I moved from the US to the UK
Zach Lincoln, 36, from Olympia (Seattle) Washington
Two children named Lilith age five and Maeve age three.
The decision to move from America to the UK came after Zach felt a lot of tensuion in the states, including expressing your own opinion and aROUNDF WOMEN’S RIGHTS.
So, for his family’s benefit, he decided to move to the UK and as for where they settled, that was London.
Since being in the Big Smoke, Zach has realised several differences between American and British people as well as contrasts in day-to-day activities.
Read more on travel inspo
The kindness
One of the biggest differences Zach has noticed is how kind the people in the UK are.
He said: “[I was surprised by] how welcoming and friendly the people are here.
“The US is huge and very regional, which means people act differently depending on where you are in the country.
“Washington state, for example, people are very reserved and you don’t really engage witg people.
“[So] when random people started talking to us in the UK – like stopping me to get my story – I was surprised.
“I had to come up with a two-minute elevator pitch about myself.”
He added: “People here are very tactile too, the let me touch them to express connection, like a hand on a shoulder.
“But people are so afraid to do this in the US.”
The queueing
Speaking to children
Zach said: “People talk to children here, but this doesn’t happen in the US – they don’t want to intrude.
“It gives them a level of autonomy (in the UK) but it has been a big adjustment.
“For example, we were out for a meal and my children were asked what they wanted.
“They looked at me but I said they had been asked and let them figure it out for themselves.”
Cafe culture
Zach said: “Cafe culture is very large here – or third spaces in general [places that aren’t your home or work environment] like pubs, cafes, coffee shops, malls for example.
“People often run into people they know here or feel confident enough to chat to a stranger.
“I think walking to a corner cafe and getting a pastry is a lovely activity.”
He also shared how he has noticed the UK tends to have more dogs, which isn’t surprising as according to the PDSA, three in 10 people have a dog in the UK.
And cafe culture and dogs often mix, Zach has noticed.
“We essentially have a dog by proxy,” he said.
“You go into a cafe and there will a dog there that is well-adjusted and friendly – my kids love them.”
Walking everywhere
Zach said: “People are very mobile and walk-centric.
“People are just out walking all hours of the day, but the US is very car-centric.
“In London, I went from 2,000 to 15,000 steps a day.”
Grocery prices
Zach has also noticed how some things are less expensive in the UK, most notably groceries.
He compared the price of pears for example, sharing how in the states he could often pay around $10 (£7.41) for a bag of pears.
Yet, in the UK, he can grab some for just £1.
Though, he did admit that housing seems to be on the less affordable end of the spectrum.
Perhaps most surprisingly, Zach even found M&S cheap compared to US grocery stores.
In a week in the UK he found that he was spending around £50 on food, but in the US this was around $150 (£111.18).
Eating out is cheap as well in comparison, according to Zach.
“I love a ‘cheeky Nandos’,” he said, “you can just jump in, be seat and be eating within 20 minutes.”
Clothes shopping
Similar to the difference in the price of groceries between the US and the UK,