Very British Problems

Have you seen the new book Very British Problems? They keep tweeting the most hilarious and, sad as it may seem, mostly true observations and scenarios of the British. The paranoia, the politeness, the weird humor, the awkward moments, the strange and complex British psyche, the passive language and the inexplicable behaviour – it’s all there in their tweets which are from their book and it is relentless and very very funny. But do British people find it funny or does it make them angry. Do they agree and not mind, is it just a bit of fun to point out these ‘Britishisms’ or is it only non British people who find this funny?

Here are some examples of their tweets:

very british problems

And you can follow them here @SoVeryBritish

You can get their book too. Out on kindle. I’ve just got it and there’s a fun quiz which, at the moment I am NOT very British, although I haven’t finished it all yet.

I remember the first time I took my newlywed British husband out to a diner in Savannah, Georgia and he didn’t realize that free coke refills were standard. I watched him time his coke intake to balance out with his burger consumption perfectly (although at the time I didn’t realize that is what he was doing). He was almost done with both when the waitress came over and whisked his coke away. There was sheer panic on his face as he (politely) spluttered at her saying he wasn’t quit finished with his coke yet. She smiled and said, “I was just going to go and refill it.” He turned bright red and said very politely, “Oh Ok, thank you.” His brief embarrassment quickly turned into delight at the knowledge of free coke refills.

Now that is a Very British Problem…. in America! On the other hand I have some very American problems in Britain. Such as forcing myself to say maths instead of math so as not to look like an idiot in front of my child’s teacher but feeling uncomfortable with actually saying maths instead of math and choking or stuttering on the word. Or blushing when taxi drivers call me ‘love’. Or feeling both proud and ridiculous that my sons can be called Master Samuel and Master Jonah over here. The most infuriating American problem in Britain is becoming outraged by all the ‘Very British Problems’ we live amongst! And, you know, our children are growing up with these very British problems and no matter if one or both of their parents are not British, they will still have many of these ‘Very British Problems’.