It’s the little things that make you happy when living in England
Living in England as an American is mostly good. It takes a long time to learn how things are done, adapt, fit in, find friends, feel at home, and love the way of life here. It’s not easy, but it does get easier. I love talking to newbies, people who are struggling, people who need to hear the positives. My life and outlook on life has definitely changed since I first moved here.
Things that make me ecstatic that I never thought would even factor in, let alone make me happy and add to my enjoyment of life.
- Doing a wash and bringing in dry clothes from the washing line, within 6 to 8 hours only
- Not having to turn the heat on to heat the radiators in order to dry clothes
- Buying peanut butter from Marks & Spencer
- Buying Kraft Macaroni Cheese from Ocado
- Being asked in a shoe or clothing store if I need any help
- Being smiled at by staff pretty much anywhere
- When our food order comes all together and no one has to wait
- When my youngest child’s food order comes first (instead of very last)
- Public transport
- Watching Britain’s Got Talent with my children
- The splendor of the Royal Pavilion in Brighton
- The view of the sea while I watch my children do their swimming lessons
- Discovering new books about cross culture, TCKs, CCKs, language, mixed race and cultural differences
- Meeting other Americans
- Always having an extra sweater or jacket when out and about, even in August
- People asking me where I’m from and not being surprised at my response
- Really good pub chips (french fries, not potato chips)
- Online Tesco delivery
- Meeting people from Romania, Bulgaria, Russia and Holland (and probably many other countries too)
- Talking to other parents about raising children in Britain
- Talking to other parents about raising children in America
- Being called ‘love’ by taxi drivers
- Being called ‘mum’ by my children
- When my husband makes me a ‘nice cup of tea’
- Discovering short breaks to places like Amsterdam and Bruges
- Visiting Spain, another foreign country that is nearly becoming my third ‘home’
- Business lunches in London
- Street food
- Finding a place to park our car in front of our house
- My dishwasher
- Keeping in touch with family and friends who live all over the world via Facebook
- Meeting amazing people who share my sense of global entrepreneurial spirit through Twitter and Expats in Biz
- Pinning on Pinterest
- Afternoon tea at Bill’s (actually, afternoon or cream tea anywhere!)
- Asking “What do you fancy…”
- Saying “I’m knackered”
- When my neighbors smile at me
- When my children smile at me
- When my children’s friends ask for a ‘cookie’ instead of a ‘biscuit’
I could go on! The joy (or should that be the trials and tribulations?) of living in England! Of course there are plenty of things that make me unhappy (such as having to bust a gut to bag up my shopping quickly so as not to anger the checkout person or annoy the next customer by taking too long) but I wanted this post to be full of all the wonderful and somewhat weird discoveries that have become so much a part of my cross-cultural life within a cross-cultural family here in England.
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Meghan Peterson Fenn is the author of Bringing Up Brits and co-author of Inspiring Global Entrepreneurs with Heidi Mulligan Walker. Meghan is also the Director and Chief Designer at her own design company, White Ochre Design Ltd. And, she is an award winning expat blogger.
Oh yes, nice cup of tea? is always the answer to everything. Someone just got murdered outside your house? Let’s put the kettle on! As for having to bag up your shopping as quickly as possible so as not to annoy anyone – yes this irritates me too, it’s not like it’s a race! #myexpatfamily
PS I just got told by WordPress “You are posting comments too quickly. Slow down!” Oh the irony. Will try again.
I tried to rebel against the nice cup of tea thing for years! In the end I found it easier and nicer to just accept it and embrace it! LOL.
Meghan I love this list it really made me smile!! Lots of big and little things in there that make you happy!! I can really see elements of your American and British life in here!
Thank for linking up with #myexpatfamily xx
Thanks Chantelle! So glad it resonates. Great to link up with #myexpatfamily 🙂
Aww such a great compolation of English things… Its making me miss England and go back there!! #myexpatfamily
There are definitely things I would miss about England if we ever moved elsewhere!
This is a lovely list! I miss a couple of these, being a Brit in America, especially being asked if i’d like a nice cup of tea! There’s nothing a nice cup of tea can’t fix… well, almost nothing anyway! x
Yes, it’s taken me a long time to get used to the ‘nice cup of tea’ but I’m finally there I think. But obviously not as much as my British husband 🙂
Really enjoyed this! I’ve really been feeling homesick for the US lately and there are days I get down and negative about living abroad. I needed to read this to remind myself – be positive! There are so many things that I *do* love about living in the UK! So thanks for sharing!! #myexpatfamily
I still sometimes feel homesick for America and, yes, there are days/times/moments when it’s difficult and all I see are the negatives. Writing these positives helps. Glad they help you too 🙂
I loved this! The UK really is the quirkiest place and so many of the things you mention do make me smile too. Or sometimes smile in a sort of manic way, but it’s all good 😉
Thank you 🙂
Lovely list – feeling slightly homesick now… might have to go make a nice cup of tea! ; )
Ah yes, enjoy it! 🙂
Love this list, it really made me smile and feel, not quite homesick, nostalgic perhaps! I miss European city breaks and afternoon tea, but your point about finding a parking space outside your own house made me laugh out loud 🙂 As for packing your shopping, it still makes me really uncomfortable to have someone else do it for me, while I stand watching them… It’s funny the things that stand out for you, isn’t it? Great post x #myexpatfamily
That is so funny about the grocery packing! I don’t think I ever felt uncomfortable about that but I do break out in a light sweat when packing my shopping up for fear of taking too long!
Such an important exercise in learning to be happy and grateful in all circumstances! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Maria 🙂
You make me miss the UK!
After 6 years there I miss it more than my ‘own’ country sometimes… Luckily we are in Singapore now and plenty of Britishness to be had here too… And for sure I don’t miss British summers!
Ah, thank you! Hope you’re enjoying life in Singapore. Must be so different to the UK even though there is Britishness there too.