Fourth of July FAQs for foreigners
What’s the deal with the fourth of July? What the hell is a s’more? … Read More Fourth of July FAQs for foreigners
Category: Expat Guide
What British newspapers sound like
An Expat Claptrap video exclusive… Read More What British newspapers sound like
British tourist’s guide to not making an ass of yourself in America
Welcome to America, British person. I know you think you’ve got it all figured out. Americans drive on the right, and most people walk around fully armed with semi-automatic rifles, right? They say “dude” and “awesome” and drink “root beer” (which isn’t really even beer). Everybody shops at Walmart and most of them are on mobility scooters due… Read More British tourist’s guide to not making an ass of yourself in America
OMG, it’s the TL;DR guide to the British election for Americans
You’re American. You don’t know the difference between a Tory and a Whig. In fact, don’t like all British politicians wear wigs or something when they’re debating what colour to paint the Queen’s throne? But you may have heard somewhere that there’s a UK general election coming up next week. Maybe you don’t know anything about… Read More OMG, it’s the TL;DR guide to the British election for Americans
Is the royal family . . . tacky?
I was at work the other day, and somehow the topic of the new E! television show “The Royals” came up. The programme, starring Liz Hurley, is a re-imagining of the British royal family, filled with sex, scandals and intrigue. It seems to be all that anyone over here is talking about at the moment.… Read More Is the royal family . . . tacky?
Are you a Nimrod or a Clever Dick? US versus UK slang ‘names’
The other day at work, I called a group of my colleagues “Nimrods.” They stared at me blankly. One of them eventually replied, “Er…. thank you?” Generally, British people know all about American slang- they hear it in movies, TV shows, pop music, etc… and there are literally scores of websites devoted to cataloguing the… Read More Are you a Nimrod or a Clever Dick? US versus UK slang ‘names’
An American walks into a bar: A guide to unlocking the secrets of English pubs
For Americans, pubs can be mysterious places. They’re similar enough to U.S. bars to be inviting, but different enough that, until you learn the ropes, you can often feel like at each visit you may find yourself feeling as if you’re violating a set of unspoken rules about what to drink, what to eat, and… Read More An American walks into a bar: A guide to unlocking the secrets of English pubs
American politics: more awesomer than British politics
Every Wednesday while Parliament is in session, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is subjected to a merciless grilling by opposition minsters. Known as “Prime Minister’s Question Time,” this verbal jousting session reveals a significant difference between American and British politicians: In the UK, you learn how to… Read More American politics: more awesomer than British politics
Movies to prepare you for expat life in Britain
There are nearly 180,000 Americans living in the UK. But believe it or not, there have been very few films made about Yanks adjusting to life in Britain. Until Hollywood finally comes around to portraying our plight, I recommend US expats watch and learn from these movies, all of which are the next best thing:… Read More Movies to prepare you for expat life in Britain
An American’s guide to tea (FAQs)
As every expat living here knows, if you’re going to live in Britain, you’re going to have to learn about tea. How to make it properly. The different types of tea. The etiquette of tea. How and when to drink tea. How to love it. Yes, you must learn to love it, like Winston Smith… Read More An American’s guide to tea (FAQs)