British Expatriate Network

I know it's an old theme, but I thought some people here would have some fresh insights. Howabout

You know you've been here a while when...
You mistake an Aussie for a Brit.
You don't flinch when a fellow Brit puts rutabaga in a recipe.
No-one ask where you're from anymore.

:lol:

You know when you have been here a while....
when you start saying oragnio instead of oreeganoo, like my Welsh friend did the other day.

And you start saying everything is "adorable'

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by Sospan Fach on 2001-11-14 1129 ]</font>

When you are on holliday in U.K., in a Tea Shop, others at the table are
drinking a pot of tea, you ask for a coffee refill and get charged for it. eek

You know you have been here a while when

You say garbage instead of rubbish.

You say trash can instead of dustbin

You say Garaaage instead of Garidge

You have forgotten what Ribena tastes like.

"Hmmm, maybe I do need a V8 truck"

"$1.79 a gallon, what the hells going on, who is my congressman ??????"

"Honey, I'm just going downtown to the drive -in pharmacy, you want 32oz diet coke ??"

"Now where did I put my passport, I swear I have no idea why I have that thing."

"Captain of Liverpool ? Thats Emlyn Hughes..no thats not right give me a minute...Ray Clemence, you know the bloke with the big nose."

"I cannot wait to go home and visit Wembley."

You visit England and you wonder where all the "trash cans" at Victoria Station are.

You say to the salesman, "4 cylinders, my garbage disposal has more than 4 cylinders !!!!"

I could go on for hours !!!!

BENG, mistaking an Aussie for a Brit! Too funny. (Brits with bad accents, ya know.)

I'm here half my life next month (25 years) and I am discombobulated when I'm not sure what some English words mean because they were not around in my time. I am thinking of "naff," "blag", "gutted", etc., etc.

When I occasionally return to England, I cannot remember their words for things. I could not remember their word for a crib, for example. Cradle wasn't right and finally I remembered "cot," which is not the way we use it in the States. My sister-in-law told me not to ask for a "check" in a restaurant -to ask for the "bill". Ditto "tin" for "can".

Metric measures give me a headache. I won't buy anything in England because the sizes are so confusing to me.

You read an English magazine and have no clue who these folks are.

It DOES seem strange to have custard on everything !

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ANNE IN CONNECTICUT on 2001-11-14 12:59 ]</font>

You don't think twice about driving the two blocks to the corner shop - even when you have to back your other-half's car out of the driveway first before you can get yours out!
grin

[list]
[*]you already have your credit card out when you go to "check-out" at the doctor's, and you call it an office not a surgery
[*]you say "good job" and "do you wanna go potty?" to children without flinching (If you ask an American child if they need to go to the toilet, they tend to look at you with incomprehension as they pee on the floor!)
[*]you don't stop at an orange traffic light even if it's been orange for 5 minutes
[*]you forget to put the handbrake on the car (I believe this only applies in flat states such as Michigan where the locals find it really bizarre that newcomers use the parking brake)
[*]you find British houses small, dark and poky
[*]you say "cool" and "awesome" without even realising
[*]you spell zeeeeebra with a zee
[/list:u]

Now be honest, has anyone actually said "Urb" instead of "Herb" because I can't ever imagine getting that Americanised :eek:

I have to ask -what the hell is rutabaga?

I was sent this by another expat...it is listed on another expat site...sorry Nigel wink Anyhow it just about says it all http//www.britishinamerica.com/goingnative.html

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by Cheshire on 2001-11-14 2129 ]</font>

I'm afraid so :sad: In fact, I find myself making an effort to translate back into English when I call my family. I think Gas, then say Petrol. I'm not sure when this happened. I've been here five years now. Since I intend to be here for the rest of my life I haven't really resisted being Americanized.

Dan

When you forget if the way you are spelling a word is the english or american way.

When you try to sound English on the phone to relatives back home and your children ask why you are sounding funny!

When you say tomayto instead of tomahto (I personally have resisted this one for 31 years).

You start to say things like Home Deepo, tomaydo, veehickle, cantaloupe, cilantro, sub division, yard, flashlight, stop light, black top, yes m'am and can I help you to your car? smile

When you go back home for a visit, and wonder how on earth you ever managed to cook a turkey in an oven that size or managed to fit the produce in that size 'fridge.

When all your "pussies" have become "kitties" (meeow)

When you stop walking to the wrong side of a car before getting in it.

When travelling a couple of hundred miles is no longer a much planned expedition, but a spur of the moment thing.

When, we have to "think" about the answer to this post!

When you feel guilty about thinking of having a beer/wine before 6pm

filling up the car with a whole tank of gas

getting pumpkin pie ingredients and making it without looking at the recipe

putting your christmas tree up in November