Some people think I'm biased towards the US - I suppose so far the US is winning based on the topics I've written about so far. However, I guess my perspective is such that since the UK is a new place for me, I compare my new experiences here to what I'm used to. And of course, it's the things that frustrate me that stand out in my mind, so I appear to be biased. I'm going to try to write about the great positive things also.
Today, it's public transportation. I think aside from New York and Chicago, the US does not have great public transport. Why? Government doesn't want to pay for it? Cities are too big? Who knows, but it sucks, especially in LA. Here in London - it is AMAZING! And the train system across the country is awesome, too. The Brits actually complain about London Transport all the time - the trains get cancelled, delays due to engineering problems, closures on the weekend for planned upgrade work, etc. But, if they had LA to compare it to, they would know that it is the best thing since sliced bread!
I can get anywhere in London and the country without a car. It may take me a little longer in some cases, but I get to actually read books or the paper or check email while I'm doing it! My Kindle is my best friend on the train - I've read like 12 books in the last 7 months. I hadn't read an actual whole book in the last 3 years before that!! Part of that due to becoming a mom, but also due to the fact that I had to drive everywhere and never had the opportunity. It's renewed my love of reading and I thank London for that.
October 09, 2011
September 25, 2011
It's happened...I'm now 'Mummy'! ARGH!!
So, it's happened, my daughter vacillates back and forth between calling me 'mom' - which I like - and calling me 'mummy' with a sing-song voice grates on my every nerve. People think it's cute that she has a British accent, but there is a sing-song, whiney way that children here say it and it gets long and drawn out 'mUmmmmmyyyyyyy.' I try to ignore it because I don't want my child to feel self-conscious about how she is speaking, but boy it REALLY bugs me sometimes.
Mostly she still speaks with an American accent, but this morning she sounded extremely British while watching Peppa Pig (pronounced 'Pepper' Pig in the British way) and the British version of Yo Gabba Gabba (yes, they re-record the voices with a British accent!).
The other pronunciation that I hear on occasion and don't quite understand is when the 'th' sound is pronounced as 'f' or 'v' depending on the word. 'Something' becomes 'somefing'; 'together' becomes 'togeva'. I'm not sure what the evolution of that accent is, but it's one aspect I don't want my daughter to pick up. The small country of the UK actually seems to have more varied accents than the large US has. There's a great youtube video of a guy who does 24 different accents of the English language - from the UK to the US to around the world. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dABo_DCIdpM
So, how to score this one? It's not my daughter's fault she is picking up the accent - it was bound to happen and we brought her here, so that's on us, but the way it hits my nerves, I have to give the point to the US...
Mostly she still speaks with an American accent, but this morning she sounded extremely British while watching Peppa Pig (pronounced 'Pepper' Pig in the British way) and the British version of Yo Gabba Gabba (yes, they re-record the voices with a British accent!).
The other pronunciation that I hear on occasion and don't quite understand is when the 'th' sound is pronounced as 'f' or 'v' depending on the word. 'Something' becomes 'somefing'; 'together' becomes 'togeva'. I'm not sure what the evolution of that accent is, but it's one aspect I don't want my daughter to pick up. The small country of the UK actually seems to have more varied accents than the large US has. There's a great youtube video of a guy who does 24 different accents of the English language - from the UK to the US to around the world. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dABo_DCIdpM
So, how to score this one? It's not my daughter's fault she is picking up the accent - it was bound to happen and we brought her here, so that's on us, but the way it hits my nerves, I have to give the point to the US...
Health Care for All!! UK wins by a landslide!
Written in June 2011
Here in the UK, most health care is FREE. And for children - everything is free! Doctor's visits, prescriptions, even an ambulance is completely FREEEEE!!!! While I'm still trying to fully understand the system, I was thrown into it when Sophie fell and cracked her chin open :-(
I walked in the door from work to meet my husband whispering to me, "We have to go to the hospital." Ugh! We were in the process of calling a taxi to take us when, all of a sudden, Sophie fell asleep. We thought it was strange given the pain and bleeding, so we were worried that maybe she had hit her head also. So we called an ambulance. They came within 10 minutes, checked her out, gave her the all clear and took us to the hospital to have her chin closed up. And we don't have to pay a penny for the ambulance. Not...one...single...penny!
Why would anyone fight against that? Taxes? Sure, we pay taxes, but we pay just as much in the US and don't really get much for it. I don't think I'm paying all that much more here in the UK and I seem to get a lot more for my money. Why oh why does the US have all these crazy people who would rather have large insurance companies whose sole purpose is to turn a profit run our health care system? Point UK.
Here in the UK, most health care is FREE. And for children - everything is free! Doctor's visits, prescriptions, even an ambulance is completely FREEEEE!!!! While I'm still trying to fully understand the system, I was thrown into it when Sophie fell and cracked her chin open :-(
I walked in the door from work to meet my husband whispering to me, "We have to go to the hospital." Ugh! We were in the process of calling a taxi to take us when, all of a sudden, Sophie fell asleep. We thought it was strange given the pain and bleeding, so we were worried that maybe she had hit her head also. So we called an ambulance. They came within 10 minutes, checked her out, gave her the all clear and took us to the hospital to have her chin closed up. And we don't have to pay a penny for the ambulance. Not...one...single...penny!
Why would anyone fight against that? Taxes? Sure, we pay taxes, but we pay just as much in the US and don't really get much for it. I don't think I'm paying all that much more here in the UK and I seem to get a lot more for my money. Why oh why does the US have all these crazy people who would rather have large insurance companies whose sole purpose is to turn a profit run our health care system? Point UK.
Poop, Poop and more Poop (dog poop, that is)
Written January 2011
So I've started working in London and walk a lot to and from tube stations and I constantly have to step around dog poop! There are signs around that indicate there is a fine for those who do not clean up after their dogs, but nobody seems to care. I am sidestepping to no end so I can avoid small and large piles of dog poop - yuck! If you insist on having a dog, then please clean up after it!
I haven't stepped in dog poop in California for ages...of course, I didn't walk there as much, either, but that's beside the point. What are these people thinking? Do they want to step in dog poop? I can't imagine they would be happy about it if it happened to them. So - CLEAN UP YOUR DOG'S POOP!!! The next time I see someone who doesn't clean up after their dog I WILL confront them. Disgusting... Point goes to California on this one.
So I've started working in London and walk a lot to and from tube stations and I constantly have to step around dog poop! There are signs around that indicate there is a fine for those who do not clean up after their dogs, but nobody seems to care. I am sidestepping to no end so I can avoid small and large piles of dog poop - yuck! If you insist on having a dog, then please clean up after it!
I haven't stepped in dog poop in California for ages...of course, I didn't walk there as much, either, but that's beside the point. What are these people thinking? Do they want to step in dog poop? I can't imagine they would be happy about it if it happened to them. So - CLEAN UP YOUR DOG'S POOP!!! The next time I see someone who doesn't clean up after their dog I WILL confront them. Disgusting... Point goes to California on this one.
Ready to Cook - the US is WAY behind on this one!
Written December 2010...
The best thing I've discovered so far is the 'ready to cook' aisle in the grocery stores here. In the US, there is prepared food - food that has been cooked and you simply reheat it. There is also frozen food - cooked, frozen, some good, most horrible. But the Brits have figured out the BEST in convenience dinners - every grocery store has a 'ready to cook' section here. Marks & Spencer has done it best. You can get fresh encrusted chicken prepared with a parmesan sauce and cherry tomatoes (not cooked), pop it in the oven for 30 minutes and it's as if you prepared it yourself. It's fresh, fully prepared with cooking instructions on the back. We have super tasty, balanced meals like herb encrusted turkey breast with mashed potatoes and perfectly cooked veggies in butter or beautiful steaks with a pepper and herb butter - all prepared by somebody else, but freshly made. Amazing!!
I'm not sure why the US hasn't figured this one out yet - maybe it's the large distribution network and longer distances, but I think the higher end grocery stores could figure out something like this as part of a more local network. It's fresh, tasty, and oh so easy. UK scores a point for the ready to cook concept!
The best thing I've discovered so far is the 'ready to cook' aisle in the grocery stores here. In the US, there is prepared food - food that has been cooked and you simply reheat it. There is also frozen food - cooked, frozen, some good, most horrible. But the Brits have figured out the BEST in convenience dinners - every grocery store has a 'ready to cook' section here. Marks & Spencer has done it best. You can get fresh encrusted chicken prepared with a parmesan sauce and cherry tomatoes (not cooked), pop it in the oven for 30 minutes and it's as if you prepared it yourself. It's fresh, fully prepared with cooking instructions on the back. We have super tasty, balanced meals like herb encrusted turkey breast with mashed potatoes and perfectly cooked veggies in butter or beautiful steaks with a pepper and herb butter - all prepared by somebody else, but freshly made. Amazing!!
I'm not sure why the US hasn't figured this one out yet - maybe it's the large distribution network and longer distances, but I think the higher end grocery stores could figure out something like this as part of a more local network. It's fresh, tasty, and oh so easy. UK scores a point for the ready to cook concept!
December 06, 2010
Isn't a Mummy an embalmed corpse from Egypt?
When I enrolled my daughter in pre-school here in London, they asked if I had any special requests. Yes, if you can please refer to me as 'mommy' with her and NOT 'mummy.' The nervous laughter that occurred once I said that told me they were a bit offended...but I didn't care - I want to be mOmmy, not mUmmy...I'm sure they would want the same if they were in the US. I don't expect they are really doing it and for now, my daughter knows the difference. However, I am going back to work full-time after the holidays which means she will be in full-time preschool. Hubby thinks she'll have a full-blown British accent within a couple months of full-time exposure. Ugh - the day she calls me 'mummy' is the day I wrap myself in toilet paper cuz that's what a 'mummy' is to me!
December 05, 2010
Moving to London
My first blog post... As I sit in front of the computer, I'm not really sure what to write. I came up with a cute name for a blog as an American mommy now living in London (From Mom to Mum)...does that mean I should actually write a blog? Will anyone want to read it? I guess I'll find out soon enough!
We moved to London 3 months ago. The hubby got a transfer from Los Angeles to London. We are California natives, but have always loved to travel, have diverse cultural backgrounds (well, I do...Hubby, not so much), and have MBAs from the top international business school in the US. We were always meant to live and work abroad; however, I always thought we would do it before having a child. So since our beautiful daughter is 3 years old, I never expected it to happen.
Moving to another country with a child gives it a whole new level of complexity. It's not just about finding a place to live or a new job, but it's, "How will my child adjust? How does the school system work? Will she pick up a new accent? How are the doctors?, etc."
3 months in and I've figured out the school ratings and have started to figure out the health system (national health care for everyone! - woohoo!!). How will my child adjust? Well, she started part-time preschool and has had a rough transition (as most 3 year olds do), but the hilarity of hearing her mimic the British accents she heard at school is worth it! The sing-song lilt of "mum-mee" and "da-dee" brings a smile to my face every time she mimics the kids at school.
We'll be in the UK for at least 2 years and, who knows, that could turn into 3 or 4. I'll post my observations of being an American mom in London and will be open about my thoughts of certain things that are better here and vice versa. For now, the weather is DEFINITELY better in California!
We moved to London 3 months ago. The hubby got a transfer from Los Angeles to London. We are California natives, but have always loved to travel, have diverse cultural backgrounds (well, I do...Hubby, not so much), and have MBAs from the top international business school in the US. We were always meant to live and work abroad; however, I always thought we would do it before having a child. So since our beautiful daughter is 3 years old, I never expected it to happen.
Moving to another country with a child gives it a whole new level of complexity. It's not just about finding a place to live or a new job, but it's, "How will my child adjust? How does the school system work? Will she pick up a new accent? How are the doctors?, etc."
3 months in and I've figured out the school ratings and have started to figure out the health system (national health care for everyone! - woohoo!!). How will my child adjust? Well, she started part-time preschool and has had a rough transition (as most 3 year olds do), but the hilarity of hearing her mimic the British accents she heard at school is worth it! The sing-song lilt of "mum-mee" and "da-dee" brings a smile to my face every time she mimics the kids at school.
We'll be in the UK for at least 2 years and, who knows, that could turn into 3 or 4. I'll post my observations of being an American mom in London and will be open about my thoughts of certain things that are better here and vice versa. For now, the weather is DEFINITELY better in California!
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