Through time, I notice more differences between British and American culture as an American living in London . If you’re planning on visiting London, you’ll certainly see a few big ones as soon as you arrive.
Listening to British people speak, you might think they sound more polite in comparison to Americans. You also might feel they are a bit more humble or understated next to our super sized expectations.
On the Sunny in London blog, I’ve written about things British People Say That Drive Me Crazy, USA vs UK- 5 Life Conveniences You’ll Miss, Differences Between British and American Schools, and numerous other comparison articles.
British vs American Culture Differences:
For the first time, I am targeting culture. This is strategically after four years of living in London, married to a man who was born in London.
Being in a cross-cultural relationship presents some interesting dilemmas, no doubt. But that topic is for another time. One of the benefits includes having a constant resource to ask questions and seek advice when I feel I have had a communication breakdown that seems based on British vs American cultural differences.
Through these observations, I have found the five things I outline in this video to be true when comparing the two.
I would love to know if you agree with this list and possibly what you can add or want to know about too. If you are planning a trip to London or moving to London, the video is something you don’t want to miss. Knowing the information in it will save you time and likely embarrassment while you’re here.
The Sunny News YouTube channel, shares even more advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about London. This includes safety tips, pub advice, and a shopping guide. The blog also has a Guide for Americans Visiting London which is a collection of the top experiences I recommend. You’ll definitely want to bookmark it and visit the Pinterest boards created to help trip planning too.
I enjoyed your video and the sorry thing is really interesting. Up until this fall, I would have agreed with you. But not sure if it was a fluke or what, but when I visited the NY area over Thanksgiving, the # of times I heard sorry from Americans was staggering and really shocked me. I’d hear it for silly things like 2 people arriving in front of a door to a store at the same time. Or when I would bump into someone, THEY would say sorry. Maybe people were in a sorry kind of mood? No idea but it was surprising as an American to hear so many people apologizing. Canadians and British folks get stereotyped with being overly apologetic — not Americans!
I enjoyed your video. Regarding the actual flying of flags, Americans are far more likely to do this. I have very rarely seen the British flag flown anywhere other than above public buildings whereas it’s quite common to see the US flag being displayed outside peoples homes.