Home and family life in the UK are quite similar to the American lifestyle. It can seem quite fast paced if you’re working, but the mandated paid In addition to a special day of the year, a holiday can also refer to a vacation or vacation time off work. More gives you plenty of time off to recharge. UK employee rights are much better than in the USA, there are mandatory paid In addition to a special day of the year, a holiday can also refer to a vacation or vacation time off work. More (over 5 weeks) and paid maternity/paternity leave. Your daily life will probably be different to your previous life in America.

Daily Life

The British enjoy the same types of entertainment, watch TV, cook, love their pets, have parent-teacher meetings, follow sports and so on.

On TV there will be British sitcoms, drama and soap operas, with a sprinkling of imported American TV, though it has grown over the years. Most of UK cinema experiences are the top American films, with a few British films as well.

Most of the product brands will be unknown to a newcomer, it makes shopping an adventure and sometimes a chore. The range of most popular foods is different and some things have different names or are pronounced differently. Cleaning, well, it’s just as tedious anywhere, but you may struggle to find some of your favourite products.

When it comes to home and family life, the United Kingdom offers a lifestyle that shares many similarities with the American way of living. We’ll go through the differences that newcomers should be aware of throughout this guide.

Social Life

You might find it difficult to connect with the people in the UK region you’re living, as they may not be as open or friendly as where you might have lived before. I have had good neighbors and bad over twenty years, none were overly friendly with me. You may feel like the odd one out for a while until you make some genuine connections. I found my “tribe” through our community forums. It saved my life, in many deeply personal ways. I socialized with colleagues, but outside of occasional work nights out or conferences, there was little further personal interaction. There’s a pub culture, deeply ingrained in the social fabric of the United Kingdom. Your work colleagues may regularly go to a pub for lunch and have a pint or two with their midday meal.

Kitchen Adventures

The range of popular foods in the UK can be an interesting adventure for Americans. It’s important to note that while many ingredients are similar to those found in American cuisine, some may have different names or pronunciations, adding a touch of novelty to the cooking experience. On the bright side, things are a little easier than they were 20 years ago!

One of the challenges that Americans may face when cooking in the UK is finding their favorite American products. British grocery stores may not always carry the exact brands or items you’re used to. Don’t let this discourage you, keep an open mind and consider it an opportunity to discover new flavors.

Storage

One of the biggest challenges of a British home for Americans is …. storage. If you have one of the common small fridges (dorm size), you’ll be going for a shop every day or two. You may have limited cupboards and no closets. You might have more room, but no car.

In the subsection of pages below and throughout this guide, we will explore differences, from cooking to bedding to appliances, and start your plan for a fulfilling and enjoyable life in the UK.

Welcome to your British home!