Are the English people friendly to American expats?

New Englanders like me can be a bit 'colder' or more standoffish than southerners or midwesterners. For example, I (being a Bostonian) see no point in sitting next to a stranger on the bus and telling them my whole life story- yet encountered just that in my time living in Texas and Minnesota.
I have a hunch a Londoner is not going to tell their whole life story to a stranger.
I wonder if Americans might acccidently offend or turn people British people off when they in fact attempting to be friendly.  

Maybe.  But many of my English friends who go to the US just talk about how friendly Americans are because of this.  They think it's amazing when people will talk to them randomly while in line or on a plane.  They also talk about how many people would stop and help them find where they were going but think this doesn't happen often here.  When I was in London though, I found people would stop and offer to take a photo of me as I was on my own or ask me if I needed help finding my way.  

I am from the midwest and can honestly say I'm super happy to get back to no one talking to me on the bus or waiting in line.  It bothers me more than some of my British friends.  However, I've seen British on the plane roll their eyes when their American neighbour is asking them 50 billion questions about their trip to the US (if we are headed to the US).  

Again, I think it's totally a personal thing.  

New Englanders like me can be a bit 'colder' or more standoffish than southerners or midwesterners. For example, I (being a Bostonian) see no point in sitting next to a stranger on the bus and telling them my whole life story- yet encountered just that in my time living in Texas and Minnesota.
I have a hunch a Londoner is not going to tell their whole life story to a stranger.
I wonder if Americans might acccidently offend or turn people British people off when they in fact attempting to be friendly. 

I spent the first twenty-two years of my life in the Midwest (Wisconsin) and no one ever told me their life story on a bus or elsewhere.  Not being funny, TitanicExplorer, but some of your generalisations are pretty sweeping.  I've been trying to bite my tongue, but it just won't stay bitten.  First, I challenge your notion that people from New England are somehow closer to people in Britain, and therefore would have an easier time adjusting to the UK because they are "natural Anglophiles."  I'd put my mother up against anyone in terms of Anglophilia, but she never set foot in New England in her life, though Massachusetts was the first stop of our earliest British ancestors.  The closest I ever came to NE was a few years in Syracuse, but I haven't had any trouble settling in to UK life.  Many other people on UKY who have settled in easily come from places like California and Texas.  I'd say, based on my experience and what I've heard from others, that ability to adapt to the UK has much more to do with the individual's experiences, circumstances, and personality than with where they're from in the US.  Second, New England has a much richer history than the rest of the US?  Really?  The history of Europeans in Wisconsin goes back to the mid-17th century, and of course Native American history goes back much further, as it does in nearly every other part of the country.  The history of the Spanish in California (my other US "home") begins in the 16th century.  These histories are as rich as anything you'll find in New England.  Third, in terms of both prudishness (from one of your other threads) and friendliness to Americans, it always depends on the individual.  Personally, I have had very good experiences here, however that hasn't been the case for others.  Your enthusiasm for British culture is something I, and I'm sure many others here, can fully relate to, but over-generalisations may set some folks' teeth on edge.  Just saying    

I spent the first twenty-two years of my life in the Midwest (Wisconsin) and no one ever told me their life story on a bus or elsewhere.  Not being funny, TitanicExplorer, but some of your generalisations are pretty sweeping.  I've been trying to bite my tongue, but it just won't stay bitten.  First, I challenge your notion that people from New England are somehow closer to people in Britain, and therefore would have an easier time adjusting to the UK because they are "natural Anglophiles."    

I had no intention to offend- I'm sure your love for the UK strong-I am  not downplaying that at all. But the fact that New England has strong historic ties to England is just solid reality, just as Boston has strong ties to Ireland, given the massive number of Irish people who settled here in the past 150 years. Growing up in New England, we are constantly reminded how we are former British colonies, the revolution started here-and we have the reminders of our former Britishness everywhere-as all of our counties and  nearly all our towns named for English towns, as we were settled by the English. Plus people That *I* have encountered in my time living in Minnesota, texas, Florida and North Carolina were far more outgoing in inititaing conversation with strangers than people in the northeast. That's just the way it is-I don't know why people behave the way they do, that's just one of the mysteries of the human condition. But it is always a good thing to find a place where people have a positive outlook and try to engage others in a positive constructive manner.

it doesn't matter where we're from, what does matter is the love we have for the UK

What about people who move to New England from elsewhere in the US?  Is this bond also in their "blood"?  What about people whose families moved there after the Revolution?  Is this sentiment also in their blood?  How many other people think that the Revolution should never have been fought, as you seem to?  I know a number of people from New England, and none of them has ever mentioned anything like the sentiments you've expressed.  Perhaps it's just you?   

This is not a 'competition'. We all share a love for the UK, for it's amazing culture and diversity.

I never said it was a competition, where on earth did that come from? 

I think where we differ is that you seem to be confusing heritage with connection.  In Wisconsin, most people are of German and Norwegian heritage.  Many local customs are derived from the traditions of those countries.  You could say that it's in our "blood" (not mine, my ancestors are British.  But others').  The town names, the food, even the accents are all reminders of our former "Germanness" and "Norwegianness."  But that does not mean that Wisconsin people have a "bond" with either Germany or Norway, or that we would adapt easily if we moved to either of those countries.  Having eaten bratwurst on Berlin Street doesn't make me German any more than coming from New ENGLAND makes you English.  I hope that you do get a chance to live in the UK for longer than a few months, it may challenge some of your ideas about the similarity between the old England and the New, particularly if you leave some of your preconceptions at the Immigration desk.  Of course, it may not.  But I hope you get the chance, regardless.       

What about people who move to New England from elsewhere in the US?  Is this bond also in their "blood"?  What about people whose families moved there after the Revolution?  Is this sentiment also in their blood?  How many other people think that the Revolution should never have been fought, as you seem to?  I know a number of people from New England, and none of them has ever mentioned anything like the sentiments you've expressed.  Perhaps it's just you?    

I never said it was a competition, where on earth did that come from?  

I think where we differ is that you seem to be confusing heritage with connection.  In Wisconsin, most people are of German and Norwegian heritage.  Many local customs are derived from the traditions of those countries.  You could say that it's in our "blood" (not mine, my ancestors are British.  But others').  The town names, the food, even the accents are all reminders of our former "Germanness" and "Norwegianness."  But that does not mean that Wisconsin people have a "bond" with either Germany or Norway, or that we would adapt easily if we moved to either of those countries.  Having eaten bratwurst on Berlin Street doesn't make me German any more than coming from New ENGLAND makes you English.  I hope that you do get a chance to live in the UK for longer than a few months, it may challenge some of your ideas about the similarity between the old England and the New, particularly if you leave some of your preconceptions at the Immigration desk.  Of course, it may not.  But I hope you get the chance, regardless.        

 
I'm terribly sorry, but I am very proud of the English heritage of New England, Yes, we are no longer part of the empire, but our origins are traced back to England, I am very proud of my state (Massachusetts), and am very proud of those who helped to create this state (which was founded and establisged by the English).  I am proud of my local and personal English heritage.

Being from New England obviously doesn't make one English- I never said it did, but there is a historic connection with England that makes it a part of the local heritage. Boston Massachusetts  is named for Boston England, settled by people from Boston england.
That doesn't mean that a New Englander cares more about the UK than someone from Utah....

I don't understand why we are butting heads, I'm not interested in negativity..

Peace

Titanic, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but one thing that does concern me about your posts is your focus on history and tradition. You would not be moving to 16th or 17th century England. You would be moving to 21st century England. England has computer programmers, nuclear physicists and molecular biologists. It's a member of the European Space Agency. My husband, who is a born and bred Yorkshireman, makes his living from the internet.

Modern England has influences from cultures all over the world. The national dish is Chicken Tikka Masala.  It's population, like America's, includes immigrants from all over the world. If you move to England you may find that you have neighbours who were born in Pakistan, Zimbabwe or Albania, not neighbours whose ancestors fought in the War of the Roses. The "traditional English pastime" that I have taken up regularly here is Puerto Rican salsa dancing.

I'm worried that you have an unrealistic view of England and you will be disappointed when you get here.

ETA: Isn't Boston also very well-known for receiving a large number of Irish and Italian immigrants in the past?

Hi, Titanic! I was born in the UK, but lived in RI for a long time before coming back to the UK. I think you'll find some similarities between New England and Old England, but I'm not sure the historical connections will make the transition any easier, to be honest. They certainly do exist, though! What you might find more useful is the drastically and quickly changing New England weather which is an awful lot like the weather here (except not with the same extremes of temp)! 

Titanic, I am going to back you up. I'm not sure you are right but I like your idea, and I bet somebody somewhere has studied it.

But while we are on anecdotal evidence:

I grew up in the south (Florida) in an area which has (well had...it is changing rapidly) a very large percentage of those with Scotch/Irish ancestry. If you throw a beer bottle at a guy there, his name probably starts with 'Mc' or 'O'. To say the least a lot of anti English talk happens (I refrain from the subject as I have read enough on it to know it is a tangled subject). Of course if an Englishman walks into the bar everybody buys him drinks because we fought the Germans together, and they talk like James Bond. But they might attack him later in the night if somebody shouts "Up Kerry" or something.     

And how many of these Scotch/Irish Floridians have actually been to Scotland or Ireland or even knew relatives who lived in those places?

Second, New England has a much richer history than the rest of the US?  Really?  The history of Europeans in Wisconsin goes back to the mid-17th century, and of course Native American history goes back much further, as it does in nearly every other part of the country.  The history of the Spanish in California (my other US "home") begins in the 16th century.  These histories are as rich as anything you'll find in New England.  Third, in terms of both prudishness (from one of your other threads) and friendliness to Americans, it always depends on the individual.  Personally, I have had very good experiences here, however that hasn't been the case for others.  Your enthusiasm for British culture is something I, and I'm sure many others here, can fully relate to, but over-generalisations may set some folks' teeth on edge.  Just saying    

Yes, thank you.

Just because the people weren't white doesn't mean there isn't history there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahokia  For instance.  

To follow on with the German theme, my grandfather only spoke PA Dutch at home. 

I can, and have, carried on conversations with people in public in German in PA.  But it is very different from modern German.

And how many of these Scotch/Irish Floridians have actually been to Scotland or Ireland or even knew relatives who lived in those places?

I think I am the only one from my home town with a passport....place still has segregated housing....I moved to Miami as soon as I could drive out of there...I still to this day have actual nightmares about somehow being forced to move back there..

To follow on with the German theme, my grandfather only spoke PA Dutch at home. 

I can, and have, carried on conversations with people in public in German in PA.  But it is very different from modern German.

Also, by my friend's Austin home, there are little towns where the inhabitants speak only Texas German in their homes  

Just because the people weren't white doesn't mean there isn't history there.  

The Spanish in Florida and the Southwest were white. They were in America before the British.

I think I am the only one from my home town with a passport....place still has segregated housing....I moved to Miami as soon as I could drive out of there...I still to this day have actual nightmares about somehow being forced to move back there..

DH makes fun of Americans who claim to be 1/8 this or 1/16 that. As if having a great-great grandfather who was born in a foreign country that you've never been to gives you a deep connection with that country.

All of my grandparents were born in Poland. I have no English ancestry at all. I have a much greater connection with England than with Poland because I actually live in England.

Well, Mr A loves Boston because he feels it could be a city in the UK.  And I do think there is a cultural difference between New England and the rest of the US the same way I think there is a difference between many other areas of the US and the rest of the US (Pacific NW, California, Bible Belt, deep South to name a few).  Some of this difference is definitely the ties to Great Britain, but some of it isn't.  

That said, I don't know if people have an easier time from NE.  I know a lot of New Englanders who wouldn't have the easiest time adjusting.  Some things might be easier, but I think overall, some things might be as hard or harder.  The UK is pretty varied, and even within England you will have cultural differences between things like openness to strangers.