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Eh, I would live in the US if living there was more like Australia in terms of the government, health-care, politics. But Oz really is the Lucky Country in many ways.
They're two very different countries, I found that out when I visited the States.
The US is stunningly beautiful and has some amazing cities, but I'm just not politically or socially in tune with it (then again, many Americans feel the same way!). US politics is a joke. They spend more time arguing about gay marriage and abortions than addressing the real issues, while millions are out of work and while the country has a deficit the size of our solar system.
Even though I'd probably get called a Pom down there, I could most likely adapt to life in Australia relatively easily.
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The US is stunningly beautiful and has some amazing cities, but I'm just not politically or socially in tune with it. Even though I'd probably get called a Pom down there, I could most likely adapt to life in Australia relatively easily.
Most poms do . All in all mostly a decent bunch, I have to say (through gritted teeth). Many often begin to feel more Aussie than British but it depends on the person. Obviously they tend to integrate the best out of all the groups.
Boston is often thought of as a very English city but it seems more Irish-Italian. Also noticed a lot of Jamaicans/West Indians there.
Most poms do . All in all mostly a decent bunch, I have to say (through gritted teeth). Many often begin to feel more Aussie than British but it depends on the person. Obviously they tend to integrate the best out of all the groups.
Boston is often thought of as a very English city but it seems more Irish-Italian. Also noticed a lot of Jamaicans/West Indians there.
Defintely more of an Irish and Italian influence with some French & Portuguese and Puerto Rican thrown in. Boston is very diverse. It certainly has elements of a British city and does remind me of Manchester, or a smaller version of London. Some of the architecture is the same as you'd find in Britain. Still, the people of New England are quite different. They are reserved, but much more brash and there isn't really a pub culture here, despite the heavy Irish influence and the fair number of Irish pubs around. It is still America at the end of the day and aside from Boston, it's still more "out of town" shopping, even though many of the satellite towns do have some semblance of a heart.
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Defintely more of an Irish and Italian influence with some French & Portuguese and Puerto Rican thrown in. Boston is very diverse. It certainly has elements of a British city and does remind me of Manchester, or a smaller version of London. Some of the architecture is the same as you'd find in Britain. Still, the people of New England are quite different. They are reserved, but much more brash and there isn't really a pub culture here, despite the heavy Irish influence and the fair number of Irish pubs around. It is still America at the end of the day and aside from Boston, it's still more "out of town" shopping, even though many of the satellite towns do have some semblance of a heart.
My guess is Bostonians are a bit like a cross between New Yorkers and New Englanders. Like kind of direct like East Coasters but also a bit reserved. I got to know quite a few of them.
I loved just overhearing some of the New Yorkers talk on the subway or something...so different from Aussies! Just like something out of the movies.
It does have a very colonial feel to it. I still find it weird how the English aren't as prevalent on the East coast.
No of course there's not a pub culture, they call pubs bars there don't they? Haha. Interesting I thought there was.
My guess is Bostonians are a bit like a cross between New Yorkers and New Englanders. Like kind of direct like East Coasters but also a bit reserved. I got to know quite a few of them.
I loved just overhearing some of the New Yorkers talk on the subway or something...so different from Aussies! Just like something out of the movies.
It does have a very colonial feel to it. I still find it weird how the English aren't as prevalent on the East coast.
No of course there's not a pub culture, they call pubs bars there don't they? Haha. Interesting I thought there was.
Trust me, there are a fair number of pubs & bars, but it's different. Pubs in Britain are such a social institution that I doubt there are many places where that's mirrored (even though many have closed down or converted to restaurants).
New Englanders are a different bunch to what I'm used to. I'm still fairly new here and still trying to figure them out. I don't find Boston as rude as many Americans from elsewhere make it out to be, aside from the overly aggressive driving. I just get the overall impression that this is quite a hard place to make friends and that many people tend to keep to their own circles. In the UK, we are as reserved, but not once you break the ice. The ice seems very impenetrable here. Maybe I need a better pick axe?
From looking at demographic maps of the US, it seems that English Americans are more common further west and south, although Vermont has a high concentration. I believe Utah has the highest concentration of Americans who identify their English roots.
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Trust me, there are a fair number of pubs & bars, but it's different. Pubs in Britain are such a social institution that I doubt there are many places where that's mirrored (even though many have closed down or converted to restaurants).
New Englanders are a different bunch to what I'm used to. I'm still fairly new here and still trying to figure them out. I don't find Boston as rude as many Americans from elsewhere make it out to be, aside from the overly aggressive driving. I just get the overall impression that this is quite a hard place to make friends and that many people tend to keep to their own circles. In the UK, we are as reserved, but not once you break the ice. The ice seems very impenetrable here. Maybe I need a better pick axe?
From looking at demographic maps of the US, it seems that English Americans are more common further west and south, although Vermont has a high concentration. I believe Utah has the highest concentration of Americans who identify their English roots.
I thought NH moreso than VT which has a Quebecois connection.
Very interesting what you say about the ice being more impenetrable in New England vs England. Do you think this inherent shallowness extends to American society as a whole? So you find in England it's easier to make friends, especially more long-lasting relationships?
Australia is sort of in between the US and UK in this area I think, like in so many areas. We obviously don't have old style village pubs called the Red Lion or anything, but country pubs are still social meeting places. We have many more American style bars too. Many of the swankier pubs have almost gone yuppie, though, serving $35 seafood dishes and the like. There's a lot less of the cheap pub grub (pub's are hardly the cheapest place in town for grub these days) of old. Indeed pizza is more commonly found than a good bangers'n'mash.
I thought NH moreso than VT which has a Quebecois connection.
Very interesting what you say about the ice being more impenetrable in New England vs England. Do you think this inherent shallowness extends to American society as a whole? So you find in England it's easier to make friends, especially more long-lasting relationships?
Australia is sort of in between the US and UK in this area I think, like in so many areas. We obviously don't have old style village pubs called the Red Lion or anything, but country pubs are still social meeting places. We have many more American style bars too. Many of the swankier pubs have almost gone yuppie, though, serving $35 seafood dishes and the like. There's a lot less of the cheap pub grub (pub's are hardly the cheapest place in town for grub these days) of old. Indeed pizza is more commonly found than a good bangers'n'mash.
This is all personal experience and I'm doing my best to be totally unbiased.
I guess it's easy for me to say making friends in Britain is easier: I'm British and thus, have never had a problem. I think it boils down to the fact that the US and UK are quite culturally different. People intermingle more in the UK, mainl because they're forced to due to different urban layouts and work culture. It may sound ridiculous, but it's tough to bond with your colleagues over here when you're in a cubicle all day, versus the open office layout in the UK. People also tend to live further from work and further apart from one another, making socialising with work mates a lot trickier.
The UK also varies widely by region. I can't even generalise and I have only lived in Scotland, Cheshire and Buckinghamshire.
My point is that I cannot tell you one way or another whether it's easier to make friends in the UK versus the US. Too many variables and I don't want to give in to bias and paint too rosy a picture of the UK. Much of it depends on you, as a person. My problem is that I'm just not American and most likely, never wil be.
I don't generally cite Wikipedia, but this article is well cited in itself to be a reasonable enough source concerning the distribution of English Americans:
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This is all personal experience and I'm doing my best to be totally unbiased.
I guess it's easy for me to say making friends in Britain is easier: I'm British and thus, have never had a problem. I think it boils down to the fact that the US and UK are quite culturally different. People intermingle more in the UK, mainl because they're forced to due to different urban layouts and work culture. It may sound ridiculous, but it's tough to bond with your colleagues over here when you're in a cubicle all day, versus the open office layout in the UK. People also tend to live further from work and further apart from one another, making socialising with work mates a lot trickier.
The UK also varies widely by region. I can't even generalise and I have only lived in Scotland, Cheshire and Buckinghamshire.
My point is that I cannot tell you one way or another whether it's easier to make friends in the UK versus the US. Too many variables and I don't want to give in to bias and paint too rosy a picture of the UK. Much of it depends on you, as a person. My problem is that I'm just not American and most likely, never wil be.
I don't generally cite Wikipedia, but this article is well cited in itself to be a reasonable enough source concerning the distribution of English Americans:
Vermont does have a high percentage of Americans with English ancestry.
I get the sense that the 'home is my castle' lifestyle of the US and Australia - big houses, spread out suburbs, investing a lot on/spending a lot of time at home and private type pursuits, auto-dominated culture may be an impediment to more natural forms of meeting people/socializing. Britain is still more European in this sense with more people living in denser areas, more peopled public spaces. If this is the reason than I think you'd have to same problem in most of Australia. We're probably not AS bad as the US in the inner city areas.
New England in general is, of course, but I always thought French ancestry was more prominent in Vermont, Maine and northern New York State compared to Eastern New England. A lot of Americans in general aren't aware of their English ancestry because it's been incorporated in the American identity.
I get the sense that the 'home is my castle' lifestyle of the US and Australia - big houses, spread out suburbs, investing a lot on/spending a lot of time at home and private type pursuits, auto-dominated culture may be an impediment to more natural forms of meeting people/socializing. Britain is still more European in this sense with more people living in denser areas, more peopled public spaces. If this is the reason than I think you'd have to same problem in most of Australia. We're probably not AS bad as the US in the inner city areas.
New England in general is, of course, but I always thought French ancestry was more prominent in Vermont, Maine and northern New York State compared to Eastern New England. A lot of Americans in general aren't aware of their English ancestry because it's been incorporated in the American identity.
I'll let someone who knows more than I do chime in one the demographic issue if they wish. It's really another debate altogether. I do often wonder if Americans of the past were even ashamed of their English ancestry or wanted to deny it, choosing to identity with ancestors from other parts of Europe instead. Case and point, I worked with a guy who claimed German and Irish ancestry, but when I quizzed him on his last name (Allen), he said it was actually English. I wonder if this has been subconsciously passed down through generations? Makes for interesting thought.
You're right about the car / suburban culture certainly impacting social interaction. I've observed that people are much more contained in their homes over here. You don't see as many kids playing out in the street as you would in the UK, but maybe that's changed now. It definitely plays a major part in what we've discussed, no doubt about that. In that regard, the UK is most certainly European. My culture shock is largely attributable to this, along with the social and political differences.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,274,581 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dragonborn
I'll let someone who knows more than I do chime in one the demographic issue if they wish. It's really another debate altogether. I do often wonder if Americans of the past were even ashamed of their English ancestry or wanted to deny it, choosing to identity with ancestors from other parts of Europe instead. Case and point, I worked with a guy who claimed German and Irish ancestry, but when I quizzed him on his last name (Allen), he said it was actually English. I wonder if this has been subconsciously passed down through generations? Makes for interesting thought.
You're right about the car / suburban culture certainly impacting social interaction. I've observed that people are much more contained in their homes over here. You don't see as many kids playing out in the street as you would in the UK, but maybe that's changed now. It definitely plays a major part in what we've discussed, no doubt about that. In that regard, the UK is most certainly European. My culture shock is largely attributable to this, along with the social and political differences.
Many Americans of German ancestry decided to 'Anglicize' because there was discrimination against them and during the War years, suspicion. That's why many people with the last name 'Smith' might actually be German, from the German name Schmidt. Fischer might be Fisher.etc. In Australia many towns changed their names during the war (Hahndorf, the well-known 'German village' in the Adelaide Hills was known as Ambleside during the First World War.
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. All in all mostly a decent bunch, I have to say (through gritted teeth). Many often begin to feel more Aussie than British but it depends on the person. Obviously they tend to integrate the best out of all the groups.
