LIST: Things about The UK you wish you had known

If you are a woman with big feet, you are going to have to really shop around to find a decent pair of shoes to fit you. 

That there are no outlets in bathrooms (which is why I blow-dry and straighten my hair in the kitchen).
Layers, layers, layers (big coats and sweaters don't really work for this dampness)
Rain coat over cheap umbrellas that always break

Cheap umbrellas end up flying away/breaking in the wind.  Wish I knew that.

Different pairs of shoes required for different types of weather.  Dry.  Semi-rainy.  Really rainy.  Torrential.  I brought to many ballet flat type of shoes as opposed to boots.  I really wish I brought some leather boots!

No closets.  I assumed that there would be closets in houses and I brought tonnes of clothes, thinking that I'd have room for them all.  Big no-no. 

This thread is great....for reminiscing, but it's making me wonder what I'm moving back to. We moved from London to Arizona and are planning to be back in London, with small fridges and lots of rain and all the rest of it that you've all mentioned 
Just to add comment, my American OH always says going to bed when really he means being fast asleep (as in he's asleep but I'm in bed still reading....so I'm in bed but not asleep...after 10 years you'd think we'd worked it out!)
And I love that glasgowgirl quote aboot gettin yer messages....those were the days, I grew up in the boonie toon, it's been too long away.
I am wondering if I'm going to have reverse culture shock and miss the US!!!???

My future in-laws corrected me when I was explaining how I had a degree which made me able to teach and I told them I was "certified" to teach. They told me "certified" means crazy, like you need to be locked in an institution, and instead I should substitute "qualified."

Oops.

Drink Driving = Drunk Driving. 

Assuming you are not drinking while driving (which should be drinking and driving not the singular "drink"), you have already consumed the alcohol, which in turn makes you "drunk".  Hence, "Drunk Driving".

This absolutely does my head in.  Maybe they invented the English language, but it would appear--in this case--we've perfected, err corrected, it. 

The time I went to stay with an older couple and offered to wash the dishes (wash up!) after tea.  The wife popped into the kitchen to catch me scrubbing the grunge out of the tea pot. "Oh," she said, "We never wash the tea pot -- just a rinse out will do"   

The time I went to stay with an older couple and offered to wash the dishes (wash up!) after tea.  The wife popped into the kitchen to catch me scrubbing the grunge out of the tea pot. "Oh," she said, "We never wash the tea pot -- just a rinse out will do"   

Whats wrong with that?
You were going to interferer with the evolution of the flavoring of the tea.

How important it is for proof of address. How difficult it is to get a driving licence. How difficult it is to rent a flat. In that states, it had always been credit check and thats it. In Britain, it's proof of address, proof of employment, references, guarantor. They even ask your bank account number.

Some items that we need to budget for:
Electric bill
Gas bill
Phone bill
One round trip bus fare
Internet service

The answer will vary so I was thinking that there could be an estimate given on the low side.

I think the electric bill is billed every three months. I don't know about the gas bill. Same with the phone bill.

My point is that while the bills may be higher it doesn't say for what period it is for.

Food expense I think is all over the place so I don't need that. Car expense again is all over the place and the thing to do is go without a car and use the feet or PT.

Anyone want to give it a bash?

I like Paul's comment on transportation (to get to the COSTCO once a month). Buy a ten year old car. Less out lay to purchase.  Less insurance. ect.

Reading this list is funny.
Some of the stuff people have written i say the reverse being English.
I cant find black current flavour anywhere.
Im in Canada not the US but it seems all the things are the same.
If say i feel sick to my gf she always has to double check if i mean unwell or if im going to actually puke.
Dont know why every1 is moaning about closet space! Just buy a wardrobe!
I have also never owned an umbrella nor bothered with a rain coat???
And we do say lets go to the pictures if we want to go watch a movie.  We say cinema, pictures and movie theatre.
I cant even buy a bottle of water in the US.  Every time i say can i have a bottle of water they bring me beer! 

I know im from the UK anyways but here are somethings that are different that others might like to know.

elevator is a lift

tires are tyres.

aluminum is spelt (think you say spelled as well not spelt) and pronounced aluminium

soccer is football (we actually kick the ball in our game and there arent three hours of commericals/adverts with the game sandwiched somewhere in there  ) I coach kids out here and i refuse to call it soccer.  So they all now call it football!

pants are trousers

trash is garbage or rubbish

Sunday isnt the 1st day of the week its Monday.

Herbs are pronounced HERBS not ERBS

Nike is prounced NIKE not NIKE E as we dont ride BIKE E's either 

999 is the emergency service not 911

washing machines in England open on the side and are absolutely tiny.
Same with a dryer and they are kept in the kitchen in most cases not in a laundry room.

We dont have basements.

Vitamins are pronounced VIT A MINS not VITA MINS.

Pharmist can also be called a chemist.

pizza is cack and overpriced in the UK

Nike is prounced NIKE not NIKE E as we dont ride BIKE E's either 

Ummmm . . . Nike is the Greek goddess of victory, the pronunciation hasn't got anything to do with how English words like "bike" are pronounced.  If you don't pronounce the "e" it's incorrect. 

Ummmm . . . Nike is the Greek goddess of victory, the pronunciation hasn't got anything to do with how English words like "bike" are pronounced.  If you don't pronounce the "e" it's incorrect. 

You're right, the 'e' should be pronounced (like in Daphne, Hermione, etc), but nobody in the UK ever does! Drives me nuts.

tires are tyres

Early British usage actually used tires, with the shift to tyres coming along a little later.   Apparently a few publications, such as The Times, were still using tires up until about the 1920s.

aluminum is spelt (think you say spelled as well not spelt) and pronounced aluminium

There's quite a convoluted history behind this, and the original name chosen for the element was actually alumium.   

http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/aluminium.htm

washing machines in England open on the side and are absolutely tiny.

Front-loading machines are by far the most common these days, but top-loaders are available.

We dont have basements.

A lot of old Victorian houses have a small cellar though, used originally for storing coal. 

soccer is football (we actually kick the ball in our game and there arent three hours of commericals/adverts with the game sandwiched somewhere in there  ) I coach kids out here and i refuse to call it soccer.  So they all now call it football!

FYI, it is actually called (if you want to get technical about it) ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.  Soccer is a derivative of that name.  It's not wrong.  Just different.