I moved to the UK from the US, AMA

[Avalla33]

It's still early days, as I moved here about a year ago. I don't know if I have anything particularly interesting to say, but I'll try to answer any questions the best that I can.

Also the state universities are chartered by the state. The oldest state charter is for the University of Georgia (1785); the University of North Carolina was chartered in 1789 but actually became operational before Georgia did.

Another American (living in the UK for 14 years now) chiming in.

This made me chuckle: Eggs. How long did it take you to find them on your first supermarket trip? Do you keep them in the fridge or on the counter? I had to ask where they were the first time I bought them in the supermarket. Was shocked that they weren't in a cold section. Kept them in the fridge for ages, until my British MIL explained that they didn't need to be refrigerated.

I did feel odd having a pint with a lunchtime meal in the local pub when I first moved here. Now I'm not bothered - I've taken the dcs into the pub so they can have a fizzy pop while I have a half a pint of cider, and we sit on the patio and sip our drinks and people watch and chat.

Also as we home ed here in the UK, my children (born and raised in the UK, never been to the US) are learning both US and UK subjects (history, government, geography and so on) so that they are familiar with both. My choice, but they are quite happy with it.

As far as alcoholism, the vast majority of people in the US drive and drunk driving is a serious problem, not sure if there is any correlation there.

The two liquor stores in the town I lived in (in the US years ago) that had drive up windows so you could buy your booze without getting out of your car always seemed a bit poorly thought out to me.

Crafty Yankee I'm in London too. While I miss air conditioning, I've found that ceiling fans are the way to go. I don't like having no screens on the windows, but this summer I seem to be finally getting past that too.

The two liquor stores in the town I lived in (in the US years ago) that had drive up windows so you could buy your booze without getting out of your car always seemed a bit poorly thought out to me.

Well, as you no doubt know, Americans love being able to do things without getting out of their cars. There are even drive-in churches. So you're not actually supposed to open and consume your alcohol that you buy at a drive-through. I think most all states have open container laws, prohibiting having open containers of alcoholic beverages in a car.

Oh, yeah, I know it's prohibited by open bottle laws, but even as an American and being used to drive up windows, it just seemed a bit silly.

People seem much more aware of the whole drink/drive issue here in the UK than in the US, and they seem much more willing to chip in for a taxi rather than drive after drinking. Or they are able to use the bus/tube which is better obviously than driving.

Having moved over from Pennsylvania, which has some of the weirdest/most restrictive liquor laws in the US, the ready availability of alcohol here still blows my mind.

In PA you have to go to different stores for beer, wine and spirits; only state stores can sell wine and liquor but beer can be sold by certain licensed shops. No alcohol can be sold before noon on a Sunday anywhere.

So our local mini Tesco, with one shelf for milk but about two aisles of alcohol, is bizarre to me! 😁

The two liquor stores in the town I lived in (in the US years ago) that had drive up windows so you could buy your booze without getting out of your car always seemed a bit poorly thought out to me.

I loved our drive-thru beverage store. I, of course, went there for a gallon of milk, with a cheeky 1.5 litres of Glen Ellen on the side.

I remember when Ohio was all “state stores” for liquor, so they have move a long way to get to the drive-thru.

In the US there are women only universities, how are these thought of?

Do you think we should have these in the U.K.?

Do you know anyone who went- what were they like?

In the US there are women only universities, how are these thought of?

It depends on the school. Some of them, likely Wellesley or Smith, are really elite, extremely selective colleges. Others are more mid-tier.

Yes, I know several women who went there. It's a full assortment of social types,

I went to a women's only college established within a larger co-ed university. I loved it. My classes were mostly all women for the first two years, and for the last two years, most classes were coed, mixing women and men from the men's undergraduate college.

Johnnyfinland ooh, can I have the name of the taco place?

Interesting that peanut butter is a focus of this thread and yet no one has mentioned unsmoked bacon, which is kind of an oxymoron for Americans.

I went to a women's only college established within a larger co-ed university. I loved it

Interesting. We toured Wellesley last month with DD while we were in Boston. I can see the appeal of having an environment that's really focused on women that way.

@Avalla33 There are Taco Bells opening all over the UK! Look up TacoBell UK

Ahem, I grew up in the Los Angeles metro area. What you're describing is a certain part of the population and there are phony, entitled people everywhere, LA doesn't have the corner on that market.

LA (yes, we call it LA) is a vibrant city made of many people and many, many cultures. Pick your cuisine and you'll be able to find it. Want entertainment, you name it, LA has it. It's a great place to live and play.