Running into another American

But there are loads of us in and around Leeds!  How far are you from Leeds?

I'm from Leeds too!

When I started at my job, the manager who hired me was American, the first Yankee that I'd met here since I'd moved over. Since then I've run into a few more. Once I was at a pub, and the server who brought our food recognized my accent (not that it's easy to miss  ) and it turned out she was a Floridian who'd been over here for 20 years.

Yes, I am--born and bred!  Grew up in the Greater NorthEast, lived everywhere from the Art Museum Area, to Rittenhouse Square (not as posh as it sounds!), to South Street, to deep dark South Philly.  (Doncha miss it sometimes?  )

Would love to meet up sometime!

Another coincidence, I'm from the Philly area! Well, North Wilmington (Delaware) but I always say that I'm from the Philly area, since I'd get a lot of blank stares if I told people I was from Delaware 

When I was living/working in Leeds, my boss was Canadian and one of my colleagues was also Canadian (with a sister living in the Boston area). I got to be friendly with a woman from Connecticut through NCT and my antenatal trainer was married to an American. 
Then when our next door neighbour went on sabbatical she rented her house to two sets of Americans (one family per semester). The first people were from Utah and the second ones lived in California -- but the wife had lived just a few streets away from me and we'd gone to the same school as kids!!

There's another American lady living in my area.  Which is actually pretty strange, given how tiny & remote we are.

The weird thing, though, is that even though we see each other at least once a week in the shop, and we've shared brief, weather-related chat, we've never actually 'met.'  She's never introduced herself (although I know fine well who she is, where she's from and what she's doing here, because she was interviewed on the Island Parish programme last year), and I've never introduced myself either.

I guess at first, I was shy, and figured I'd let her make the first move, if she wanted to.  Plus, my mother-in-law is almost always with me, which makes things more awkward, because although I'm sure they know who each other are, I don't think they've ever had much contact (she's the priests' housekeeper/secretary, and my MIL is very Protestant, and, sadly, that actually matters here).

Now that I'm more settled and confident, though, it just seems really awkward.  Like, 'yes, I've been noting your presence for the past year, and smiling/chatting with you, but I've never actually bothered to get to know you, and neither have you!'  Ridiculous, I know!  But I really feel like, at this point, I'll just wait until someone inevitably introduces us.  This may take years. 

Noooooooooooooo!!! Then my idea of a Boots advert with the song "Get down to Boots" (the U2 one? "Get on your boots!") will never happen. :'(

I dunno.  Even if Walgreen's did end up buying them out completely, I can't see them changing the name here.  Boots, as a brand, is too iconic.  It's got too much name recognition to scrap it, never mind the costs of that much re-branding.

I imagine the only real impact would be seeing No. 7 products in the U.S. Walgreen's stores (or maybe they're already there?  I know Target had started carrying them before I left), and possibly some of the Walgreen's own-brand stuff here (whatever they call their 'apothecary' range, for example).

I know three Americans in this area - one is a friend, one an acquaintance and I don't really like the third!

Heheheh - that just reminded me of different occassions (and I know folks have mentioned in on here happening as well) where people assume that just because someone else is another American that you will automatically like them and get on and become best friends. 

I know of a few Americans in this area -they're nice and lovely people.  But we have nothing in common and therefore are not friends.  We're pleasant to each other if we happen to run into each other (not often).   But that's about it.

On the other hand, I love all the folks from off here!   
 

Heheheh - that just reminded me of different occassions (and I know folks have mentioned in on here happening as well) where people assume that just because someone else is another American that you will automatically like them and get on and become best friends. 

 

Yeah, I hated that.  It's one thing to meet another American through common interests, whatever -- but being "fixed up" almost always puts a damper on it.

Heheheh - that just reminded me of different occassions (and I know folks have mentioned in on here happening as well) where people assume that just because someone else is another American that you will automatically like them and get on and become best friends. 

Exactly! That's my point. I always think it's odd when expats go out of their way to find other Americans. When you lived in the US did you like everyone you met??? I hardly think so!

Another coincidence, I'm from the Philly area! Well, North Wilmington (Delaware) but I always say that I'm from the Philly area, since I'd get a lot of blank stares if I told people I was from Delaware 

DW says she's from Philly to people but she's actually from New Jersey but just across the Walt Whitman bridge.
She met up with an American woman who lives near us just down in Sheffield who is from Philly and they are now really good friends.
And she was "fixed up" by someone who know of an American woman whose kids went to same school as hers, and shes been here 15 years. Turned out though that DW got on really well with her as well, said if they'd met up in the States they'd have been good friends.

Yes, I am--born and bred!  Grew up in the Greater NorthEast, lived everywhere from the Art Museum Area, to Rittenhouse Square (not as posh as it sounds!), to South Street, to deep dark South Philly.  (Doncha miss it sometimes?  )

Would love to meet up sometime!

Rittenhouse Sq is my favorite part of Philly!!

I say I'm from Philly as well, when actually I'm from Aldan, Delaware County (about 20 minutes from the airport). It's just easier to say, "Philly".  I did, however, live in Overbrook (at the very edge of West Philly - nearly Upper Darby) for 3 years.

Rittenhouse Sq is my favorite part of Philly!!

It is quite lovely there.

I say I'm from Philly as well, when actually I'm from Aldan, Delaware County (about 20 minutes from the airport). It's just easier to say, "Philly".   I did, however, live in Overbrook (at the very edge of West Philly - nearly Upper Darby) for 3 years.

I lived in Bryn Mawr and Ardmore for 4 years while I was with my ex.  Took the High Speed Line and the El into the city for work every day.

Hee! I worked in Bryn Mawr for 3 years (took the High Speed Line from 69th street). Used to go shopping in Ardmore (loved their thrift shops) and went to Villanova U.

I was young when I worked in Bryn Mawr and a few times, after a late night out, would fall asleep on the high speed line, and end up in Norristown.

Hee! I worked in Bryn Mawr for 3 years (took the High Speed Line from 69th street). Used to go shopping in Ardmore (loved their thrift shops) and went to Villanova U.

I was young when I worked in Bryn Mawr and a few times, after a late night out, would fall asleep on the high speed line, and end up in Norristown.

I lived right around the corner from most of those thrift shops!  They got a lot of my stuff when my ex and I split up....

I've fallen asleep on both the El and High Speed Line.  Once, I fell asleep on the El, at night...I woke up with a start to that horrible squeaky sound it makes as it goes around a ben.....it was headed for the YARD at 69th Street!!  Oh no, I thought how am I going to get off??  They don't know I'm here so the doors won't open!!  What do I do?!

Luckily it wasn't going to the yard for the night, but just making a big loop and coming back out again.  I got a funny look from passengers when I got out at 69th Street after coming in from the yard!

It was scary!!

I always think I hear other Americans but my ability to recognize accents is terrible. I often ask Jon what the accent is on TV and it's some American accent. I just don't hear them anymore.

However, there was another gal from AZ I ran into a couple of months ago in a club. She was fresh off the boat, so the accent was thick enough for me to notice. When I told her I was also from AZ she stared at me blankly, I don't think she believed me. (god, how changed is my accent?!)

It reminded me of my first month in Leeds. I met a girl who said she was from KY and I remember thinking at the time that she sounded very english.

I think we get a lot of Americans (or North Americans) at my local Starbucks.