{"id":74,"date":"2014-10-03T14:14:06","date_gmt":"2014-10-03T19:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/?p=74"},"modified":"2014-10-03T14:14:06","modified_gmt":"2014-10-03T19:14:06","slug":"an-a-z-of-questions-i-have-encountered-in-the-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/2014\/10\/an-a-z-of-questions-i-have-encountered-in-the-states\/","title":{"rendered":"An A-Z of questions I have encountered in the States"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li><strong>A<\/strong>re you from England? Seriously? Is that why you have a Union Jack on your door?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Yes, I am. It was not just for decoration. I was hoping it was making a statement.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you say <strong>B<\/strong>um or <strong>B<\/strong>utt in England?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>To be quite honest with you, it is not often that I tend to enter into a conversation that requires the use of either of those words. I suppose if I must choose I think I have to pick Bum.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>C<\/strong>an you say Harry Potter for me please? <strong>C<\/strong>an you say it again?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Harry Potter\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>D<\/strong>o you think my British accent is convincing?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u2026.<em>yeah<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What is the biggest difference between here and <strong>E<\/strong>ngland?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>The weather, the bugs, the people, the number of times I hear the words \u2018dude,\u2019 \u2018bro,\u2019 and \u2018y\u2019all\u2019 in a single day. The little things, you know?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>F<\/strong>ish and Chips? Really? Just crispy fish and fries?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>No! You\u2019re not getting this. It is so much more than simply fish and fries. I can\u2019t explain. You just have to try it. And under no circumstances miss out the mushy peas.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Have you <strong>G<\/strong>ot loads of fit <strong>G<\/strong>uys in England?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>I don\u2019t know where you got the impression that we are over flowing with attractive males. You realise that the entirety of the UK can fit into Texas EIGHT times, right? Statistically, there is a greater abundance of attractive guys here in America. Not that we don\u2019t have any. Just not enough for all of you.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Are you missing <strong>H<\/strong>ome?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Yes but then I listen to the \u2018Footloose\u2019 soundtrack and remember why I came \u2013and yes I realise basing my decision on which degree to do partly on my love for the soundtrack for a Kevin Bacon film isn\u2019t necessarily the most solid foundation for a decision, but it hasn\u2019t led me wrong yet. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What made you choose <strong>I<\/strong>owa? Seriously though, of all of the places in the whole of the US, you chose <strong>I<\/strong>owa?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>I heard it had a good writing programme\u2026and it looked quite nice on the website\u2026 and you picked it too remember! <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>J<\/strong>ust say \u2018dollop\u2019. And \u2018cinema\u2019. And \u2018Sheffield.\u2019 And again.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Dollop. Dollop. Cinema. Cinema. Sheffield. Sheffield.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Are you seriously allowed <strong>K<\/strong>inder Eggs in England? They\u2019re illegal here.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Yes we are. And why are they illegal? They\u2019re 5% chocolate, 65% toy and 30% air. There is nothing to them. It\u2019s not even a mouthful of chocolate.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you just love <strong>L<\/strong>ondon? I just love <strong>L<\/strong>ondon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Sorry to disappoint you but you have just met one of the few British people who dislikes London rather thoroughly. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>M<\/strong>y cousin went to England once.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>That\u2019s nice. Where\u2019d they go? Oh, London&#8230;right.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Which <strong>N<\/strong>FL team do you support?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>I\u2019ve just been told off for calling it a Football Pitch. Repeatedly. I just asked if we\u2019d scored a goal. I think we can both safely assume that American Football isn\u2019t for me. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Aren\u2019t <strong>O<\/strong>ne Direction just amazing?!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Honestly, I liked them when they were on X Factor but now I leave them for the tweens to enjoy. Did I mention my Mum works in the same hospital as one of their mums? Hello? Are you okay? Is she okay? Woah! Calm down. Breathe. No, I never met him. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do <strong>P<\/strong>eople in England really use the word \u2018Bloody\u2019 as a swear word?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Well not as a standalone word. You have to add something else to it otherwise there\u2019s no point.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What does the <strong>Q<\/strong>ueen actually do?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>She provides moral support and nice grandsons who marry commoners on a Friday meaning that everyone gets an extra day off school and something to cheer about. Other than that, walk her corgis? I\u2019m not entirely certain but I\u2019m glad she\u2019s there.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I just love the <strong>R<\/strong>oyals. Do British people love them too?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Yes, I rather think that most of them do. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>So will <strong>S<\/strong>cotland have another election next year as well? Also which bit is <strong>S<\/strong>cotland? Isn\u2019t it all just Britain?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>No! It has never happened before and, with any luck, it will never happen again. Also, it was a referendum not an election. I can assure you it is not an annual thing. Now, let\u2019s go find a map\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How often do British people drink <strong>T<\/strong>ea? Is the stereotype exaggerated?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Different people will answer this question differently. I, however, am more than happy to fulfil this stereotype. I like to put the kettle on every time I re-enter the house. It\u2019s not really important how long I have been outside. I need tea to make serious decisions and it is essential for rebalancing hormonal\/emotional episodes. And I honestly do believe that all conflicts can be resolved with tea and cake. Now, we\u2019ve done too much talking about tea without actually consuming any. Time to stick the microwave on (it just doesn\u2019t sound or taste the same as \u2018stickin\u2019 kettle on.\u2019 <\/em><em>)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I didn\u2019t quite <strong>U<\/strong>nderstand you\u2026what was that? You want to go to the softball field?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>I\u2019m sorry, but in what way does DEVONIAN FOSSIL GORGE sound like Softball Field? Never mind, we\u2019ll just google map it.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Is it<b> <strong>V<\/strong><\/b>ery rainy in the UK?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Yes, I don\u2019t carry an umbrella everywhere because I\u2019m pessimistic. It\u2019s because I have been caught out too many times.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><strong>W<\/strong><\/b>hat do you miss most about home?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>My family and friends, tea that doesn\u2019t taste metallic, Yorkshire Puddings and gravy, being allowed to drink (not drinking itself, I just like knowing I have the option) and as an extension of that-going to the pub and not having to leave before 10pm, my cats, my clothes \u2013 I did not pack everything I ought to have done. I miss my jumpers and my dresses! And finally, the stretch of the A19 that runs behind Eggborough Power Station going towards Selby. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you think you\u2019ll become an e<strong>X<\/strong>-pat? (Okay I struggled with this one. The question was do you think you\u2019ll move to America one day?)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Absolutely, 100%<\/em> <em>no. Three years ago I wanted the pickup truck, the wooden house with the wrap around porch and the kids with an American twang, but being here has made me appreciate England and Yorkshire so very much. I now know that I need to be in a place where there are three prongs on the plug, where public transport is wide spread and effective, and where the letter \u2018H\u2019 is optional in speech. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What did you just call the <strong>Y<\/strong>o-ghurt?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Yog-hurt. I also say Toe-mart-o rather than To-mate-o. And Ban-narn-a rather than Ban-nan-na. Why is Ban-narn-a funny? It\u2019s really not that funny. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Z<\/strong>ed? That is so cute! It\u2019s so Canadian. I\u2019m going to start saying <strong>Z<\/strong>ed instead of <strong>Z<\/strong>ee.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Glad you like it. What\u2019s that? Fine. Harry Potter. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you from England? Seriously? Is that why you have a Union Jack on your door? Yes, I am. It was not just for decoration. I was hoping it was making a statement. \u00a0 Do you say Bum or Butt in England? To be quite honest with you, it is not often that I tend [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/70"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74\/revisions\/77"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/meg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}