Comments on: 27 Banal Observations of a Recent Immigrant

By: American Archlich

American Archlich — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:59:35 +0000

“Laurence… I’m from New Zealand”

Part of me wishes you’d just left it at that. Emotional impact + dry wit = staggering…

By: Lisa Richesson

Lisa Richesson — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:40:32 +0000

Jaywalking is indeed illegal in Seattle. I got a ticket for it once. It’s the joke about only in Seattle would someone walking waits for the light to change at night, in the rain, when there are no cars anywhere. Gotta love the Pacific Northwest – our brains have turned to mold.

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 04:22:51 +0000

Laurence… I’m from New Zealand–you just told a non-American that she has no idea about life outside the US –and the majority of the post is about how much I love the nuances of Britain… settle petal, you’ll give yourself an ulcer with all that hatred Besides, it would be hard for me not to know what goes on outside of the US when I’ve lived in three different countries, and I’d traveled through Asia and Europe, and been to Australia half a dozen times, before I was old enough to drive.

I’m off to enjoy early morning London (where I stil live, two years after this was written) – I suggest you lighten up

By: Laurence (English)

Laurence (English) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:22:18 +0000

I must say, most of the comments on this post, and the post itself are just enforcing the reason we ‘hate Yanks’. You are ignorant and self involved. You have no idea what happens in the world outside of America. It is beyond me how you have become so developed (in parts). So please, I ask you on behalf of the world, get some culture in you! Thank you and good night.

p.s Remember which nation founded you.

p.p.s I am well aware this comment will be deleted. I don’t care.

By: Tam

Tam — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:42:45 +0000

Loved the post. Thank you, Jane.

Having recently moved to Seattle, I must say living with the ‘Frasier skyline’ isn’t the easiest. The Space Needle is so frikking close the tourists can see into my bedroom.

I’m from London. I’ve lost weight since I moved to the States. It’s all those hills and overall outdoorsiness of Seattle. 90 mins to the slopes? It used to take me 3 hrs to get to my friend’s flat across the city! (On a Sunday. On Sundays, London public transport sucks.)

Another thing I find hard to believe: for half the price, I can live in what would pass for a palace in London. I’ve swapped a moldy shoebox-sized flat overlooking a brick wall (admittedly in the swanky NW6 postcode area of London) for a two-bed with a view and enough storage space that for once I can buy the economy pack of toilet paper instead of a roll at a time. Whoa.

I love States.

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:03:49 +0000

@Wavey No, the London codes were never 0207 & 0208. It went straight from 0171 (inner) / 0181 (outer) to being 020 for ALL of London. The actual phone numbers gained an extra digit at the start, which at the point of changeover was ’7′ for inner London numbers and ’8′ for outer. From that point, it was always possible to have an 020 London number that started with a different digit, though they didn’t create any for a while (I believe there are ones that begin with ’3′ now). This is what Ciarán was getting at in comment #2.

@Phil talking of Coventry, I was living there and remember the same confusion when its code changed. People said “It’s changed from 01203 to 02476″, to which the reply was “No it hasn’t. What would be the point of that? It’s changed to 024 and you now have two more digits at the beginning (which are all ’76′ for existing numbers but will not stay so in the future).”

Sorry for brain freeze. I really don’t think it’s that complex – you have area codes in every country. It’s just that they can be different lengths in the UK. Picky rant* aside, I really enjoyed this article – nicely observed, though maybe truer of London than the rest of the country.

[* If I were really being picky, I'd talk of area codes being '171', '181', '20' and the like. The '0' is what gets you out of your current area to use one. That's why you drop it when dialling in from abroad with '+44 20' etc.]

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 22:34:06 +0000

@phil

“London is also unique in starting 02, all other geographic numbers start 01, and mobiles start 07.”

Not quite right –

Coventry area code is 024

By: Mad Italian

Mad Italian — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:47:28 +0000

Very good observations! I’m Italian and have been living in the UK for 15 years – I love the place, the multiculturalism and the language, and now consider it my spiritual home.
It took some adjusting when I moved here and some of the peculiarities i found was having carpet in the bathroom (ok, sort of understandable, though not particularly practical), but especially having one in a kitchen (two places i rented had that – one was finally replaced with lino when the washing machine flooded the kitchen)!!! I also thought having two separate taps an oddity…
And the expression ‘the dog’s bollocks’ still makes me chuckle every time I hear it!
Despite its many foibles, I wouldn’t live anywhere else (except maybe New Zealand if it wasn’t that far away from my family in Italy!!)!

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:50:59 +0000

Thanks, Cecy!

By: cecy

cecy — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:41:47 +0000

of course people are going to disagree and complain.
I, in the other hand, loved this. smart, different and heck yeah.. funny!
thanks!