Language & Culture

Keeping It 100 Before, Upon, And After Your Arrival.
Before Arrival

Documents, Shipping & Pets

Upon Arrival

Registration, Housing, School

After Arrival

Programs, Travel & Shopping

Pre Departure

Last 100 Final Out

Help Maintain Good Relations

Get to know your neighbors. English neighbors will not go out of their way to get in your way and will respect your privacy, but will welcome an introduction. Many villages are full of neighbors who know each other well and an English friend is a friend for life.

Noise Complaints

While not frequent, noise complaints are typically: loud music, parties, running cars, barking dogs. Shift workers – be careful about noise if working unusual shift patterns. When complaints are flagged to the Community Relations Adviser (CRA), the details are passed on, in most cases to the First Shirts.

If there is a lawful aspect, the Legal office may be notified. If you have issues with your neighbors American or British, contact the CRA who can advise on the next steps.

Commercial 44.1638.54.2254
DSN 238.2254

Get To Know Your Village

Each village or town will usually have a village hall or Community Centre. These can be hired for private use parties or events by the hour, half-day, or full-day as a one-off or a reoccurring basis. There are also many clubs that you can attend such as: Fitness clubs, mother and baby clubs, and painting classes.

Connect With Your Village

To find out how to book or what programs are on, please check out: https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/ or https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/ or https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/ (depending on where you live). You can also search online for your parish/ town council for up-and-coming events.

Also use those county websites for a comprehensive overview that includes the environment, parking, and travel, bins and recycling, council tax, find my nearest, and a report function where you can log anti-social behavior, abandoned vehicles, fly-tipping, roads and transport information.

Use social media to link in with the town/ village you live in as they will also have details on up and coming events and the details on how to book.

Your town may also receive a monthly newsletter which shows details of what is going on in your local community, please keep an eye out for this. Outside each hall, there is usually a bulletin board with news and events.

Daylight Hours

The longest day is 21 June when it gets light approx. 3.30 AM and dark around 10:30 PM. The shortest day is 21 December when there are daylight hours between approx. 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. The clocks go back an hour at the end of October, and that’s when you’re likely to travel to and from work in the dark. You’ll notice it gets significantly lighter by the end of January, and clocks go forward an hour at the end of March.

Britain is officially metric, in line with the rest of Europe. However, imperial measures are still in use, especially for road distances, which are measured in miles. Imperial pints and gallons are 20 percent larger than US measures.

Imperial To Mertic

  • 1 inch = 2.5 centimetres
  • 1 foot = 30 centimetres
  • 1 mile = 1.6 kilometres
  • 1 ounce = 28 grams
  • 1 pound = 454 grams
  • 1 pint = 0.6 litres
  • 1 gallon = 4.6 litres

Metric To Imperial

  • 1 millimetre = 0.04 inch
  • 1 centimetre = 0.4 inch
  • 1 metre = 3 feet 3 inches
  • 1 kilometre = 0.6 mile
  • 1 gram = 0.04 ounce
  • 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds
There are differences between American English and British English, or ‘The Queen’s English’. Here are some examples. On the left is the British word for the American word or phrase on the right-hand side.

Transportation

British English American English
Bonnet Hood (of a car)
Boot Trunk (of a car)
Bumper Fender
Car Park Parking Lot
Caravan Camper / Trailer
Car Hire Rental Car
Carriageway Road
Cat’s Eye Road Reflectors (in between lanes)
Coach Bus
Diversion Detour
Dual Carriageway Two-Lane, Divided Highway
Give Away Yield
Indicator Turn Signal
Junction Intersection / Exit
Layby Rest Area / Pull-Off
Lorry Semi-Truck
Motorway Multi-Lane Highway
Number Plate License Plate
Over Taking Passing
Pavement/Footpath Sidewalk / Walkway
Petrol Gasoline
Queue Line (waiting for something)
Return Ticket Round Trip (including return ticket)
Single Ticket One Way Trip
Slip Road Entrance or Exit Ramp
Subway Underpass
To Let For Rent
Tube/Underground Subway / Underground Train
Van Small Truck
Windscreen Windshield

Food / Drink

British English American English
Ale/Bitter Cask Beer Usually Served Warm
Aubergine Eggplant
Biscuit Cookie or Sweet Cracker
Chicken Goujons Chicken Tenders
Chips Thick Cut Fries
Cooker/Hob Stove
Crisps Chips
Cuppa Cup of Tea
Cutlery Silverware
Fizzy Drink Soda
Ice Lolly Popsicle
Jacket Potato Baked Potato
Lager Light Colored Beer
Lemononade Lemon-Lime Soda (Sprite, 7Up, etc)
Mince Ground Meat
Shandy Beer and Lemon-Lime Soda
Spirits Liquor
Sweet or Pudding Dessert of Any Kind
Sweets Candy
Takeaway Take-Out or To-Go Food
Toastie Grilled Cheese / Toasted Sandwich
To Book Make Reservation
Trolly Shopping Cart

Building / Household

British English American English
Bin Trash Can
Cot Crib
Cupboard / Wardrobe Closet
First Floor Second Floor
Flat Apartment
Garden Back Yard or Front Yard
Ground Floor First Floor
Lift Elevator
Loo/Toilet Restroom / Bathroom
Services Restroom / Bathroom
W.C. (Water Closet) Restroom / Bathroom
Rubbish Trash
Semi-Detached Duplex (houses that share one center wall)
Tap Faucet
Window Blind Window Shade

School

British English American English
Break Time (in School) Recess
Bum Bag Fanny Pack
Diary Calendar
Felt Tips Markers
Full Stop Period
Headmaster / Headteacher Principal
Nought / Nil Zero
Rubber Eraser
Rucksack Backpack
Sellotape Scotch Tape
Term Semester
Tick Mark Check Mark
Timetable Schedule

‘GRADES’

Play School / Year R Pre-K / Pre-School (Age 4-5)
Primary School Elementary (Grade 1 – 6; Ages 5-11)
Secondary School Middle School (Grades 7-9; Ages 11-14)
Upper Levels / Secondary Education High School (Grade 10-11; Ages 14-16)
College Highschool (Grades 12-13; Ages 16-18)
University College / University (Post Highschool Education for Associates / Bachelors Degree)

Shopping / Clothing

British English American English
Braces (Clothing) Suspenders
Chemist Pharmacist
DIY Store Home Improvement
High Street Main Street
Jumper / Jersey Sweater
Lounge Suit Business Suit
Nappy Diaper
Off License Liquor Store
Pants Underwear
Pushchair Stroller
Quid Slang for cash / pounds (GBP)
Spectacles / Specs Glasses / Eyeglasses
Tights Pantyhose
Trainers Sneakers / Atheltic Shoes
Trousers Pants
Waistcoat Vest
Wardrobe Closet
Vest Tank Top

Miscellaneous

British English American English
Bank Note Bill (Money / Cash / Paper Pounds)
Barrister / Solicitor Lawyer / Attorney
Booking Reservation
Cheeky Playful Disrespect / Sneaky / Naughty
Cinema Movie Theatre
CV Resume
Dodgy Suspicious
Dummy Pacifier
Engaged (Phone) Busy Tone When Calling in
Fag Cigarette
Flask / Vacuum Flask Thermos
Football Soccer
Football Boots Cleats
Fortnight Two Weeks
Hair Fringe Bangs
Hen Party Bachelorette Party
Holiday Vacation
Letterbox Mailbox
Mad Crazy
Mate Friend/Bud
Plaster Band Aid
Post Mail
Post Code Zip Code
Quay Dock / Wharf
To Ring Call
Stag Party Bachelor Party
Sun Cream Sunscreen
Torch Flashlight
Value Added Tax (VAT) Sales Tax (Usually in the listed price)
Whinge Whine
British English American English
Ya Alright? Greeting / How Are You?
Hiya Friendly Way of Saying Hello
Bad Hair Day A Difficult or Problematic Day
Bite Your Arm Off Very Keen to Get Something
Bob’s Your Uncle There You Go
Cheers Thanks
Chuffed (To Bits) Pleased / Happy with / Flattered
Corker Someone or Something that’s Outstanding
Do My Head In Annoys / Becomes Enraged
Give Us a Bell Call Me
Grand Excellent / Lovely / A Thousand Pounds
Gutted Really Disappointed / Upset
How Did You Get on? What Happened / How Did it Go
Joe Bloggs Joe Schmo / Average Person
Knackered Tired / Worn Out / Exhausted
Knees Up Party
Knickers in a Twist Become Upset about Something
Lost the Plot Forgot Something / Lose the Ability to Cope
Miffed Offended or Upset
Out of Order Unacceptable Behavior
Pissed Drunk
Skint Without Money
Skive Get Out of Doing a Task
Ta Thank You
Taking the Mick Poking Fun / Tease / Mocking (Someone or Something)
Waffle To Talk on and on About Nothing Much