SLACKER

I know I've been slacking in the blog department, but its been a busy few days on top of me just being in pain :( Not to mention I have two wisdom teeth left which will probably get pulled in the coming weeks/months - but I also have some tiny cavaties due to my other wisdom teeth that are going to be getting filled and such.

As most everyone knows I am living in England. For the most part things are the same here - but I will list the big differences

• No Ice

• BROWN gravy only

• No air conditioners

• No mirror in the bathroom

• No plug ins in the bathroom

• 'Fortnight' is still used

• Radiators for heat

• Driving on the left side

• Road signs are luminous

• Most the radio stations are geared to 'younger' listeners (I mean teens)

• Cuts of clothes are more simple here

• Things you've seen celebs wear - they were that every day here (those lil ballet slipper things with flowy tops and leggings is big here right now)

• The Thai and Indian food is better in England than it is in Thailand I betcha

• When you order a meal - you get a BIG full plate

• Its expensive to eat out (3x as much as the states)

• Kids wear uniforms to school

• No bikes on the sidewalk unless a sign says you can

• Dye your hair whatever color you want - the Brits won't make a fuss (I've not gotten fired places because of my wacky haircolor before in the States)

• Beer is a social drink to be enjoyed in the presence of anyone and everyone (Bars are 21+ in the states and if they serve food its probably just put in a microwave -- the only CLOSE equivelant to pubs in the states would be resturants that have a wine menu)

• The inside of a washer is about the size of a 5 gallon bucket. Don't let your laundry pile up! It goes under the counter like a dishwasher in the states would - but it smaller than a dishwasher.

• 2 litres are rare - everything is 1 litre and milk doesn't come in gallons.

• There are no stop signs. Everything is a "Give Way" which means rolling 'stops' are what they WANT you to do here. No tickets for not stopping yippie!

• Mirrors on your car come with a button that pulls them in. Your mirrors WILL get hit on a village street if you're parked and a lorrie comes by. Do everyone a favor and move your mirrors in.

• Same Language - Different Dialect (which I will list later)

• The "Organic" isle in the store is massive. HUGE on organics here

• LOTS of vegetarians here. Vegetarian alternative to ANYTHING at EVERY eatery I've been to.

• Every room in the house has a door. This is to save on heating, of course.

• A "Beer Garden" is NOT where beer is grown - its a patio, more or less.

• Before you decide to take a bath - be sure you've heated some water first. Hot Water Heaters don't run continuously here (they can if you leave it on but that would get expensive)

• No one runs around half naked in the summer. It isn't hot enough for that here (THANK YOUUU Mother Nature!)

Alright so those were the major differences that came off the top of my head. And now its time for a small vocabulary lesson! The first word will be the USA word - the second will be the Brit word for it. So format will be USA - Brit. Ready?


Cell Phone - Mobile (pronouced Mow-bile)

Semi Truck - Lorrie

Stove - Cooker

Sun Room - Conservatory (pronounced Con-serv-try)

Fries - Chips

Chips - Crisps

Cookie - Biscuit

Biscuit - Scone

Road - Carriageway

Two Lane Divided Highway (Highway) - Dual Carriageway

Interstate (3 or more lanes) - Motorway

Trunk (car) - Boot

Windshield (vehicle) - Windscreen

Buck (money slang for dollar) - Quid (Money slang for pound)

Wine Cooler - Alcopop

Truck Stop - Services

tired - knackered

Cops - The Fuzz or just Fuzz (haven't heard it said very much)

Drunk - pissed

Kiss - Snog (which I haven't heard since the Spice Girls were cool)


And right now those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head - there are sooo many though. I mostly put up on the ones that Keith had a LOT of trouble with. I love confusing him about biscuits and scones

Me-Now pretend we're in a pub and you want a cookie for your tea .. what do you ask for?

Keith - A biscuit!

Me - Right! Now you want a biscuit with your bangers - what do you ask for?

Keith - What's a banger?

Me - A sausage.

Keith - Oh. I want a biscuit?

Me - Is that what you ask for?

Keith - No I ask for a scone.

Me - Good! Now you've got a biscuit and a scone, but you want another cuppa aand ...

Keith -Wait Jen .. if a cookie is a biscuit and a banger is a sausage what's a biscuit?

Me - A biscuit is a scone.

Keith - Right. Well what exactly is a scone?

Me - Its a biscuit.

Keith - But I thought a biscuit was a cookie?

Me - It is.

Keith - Oh god I'll never fit in!

SONG OF THE DAY!

In Keeping with my Brit fueled post I will put up a song that I've only ever heard here in England - and BBC Radio 1 has done a fine job of gettin it stuck in my head. DAMN YOU BBC RADIO 1!


Away From Here by The Enemy