Little Differences

This is Keith writing this blog.

There are, of course, major differences between Scotland and America... The queen, for example. The language, for example. Yes, technically we speak the same language as Scots, but technically, we don't.

There are little differences between Scotland and America as well, and this missive is dedicated to the little differences.

For example, Scotland is a lot farther north than I've ever been. It's still bright enough outside at 11:00 PM to play catch without the street lamps. And the sun comes up at ungodly hours, hours that I have not been awake to see, thankfully. However, I'll take the word of Ryan who said he got up at 4:00 this morning and the sky was already bright.

They drive on the left side here, and the steering wheel is on the right side of the cars. Nope, I don't trust myself to drive in Great Britain. I did learn why they drive on the left side, though. It goes back beyond ancient times, when people walked or the wealthy rode horses to where they needed to go. It seems the folks were a little less than trusting. Because most people were right handed, they always walked or rode to the left side of the road so they could see the right hands of the oncoming traffic, thus both parties were able to tell if the people coming at them had their swords drawn. It amazes me, the things we do just because we've always done them that way.

Another little difference is that BMWs are very common here. No taxes and transportation costs, so B-Mers are like Fords or Chevys in America.

Another little difference: in Scotland, they use both the Imperial as well as the metric measurement systems. So, if a street sign says the distance to Lancaster is "20", then it's 20 miles to Lancaster. However, if the temperature is "30", that's 30 degrees celsius, which is pretty hot in Scotland.

If you want to turn a light on, you flip the switch down, not up.

Almost all the vehicles here are very small by American standards. The reason, another little difference that we can appreciate, is that the price of gasoline in Scotland is about $8.00 per gallon when you take into account the exchange rates and the fact they buy petrol by the liter, not the gallon.

They don't have mosquitos here, but they do have small biting gnats that, depending upon who you're talking with, are either "midges", "medges", or "midgies".

Scots do not like the English. You might be thinking, "Well, aren't they English too? I mean, Scotland is a part of the UK, right?"

Yes, Scotland is a part of the UK, but most Scots would prefer that Scotland was not a part of the UK. This is more than sectional rivalry, more than a Texan addressing a New Yorker as a "damn yankee." Because, as I'm sure you well know, anyone from north of the Red River is a damn yankee to a Texan. A Texan doesn't call someone a damn yankee as an insult or a put down. In the eyes of the native Texan (which, just to be clear, I am not), it's merely a statement of fact. Unlike the Texan and the New Yorker, Scots, to the best that I can tell, truly do not like the English. This goes way beyond rooting for the USA against England in the World Cup. Do not make the mistake of referring to a Scotsman as an Englishman unless you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and have your life insurance premiums paid up.

There is a branch of the government in the UK called something like "Health and Safety", and the role of "H&S" is to make life more pleasant for truly, truly foolish people. For example, toothpicks are no longer allowed to be dispensed by restaurants. The reason is that toothpicks are a health hazard. Yes, I suppose one could put out an eye with a toothpick if they weren't careful, but...

There is a significant difference between "College" and "University" here. First, you really don't graduate from high school, you pass courses. If you pass enough of the right courses, then you can go to "University", which is what Americans think of when we use the words "college" or "university". If you don't pass enough courses, then you can go to College. "College" in the UK is a local trade school. You only have to go to high school until the age of 16. If you choose to stay in high school longer than 16, say to pass more courses so you can eventually go to University, the government pays you. You can stay in high school up until 18 years of age. Oh, and they don't call it "high school" here. Primary 1 through Primary 7 (the equivalent of our kindergarten through 6th grade) is Primary School. Secondary school is what you attend after P-school and before college or university.

The professional soccer team you follow, cheer for or otherwise support, tells much about you. For instance, there's a local soccer team the protestants root for, and a local team the Catholics root for. If you find yourself on the wrong side of town wearing the wrong team's colors, you may wake up in the hospital. No joke, it's that serious. But some might say it's that serious to walk down the wrong street in Philadelphia wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey, and it is. However, here the rivalry is across town, not across the country.

One thing that's very different from what I expected is how nice everyone is here, at least once they hear us speak. They can tell immediately we're from the USA, and immediately strike up a conversation or offer help... even the cab drivers in London. Many Scots have been to the US, and they'll tell you about their trips to Florida, or how much they'd like to go but can't because of their criminal record. I don't know why I was expecting a cool reception, but it is that for which I prepared myself. The people have been nicer than nice, and more accepting than I ever expected. I look forward to seeing more of the country, and meeting more of the people.

Signing off for now,

Keith