Lindsey, a 24-year-old woman from Texas, experienced an amusing culture shock after relocating to the Cotswolds in December. Shortly after settling in, she discovered a common British custom that left her genuinely confused: the British way of asking, “Are you all right?”
Taking to TikTok, Lindsey shared her bafflement with fellow Americans living in the UK. She explained that when someone in Britain asks if you’re “all right,” it isn’t a literal inquiry about your wellbeing but rather a casual greeting.
“I said, ‘Actually, I am always stressed, I have no idea where I’m going, I didn’t know I had to bring my shopping bags and I forgot my wallet,’” Lindsey recalled. This honest response, while genuine, was not what the British expect. She soon learned that the proper reply is usually a brief, “Yeah, you?” followed by moving on.
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Reflecting on her experience, Lindsey admitted, “I immediately failed small talk.” Commenters on TikTok found her reaction entertaining. One British user joked about the bewildered expression Lindsey’s true answer must have caused, and Lindsey noted that her American accent probably caught people off guard as well.
Other TikTok users sympathised, comparing the cultural jump from America to the Cotswolds as equivalent to moving to another planet. Lindsey acknowledged the challenge but praised the picturesque countryside and expressed excitement for warmer days ahead.
Further advice from locals included learning friendly local phrases, like the popular response, “living the dream,” which Lindsey eagerly planned to adopt. Another typical phrase she was introduced to was the tongue-in-cheek British farewell, “see you later,” which often means exactly the opposite.
In a follow-up video, Lindsey shared a second unexpected aspect of British life: the relentless rain. Despite her experience with storms while working on a farm in Texas, she admitted, “The rain here is aggressive and persistent.” She joked that the infamous British weather had followed her from Texas and that she’d been advised multiple times to buy wellies — the UK term for rain boots.
Lindsey’s lighthearted reflections capture the quirks and surprises of adjusting to British customs, underscoring how even simple greetings or weather can highlight cultural differences.