Do you ever forget that you're an American living in the UK?

On another note - We'll be moving over with my very Texan four-year-old.  It's just struck me that he'll likely lose a lot of his Americanisms.  How strange.  We found a small American flag in our house (previous owner's) the other day and he went running round the house waving the flag and shouting "I'm an American".  And no, he didn't learn that from me.  LOL, VERY un-British wouldn't you say?

Anyone bring over their young children?  Did they get "Britishized" quickly?  Did they get accents?  

Navie - this should interest you - as I see that Congratulations are in order! 

 
Just out of interest, how long have you been here?

Two years in January.

I often forget that I am american until someone points it out to me....but i think this is a good thing because to me it feels like i have adjusted to life in the UK...i really feel american and a bit homesick at the moment becz thanksgiving is coming and they dont sell much pumpkin pie in the shops here...and i just know in america it would be everywhere!!!

I became a british citizen because when we have children, i want them to know that there mom is proud to be british also it makes travelling around europe easier....

I'm with Meg. I might try to forget sometimes, but someone is always going to remind me.  I do feel more like just a regular person living my life, which happens to be here, rather than an outsider these days, but there are definitely moments when I feel different from everyone else here. It gets easier all the time, though.

Yes, this.  If I didn't work in a field and live in a place where I'm going to be asked about America or referred to as American or whatever every. single. day. then I probably wouldn't think of myself as particularly "American" - whatever that might mean.  I mean, mostly I just think of myself as Meg.

I don't think of myself as having a strong accent, so it was all the more surprising when an English man on a bus (he heard me talking to the driver) asked me what I thought of Robert W. Service! (I like him very much).

Yes, this.  If I didn't work in a field and live in a place where I'm going to be asked about America or referred to as American or whatever every. single. day. then I probably wouldn't think of myself as particularly "American" - whatever that might mean.  I mean, mostly I just think of myself as Meg.

Nothing wrong with being Meg. I think we should all inspire to be Meg! OK, well, just being ourselves would do fine, too. 

If I didn't have to talk to visitors at work all day, I probably would sort of forget, as all of my colleagues are really used to my accent and rarely comment about it now. But, inevitably, someone nearly every day who comes into our office or calls the office is going to ask me where I am from or how I like it here or why I moved here or what have you. It's something I have learned to accept, though most of the time, I would rather just talk about something else, rather than being reminded all the time that I come from somewhere else.

This is me as well.  I am proud to be American, but I also forget that I am one on a day-to-day basis.  I just don't think about people's nationalities as I go about my grocery shopping or squeezing my way on the tube. 

And because I am used to hearing an English accent, I don't even think about my own.  So if I do ever get teased for my accent it takes me a moment to register why it is different.  I actually really struggle with accents in general now.  The English sounds familiar to me, as did American for so long, so if I hear an actor on TV that I don't know, I cannot always tell if they are English or American. 

This is me as well, especially with the accents.  I've often thought I just have a 'dead ear' where accents are concerned, because I don't recognise American accents!  After nearly 4 1/2 years here, I'm starting too though.

Maybe it's because I work in an office with people from all over - Russia, Africa, Brazil, Malaysia - my American-ness is rarely commented on - we tend to sometimes concentrate on discussing how different are lives are from where we used to live, but that's about it.

Weeks can now go by before someone somewhere gives me a hint that they've noticed I'm not from here - whether that's coming out and asking where I'm from, or that sudden head turn that tells me someone's reacted to my accent...which tends to still make me feel momentarily self-conscious.  It is those times I don't forget I'm American, or maybe it would be better to say that I'm reminded that I'm different and don't quite fit in.

But, all of the rest of the time, I know I DO fit in and it has nothing to do with my nationality.

IMO, whether one is trying to de-Americanise or not, one does lots of different things to fit into their new lives that they would never have done in the US.  For me, it has been learning a lot about the history of the place I'm in - not just Birmingham, but the whole country (but I've been doing that my whole life where the UK is concerned anyway).  I think it is this conscious effort that has made me feel even more attached to my new life because none of it has been instinctive (you know, like in the place where you were born and brought up?), it has all had to be learned...

I have been here two years  now.  I don't think I'll ever feel British. I don't aspire to, but I do hope I feel "at home" here at some point.  Like Meg, I feel like I'm just me.  Andee, who grew up in the US.  In Philly.  A Philly girl!  I will definitely get my British citizenship because as others have said, it will make life a whole lot easier. (not for any love or loyalty to the crown or Britian) 

My dad freaked for a second when I told him I was studying for my citizenship (settlement, really) test, because he thought that meant I'd have to give up US citizenship.  Whatever, if I had to, I would--a piece of paper doesn't change who I am or where I grew up or any of the experiences I've had.

I don't feel particularly American OR British -- I feel like a Londoner!

Depending on where you work, live, etc., it feels like nearly everyone in London is from somewhere else, so it's extremely rare that anyone ever calls me out on being American. I do forget about it in my day to day life. I think it would be hard for me to think of myself as British or English though, because I don't really know "England" -- I just know London, which from what I hear and read is not really the same thing...

I don't think about it all the time, but I am not sure I will ever feel totally British since the government could technically decide to kick me out if they wanted to, even if I gained citizenship. 

I don't think about it all the time, but I am not sure I will ever feel totally British since the government could technically decide to kick me out if they wanted to, even if I gained citizenship. 

Even if you gained citizenship?  What do you mean?

Even if you gained citizenship?  What do you mean?

Yeah, I thought the whole point was once you've gained citizenship you have all the same rights and security as a natural born British citizen.  Am I wrong?

I don't feel particularly American OR British -- I feel like a Londoner!

Depending on where you work, live, etc., it feels like nearly everyone in London is from somewhere else, so it's extremely rare that anyone ever calls me out on being American. I do forget about it in my day to day life. I think it would be hard for me to think of myself as British or English though, because I don't really know "England" -- I just know London, which from what I hear and read is not really the same thing...

I think that's how I sort of feel.  I don't feel like I stick out for being American or anything like that, because it's a big old melting pot in London, anyway. 

You can be stripped of your citizenship, but I think that's only if you used fraud to acquire it or commit a major international crime (terrorism, genocide, that sort of thing); and even then only if it won't leave you stateless.

ETA: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/nationalityinstructions/nichapter55/chapter55?view=Binary

You can be stripped of your citizenship, but I think that's only if you used fraud to acquire it or commit a major international crime (terrorism, genocide, that sort of thing)

That's what I thought!