals. London is too diverse to compare (and foreigners are the majority).

[@LNixon-d2r]

I am sorry to say, but there is barely any traditional English culture and behaviours /values left in London. London is more an international culture city.Try looking for place that serves pies, sauage rolls and fish n chips, these places are decreasing. But if you visit the small English towns, you will encounter a very different type of English culture, that you may find rather interesting as an American.

[@DW-py4up]

All the things you mentioned are available in London. What are English values?

[@bushwhackeddos.2703]

@@DW-py4up The Cockneys were never asked, very hard to keep your culture alive when your people have been cleansed.

[@wulfgold]

An American that does sales... I bet there were quite a lot of honest reactions that happened. ....shockingly, this video contains an advert buried 5 minute in.

[@Lxx-tc4xc]

What Laura says about London is also true of New York and Chicago.

[@johnholmesinchesahead342]

As an Englishman - I couldn't understand any of this.

[@robertlangley1664]

There’s no such thing as British English ,it’s just English because we are English and it’s our language

[@panoptikum9768]

In that sense, Americans, Canadians, the Irish, Australians, and so on all speak English. It's all the same language, but all of these countries speak different varieties of English and therefore there's British English, American English, Canadian English, Irish English, Australian English, and so on.

[@robertlangley1664]

@@panoptikum9768crap ,it’s just English

[@panoptikum9768]

@@robertlangley1664 Yes. The language you speak is English. The language variety you speak is British English. It's basically like a pyramid: A language (e.g. English) is divided into varieties (e.g. British English, American English, etc.). These varieties are divided into dialects (e.g. Scouse, Texan, West Country, Boston, Scots, etc.). And every single person speaks English slightly different in their own idiolect. Welcome to the world of linguistics.

[@robertlangley1664]

@@panoptikum9768 here some good old English dialect you talk a load of old shit ,all these countries speak English but the Americans are still trying

[@panoptikum9768]

@@robertlangley1664 I never said that these countries do not speak English. You seem to not be able to grasp the difference between a language and a language variety.

[@jjwatcher]

The origin of POSH was from rich people travelling by ship to get the sunshine was Portside Out, Starboard Home. Ultimately it was used to refer to anyone with money.

[@MrRawMonkey]

Friendly America where people carry guns

[@tenniskinsella7768]

Very good points I am friendly either people in my local store snd cafe Vehen my hidbz d died theyvgave me flowers. We are not aloof

[@tenniskinsella7768]

Rotten typing Say it again. I'm friendly with cashiers in local store and cafe. They knew my husband and when he died they gave me flowers and free meal in the cafe. We are friendly

[@jang3412]

@@tenniskinsella7768 I'd guessed what had happened and had sort of guessed what you'd meant to say - thanks for clarifying - but it was kind of fun as well - I like puzzles! Appreciate seeing if I got it right.

[@andrewbanks3548]

I think she was lucky to find any British in London nowadays!!

[@MichaelLamming]

In any large city, people tend to keep themselves to themselves. It's self-preservation. Big cities are dangerous places, and you tend not to make eye contact. It's the same in New York, Paris etc. Londoners are not unfriendly as such, just weary of strangers.

[@torotaxi1]

We don't even know many of our neighbours

[@hogwatch1976]

I find the amount of swearing we do can be really funny when dealing with Americans, they can be so prim and proper. Oh and casual blasphemy can be an enormous shock for them and something to consider if you are dealing with groups or working over there.

[@JohnLingwood-bn4ml]

You shouldn’t judge Brits based on your experience in London. We are very diverse culturally and in attitudes. I’m from the north of England, and even we northerners find Londoners cold and not particularly welcoming. In general, the further away from London you go, the friendlier we Brits tend to be… though you’d probably struggle with our regional accents. Mine accent is usually called broad Yorkshire.

[@Lily-Bravo]

We had salespeople saying "have a nice day" as a mantra. If I know they don't mean it, I say "Not if I can help it" Other ones I cannot stand are "Sorry for your loss", "Thank you for your service" (although I have only experienced that on a Curb your Enthusiasm episode. I also don't like people saying "someone has passed " as I always wonder whether it is a red light or wind.

[@macca8562]

Even Northern ukers find Londoners impossible to get on with, they seem to look down on everyone else north of the Watford gap.

[@bushwhackeddos.2703]

Do you mean the born and bred cockneys which make up about 10% of the population now, or the new Londoners?

[@hendy643]

She completely misunderstand the British Class system. It has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with heredity. You could be born in a gutter to a road sweeper, grow up to be a billionaire and you still wouldn't be Upper Class, the best you could hope for is upper middle class. The reverse is also true, there are Lords that are entitled to go to the House Of Lords that are more broke than most people in the UK. Heredity of the 'Upper class-ness' can water down too, depending on which child you are, eldest, or the others. The oldest child, more accurately the direct heir, is the only one that carries forward all the 'Upper class-ness', all the other children get a slightly less version, after a couple of generations, it can water down enough to make you middle class. Basically, it's possible to fall out of the upper class, but not possible to enter it with permission from the Monarch.

[@jonathanvince8173]

The same thing in major American cities is people don't talk head down. Also if your in smaller cities in Britain it is the same thing people are more friendly talking helpful.

[@Kingshieldwall]

Maybe it's because 'empty vessels make the loudest noise' that Americans are loud and emotional 🤔

[@Jill-mh2wn]

As a child, growing up in a very low but middle class home ,I was taught not to be ostentatious ,loud in company and that it was not considered `nice` to show off. Of course ,this upbringing colours my attitude to those cultures where this is considered the norm, so perhaps it is this that makes older people look a bit askance at visiting Americans.

[@markaxworthy2508]

I am a Brit. I agree about buying rounds. I always buy my round early because I don't necessarily want to drink every round. Nevertheless, some people have the cheek to be offended when you don't participate in their round, even though you have already bought your own. As for questioning American friendly sincerity, I have felt it was rather formulaic since 1984 when a Coca Cola machine at the Atlanta Greyhound station wished me "Have a nice Day" with my purchase. If you want your greetings to sound sincere, it is probably best not to have machines using the same phrases.

[@Jill-mh2wn]

As a reserved Englishwoman ,I object to my home electronics calling me by name and saying `Hello` 🤣

[@georgecooksey8216]

It's not something anyone should be irritated about. It's expression of politeness and I think you will find that most of us say it with sincerity, even our machines.

[@markaxworthy2508]

@@georgecooksey8216 I don't mind people saying "Have an Nice Day", because they can say it with sincerity. However, when machines are programmed to say it, the human sincerity element is removed.

[@georgecooksey8216]

@@markaxworthy2508 If one of my machines was programmed to say it, I would probably laugh or curse at it - similar to calling customer service and getting a virtual assistant rather than a person. But you are correct - certainly no heart-felt sincerity from our machines!

[@MrAhuapai]

Posh - Port out Starboard Home. It was short for the way rich people travelled by ocean steamer

[@wobaguk]

Sadly that is a nice story that has been debunked, with usage of posh predating the first opportunity to apply it to shipping

[@MrAhuapai]

@@wobaguk I think that it hasnt been debunked rather there is no real evidence of the origin. The words were used in print first in 1918 so that doesnt predate the shipping.

[@petee074496648]

she has a lot of good things to say i would respect any thoughts she had !!

[@joesphbegley3088]

In Victorian times, first class passengers on board the liners to India travelled POSH, port out and starboard home to avoid the sun !

[@MeStevely]

Eight years in the UK, and she still didn't get it. Maybe move outside of London for a while.

[@richardhargrave6082]

London is not a reflection of the UK. Everyone is on their way to somewhere. We don't particularly like someone asking if you need help as soon as you step over the threshold, let us have a look around first. If you're outside the touristy capital people are more out-gong

[@eleanorwalmsley635]

Really interesting chat ❤ wishing this lady well ❤

[@chuckyboy6977]

Posh is an acronym from the very early days of cross Atlantic travel by ship. The rich would pay extra to stay on the side of the ship with the sun shinning into their cabins, so 1st class passengers travelling from European to the U.S.A would be on the left side of the ship going to the U.S. and on the right side of the ship on the return journey. So with a ship left side being called the Port side and the right side of the ship called the starboard side, on the 1st class ticket it would have Port out and Starboard home or P.O.S.H.

[@_Meng_Lan]

She only has to walk or take the Tottenham court rd to Finsbury park people are naturally open and friendly in north london.. really friendly.

[@famouschappi]

Cheeky!

[@alan-the-maths-tutor]

Brian Sewell hit the nail on the head when he made a remark on some show about "Posh Spice". It was hilarious. He took issue with the "posh" part. I won't repeat what he called her here. That was in 2009 by the way on the Alan Titchmarsh Show.

[@wobaguk]

Some people say the class system is replaced by financial meritocracy, others will say it hasnt changed at all but its definitely a mix of the two. The upper class hasnt changed, but the population has swelled beneath them making them proportionally smaller and smaller, while the working/middle class divide has been replaced by smooth continuum, due to the near complete shift from manufacturing to service industry. Now its not factory worker vs bank manager, its call centre operator vs call centre manager. Also the shift from debt=shame, to credit culture means that working vs middle class is not easily characterised by how you look and what you have, but often how you pay (or try to pay) for the things you feel you deserve.

[@weejackrussell]

I felt the opposite from this one in the USA because I felt overwhelmed by shop assistants asking me questions which in the UK would be seen as overbearing and not allowing one to browse without being interrupted. It seemed like it was too pushy.

[@nigelsheppard625]

If a Brit says: "Yes, we could do that"..."That's certainly an option".... "That's one way of looking at it" ... "We'll park that idea for a second" ... It means an outright NO.

[@digidol52]

And if you hear "We really must have lunch soon" it means "I hope never to set eyes on you ever again".

[@andrewhargreaves504]

Worth noting that people speaking to strangers is regional. In the North people will say good morning & hello as they walk past each other, less so in the South. Her take on nuanced yes & no is very funny. It has hundreds of gradients which we can’t explain, we just know. So, “yeah we could” with an inflexion on the “yeah” means “that’s not going to happen’. My American partner struggled with these nuances. “Oh that’s interesting” really means “shut up, you are boring” if the inflexion is placed on ‘interesting’. 😂

[@martinshepherd626]

Wrong. I live in Somerset and we are also friendly towards strangers or Grockles (tourists)

[@andrewhargreaves504]

@@martinshepherd626 I literally say “less so”, not an absolute & you can’t tell me my lived experience is “wrong”, it’s just different to yours. I have lived in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset & Avon & found it to be less so than the North, but not a total omission.

[@martinshepherd626]

@andrewhargreaves504 Avon has not been a County in nearly 40 years. I'm Bristolian btw

[@martinshepherd626]

@andrewhargreaves504 No such place or County called Avon

[@dianacarter_art]

I'm an American from Oklahoma. I've lived in the UK from 1997. It was difficult at first. I wanted a pair of pantyhose and nobody knew what I was talking about. 😂 My husband and I discovered many differences along the way but with television and movies and the Internet plus social media, the differences are now much smaller. Still no pantyhose! Tights are tights and will always be tights! 😅❤❤

[@daffyduk77]

"On a jolly" to me really means a kind of employer-funded or even approved freebie (sometimes just turning a "blind eye") - like a trip somewhere for a meal, a sporting event, some kind of modest benefit, which helped you feel the employer wasn't a total scrooge/gouger. Or maybe just tasking you to do an easier job role for a day, than you'd normally do

[@IsisBarom]

Some people say 'going on me jollies' which translates into going on holiday...at least that is the case where I live in the North!

[@TR4zest]

Where in the states is she comparing London to? I am a dual national US/UK. There is no way London is less friendly than NYC, the only city in the US that London may be compared with.

[@diannegooding8733]

Truest British maxim to live by “Everybody is an arsehole until proved otherwise!”

[@GWAYGWAY1]

Very few British people are living in London so the foreign contingent is now huge. Do not take London as typical of the British, go up North a bit and get away from the evil place.

[@Tbone1492]

It's just like visiting NYC or LA. Not really a true representation

[@TheCornishCockney]

How very dare you !!

[@petebennett3733]

​@@TheCornishCockneyeasy, London sucks lol

[@frogletx]

There is absolutely a class system in the UK. What PMs (from any part of the political spectrum) have NOT been to public school and have NOT been to either Oxford or Cambridge?

[@williamritchie4582]

John Major, Gordon Brown.

[@glynnwright1699]

James Callaghan

[@geemo4284]

Do you actually want a list, because there are lots who haven’t been to public school - Angela Rayner for one, but there are too many to list. Oxford and Cambridge take on many students who haven’t been privately educated, so not sure why you’re bringing that into it.

[@jamonit7169]

@@geemo4284 Angela Raynor's never been PM, she's just a simple MP and I don't think she actually went to school.

[@alicemilne1444]

​@jamonit7169 Of course she went to school. The UK has compulsory schooling.

[@Schuyler-ke5hh]

This happens WITHIN America too. It's an interesting experience; we have so many different cultures here even amongst various European settled areas. People tend to think that in America the culture will be "white", or "black", or "Mexican". But it is always so much more complex than that. The dominantly Scottish areas are so different than the dominantly german areas; these people do not get along so well. South Americans often experience bullying by the "proper" Mexicans. Blacks and Mexicans for that matter do not get along at all, and fresh african immigrants hate black American culture. If you are surprised by cultural differences abroad, I wonder why you never even traveled your own home country. Americans should be the best at adapting, why are we a plight? It's astounding.

[@ripley6942]

Love these videos. This lady is so smart and articulate.

[@WK1745]

Not surprising Americans do not use "Posh". It stands for Port Out Starboard Home and comes from the days of the British Empire when people travelled by ship to South Africa, India and the Far East. The cabins that faced the shore cost more so people with the money to pay for them were labelled Posh.

[@barrysteven5964]

Talking about Americans being emotionally over the top, to our minds anyway, reminded me of something. We look after our grandchildren a couple of times a week (aged six and three). My little grandson isn't that interested in the TV but his older sister loves children's programmes. Her parents and I have now banned her from watching a lot of American children's programmes because we noticed that her behaviour always got really bad afterwards. British and Australian children's programmes don't seem to affect her in the same way. We put it down to two things although these are just theories. 1. That the tone comes across to us as hysterical. Everyone shouts ALL the time. It's non-stop yelling. Nobody says they 'like' something, it's always 'totally awesome' and they are always incredibly 'excited' about the slightest most mundane things. It's absolutely exhausting. 2. There is very often some moral story. One of the characters will be mean/selfish/unkind, then something will happen which will make them realise the error of their ways, then they will apologise and finally the rest will forgive them and they'll all be amazing friends again. The problem is that little kids see the first bit with the bad behaviour and they think it's fun. They either forget the rest of the moralising or it goes over their heads or they've just lost concentration by then. So they end up just imitating the mean, selfish, unkind bit. If American kids are fed this all the time they must be up the walls.

[@Rumline7]

American here, and those programs are just as toxic here, too. They design them to be like junk food for childrens' brains. Maybe this is a class system example, but I think more middle class families and above, or those who don't need the TV to be a babysitter because the parents aren't working 3 jobs each, do as you did and prevent their kids from consuming media like that. But if parents are checked out for whatever reason, the kids are selecting garbage shows for themselves.

[@sarah-janelambert8962]

Go to Yorkshire and people are so open to conversation with strangers. Londoners are not like that.

[@joealp8196]

The classes in the UK are mutually exclusive. It is just as difficult for the 'posh' to be accepted by the working class as vice versa.

[@roxybennett3964]

Strange this other USA lady felt completely opposite from her, that UK are friendly and wants to live in the Uk it felt like the old US back in the 80s. Each person seems to have different opinions and views.

[@bryanhunter2077]

The Class System, Well I am working class person, yet I have mixed with all levels and have even been invited to Buckingham Palace. I have been to dinner at the House of Commons and I belong to a number of organisations which one would never think would happen, and when you think I left school at 14 years old and I am self educated.

[@Lily-Bravo]

I also feel confident to mix with all levels in society except perhaps those who put in airs and graces. As a teenager I worked in a country tea rooms and a couple of men came in, very shabby and rough looking. They ordered filet steak and some expensive drinks. I went to ask my superior whether their order should be recognised. She had a quick look then said, "My dear, those are our wealthiest customers" They did get their order, honour the payment and tip me extremely generously telling me not to put it in the pot.

[@bryanhunter2077]

Many thanks for your reply, growing up in southern England during WW 2 you seemed to meet half the world even German P O W and I learnt a lot from this form of life. I worked as a Manager in London of a large theatre and Cinema group, for quite a few years, and left that when I got married due to the long hours and from that I went on London Buses and went from a driver to a senior manager in a few years, both these jobs opened you up to meet such a range of people and cultures.

[@Lily-Bravo]

@@bryanhunter2077 I grew up in Dover, after WW2, but my parents had two Prisoners of War who came to Christmas not long after the war ended and these two young men brought toys they had made for my sisters. One was a balancing parrot on a perch. My mother told me about them when I played with it, and told me that these young men were not our enemies but had been caught up in war between the countries. I think that was a good lesson to learn.

[@donmaddox8898]

Only twelve pubs that's just a warm up for a real pub crawl I used to regularly do about 30 pubs with my mates

[@JonseyWales]

This idea of experiencing London and then commenting on the UK is annoying and ignorant. London is a VERY different experience to other parts of the UK, I'm born and bred in the UK and I feel like a foreigner there.

[@Lxx-tc4xc]

And I feel like a foreigner in New York and LA!

[@ChrisBailes-z8y]

As stated in previous comments, London does not represent the UK. Even we English country folk get blanked in London.

[@jemradwan]

Maybe I'm just Americanized from partially growing up there, but as an English person I think she's being accurate haha. I mean, I do find people further North in England a bit more open, but overall nowhere near what the "Middle of the U.S." where she's from is like. Love it the people from there honestly

[@deanwalker38]

@7:40 talking about how we're a class system is spot on, yes racism exists, BUT we're more classist, upper and lower class. Americans have it over there, too, but you're more concerned about racism.

[@Chris-mf1rm]

Happy to see that she says route properly 😆 (root not rowt). Anyone who thinks Brits are reserved hasn’t been to Finland. I’m an introverted Brit but I feel loud and brash when I’m there.😉

[@steveboykia4746]

Very interesting interview, I lived in Arizona for a while. so there are a lot of social differences, most I got used to quickly, particularly shopping where the tax may not be added to your goods until checkout time. Tipping is strange also, when eating out 15 percent tip is normal, No wonder service is quick ! POSH is an acronym particular to the British, its meaning is quite simple, although a lot of British do not know what it means. Port Out Starboard Home. When wealthy people travelled to other country's in the 19th Century, and into the 20th I guess, (Oh that's a word I picked up in the US, I guess, drives people mad in the UK !) they went out on the Port side cabin for the sunshine, and Starboard cabin back home, for the same reason. strangely enough I learnt this from watching the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, back in the 60s. Where Grandpa Potts (Lionel Jeffries, wonderful actor as was) sings a song about this very well known acronym.

[@thehonestcritic6577]

Thought ? On a ship, Port Out Starboard Home POSH

[@petejones7878]

driving on the left is NOT on the wrong side of the road in the UK

[@marmadukewinterbotham2599]

You're right about the London 'no eye contact' thing, but as usual, London is unrepresentative if the UK in almost all aspects. It's such a pity Americans assume London is England. Of the 9m people who live in London, over a third are not British nationals, many coming from countries where people keep themselves to themselves, so London is divided into many ethnic enclaves, where often there is a mistrust of the other enclaves, and this all encourages a reluctance to assimilate into the original population. I live in Cornwall, and everyone makes eye contact and smiles/greets each each other, and that also prevails in most areas of the UK, except cities.