Tomorrow afternoon I am leaving America after sixteen days to travel on a ship for a week, so if you’ve got ‘Looking at pictures of the ocean from different angles’ listed as a Facebook Interest you are in for a treat next blog post. That is of course, if Hurricane Sandy doesn’t throw a tree through the house overnight or capsize the QM2 whilst I’m on it. Including the last two and a bit weeks, I have spent just forty days in the USA in my entire life. Next to approximately seven thousand days in England (reference tally: Days we have bowed down in mandatory worship to the sculpted teabag effigy with lasers for eyes of Queen Elizabeth II the Merciless, Siobhan Harmer). I have twenty minutes free and I thought I would share my biggest culture shocks that I have experienced. I do not have a fair reference point, I will be stereotyping and I am definitely biased towards England.
England VS America.
American bacon is the worst.
One point to England.
I have talked to more American strangers in two weeks than I have English strangers in twenty years.
The English are known as one of the most polite, well mannered societies on Earth (which has never made any sense to me as we are also renowned for having brutal monarchs and Newcastle). This is mostly incorrect; like everywhere we have miserable, loud, rude, arrogant things called “human beings” and it is cold 98% of the year. All the Americans that I have met however are incredibly polite, happy and appear genuinely invested in conversations they start with you everywhere you go all the time always. I love that everyone seems to want to talk to you here, especially on trains. America has some strange people travelling on trains.
American plug sockets look like faces.
One point to America.
Tea versus Cinnamon.
America has cinnamon scented bin bags and yet make fun of the English’s liking for a cup of tea now and again? Really? You put cinnamon in gravy?
America (specifically, where I am staying) is about to be hit by a hurricane.
Have you heard about the hurricane? Where the hell did the hurricane come from? I got sunburn on Wednesday? Are you the actual hurricane? Piss off you bastard hurricane.
I will probably add more when I have a little more time, I should be preparing for said hurricane right now, as I’m sure all I’ve learned about an entire country does not dwindle down to scented bin bags.
P.S. Sorry viewers on Google Reader for posting this several times; this stolen wifi is a bit iffy.
