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Original poster

UK and America are two countries separated by a common language, UK and US Q&A cont'd

324 replies

mathanxiety · 30/08/2014 21:43

Started another one in case anyone wants to do it again...

OP posts:
CheerfulYank · 03/09/2014 20:13

I haven't got a passport.

:(

But yes, I can't afford to go anywhere except road trips :) Someday, though!

Also, my first sentence is an example of my unconsciously "speaking" in a different way on here... If I were talking out loud I'd say "I don't have a passport." Weird! :o

13greentomatoes · 03/09/2014 20:38

Just watching the GBBO, as mentioned earlier, and trying to see how tight Paul Hollywoods pants are ....

Get a grip, girl, get a grip Blush Blush Grin

ColdCottage · 03/09/2014 20:53

CheerfulYank, look out for some bargain flights, some places in Europe are rather cheap at the moment.

Though I guess it depends where in the US you are as so if there are cheap flights from near you.

Panama is so cheap and really safe once you get out of Panama City and there where a number of Americans there who visit regularly due to super cheap flights, a few hundred US dollars return. Internal flights in Panama are around 60 US.

kickassangel · 03/09/2014 22:38

But cold cottage, a flight to Europe is still going to be a lot more than piling the kids in the car and driving to the lake. Dh and I were in Utah this summer, and said how far it is to go for vast numbers of Americans to leave their country. It really isn't that convenient for most of them, and flights to Europe cost more than flights from Europe for some reason. Where we live, it isn't possible to get to Heathrow for less than $1000 per person, even going off season and doing one or two stop overs. Usually I pay at least $1400 for each ticket. We live near a main hub, btw, so imagine if you were a ten hour drive from an airport, then had to switch to an international flight, then maybe again at Amsterdam ... Not many people have the time and money to do that.

The majority of Americans don't live in a city, so for most of them leaving the country is unlikely. It's more like saying that as a Brit you've never left Europe/Northern Africa, than saying you've never left the country.

I also think many Americans may have a passport for a short period, do a few trips, then let it lapse until they need one again. Not having a passport for now is not the same as never having one in your lifetime.

Pipbin · 03/09/2014 23:07

I think you are right Kickassangel. In the UK most people (not all) are within about a 3 hours drive of an international airport. (no actual facts here, just guessing)

I think it is very hard for people here to understand just how large the US actually is.
For example - London to Moscow 1,700 miles.
San Francisco to New York 2,900 miles.
London to New York 3,500 miles.

Lilka · 03/09/2014 23:12

I don't have a question, I just thought this was amusing

this made me laugh too

UK and America are two countries separated by a common language, UK and US Q&A cont'd
SconeRhymesWithGone · 03/09/2014 23:20

Bit of a stew. Grin Sounds like a West Wing subplot. Lambgate: US ambassador to UK offends entire nation.

CheerfulYank · 04/09/2014 00:47

Haha! :)

That's the thing, we drive five hours to our lake cabin and we haven't even left the state. You can go five hours from London and be in Paris. (I think!)

So I think the perception is that Americans don't have passports because we're not interested in other countries or don't realize what's going on in the world, but really it's just that we are a huge place on our own, full of many different climates and cultures that are much easier and cheaper to get to.

I still would love to go to the UK though. :) And Greece. And, and, and...

steff13 · 04/09/2014 00:57

I'm with you, CheerfulYank. I don't have a passport, but I will one day, and I will travel all over England and Ireland and Scotland and Italy and...

wobblyweebles · 04/09/2014 01:50

Let's also not forget that a lot of Americans only get 10 days holiday a year if they're lucky, and they'll spend most of that catching up with family and looking after sick kids.

I think almost every American I've met plans to visit Europe after they retire, which may well be the first time they have two weeks off in a row.

steff13 · 04/09/2014 03:08

I've never had a job that didn't have separate sick time and vacation time, and I've always been an American. :) Is that not typical? I've worked at grocery stores, retail stores, non-profit organizations, and I've always gotten 2 weeks (or more) vacation + a week of sick time.

eatscakefornoreasonwhatsoever · 04/09/2014 05:39

See that's where you're going wrong - you don;t need to visit Europe, you need to relocate here - for the holiday if nothing else ;)

(joke - obvs)

steff13 · 04/09/2014 05:48

I would love to relocate to Europe.

I am up late working at I've just discovered a new show on Netflix - Frisky Business. Have any of you seen this show? It's a reality show about the UK's biggest sex toy retailer, lovehoney, located in Bath.

eatscakefornoreasonwhatsoever · 04/09/2014 06:03

No, but it sounds right up my street! If only we had Netflix...

steff13 · 04/09/2014 06:05

It's hilarious. It says it airs on Lifetime in the UK.

eatscakefornoreasonwhatsoever · 04/09/2014 06:11

Don't even know if we have Lifetime...

writtenguarantee · 04/09/2014 11:04

I guess this is partly due to the wide range of terrain in the USA so you can ski, visit the beach, climb mountains or kayak etc as well as being able to access Canada and Mexico without one (I believe).

you absolutely do need a passport to enter Canada and Mexico.

The majority of Americans don't live in a city, so for most of them leaving the country is unlikely. It's more like saying that as a Brit you've never left Europe/Northern Africa, than saying you've never left the country.

Really? It's hardly a rural country. States which border the atlantic ocean make up about 40% of the population. My guess is most of those people live within a three hour drive of a major airport. That's just the eastern seaboard. Throw in California and Texas and you quickly get well passed majority.

Distance also isn't the only issue. If you were to drive from NY to Canada, as long as you know the difference between km/h vs m/h, you are not going to experience any cultural issues. Unless you are going to Ireland, you will face having to know a few words in a different language if you leave Britain.

carrie74 · 04/09/2014 12:56

Steff13 I saw that show (plus am local to Bath), and noticed that they needed a financial controller a couple of years back. Was tempted to go for the role, but wasn't sure how to explain it to parents, PIL...

I have a friend whose company works with them (business support role).

carrie74 · 04/09/2014 12:58

PS, I love this thread (but only get to dip in and out). I spent my early childhood in the US, my brother and his family never left when me and my parents relocated back to the UK, so am loving some of the questions and answers!

SconeRhymesWithGone · 04/09/2014 13:33

I guess this is partly due to the wide range of terrain in the USA so you can ski, visit the beach, climb mountains or kayak

There are several states where you can do all this without even leaving the state.

AlpacaMyBags · 04/09/2014 13:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 04/09/2014 13:57

I lived in Maine and went to Canada all the time. Didn't need a passport at all. Actually they didn't check driver's licenses either. Occasional spot checks, but that's it.

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 04/09/2014 13:58

Mexico you do not need a passport either. My bil is a Mexican national, and she lives in Arizona. She travelled to Mexico numerous times with him, with her children, and none of them had a passport. Driver's licence only for adult.

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 04/09/2014 13:59

But, and I stress this, we are American citizens. I don't know about UK citizens if they'd need a passport. Just saying...

steff13 · 04/09/2014 14:43

When my MIL went to Canada two years ago, she didn't need a passport to go into Canada, but she had to show one to get back into the US.