I had certain expectations in me about what “life in England” must be like. Now that I live in the UK, I can tell you that some of those expectations have been fulfilled (the Brits really love tea) and some disappointed (but they’re actually not that polite, sorry-not-sorry). However, there are a few little things about living here that have taken me completely by surprise.
Tag: expat life
Jolly Good: 5 British Expressions I Love (and 3 I Hate)
OK, so I laugh derisively whenever one of my coworkers, who’s basically an old Englishman trapped inside a young Englishman’s body, says “jolly good”… but secretly I find it a little endearing. British expressions are excellent day-to-day entertainment for this expat, and I’ve even adopted a few of them (with mixed results).
Here are just five of my favorites, with a more complete running list I’ll keep at the bottom of the page.
Been Doing Some Code-Switching… Again
Britishisms sound about as natural coming out of my mouth as Princess Beatrice’s hat looks on her head… but I can’t stop.
Revehse Cultcha Shock
It’s strange to need to re-adjust to American life
The 10 Worst Things About Living in France
Ten things about life in France that I will be happy to leave behind me
The 10 Best Things About Living in France
Getting ready to say “au revoir” has me reflecting on what I’ll dearly miss about France…and what I really, really won’t.
Parlez-you Franglais?
the most bizarre and amazing brain trick of all is a feature of conversation with fellow Anglophone expats, in which French seamlessly infiltrates English.
I’ll have a breu-nee, please.
One of the funniest things I do on an almost daily basis is pronounce English words with a French accent so that French people will understand me.
The Customer is Always…
This is a crash course in customer service philosophy across cultures.
Two-Day Wander: Toulouse, Niaux Caves, and Carcassonne
The Languedoc-Roussillon/Midi-Pyrénées region is a land of abandoned hilltop castles, distant snowy mountains, and glittery blue coasts