It’s not America…

Here is a fun list of differences between England and the USA! Enjoy.

1. Never ask if you can “rent a bike.” In England, you do not “rent” anything. You “hire” a bike and you “let” an apartment. (We got some really weird looks when searching for a bike rental!)

2. In England sheep have long tails. Imagine a cow tail with a fluffy white perm, now transfer that to a sheep. (weird image, I know…)

3. In England, they don’t have “to go” boxes. You eat it all or you lose your chance. We tried getting a “to go” box at an Indian restaurant and the best that they could come up with was a plastic grocery bag. (“Yeah, I don’t think that I’m going to stick my leftover chicken curry in there…but thanks anyway.”)

4. There’s no tax on purchases in England! But don’t go crazy….they make up for it with the pound/dollar conversion rate.

5. You know how green lights in America turn yellow and then red? Well, in England, lights not only turn green, yellow, red, but they also turn red, yellow, green. It’s kind of like a “prep light,” so that you are ready to go when it actually is green. (Don’t worry, both lights are not actually yellow at the same time…that could cause problems.)

6. In England (especially London) there is no such thing as “the pedestrian has the right of way.” If you are in the crosswalk and that light turns green, they WILL run you down.

7. If you want lettuce on your sandwich, try ordering it with a “green salad.” I can’t make any promises, but this usually will get you some type of lettuce.

8. English dogs are almost always pure bred and well-behaved. Nearly every dog I saw was an identifiable breed such as an English Sheepdog, Border Collie, Jack Russel Terrier, Greyhound, English Springer Spaniel, etc. Leashes are a rare occurrence. Most dogs just trot dutifully beside their master.

9. English people are generally very thin. Guys do not lift weights and girls do not tan. (in general)

10. Ordering “tap water” is a sure sign that you are not European. The waiters and waitresses are generally so surprised that you would actually drink tap water, that they try to spruce it up with lemon, mint, or lime. So, as you can imagine, the tap water in England is actually much better than it is in America…even if the people act like you're drinking poison.