This American’s hilarious thread about weird British traits went viral because she knows us so well
Sometimes it takes an outsider to come in and spot the weird stuff that you do, and this is exactly what an American who’s been living in the UK for 10 years has just done to the British.
Jessica Rose – @jesslynnrose on Twitter – took a bit of time out to list all of the things she still found ‘weird as hell’ about the UK nearly 10 years after she arrived here.
Jessica is from the US and came here after living in Japan.
‘I now live in Birmingham which I am firmly convinced is the nicest city in the world to live in,’ she says. ‘I work in tech and have very ugly cats.’
And here’s her take on living in the UK, 10 years in, which has just gone wildly viral on Twitter because it’s very funny and so, so true.
1.
I have been living in the UK for 10 years this year. Please have a short thread of things that are still weird as hell to me 🧵
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
2.
British people have rising intonation when they say “bye” on the phone so it’s a bouncy “byYEEE” and why do you people do that?
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
3.
Please why beans on toast there are so many other lazy foods that are actually good why is this a thing?
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
4.
People here put fish fingers (yes they mean fish sticks but I’m fine w the name part) in sandwiches which is just…why.
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
5.
Britishes pronounce “patronise” pat-row-nize but pronounce “patron” in the expected way and this divergence distresses me.
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
6.
Britishes call their fanciest private schools public schools which is weird and confusing, likely by design.
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
7.
British beaches are often just banks of sharp stones by the water and people here excitedly go to them on purpose. When you get there you can buy disappointing candy sticks called rock and seagulls will fight you.
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
8.
They have proms here but they mean outdoor classic music things, not a school dance. Except now sometimes they have school dances called proms. I give up.
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
9.
Signing “sincerely” in an email means “fuck off”.
Saying “fuck off” in a pub means “I appreciate our friendship” 98% the time and 2% of the time it is a precursor to violence.
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
10.
If there is a mistake at a coffee shop or restaurant British people will complain to everyone but the people who could fix the issue and if asked by those people will report that everything is fine.
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
11.
On getting off a bus saying thank you to the driver is optional until the person leaving in front of you says thank you. Then you are legally required to say it. So is everyone behind you.
— Jessica Rose (@jesslynnrose) February 4, 2021
