illusions?

[winterbadger]

So, I'm curious. For those of you who live, or have lived, in the UK having come from the US (or in the US having come from the UK), what surprised you most? By which I mean not so much economic things or climate things, but what did you believe/expect/look forward to about the place you were going that turned out to be completely wrong? I'm thinking first of all of disappointments (shattered dreams? ;-) but also of unexpected pleasant surprises.

I know, I know, in [X] they don't have [Y foodstuff] and the cost of living is [better/worse] and it always [rains/is sunny], which is just awful. But on a somewhat deeper or more abstract level, what was really different that you didn't expect?

(crossposted to some communities)

Comments

[idahoswede.livejournal.com]

I lived in the UK between 1978 and 1982 for the first time and am now back here living in the London area since last year.

The first time I lived here, I think the rudeness. I expected people to be polite based, I think, on the nice way they talked. They sounded pretty, but they still weren't very polite over-all.

The lack of instant friendships. On the other hand, although it took much longer to build up a friendship, that person was a much better, longer-lasting friend than all of the instant friendships in the US.

Now I have to say it's the binge drinking that stuns me, especially how public it is and how much people do on the streets and don't mind that they are totally out of their minds.

On the other hand, I have some excellent, long-lasting friends and the best job I've ever had in my life. Love the 5 weeks of paid holiday a year that I can actually take. Love the greater job security as well. Oh yes, the whole of Europe on my doorstep!