Expatriates- life in UK

Lola wrote:

Me:  "Jane, it's Marvin Schmidt on the phone for you."

Jane:  "Hmm..Marvin Schmidt...I don't know any Marvin Schmidt."

Me:  "Well, that's what he said."  or at least I think that's what he said!

Jane:  "Alright, I'll take it.  Hello?  Oh hi, Harvey!"

apparently Marvin Schmidt = Harvey Smith in Geordie

Well, Lola, I can certainly sympathise with you.  Here's my story ...

First job in the UK, I was working in a small publishing house as one of their publicity representatives.  I was asked to schedule a meeting and meeting rooms, given a phone number, and everyone, but everyone in the office keep calling these people The Dragons (referring to the people that scheduled the rooms).

First day, all flustered, not understanding an awful lot that was going on, I assumed The Dragons was the name of meeting company, a place that routinely offered meeting rooms and held conferences.  I thought The Dragons was a strange name for a company, but I drew some rather tenuous links between England = St George = slew the dragon and didn't think any more about it.

So I ring up and the person that answers the phone, answers it normally and not with the company name -- which threw me a bit.  Then I naively ask, "Is this The Dragons?"  Needless to say, the person on the other end of the phone was less than pleased.  I tried to explain the company from which I was calling and what I wanted to do, but the woman on the other end was just extremely snappy, and comes back with, "We are *not* The Dragons."  To which I reply, "I'm very sorry madam, but this is my first day and everyone in the office is referring to you as The Dragons.  I assumed it was your company name."

In the end, I eventually booked the conference room and arranged the meeting, but it turns out that The Dragons were the secretaries of the primary investor of the publishing company. 

Whoops!

As I contemplate the decision about whether to take the social work job I've been offered (if it's enough money I'm going to do it), I wonder about the day to day quality of life issues. I've read many posts about how different some American's find life there. Maybe some of you would expound on your day to day existance... how early are you at work?  do you have 30 minutes or 60 minutes for lunch?  Is the work ethic very demanding and hectic or laid back? do you go to the gym after/before work?  How late are people up in your town and still go to work the next day?  Do most people DO stuff after work or just go home?   Is there conversation among strangers in an elevator?  waiting in line? that sort of thing?  Is there a TGIF feeling in the air at the end of the week?  Do you find it doable to take weekend trips to Paris and around the UK and Europe (as I imagine I'd be eager to do)? Is there an interest in you as an American?

Sheesh - I know it's impossible to generalize to ALL of the experience in the UK but if you each share your experience that will paint a picture for me. I see from my questions that I'm very interested about the AFTER work life, as I'll be alone and don't imagine that I'll want to sit in my sure to be tiny flat all evening by myself. I am interested in all sorts of things relating to the day to day. Thanks so much in advance!
Lorraine

I work from 9 - 5 and I have an hour lunch which I can take anytime between 12 - 2. I've noticed that being a couple minutes late to work or from lunch isn't the end of the world and as long as I make it up, in my own time, everyone is happy.

There is a big social life in my firm. Everyone goes out to lunch together or to drinks after work and most even socialise outside of work, on weekends and stuff.

There is an air of TGIF at my office. Everyone is always excited about what they're going to do and talks about it with each other. And we're always laughing about how none of us can be motivated on Fridays. It's usually an easy breasy day for all of us. Mind you, my firm is fairly laid back.

As far as my being American as a point of interest, I'd say it was for about the first week. Everyone gets used to it. There's the odd comment on my accent or conversations about the differences between the two countries but most of the time it's a non-issue. The only time it's brought up is when I've got a client on the phone who comments on my accent ('That isn't a yorkshire accent, is it!'  ' What tipped you off?  )

I wonder about the day to day quality of life issues. I've read many posts about how different some American's find life there. Maybe some of you would expound on your day to day existance... how early are you at work?  do you have 30 minutes or 60 minutes for lunch?  Is the work ethic very demanding and hectic or laid back? do you go to the gym after/before work?  How late are people up in your town and still go to work the next day?  Do most people DO stuff after work or just go home?   Is there conversation among strangers in an elevator?  waiting in line? that sort of thing?  Is there a TGIF feeling in the air at the end of the week?  Do you find it doable to take weekend trips to Paris and around the UK and Europe (as I imagine I'd be eager to do)? Is there an interest in you as an American?

I work for the 5th largest bank in the world  , but in a very small & specialised department of the bank.
I work set shifts of either 8-4, 9-5, 10-6 or 11-7.
If im on 8-4 or 9-5, i take early lunch (12) and if i am on the later shifts, i take a 13.00 lunch. 
Our office is right next to the works canteen, though, so if we are hungry earlier or later, we can nip out and get something to eat whenever we want and eat at our desks (we are not customer-facing!!)...  it's just the 1-hour break that is pre-scheduled based on which shift you do.

Most people in my office run errands on their lunch hour.  There is no pub within walking distance, so pub lunches are pretty well out of the picture, but at other jobs i've had, the pub lunch (including alcohol) was done every day.  In this job, the women mostly go to the local shopping mall at lunchtime, and come back with clothes, shoes, handbags, etc... and of course when they get back, we all get to see what they've bought and put our 2p comments in!

We also get 2 15-minute breaks a day.... most people use these breaks for smoking.  I'm the only person in the office that doesnt smoke.  So on my breaks, if its a nice day, i go out and chat to the smokers, or if it's bad weather, i nip next door to the TV lounge and catch 15 minutes of Sky News.

Everyone in my office is very pally... some do things at weekends with eachother, some even go on holiday together!  But no one goes out after work.  I think this is because, in an office of 8 women & 2 guys, all the women except for myself have children/families.  We've often discussed planning a Friday night drinking sesh as a group together, but in 6 months I have not seen it happen.  (in my previous job, where there were a lot of single folk, we used to go out EVERY friday, and sometimes on a Thursday as well!).  But i would say that, even though we dont go out together as a group, there is definitely a TGIF feeling in the air, and alot of folk arrange to leave early on a Friday to get their weekend started.

We have a gym in our building, but i dont know anyone who goes... certainly no one that i work with.  I do see people carrying sports bags, though, so someone must use the gym!

There's not usually any conversation in the lifts unless you know someone... same with queueing for your bacon butty in the canteen.  However, there's a funny culture in this particular bank that once you start, you dont leave.... i know people that have worked in the bank for 27 years, 15 years, etc.... so if you've been there a long time, you will almost always see someone you know... someone you worked with 10 years ago or whatever. 

And... finally... no one is interested in my being American at all.  It is never even mentioned.  This could be because i have been in the UK for 18 years and fully assimilated, and my accent has changed also.  My American accent is still there, but it has a slight Scottish 'twang' to it, and i definitely use Scots words and pronunciations.  If people do notice, they dont seem to find it worth commenting on, which is okay with me! 

Thanks, all for the GREAT info on your life. I was especially interested to hear about the smoking - here in the US smoking is a minority activity and always done outside as many states now don't allow ANY indoor smoking (even in restaurants and bars).

I will get my contract today so the decision is on the way!  Thanks again.
Lorraine

Thanks, all for the GREAT info on your life. I was especially interested to hear about the smoking - here in the US smoking is a minority activity and always done outside as many states now don't allow ANY indoor smoking (even in restaurants and bars).

Smoking is very much part of the English pub culture.  You'll find that smoking at work (not necessarily inside though) is quite a normal thing. The girls in my office often go out in groups. I had one job ages ago in the government and they had a smoking floor! Crazy stuff.