America versus UK

[Piggywinkle]

Just a quick jump back to the housing... do you have an equivalent to our high-rise flats or tower blocks over in the US? Like this?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Highrise_flats_in_Cardonald_in_2009.jpg

 

[MommaAlexis]

We have them in Canada so I'd assume so.

 

[babybrums]

Just a quick jump back to the housing... do you have an equivalent to our high-rise flats or tower blocks over in the US? Like this?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Highrise_flats_in_Cardonald_in_2009.jpg

Those are a lot more common in the bigger cities. Some of the apartments in them, say in New York City, go for millions, some even top the $100 million mark. We have one in the town next to us and it's downtown, right across from the lake. Kind of sticks out like a sore thumb because it's the tallest building in town (most are no more than three levels).

 

[Tasha]

I saw some really run down looking ones in NY, well on the way to the airport.

 

[Piggywinkle]

.

 

[kerrie24]

Just found this thread,its very interesting,ive just read right through it and Im loving learning about the usa,I'd love to go there one day.

 

[Tasha]

I saw some really run down looking ones in NY, well on the way to the airport.

That picture I posted was of quite a nice tower block to be fair There are lots of grotty ones over here too - I used to live in one! This was the one I lived in...

https://www.emporis.com/images/show/675429-Large.jpg

Yeah it wasnt too bad compared to some, we certainly do have our fair share of run down tower blocks but these were worse than any I've seen near me and I live in London so loads of horrif tower blocks.

 

[Piggywinkle]

Another thing, the cookies/biscuits, candy/chocolate thing. Is it true that American biscuits are similar to our dumplings?

 

[kwood]

Another thing, the cookies/biscuits, candy/chocolate thing. Is it true that American biscuits are similar to our dumplings?

Yeah a biscuit in the U.S. is more like a savoury scone. We don't have that many things that are like U.K. biscuits in the U.S. but they would be called cookies. In the UK you tend to use the word Sweets where in the U.S. it is Candy.

 

[Mrs_T]

Now I could be completely wrong here but is it more normal to have an epidural when in labour in the us- was watching the us obem a few weeks ago and practically everyone had one, whereas in the UK people don't tend to have them so much???

 

[erikab922]

Aww, have come too late to this party! I'm American but have been in the UK just over 10 years now. After about a year of being here I forgot what we called skirting boards in the States (as a PP said, they're called baseboards) and I had to call my mom to ask her - how quickly we forget! I was soooo upset.

When I go home I try really hard to use the American terms for things 'cause if I say a British word my whole family will take the mick something rotten (another phrase we don't have in America - you'd just say 'they made fun of me').

 

[bumpbear]

Now I could be completely wrong here but is it more normal to have an epidural when in labour in the us- was watching the us obem a few weeks ago and practically everyone had one, whereas in the UK people don't tend to have them so much???

Yep, I am British in NY and tried my best to go for a natural birth. My OB looked at me like I was mad an said 95% of her patients get epis. The 5% who didn't got to the hospital too late to have one or were 'European patients'. So I tried my best to go unmedicated but at 7cm the pain got too much and I asked for pain relief. The reply was 'you want an epi?' I said no, don't you have anything else? They said no. So I caved in and got an epi.

I don't think they knew how to deal with women in labour without an epi at my hospital!

 

[bumpbear]

Just a quick jump back to the housing... do you have an equivalent to our high-rise flats or tower blocks over in the US? Like this?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Highrise_flats_in_Cardonald_in_2009.jpg

In most parts of Manhattan, high rises are all you can live in. But they are much better than UK ones and not social housing. Many are luxury buildings and people aspire to live in them. And the higher up you manage to live the better. If you live on a lower floor, natural light to your apartment will be impeded by neighboring buildings so they're darker and gloomier to live in hence usually cheaper rents. The higher you live, the more likely you are to 'clear' nearby buildings and the brighter your apartment will be. you also get nicer views the higher up you go (so higher rents).

 

[Lady_Bee]

One "weird" thing I've noticed about the US is that while in the UK if you were a guest at someone's house you would normally be offered tea or coffee, in the US you get offered fizzy drinks! Pepsi, Coke etc.! I never realized until I lived here how much fizzy drinks are part of the culture here. Back in UK I always got the impression they were more for kids... I don't know many British adults who drink coke etc. regularly, everyone drinks tea! But in the US, it seems like fizzy drinks are the normal grownup drink to offer guests? Am I wrong?

ETA: I drive my inlaws mad because I hate fizzy drinks and always insist on just drinking tap water haha. D:

 

[omfgski]

...

 

[re10]

Do Americans say faucet instead of tap? I alway used to wonder what that meant!

 

[erikab922]

Do Americans say faucet instead of tap? I alway used to wonder what that meant!

Yep, I used to get caught out on that one a lot.

 

[erikab922]

Yep, I am British in NY and tried my best to go for a natural birth. My OB looked at me like I was mad an said 95% of her patients get epis. The 5% who didn't got to the hospital too late to have one or were 'European patients'. So I tried my best to go unmedicated but at 7cm the pain got too much and I asked for pain relief. The reply was 'you want an epi?' I said no, don't you have anything else? They said no. So I caved in and got an epi.

I don't think they knew how to deal with women in labour without an epi at my hospital!

That is veerrryyy interesting! Here in the UK I wonder how much of it is secretly cost-related, no epi = more savings for the NHS. I don't know anyone IRL who had an epi, only ladies on here.

 

[erikab922]

OK here's one for you. This was about 10 years ago when I first moved here (to the UK). I asked my then-boyfriend for his khakis (like combat trousers) to put in the wash. He was like, what do you want those for? I said, just bring them in here, please. So he comes into the kitchen and hands me his car keys...

OK British ladies, I know you'll get that one!

 

[staralfur]

Highrises are super sought after where I live, for example:

https://www.hmscommunications.net/images/vancouver.jpg

All of the glass buildings are residential and you'd probably have to sell an organ on the black market to live there!