Yesterday one of my senior co-workers decided she wanted me (the only American) to make the phone calls to customers to let them know we had an item. The first call went like this
( Read more... )
You said it. To most of my customers at work, it's like
USA = Large, always sunny, always warm weather
British people are *obsessed* with weather and think about nothing but when the sun will be out and when it'll be warm. So to them, me leaving a warm sunny place is nuts.
I think British people don't understand either. They always tell me they have relatives in (100+ miles away from where I was from) and ask me if I know where Small Town, Illinois is and if I know their relatives they've never met. LOL.
But since British people are so weather obsessed, they can't understand why anyone would leave a country where it is seemingly sunny *all the time*!
Why are British people obsessed with weather? Like, how big is their obsession? Does it go beyond keeping tabs on the forecast every hour or something?
Also - goddamn, that must be annoying to put up with :(
Only people 60+ watch the weather. Everyone else likes surprises I guess lol. The first thing a British person will talk to you about is the weather. British people are really shy but the weather is an ice breaker.
It's not annoying when people ask me where I come from. What's annoying is A.) Assuming I just got here yesterday and I'm leaving tomorrow -- that I must be a tourist even though I'm working in a store. B.) Assuming that the weather in the US is always between 70F - 120F and always sunny all year long and that no one would leave that sort of weather for always raining and cold England! C.) Asking me if I've gotten used to the rain and cold weather and that it must be really difficult and/or depressing for me. D.) Asking me what I'm doing here. The same as everyone else, I guess. I usually say I don't know, but as of tomorrow I'm going to start with "trying to get a good job and become one of the landowning gentry."
This is repeated at least 20 times a day. Sometimes back to back customers.
Yeesh, yeah that sounds annoying. And I never understood why people think cold/wet weather is automatically depressing. I love rain and I love the cold, so I'd actually be more likely to be in a good mood when that's going on.
But it's almost like a damn annoyance I have out here. I live in Florida, where it is hot and humid. I visited Arizona a few times during the summer, and when people in FL found that out, they always asked the same quest: "Was it hot?" When I answered in the affirmative, they ALWAYS always replied with: "Oh, but it's a dry heat, right?" DRY HEAT, MY ASS! 120F IS HOT NO MATTER HOW DRY THE GODDAMN AIR IS.
Whew, sorry :)
Anyway, glad you'll be getting away from those dumb assumptions and questions soon!
Don't y'all live in California? No? Well I'll be gosh-darned...
I always thought the "American" accent was easier to understand than the "British" accent, as Americans pronounce all the letters. For example "wadder" vs "waw tah". Personally I think former is easier to comprehend. But then I come from a nation who has troubles pronouncing "th", and usually default to "f". This has worked out pretty well, seeing as saying "fing" is now considered "cool speak".
You could also tell them that student fees in the USA are frequently a lot higher than the ~outrageous~ fees our students are being threatened with.
Ugh, you know what it boils down to? The English like to feel hard done by. Polish people are stealing their jobs, the weatherman is stealing their good weather, and the train companies are ruining their commutes. Everywhere Else is better, and Brits should have it Better Too.
Comments 16
Reply
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
USA = Large, always sunny, always warm weather
British people are *obsessed* with weather and think about nothing but when the sun will be out and when it'll be warm. So to them, me leaving a warm sunny place is nuts.
Reply
A lot of people here don't realize just how freaking huge it is.
Reply
But since British people are so weather obsessed, they can't understand why anyone would leave a country where it is seemingly sunny *all the time*!
Reply
Also - goddamn, that must be annoying to put up with :(
Reply
It's not annoying when people ask me where I come from. What's annoying is
A.) Assuming I just got here yesterday and I'm leaving tomorrow -- that I must be a tourist even though I'm working in a store.
B.) Assuming that the weather in the US is always between 70F - 120F and always sunny all year long and that no one would leave that sort of weather for always raining and cold England!
C.) Asking me if I've gotten used to the rain and cold weather and that it must be really difficult and/or depressing for me.
D.) Asking me what I'm doing here. The same as everyone else, I guess. I usually say I don't know, but as of tomorrow I'm going to start with "trying to get a good job and become one of the landowning gentry."
This is repeated at least 20 times a day. Sometimes back to back customers.
Reply
But it's almost like a damn annoyance I have out here. I live in Florida, where it is hot and humid. I visited Arizona a few times during the summer, and when people in FL found that out, they always asked the same quest: "Was it hot?" When I answered in the affirmative, they ALWAYS always replied with: "Oh, but it's a dry heat, right?" DRY HEAT, MY ASS! 120F IS HOT NO MATTER HOW DRY THE GODDAMN AIR IS.
Whew, sorry :)
Anyway, glad you'll be getting away from those dumb assumptions and questions soon!
Reply
I always thought the "American" accent was easier to understand than the "British" accent, as Americans pronounce all the letters. For example "wadder" vs "waw tah". Personally I think former is easier to comprehend. But then I come from a nation who has troubles pronouncing "th", and usually default to "f". This has worked out pretty well, seeing as saying "fing" is now considered "cool speak".
You could also tell them that student fees in the USA are frequently a lot higher than the ~outrageous~ fees our students are being threatened with.
Ugh, you know what it boils down to? The English like to feel hard done by. Polish people are stealing their jobs, the weatherman is stealing their good weather, and the train companies are ruining their commutes. Everywhere Else is better, and Brits should have it Better Too.
/rant
Reply
Leave a comment