Things about the USA your UK spouse should know.

The sad thing is, this is SO true.

Health care isn't free and if you aren't on deaths doorstep, they want proof of insurance or money first.

Although if you make under a certain amount you CAN get free healthcare... They don't care how much you have to use for bills, wich is messed up.

Although if you make under a certain amount you CAN get free healthcare... They don't care how much you have to use for bills, wich is messed up.

A lot of the 'free healthcare' for the poor there is a joke too -- it can vary from one state to another, one county to another, etc.  I once took a friend (and sat with him) to a place to get him signed up for 'free healthcare' provided by the county -- he was in need of maintenance meds for an ongoing condition he'd had since he was 19.  They wouldn't make appointments for new applicants -- you just needed to show up & wait your turn in line (recommended arriving a half hour or so early before they opened).  When we got there, it became clear that people had been queueing up since dawn -- so we were nowhere near the front of the line.  We got there about 7:30 am -- I'm thinking...and someone finally saw us at 4:30 pm that afternoon.

C

Hmmmm - ok - I'll add my 2pennies after one visit to England:

* We don't all have electric kettles.  Most people heat water on the stove (sometimes in a pot), and some (GASP) do it in the microwave! 
* It takes two machines to do the laundry - and I can do all the bedding from the queen sized bed all at once.
* If you ask for a beer mat, no one will know what you are talking about.  They are coasters.
* TIP - WELL.  Or don't bother going back to the same place twice and getting decent service.  Servers have incredible memories when it comes to bad tippers.
* Strangers will talk to you and ask you stupid questions.
* There is tax on EVERYTHING!
* You can pay for gas at the pump.
* Chinese take away comes in the little white boxes with the metal handles.

~Liza

Rather a late correction but nevertheless......

Oh, one for Americans, not sure if it is the same there but in the UK dialing 9-1-1 will also put you through to the emergency services, just don't test it! 

911 is a North American emergency number.  It is not assigned as such in British telephone exchanges, and in fact some towns can have 911 as the first three digits of a regular telephone number.

There's just a chance that some cable or cellphone companies will translate 911 to our 999 service, although I'm not aware of any which do that.  If they exist, they are a rarity.  The only other way it could work is on an office PBX system which is programmed to translate 911 to 999 on an outside line (maybe in an office frequented by Americans on a regular basis?).

We do have 112 as an alias for 999 though.  It was introduced a few years ago as a result of yet-another EU directive which mandated a common 112 emergency code right across Europe.

When my husband first came to the U.S he was shocked at all the churches around, and how there is Church service on TV sunday mornings.
He also didn't know that he was to LIFT the Lever at the gas pump to get gas!?!  THAT was really funny because the gas attendant saw him from inside and spoke to him on the speaker and said "Lift the lever!, Lift the lever!" My husband was freaked out by the voice, I was laughing too hard to help!

Tips from the South
1. If you are driving along and pass a car that is flashing its headlights at you SLOW DOWN, we are signaling you that a friggin cop is hiding and waiting to pull you over.

2. If you have the unfortunate luck of being pulled over you MUST have your driver's license and proof of insurance with you, along with the registration of your car, but they are lax on that last part. Telling them you left it at home, will get you an instant ticket!

3. In the south we deep fry everything, and no its not gross. I assume  you like pork pies, and marmite... the feeling is just about the same for us here.

4. In walmart they really will exchange or refund whatever you need, bearing that its not makeup or something like food that you have eaten already lol
 
5. Everywhere gives free refills, and if you want, they will give you an extra one in a " to go cup" to take with you home.

6. you will hate American chocolate.. simple as... you just will. You will call it cheap chocolate.

7.America has kick a$$ steaks!

8.Cheap, cheap Hardy's Australian wine. ,mmmm

9. Having children, and getting married young are extremely common. If you are mid 20s and dont have a husband or a child you are the exception, not the rule.

10. Probably is a thread somewhere but...
in america fag means gay not cigarette. fanny means a female name or your bottom, not vagina, cuppa doesnt exist here, we wont know what you are asking for, brolly is an umbrella, dummy is a pacifier, boot is a car trunk, bonnet is a car hood,
petrol is gas or gasoline, bum is a tramp not a behind. Damn, hell, these are all curse words, no one knows what two fingers up at you means and no one will appear shocked, they will think  you have the peace sign backwards, everyones front door has a doorknob, not just a lock. no one in america will know what bollocks means. jelly is jam, jelly is what we call jell-o . Crisps are called chips,. chips are called fries, what british call chips are not what americans call fries. british chips are american steak fries. the customer really is always right, if at first you get a no, keep trying and youll soon get a yes, we tire easily.

That's a GREAT list!!!  I lived in NC for 4+ years - you are so right on!!

~Liza

I love the headlight thing.  I forgot about that.  used to do it all the time

Yeah, but in some urban areas, the headlight thing could get you shot!

Yeah, but in some urban areas, the headlight thing could get you shot!

That is an urban legend. 

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/lightout.asp

~Liza

Huh here when we flash our headlights at you it either means you forgot to turn yours on or you are blinding us with your high beams

He also didn't know that he was to LIFT the Lever at the gas pump to get gas!?!  THAT was really funny because the gas attendant saw him from inside and spoke to him on the speaker and said "Lift the lever!, Lift the lever!" My husband was freaked out by the voice, I was laughing too hard to help!

He probably didnt understand what they were saying, as they'd have been pronouncing lever as 'levver', rather than 'leever'.

Hersheys...but you can also get Cadburys everywhere...wish it were easy to get Hersheys in Scotland!!

You can get Cadbury's in the States but it's actually manufactured by Hershey so it tastes like American chocolate, kinda defeats the purpose!

Another interesting fact is that American coca-cola contains corn syrup instead of sugar so it tastes more artificial than, say, Canadian or British versions which use real sugar.

I'm trying to think back to the days when DW & I lived in the States.  Most flats are commercial properties and rented unfurnished.
American sports fans tend to be better behaved (apart from NY Yankees fans ) than British football fans by far, ie you won't have to fear for your life being thrashed by a yob who's been drinking since 9AM on Saturday gameday (as DW can attest to living near Leicester football grounds years ago).
Couples having a new baby can expect at least 1, if not 2 or 3 baby shower parties receiving all the baby gifts they could ever want and more.
Most TV and newspaper news tend to focus almost entirely on local or State stories and tend to have tiny International sections that makes you wonder why they even bothered.
I'm sure there's a million more but I can't think of any others now.  Interesting topic!

I had no idea about the north-south interstates being odd numbers and east-west being even, that's a great factoid.

Matt

This is a great thread, even for someone going from the US to the UK. By telling a UK resident that "You can pay for gas at the pump", you're also telling US residents that you can't pay at the pump in the UK. And so on.

I sent this thread to Simon and told him he can study up for moving to America next year. 

He said he will just rely on me and say, Bloody Foreigners a lot.     He's already getting warmed up pretty good too.  hehehe

~Liza