“Can Someone Please Tell Me”: American Says They Are “Confused” By These 30 Things In Britain
Even though Britain and America share the same language, these two countries couldn’t be more different. Whether it’s their quirky accent, absurd sense of humor, or baffling obsession with tea and the weather, Brits have a gift of leaving people on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean scratching their heads from confusion.
So when swfinds moved across the pond, they began noticing all the things in the UK that "puzzle" them. Getting to a new country and immersing in its culture left the American so baffled, they started a satirical TikTok account to create hilariously exaggerated videos and to make others laugh.
Bored Panda collected some of the "weirdest" things the user has posted. Check them out below and make sure to upvote the most comical ones. And if you have a funny explanation on hand, don’t be shy and share it with us in the comments!
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Cos mousies need homes with fancy schmancy front doors. In the UK the mice don't live like peasants. They be fancy AF. And it's cute.
Naturally, every country has its quirks that immediately strike you as different. But this time around, Great Britain deserves special recognition. From wondering what those yellow bins on the side of the road are to asking why the subway is called underground when it’s actually above ground, swfinds bio humorously states: “So many things in the UK confuse me!”
The user regularly posts exaggerated clips of "weird" things they encounter in the UK. Many people seem to find them entertaining since the creator has gathered more than 34.6K followers and 2.6M likes in just a few months. The simple and sometimes silly questions have irritated some Brits and Americans, leading to commenters saying that the account is in fact satire.
Here in Holland they are giant concrete balls and here they are meant to deter motorists from driving on the sidewalks. So I guess same but with metal cones?
While moving overseas can be a thrilling experience—meeting new people, tasting traditional foods, exploring unfamiliar cities—it can also be a difficult and overwhelming time. Although some people can fit in quite easily, others might take longer to familiarize themselves with the new country.
According to UWS London, we experience culture shock because of the specific challenges we face when we first move and how we deal with losing our familiar surroundings. So if your new environment is similar to the one you came from or if you have lived in another country before, you might be able to adapt quite smoothly.
True story, America did try to adopt them by pretending they invented them and calling them something like pastry dogs only to be called out globally for their bullsh*t
However, if you’re a foreign student or a first-time expat who has never lived abroad before, you might face some challenges. There are four stages of culture shock that you could experience in one year. Of course, every person has different experiences, and some process the changes quicker than others, but most people share similar feelings.
First is the honeymoon phase. When you move somewhere new, you can have great fun and enjoy unexpected things around you. It is also known as the “tourist” stage: [It] often includes the feelings of excitement that you have as you look forward to the new journey you are starting.”
Yet, the honeymoon eventually ends, and you have to deal with the reality. This is the negotiation stage, probably the worst one of your whole adventure. “You may feel exhausted and constantly tired of the discoveries you have been making. You may also feel frustrated by how different things are from what you are used to,” UWS London explained. "The aspects of your new life that you found endearing at first, may feel irritating or confusing when you’re in the negotiation stage.”
After that, you begin to adjust to your current living situation and learn how to manage your feelings. Your baffling thoughts that are trying to make sense of how and why things are so different, suddenly become clearer. “During this stage, you may still experience problems and negative feelings” but you begin to understand more about your surroundings.
The final stage of culture shock is adaptation and acceptance. Even if you may never fully accept your new home, you no longer feel isolated or lonely and are used to your day-to-day life and activities with friends. In this phase, “many people can permanently say goodbye to culture shock and feel happier and more secure in their environment long-term.”
Try to remember that the feelings you’re going through are completely normal and that most expats go through this too. Culture shock is not a sign things are going badly, but a part of the whole experience. One day, you will probably look back on this time and see that it was full of sweet moments.
Because most of us don't live in big a** mansion with laundry room ? And very normal in Europe ?!
Not normall in Europe, but normal in the UK ;) The rest of us have them in the bathroom if we don't have a separate utility room
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Most British homes were built before invention of washing machine. So if you installed one, that was where the plumbing was
Exactly. New houses tend to be built with utility rooms.
Load More Replies... The obvious reasons are that we don't usually have a separate room to do laundry and the fact that electrical sockets are illegal in the bathroom so we can't have them in bathrooms either (continental Europe style).
I also don't want it in my bathroom. I use my machine at night and my bathroom is near my bedroom. Or if people are having baths who wants a machine running and if there are a lot of you thst would be hard to avoid. My washing machine is in very great use.
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I honestly think having your laundry in the kitchen is a great idea-you can do laundry while cooking and you don't have to haul laundry up and down to the basement!
I would rather have it near the bedrooms as that is where most of your dirty laundry in generated.
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I've lived in 2 separate duplexes with the washer and dryer in the kitchen in America. I don't get this one at all
Most washing machines and tumble dryers are kept in the kitchen in england
if the person really lives in UK than would know that there is no sockets in bathroom, in newer homes you have 2 pin for shaver/toothbrush.
Frankly I'd love to have a kitchen big enough to have my washer and dryer in it. Did you ever think they have no basement or room for a separate laundry!
I had my washer and dryer in the kitchen in Massachusetts. Maybe when the Pilgrims brought their washers and dryers over on the Mayflower, they brought this custom with them.
I would kill to have a big enough kitchen to have my laundry in there or big enough bathroom. But I'm poor and could only afford a small house so my laundry is in the basement.
Our homes aren't made from cardboard and plywood so they tend to be a bit smaller than your typical giant square boxes. On the bright side our homes don't get blown away by miffed fairy tale wolves. Nor do they kill unsuspecting witches on the yellow brick road to Swindon every time it gets a bit peaky outside
Why would it not be legal? In the Netherlands most of us keep our washing machines in the bathroom.
because of space, of course, but also cause in the kitchen you can easily access to source of water and drainage. This goes together with the fact that many tiny uk apartment don't even have proper toilet, or the toilet is been added later, making the piping very tricky. Extend a kitchen pipe (under the counter) is usually way easier than not nearby a toilet (breaking tiles, etc).
That's where water and waste water lines are already, so convenient having it in the kitchen. Lots of, or at least some, apartments in Israel have them in the kitchen, too. And we have lines outside the kitchen and/or pantry window to hang up the clothes.
I live in a nice old house in Texas and this is where mine is. A lot of old houses are set up this way. Almost every house I've lived in that was built in the before the 1950's has this set up.
Because most British homes were build before running water. When plumbing was introduced, it was just easier to keep most of it in just the kitchen whichever room was converted to a bathroom.
Id love to have a laundry machine in my apartment, have to drag all of my clothes to the laundromat every week. It SUCKS.
Why would it be illegal to have a washing machine in the kitchen? Mine is with the furnace in a little alcove in the kitchen and I live in the US. The appliance police couldn't care less.
because our electric systems are different to the US and we believe appliances in the bathroom are dangerous
Why tf would having a laundry machine in the kitchen be illegal? This person needs to realize that America is not the world and things are done differently in different countries!
OK< everyone take breaths ----- blood pressure down ------ a lot of Americans do have these, and utnil my current home, I was one of 'em. (OK, we had a laundry room on the farm, but again, that's not the usual.) I remember as a kid, real little, we had ours in the kitchen, then we chopped the kitchen in half at he farm to separate the washer and dryer, mostly so the kitchen sink didn't get used as a "here's your dirty farm laundry" sink.
Guess you have never rented an apartment in the US before. Applying American health codes to foreign countries is foolish. Each nation has developed their own health & safety codes over the years.
Because homes tend to be smaller here, and a utility room is a luxury. We have roughly one tenth of the population of the US but all four nations of the UK would fit comfortably inside the state of Ohio, and still have room for the English Channel. Land is very expensive here, so space is at a premium.
I could never figure how why they never got the clothes completely dry.
I'm in a small apartment. Laundry is never in the kitchen. In USA, laundry is near bedroom. In my current apartment, both washer, dryer and hot water heater is in the walk in closet in the master suite between the two bathrooms
Since the main water lines are in the kitchen & bathrooms, it's just easier to hook them up to the plumbing. Since automatic washing machines came long after most houses were built, it just made sense - and thus became normal.
Is it legal to have a washing machine in the kitchen? Hm.......
Most laundry facilities are in the kitchen in "normal" UK homes (unless you are rich and can build a larger home). The older homes were built with no excess space (unlike North American homes), and there is no place to put one except in the kitchen.
Because it doesn't fit in the living room or lounge area and who wants all the noise of a washer there????
Most homes do not have utility rooms unless they are really big. Washing machines are generally in the kitchen as the washing can be put out on the washing line when it's done. Kitchens normally have direct access to the garden.
It's not exactly abnormal to have clothes washers in or near the kitchen in my part of the US (rural Northeast). Much more convenient than in the basement (cellar) which is most common here.
Our house in San Francisco had a washer/dryer (one machine) in the kitchen also.
It's a combo washer/dryer... but it doesn't dry anything. Just spins a lot of the water our. Line dry or on the radiators. AND the US homes don't need to be spacious to have a laundry space. I'm in middle America and 600 square ft apartments have small, stacked washer and dryer. That's actually the most common type for all non-full-size-houses (duplexes, condos, apartments.) Big cities (and some apartment complexes) may have a proper laundry room on site, which has multiple full size machines for everyone). We also commonly have laundry mats around town. I have a house with a laundry room (1800 Sq ft) but the laundry mat up the street has industrial size machines I can wash comforters in. (More common to have full thickness comforters and blankets instead of duvets where you just need to wash just the cover regularly).
My, my, my. Someone who's never seen a washer/dryer in a kitchen. Must be nice living that high on the hog.
lol I had a washer in the bathroom and the dryer in a bedroom. And if you added too much soap (apparently this is more than half a lid full, it washes your clothes for hours. Takes hours to dry them as well.
It also looks strange to Aussies, as we always have a small dedicated laundry. It may have always been separate here, as before modern conveniences, there would have been an outside lean-to or room housing a "copper" tub where clothes were boiled.
Most of the properties i have lived in had a separate utility room where the washing machine is. Very common for new builds in the UK as well unless the place is very tiny. It is just what people are used to.
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In the USA I'd just be happy any rental home comes with a washing machine! When I was 20, I rented a tiny duplex home and paid extra monthly to have a stackable washer and dryer installed by my landlord in my kitchen lol.
My washing mashine is in the bathroom... Why would i built a room with water pipes just for the laundry?
Probably not the only room with water pipes but fair enough.
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My "laundry room" is in the only bathroom. Yet these single machines have always fascinateed me. Washer and dryer??? Sounds good. Unfortunately we don't have those, so one of each.
They are, of course, a little more expensive but so convenient. Pop washing in and couple hours later out it comes ready to put away. Most things don't even crease. I have very few items i ever need to iron.
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Just out of curiosity walk round the property and ask yourself if there's anywhere else it could go?
A washing machine has the same requirements as a dishwasher, so basically up to preference which one you have. Since you probably only have room for one. And laundrymats with lots of machines aren't common in europe.
I don't have a massive house and I have a washer/dryer combined machine and a dishwasher 😲
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Our electrics have higher voltage so for safety reasons you don't have outlets near water. That also applies to the outlets in kitchens, they must be a set distance from sinks.
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Because they were often houses or shops that were converted to be restaurants by the look of it.
These are very unusual: possibly 2 on the country. The one in the town of Slough is known as the "magic roundabout".
Sometimes the crime rate is so high that the courts just put a tag on the whole town to save time
Feudal Realty. The seller chooses as many realty companies as they like and the best champions are chosen to represent them in the arena and fight to the death until either one survives or the house gets sold
Because we aren't as fat so we actually fit in. Plus most toilets aren't this small
One is hot. The plumber who installed this ran out of hot labeled taps.
Stop calling things "dangerous" that you don't understand! The top bit is metal so that it IS safe
We in europe don't wash the eggs the way the US does. So the layer that is naturally on the egg to prevent infection isn't broken and its safe to keep them out if you want.
Note: this post originally had 44 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
I know this must be trolling, but my blood pressure as a Brit has sky rocketed
It was all meant to just be a joke. Remember this 'calm down dear? For once Michael Winner ( also used by David Cameron with typically poor judgement in the House of Commons) has a point.
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I'm amazed at how people are jumping on their horses about these ..common the guy is just making light jokes and trying to be fun. and find it even weirder if British people who are well known for their great sense of humor calls the dude an idiot or such
I forcused on the joke responses, much more the British way!
Load More Replies... Sorry pandas - but I really don't know how some of these questions (some are legit) but the majority must be asked by people who can't tie their own shoelaces! (I know down votes will be on most of my comments but geeze use your heads)
I know he's trying to be funny, but the whole post could be summed up as "Why isn't Britain America?"
Why isn't America Britain?, alternatively.
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I get that he's joking. I mean, it says right there in the title of the article that he's trying to be sarcastic. But....he failed miserably.
Yes, it is a piss-take. If you read the blurb at the beginning it clearly explains it is meant to be satire. You aren't alone in missing that apparently!
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Lmao at people getting heated but flappin their electronic lips every time a post is about America. Chill the f**k out and get over yourself
Please note* Not ALL Americans are this dense. Clearly, our American education system failed this silly one. Smh
I’m pretty sure this is why we’re known for being one of the least educated countries out there (I’m a American myself, don’t come for my head)
Don't be too hard on yourselves. All countries are a mix of abilities. It's meant to be a joke account - it might not be to many people's tastes but I certainly don't think it's representative of the average American. All the ones I've met in my travels have been smart, kind and funny.
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Can someone please tell me why I wasted 3 minutes of my life reading this post?
Did you really question everyone why you made a choice? OK here's my shot, your life is boring so you blankly stare at a screen and wonder why..
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Me, too, the only thing was the wand. I'm surprised he didn't recognize the mouse house door, though, and who goes noseying around a friend's home like that?
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It's just some very bored kid trying to annoy us Brits. I'm surprised they didn't take a photo of the Victorian actor outside the Baker St Holmes museum and ask why all Brits dress like that. Perhaps one of us should take similar idiotic pictures in the US and post them all over TikTok and Reddit. See how long it takes to get onto Bored Panda.
About 37 minutes I reckon. Especially given the number of comments complaining that BP is a US-bashing site. BP: come for the funny pics, stay for the rampant xenophobia
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I know two of these, mabey three. but these are LEGIT questions by Americans. british eggs aren't stripped with LYE to clean them, and don't have to take a week or two getting to market. the bricked over windows are because your property tax used to be done by your window count! they have seperate taps because they used to have rooftop storage tanks that critters would crawl into and die in; it was a way to have at least ONE tap of clean water. those biscuts aren't for breakfast, they're for tea and dessert. british cheddar is ACTUAL cheddar, not American processed cheeze (and brits, american chedder is bright yellow 'cause it wouldn' be recognized as cheddar if it wasn't). and obviouly, the washing machine is in the kitchen 'cause of limited space and so you don't have to run more plumbing.
USA eggs have cuticle, a natural protective layer on the egg, washed off, USDA regulations required. European eggs have to retain the cuticle. Thus US eggs would be illegal and vise versa
I am so disappointed. I recently moved back to the states from the UK and had many of the same questions, only to find a bunch of smart assed answers that think they are funny.
Can someone explain why they have so many guns in the US? It's so dangerous!
I feel like everything went from lighthearted to a hatefest. I usually come to connect and laugh but wow, so not the thread I guess.
As an American, I agree these posts are annoying.I really enjoyed the pics though! I admit I've never seen some of that stuff but you can figure it out if you use your head lol. Would love to visit someday!
Ps.. Also have never heard of New York buns 🤣 and author thinking everything is "'dangerous"'! 🤣 I can't
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I think the questions in the above article weren't written by an American. The tip off was the inquiry attached to #20. We call the items shown in #20 shopping carts. We do not call them trolleys. I've never heard these vehicles called trolleys in the US. Trolley is used by Brits. BTW, isn't the whole point of being a tourist in another land, to discover the other culture's oddities, traditions, culture? So if a tourist actually has these questions, why wouldn't it be considered normal?
Can someone please tell me why most of the posts are from the same dumbass tiktoker? I mean for f**k sake I'm an American and I recognized what and why most of these things were.
It's his account, his story, his channel...pick one🤦♀️
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The problem is that there's a mix of legit questions and legit trolling, so of course people don't know what to do with it. Not a good idea to use this one, BP
Well, uh, they don't seem to be American considering that they used "trolley" when they were talking about a shopping cart.. so.. maybe rethink that one, dude. And no, Americans are not stupid, ffs. I knew most of those.
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You guys really hate americans. Sorry our country isnt thousands of years old and attached to 20 other countries. Sorry we have so much undeveloped land we dont have to reuse buildings from before cars existed (except in places like new york). Sorry our depression era caused us to make shitty, overly sugary foods we still eat. Really sorry people lost interest in politics allowing politicians to run around like the kids in Lord of the Flies. Sorry we measure s**t weird, dont pay our servers, have the worst healthcare on the planet, talk loudly and have no concept of world geography. I am. But ya'll being snobby af. Acting like the "popular" kids at school and looking down your nose at us wont make us want to be your friend. Or learn about your culture.
No, this op is a typical American. Americans have an imperial attitude and complete ignorance of the rest of the world
Did you not read the opening info? It is a joke account and not meant to be taken seriously. Granted it isn't that funny but I've also seen worse.
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Or it is a satirical account as explained at the start.
Load More Replies... I'm calling Bullsh*t on a lot of these. Anyone who can read at the most fundamental level can see the information *on the packaging*. Someone's messing with us. I'm AMerican and got offended on the UK's behalf. And the US's behalf. HOw about someone post on "Things in the UK that *Germans* find weird"? Or the French? Or the Japanese? Heck, what about the weird sh*t you find in the US in some places? YOu ain't lived till you've stood by a *volcano evacuation route* sign, and, by turning around, found you were on the *tsunami evacuation route* too! (No, not common, but if the only place a Brit visited was the Seattle, WA region... )
It does say right at the start that it is a satirical TikTok account to create hilariously exaggerated videos. They haven't managed the 'hilarious' part but they do seem to me to have got it right with 'exaggerated'.
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I know this must be trolling, but my blood pressure as a Brit has sky rocketed
It was all meant to just be a joke. Remember this 'calm down dear? For once Michael Winner ( also used by David Cameron with typically poor judgement in the House of Commons) has a point.
Load More Replies... I'm amazed at how people are jumping on their horses about these ..common the guy is just making light jokes and trying to be fun. and find it even weirder if British people who are well known for their great sense of humor calls the dude an idiot or such
I forcused on the joke responses, much more the British way!
Load More Replies... Sorry pandas - but I really don't know how some of these questions (some are legit) but the majority must be asked by people who can't tie their own shoelaces! (I know down votes will be on most of my comments but geeze use your heads)
I know he's trying to be funny, but the whole post could be summed up as "Why isn't Britain America?"
Why isn't America Britain?, alternatively.
Load More Replies... I get that he's joking. I mean, it says right there in the title of the article that he's trying to be sarcastic. But....he failed miserably.
Yes, it is a piss-take. If you read the blurb at the beginning it clearly explains it is meant to be satire. You aren't alone in missing that apparently!
Load More Replies... Lmao at people getting heated but flappin their electronic lips every time a post is about America. Chill the f**k out and get over yourself
Please note* Not ALL Americans are this dense. Clearly, our American education system failed this silly one. Smh
I’m pretty sure this is why we’re known for being one of the least educated countries out there (I’m a American myself, don’t come for my head)
Don't be too hard on yourselves. All countries are a mix of abilities. It's meant to be a joke account - it might not be to many people's tastes but I certainly don't think it's representative of the average American. All the ones I've met in my travels have been smart, kind and funny.
Load More Replies... Can someone please tell me why I wasted 3 minutes of my life reading this post?
Did you really question everyone why you made a choice? OK here's my shot, your life is boring so you blankly stare at a screen and wonder why..
Load More Replies... Me, too, the only thing was the wand. I'm surprised he didn't recognize the mouse house door, though, and who goes noseying around a friend's home like that?
Load More Replies... It's just some very bored kid trying to annoy us Brits. I'm surprised they didn't take a photo of the Victorian actor outside the Baker St Holmes museum and ask why all Brits dress like that. Perhaps one of us should take similar idiotic pictures in the US and post them all over TikTok and Reddit. See how long it takes to get onto Bored Panda.
About 37 minutes I reckon. Especially given the number of comments complaining that BP is a US-bashing site. BP: come for the funny pics, stay for the rampant xenophobia
Load More Replies... I know two of these, mabey three. but these are LEGIT questions by Americans. british eggs aren't stripped with LYE to clean them, and don't have to take a week or two getting to market. the bricked over windows are because your property tax used to be done by your window count! they have seperate taps because they used to have rooftop storage tanks that critters would crawl into and die in; it was a way to have at least ONE tap of clean water. those biscuts aren't for breakfast, they're for tea and dessert. british cheddar is ACTUAL cheddar, not American processed cheeze (and brits, american chedder is bright yellow 'cause it wouldn' be recognized as cheddar if it wasn't). and obviouly, the washing machine is in the kitchen 'cause of limited space and so you don't have to run more plumbing.
USA eggs have cuticle, a natural protective layer on the egg, washed off, USDA regulations required. European eggs have to retain the cuticle. Thus US eggs would be illegal and vise versa
I am so disappointed. I recently moved back to the states from the UK and had many of the same questions, only to find a bunch of smart assed answers that think they are funny.
Can someone explain why they have so many guns in the US? It's so dangerous!
I feel like everything went from lighthearted to a hatefest. I usually come to connect and laugh but wow, so not the thread I guess.
As an American, I agree these posts are annoying.I really enjoyed the pics though! I admit I've never seen some of that stuff but you can figure it out if you use your head lol. Would love to visit someday!
Ps.. Also have never heard of New York buns 🤣 and author thinking everything is "'dangerous"'! 🤣 I can't
Load More Replies... I think the questions in the above article weren't written by an American. The tip off was the inquiry attached to #20. We call the items shown in #20 shopping carts. We do not call them trolleys. I've never heard these vehicles called trolleys in the US. Trolley is used by Brits. BTW, isn't the whole point of being a tourist in another land, to discover the other culture's oddities, traditions, culture? So if a tourist actually has these questions, why wouldn't it be considered normal?
Can someone please tell me why most of the posts are from the same dumbass tiktoker? I mean for f**k sake I'm an American and I recognized what and why most of these things were.
It's his account, his story, his channel...pick one🤦♀️
Load More Replies... The problem is that there's a mix of legit questions and legit trolling, so of course people don't know what to do with it. Not a good idea to use this one, BP
Well, uh, they don't seem to be American considering that they used "trolley" when they were talking about a shopping cart.. so.. maybe rethink that one, dude. And no, Americans are not stupid, ffs. I knew most of those.
Load More Replies... You guys really hate americans. Sorry our country isnt thousands of years old and attached to 20 other countries. Sorry we have so much undeveloped land we dont have to reuse buildings from before cars existed (except in places like new york). Sorry our depression era caused us to make shitty, overly sugary foods we still eat. Really sorry people lost interest in politics allowing politicians to run around like the kids in Lord of the Flies. Sorry we measure s**t weird, dont pay our servers, have the worst healthcare on the planet, talk loudly and have no concept of world geography. I am. But ya'll being snobby af. Acting like the "popular" kids at school and looking down your nose at us wont make us want to be your friend. Or learn about your culture.
No, this op is a typical American. Americans have an imperial attitude and complete ignorance of the rest of the world
Did you not read the opening info? It is a joke account and not meant to be taken seriously. Granted it isn't that funny but I've also seen worse.
Load More Replies... Or it is a satirical account as explained at the start.
Load More Replies... I'm calling Bullsh*t on a lot of these. Anyone who can read at the most fundamental level can see the information *on the packaging*. Someone's messing with us. I'm AMerican and got offended on the UK's behalf. And the US's behalf. HOw about someone post on "Things in the UK that *Germans* find weird"? Or the French? Or the Japanese? Heck, what about the weird sh*t you find in the US in some places? YOu ain't lived till you've stood by a *volcano evacuation route* sign, and, by turning around, found you were on the *tsunami evacuation route* too! (No, not common, but if the only place a Brit visited was the Seattle, WA region... )
It does say right at the start that it is a satirical TikTok account to create hilariously exaggerated videos. They haven't managed the 'hilarious' part but they do seem to me to have got it right with 'exaggerated'.
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