abbotts at home

17 Surprising Things About LIfe In the US!

FROM A Brit Living In America

After 11 years, here’s 17 surprising things I learned as a Brit living in America. From income & food cost differences to mortgages & road trips! Even DIY is different when you're British living in the United States.

Roads Are BIGGER!

Roads are tight in Britain. You'll often have to pull over just to let oncoming traffic pass. The roads in America are huge, in comparison.

1

less Public transportation

Anyone and everyone in the UK uses public transportation, at least sometimes. If you want to spend the day in London, it’s pretty easy to hop on a train from many cities across the UK.

2

mortgages are better here!

A fixed-rate mortgage in the UK lasts only 2, 3, or 5 years. When that term is up, you have to refinance the loan with the current interest rate. That includes paying closing costs again.

3

Less vacation Time

In Britain, most full-time employees get 5 1/2 weeks of PAID vacation. I think that includes hourly workers. In the US, 4 weeks is the average for salary workers, after a few years at a job.

4

Business Hours Are Better In The US

In Britain, even in a huge city like London, it can be hard to find a gas station or grocery store open late on Sundays or Holidays. And, 24 hour fast food, stores and pharmacy’s aren’t really a thing there.

5