A Response: 20 Questions to the United States

I recently read a really interesting article written by Her Campus blogger Amy Coker. She is currently abroad in England and is Playing 20 Questions with England. As I am technically the reverse of her working abroad in the US, I thought I would retaliate with my questions to the US. As many people may think that the US and UK are similar, they are SO very wrong. We have a lot of cultural differences and I found this out the hard way.  

1.   Why does everyone say “how are you?”

This question stumped me from day one. Constantly, I found myself chasing people down the hall shouting ‘I am fine, thanks, how are you?’ Why does no one respond to this? Why this is not considered a legitimate question?

2.   Why do you have to be 21+ for everything?

Literally everything considered to be fun has to be 21+. From drinking to bowling – seriously, why is bowling 21+? It is a 5 year old’s hobby!

3. Why are cars allowed to knock me down?

When the little man flashes, that is supposed to mean it’s safe to cross, right? WRONG. I am constantly taken aback with the amount of cars that are trying to knock me down turning right at the red light. It’s a stop light for a reason. Stop!

4.   If you cannot understand what I am saying, why won’t you tell me?

Everyone here is so polite. Sometimes when I get excited I talk about 100 miles per hour and no one will even question it. They don’t want to seem rude or interrupt so they will just nod and smile at me. Please tell me!

5.   How does anyone survive?

Everything is so expensive rent, food, education, healthcare. I have no idea how you can all deal with the stress of all these out goings and debt.

6.   Do you have enough on your plate?

Ok I love my food but no one can ever eat that much. Taking a doggy bag home in the UK is not a thing, yet here everyone feeds themselves for over a week from just one meal at a restaurant!

7.   Why do you file your own taxes?

This is one of the most stressful things I had to complete on my year abroad. How does anyone do it without a third party provider? I have no clue what all these codes are, where is HMRC!?

8.   Sales tax. Why do I have to add this on later?

So I buy my shopping, add it all up as I am going along, get my correct change out, reach the register and boom, it’s suddenly 6.25% more expensive? How does anyone have correct change here?

9.   How are you prepared to travel so far?

In the UK I would grudge an hour train to university in the morning, never mind a 4 hours bus drive for the weekend. Yet in the US this is completely acceptable to travel by bus every weekend to another state. This is not “close by.”

10.  Why the confusion of chips and fries?

Okay, so I can order “fish and chips” from this one place, but when I ask for chips with anything other than fish it comes with a bag of potato chips. Not acceptable.

11.  How does your milk last so long?

In the UK, milk goes off in a few days’ time; in the US it lasts WEEKS. The same with bread and this freaks me out. What do you guys put in there?

12.  What even is change here?

I literally throw my change away here into a jar in my room. Apart from a quarter which I need for laundry I have no idea what the rest even mean.

13.  What is the deal with Laundromats?

Why do I have to walk so far to do my laundry? Why can my building not just have a washer and a drier? Why is it so expensive!?

14.  Why is transport so cheap?

This is one of my favorite things. I can travel anywhere in Boston, for a week for $19. In the UK I have to pay around $15 for one return trip, to one location and back.

15.  How do you even elect a president?

I am currently here for the run up to the election of the new president and I have no idea what a primary and caucus or anything is…

16.  Biscuits with chicken… really?

So a biscuit in America is basically a fried scone served with chicken in restaurants like KFC. I was so excited thinking I was getting a chocolate chip biscuit and then this arrived. What a disappointment…

17.  Why does your pharmacy sell alcohol?

There is a shop in the US, a bit like Boots in the UK, called CVS which sells all pharmaceutical items like medicine, makeup, etc. Then you find the alcohol section. So confusing.

18.  When I am still drinking my juice but you take it away and give me a new one.

Why do you do this, I am clearly not finished drinking. It is such a waste! I will ask for a refill.

19.  Why can I buy everything on a credit card?

In the UK the minimum spent on a card is usually about 5 pounds; in the US, I can buy anything with a card. I once paid $1 for a bottle of juice. There is no minimum.

20.  Finally, why does no one go on holiday?

You live in the US, you work hard for such long hours yet no one takes a break. Some people do not even take one day off which scares me compared to the (at least) 25 day holiday allowance we are given in the UK.

There are so many random differences between the US and the UK but they both have their ups and their downs. My year here has been eye-opening and I cannot believe the cultural differences I have discovered. Learning and living in the culture has been so beneficial and I have adapted well to my new (and crazy) surroundings. Culture shock will play a very big role in any new experience so be ready to embrace it. The key to living in a new culture is to adapt – enjoy the differences because you will miss them when you’re home.

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