I'd be surprised if they didn't , lovely lady, lovely family. Open to new experiences and to accept the good and bad with equal thoughtfulness. I have lived and worked in many countries and it is the supposedly simple things (driving licence, registering for a doctor, local taxes etc) that cause the most angst, so well done for dealing with all of them.
Dear Jess & Chris, I watch all your videos, like them without exception but comment rarely. On this occasion I really feel the need to congratulate & thank you for your willingness to embrace change in the most challenging of circumstances, powering through whilst maintaining that beautiful disposition. You are an inspiration in seizing the moment, persevering in difficult times, whilst enjoying the simple things we take for granted ie the beautiful, lush countryside, history & historic places. I forget how many times I’m guilty of passing by those special places without a second thought & you have reminded me not to. You are always so pleasant & a credit to America. I’m so pleased to hear that you have all come to love our island nation & hearing you referring to it as a 2nd home is so touching. Each of you would be easily conferred with ‘Honorary Brit’ status if I had a say, for you are truly the most fabulous of families. You have been respectful throughout, so curious & excited on the travels you share. Thank you so much for sharing your lives . Frank, Cheshire
Frank , thank you so very much for your love and appreciation and support! We definitely try and embrace and learn so much so we can take to our small holding. I really appreciate your time! 🤍 Jess x
Big Congrats guys. Integrating into a new country and new culture takes effort, determination and acceptance that things work differently here. You guys have embraced all of that with positivity and love and you have reaped the rewards for doing so, making great friends , experiencing the culture , the food, the countryside and the history. In doing so I’m sure you have made many wonderful memories to cherish once you eventually return to the U.S and you will certainly be missed when you do.
It has taken some effort, even in a country that speaks the same language. We have done the best we can given the situation and it has worked out well so far. We will have all the memories to take back. Especially with the channel, we can always look back and see what we did in our time while we were here. Cheers, Chris
Fantastic observations and real-world advice. You guys are going to be missed, so don't leave it too long before coming back. It really is beautiful where you live. Living next to farmland is just so tranquil and peaceful, and it's very therapeutic watching a farmer work the land. Have a great weekend guys! 🇬🇧🤝🏻🇺🇸
Thank you. I'm so thankful to just be able to share. Oh, I will be don't you fret. This place has a very special place in my heart. I have truly found a strength I have been missing in my life, and it's because of my time here. I'm so blessed beyond belief! I agree that living next to farmland and being able to see and appreciate what they do is so incredible. So peaceful and good for the soul. It's definitely why I wanted to take you all outside to the garden with me. Thank you so much for your support! 🤍 Jess x
Peaceful? My neighbouring farmer cutting silage/haylage all night as there is a break in the weather or the cows noisily heading into the milking parlour at 5am. Not to mention the dawn chorus an hour before dawn right outside my wide open bedroom window. Forget the barbecue in late Autumn if slurry spreading has taken place. Wouldn't go back to city or a big town though as that would now be totally alien. Not having to lock doors and being able to leave the car keys in the ignition without having to spend 10 minutes hunting for them is a bonus.
@@DaydreamersBarn Chris, that's sad to hear. Driving connoisseurs like myself prefer manual, because timing your gear changes is part of the art and skill of driving! From what I've seen of your driving in these videos, you're pretty comfortable with it.
@G53ij grew up in cornwall and can honestly say if someone said they harvested a hay field i'd look at them like they were simple. Harvest implies you are gathering human food, this is more like mulching.
I’ve heard a few Americans saying it’s hard to get jobs here. They expected qualifications and wages to translate in another country. It would be the same the other way round, if we moved to America. It’s good to get that fact out there, so people moving over here realise that.
Yeah, definitely.Want to be honest with people and let them in on what I have struggled with and learned. Most definitely, it would be the same, the other way around. That is why I said, if you have qualifications over here, it doesn't always get accepted in the US. It's a scary fact of life if you have a qualification that you spent time and money on to just have to turn around and spend more time and money on the same qualifications it's a little disheartening but understandable. 🤍 Jess x
When I migrated to Australia, my UK qualifications were deemed not as good as Australian certificates. This was the same for an Australian who I worked with in the UK - he was told his Australian qualifications were not as good as the UK equivalent.
@@krissyg7026 Yes, that's right, but remember in the UK and Australia, education is so much cheaper than over in the states. I decided that if I wanted to live in a new country, it was just something I had to do and cop it on the chin ...and in the wallet!
Open minds make such a huge difference. And when a mind is open, differences pale and the sun shines brighter. Also a little effort goes a long way and brings much reward. Long before US goods were available in the UK, my dad worked on US (and UK) military bases and we were always treated to Hershey bars from the base commissary. Small acts of kindness open the eyes and heart. Just want to say a big thanks to Chris, and all the base colleagues, past and present.
Open minds for sure help bridge the gap. And some times the small acts mean the most. Also, you are welcome. We appreciate the support from the community as a whole. Cheers, Chris
Hi Jess. Over the years I've heard people say that 'flitting,' or, moving home, has been the most stressful event of their lives ; moving to the UK must have added another dimension to that experience, and adding on the bureaucracy, ( which drives me nuts), is Paracetamol time. But you survived, and I have to say that the view behind you is lovely. So peaceful ! Sheffield South Yorkshire (Norman).
It definitely is a stressful experience to pick up your entire life that you know and move to a totally new country. It's not impossible but stressful and so rewarding! It will probably be just as stressful moving back to the US when we have to leave. I will definitely share my experience on that, hopefully much later!! Thank you so much for your wonderful comment. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn In the military you soon find that it's the hard things that, when you battle and succeed, build your confidence and abilities. The trick is not too many at once! 😀
From observation (x4), American wives who have come to England following their husbands' work are prone to severe homesickness, to the point where seemingly trivial things (even changing a light bulb is different) cause acute distress. Glad to hear you are adapting to this looking glass world, and hope you will forgive our foibles.
@@SgtSteel1 That's a solitary apostrophe indicating the possessive of the plural husbands. As in the work of their husbands. I think I got that right, didn't I? If not, my apologies. I certainly did not intend any other meaning. Thanks for the interest.
Oh, I most definitely agree it's not easy and a lot definitely experience loneliness and homesickness. I have spoken to so many thay want to go home because it's so hard to find work and struggle to find a sense of home here. I'm very thankful that I was able to find my happiness here and see the beauty around me. ❤️ Jess x
Where you are living: right in the heart of the countryside and with those views is priceless. When Chris's tour of duty is finished he needs to tell them he's not going - you've decided you're going to stick around for a while.
Friend, I am absolutely love my garden, my home here! We would definitely love to stay, but we have our small holding awaiting our return. Also, our family in the US kind of misses us. 😉 But we will definitely be coming back. My heart is at home here! 🤍 Jess x
It will be a sad day when you all leave. Even though we have never met it feels like I have known you all for years. It has been quite an experience to discover the opinions and views on my country. I know you are all 100% sincere. Look forward to follow you with different scenery, when it comes.
Friend, it will. I completely agree. It will be the saddest day!! I am so thankful that you have enjoyed our adventures and our thoughts and experiences. We are happy to have you all experienced for us to share our little farm/adventures back in the US with you all. Thank you for all the love! 🤍 Jess x
I'm a supermarket grocery delivery driver in the Feltwell and Lakenheath area and it's always a pleasure meeting and chatting to military families when I'm delivering to their homes 😃 They mostly seem to like living in communities along with us Norfolk folks!
I love that! It's so lovely that you have such wonderful interactions with military families. Thank you for sharing with me. Do you deliver out to Downham Market or just Lakenheath and Feltwell? 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn we deliver all across East Anglia from our store in King's Lynn (our logo and vans are orange 😉) including Downham Market area 👍 I'm a military aviation aficionado so Lakenheath is one of my favourite places to deliver to plus I love seeing some of the cars you guys drive around in that we can't get in the UK especially the V8 ones 💪😁
I have been watching you and your Families adventures for some time. What I have noticed Jess, is how much your confidence has grown. Hopefully when you go back to USA, you will carry on with Podcast's.
Thank you so much! This channel will not go anywhere.I promise you will get to see our adventures and me sharing with you all along the way. I definitely don't wanna leave any time soon. I know that 2025 is around the corner, unfortunately. 😭 🤍 Jess x
Well we are glad you subscribed, it will make sure you see our videos when we make it back to America. We are glad to be here showing the amazing country side and looking forward to bringing it back with us when we leave. Cheers, Chris
My first experience in America was working with Boy Scouts of America. So I do understand the cultural shock!! You have been on an amazing journey!!! We should also reflect on how much we expect our armed forces just to up-sticks and move around the world. The impact is on whole families. It’s great to have followed your adventures here, great driving. Very heart warming videos
Thank you so much for sharing. I definitely think that we have learned so much and embraced it to where it has helped us open our minds and just appreciate everything even more in life. 🤍 Jess x
My son is serving in the RAF police. Next month he transfers to an American base in Germany so I'm hoping to hear a mirrored version of your life here. Exciting times.
I saw someone else's video talk about getting a job, they had problem, so they used chat gtp to change there CV to a more British look and feel. They said they then started getting interviews.
I am English and learnt to drive here. But I have driven extensively abroad. I lived in France for a year, in Spain for four years and have also driven a lot in Finland and also Slovenia, Austria, Italy and the USA. I agree that adjusting to driving on a different side of the road is much easier than a lot of people who have never tried it imagine. It doesn't take long. I DID find that for a while I was driving either too near the middle of the middle of the road or too near to the edge but it sorted itself out. I found driving in the USA the hardest because road signs across Europe tend to rely on images we all recognise but in the USA a lot more actual words are used. And although we speak the same language - or variations of the same language - vocabulary to do with roads is one of those areas where there are a few differences. So sometimes I just didn't fully understand the signs. Driving an automatic was fun. I enjoyed it but the lady at the hire car place in Boston was laughing that she had to give me a quick lesson before I left. It didn't take long. 😂
It is easy in a way if you open your mind up to the change and embrace the driving experience. Thank you so much for sharing your experience in Boston and the little lesson the lady gave. Also, you're experience traveling all over the world and driving. 🤍 Jess x
In my experience there are two really hazardous situations when it comes to driving on the "wrong" side of the road. The first is where you stop somewhere on a rural road with no traffic, roadsigns or other visual clues as to which side of the road to be on: it's all too easy to momentarily lose concentration when you pull out again. The other situation is supermarket car parks, which are always a bit anarchic in any country, as again, there are few visual cues and a lot of moving vehicles.
I think it’s easier for Brits to drive on the right, because whenever we go on holiday, the chances are that it’s a right hand drive country. So we become a accustomed to looking the other way, even to cross the road as kids, whereas Americans can go into their 30s 40s et cetera without ever having to think about crossing or driving on “the wrong side of the road.
Hi Jess! I’m just about to start the process of getting my UK license and adjusting to driving on the left side of the road. Glad to hear it was less difficult than you had expected! Gorgeous backdrop ❤️
I moved from UK and initially used my UK right hand drive vehicles. When I bought a left hand drive car I had to get used to allowing for a chunk of car to my right rather than my left. After a couple of years I drove my big UK van in the initial stage of getting it registered on Hungarian plates. I must have failed to allow fully for my different position in the vehicle as my left door mirror hit the door mirror of an oncoming truck. My mate had been following to give me a lift home and he said I had been driving in the middle of the road the whole way!
Hiya Annie, Good luck and sending you good vibes! We love our garden and will be doing more videos outside because it's just too beautiful not to share. ❤️ Jess x
You need to be very careful when driving at junctions,roundabouts and when you have stopped,parked at the side of the road. They are the most likely times that you might forget which side of the road you are driving on. It's just a case of focusing and it helps if you know where you are going enough that you can fully focus on the driving.
Oh, most definitely get the british humor! Have to love the great sarcasm and irony of the good British humor. Definitely something. I will miss it when we go back to the US! 🤍 Jess x
Yes, it’s in fact straw in bales behind you Jess, not hay. That straw will be used for winter bedding for livestock. Needless to say, it’s the corn that was combined earlier in the month to harvest the grain. Whereas hay is grass (and thistles and nettles and various other bits and pieces that was growing in with it) that was cut, left to dry out a lot of the moisture, turned, and then baled. Usually the headlands are cut for hay. That’s the strip of land that runs all round the perimeter of a cultivated field. The hay will make feed for livestock over the winter. Worth mentioning silage, which is grass cut and put into pits or compounds while still full of moisture. Covered over and weighed down, it ferments and turns into a ‘cake’ like substance that can be cut up and fed to live stock during the winter.
Yes, thank you so much. I am so glad you knew exactly what I was talking about! A lot of people don't know the difference between hey and straw. 🤍 Jess x
Hi Chris & Jess im glad you seem to be enjoying the Uk ive always found you very respectful and kind i will be upset when you have to go but keep up the good work.
My Canadian friend always said 'passenger to the kerb!'. That stood her in good stead over here in the UK and me whenever I drive in Europe or North America.
I’ve got a work friend - Rob - who is married to Sara Schmidt who is the principal at Lakenheath middle school (they both have public web profiles as do I so happy to name them here) . Maybe you know her? Anyhow, they’ve been living in the UK for a while now but Rob still finds some of our British ways odd. Maybe enjoying these differences as well as trying to overcome them etc is part of what makes life interesting, rich, and often very funny!
I do not think we have met them. However, you make a good point, enjoying the differences is part of what makes life interesting, especially in situations like ours, and your friends. Cheers, Chris
@@DaydreamersBarn I’m guessing your kids are older so don’t attend that school perhaps, but it’s a funny coincidence . As is the fact we had a holiday in norfolk last week. Loved Cromer and the Broads and Sandringham, Hunstanton sea life centre, and Wells next the sea, but it was really hot, too hot, both days at Cromer and Wroxham. My son is disabled so couldn’t access the viewing area in Cromer pier lifeboat station so they let us in at ground level and he got to open the doors down the ramp - very exciting! North Norfolk is definitely worth a visit, and less busy, than other similar picturesque areas - eg Devon, Cornwall etc.
You are living in a lovely area, we often commented on how easy it is to drive around where you are in comparison to where we are down in the South of England
We've driven down in that area and in the bigger cities. It's nice and safe compared to driving in the US. Driving here it takes knowledge and being aware of others. 🤍 Jess x
Interesting that you were able to find an appropriate home in these days of housing shortage. P.S. the golden-coloured plants that created your lovely background is actually ripened wheat that was made into "straw" bales. Hay is made from dried grasses/herbaceous plants.
jess the uk and the usa. we are so similar and yet so different. the way we have elections for national government in the uk when a general election is annouced it takes place 40 days after the annnocement. all 650 seats in paraliment are up for election on the same day which is always a thursday polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm by 1pm the next day all 650 seats have had there result announced and a government and prime minster takes office and government continues as normal
On the education front, that is what's really putting me off moving to America. I have qualifications coming out of my ears, but they're not accepted in the US. Yes, I'm only a hairdresser, but I refuse to do another 3 years training. Let me just sit the final exams and do the practical mark offs (I still have to do 3 of everything). I have 15 years experience in the UK and Spain, having to retrain would be a waste of all of our time.
@adrianboardman162 friend, I completely understand! It is so frustrating and I'm sure that's why a lot of people worry because putting in more time to something you have already sorted is crazy. You're a valuable member of the workforce, and I appreciate what you do! Thank you for sharing. 🤍 Jess x
If you want to move to the US, maybe you could become a police officer? In some police forces there, a police officer needs only six weeks of training - much easier and cheaper than 3 years!
@@Sine-gl9ly My ultimate goal is to work with special kids. But I'm nearly 40, I don't have 3 years to spare re-doing what I did in the UK. I've also looked at police work, and it's not for me. Social Care may be my calling. Again, hairdressing plays a part in it as it's therapeutic.
@adrianboardman162 I absolutely love your goal!! Never give up on your dreams. I appreciate everyone for what they do. Whether they feel it is significant or not.I know it plays an important role in life. Thank you for sharing with me. I really do appreciate it. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn You're our cousins. Why wouldn't I want to look after you? I may only be a hairdresser, but that little 2 hour pamper can make you walk out feeling like a different person. I went into the job to make people feel good, because I like making people feel good. Cutting down the training for already qualified people would make more of us want to move. I wouldn't mind doing a few top up classes, and demonstrations. 3 years however is a long time.
Yes, the requirements for renting a property have become a series of hoops to jump through. The big advantage of being based in the UK is that it's just a relatively short flight to visit all of the other European countries. Particularly if Stansted is just a short drive away. I'm assuming the birds are Jackdaws. I get 200 of them flying past at sunset and they can make a right racket.
More hoops than we were anticipating, but mostly it was just a lot of different requirements. It is just a quick flight or drive, but we only have a limited amount of time and we want to make sure we take advantage of the UK. Cheers, Chris
You were talking about British words you now use. May I suggest “bimble”. As in we had a bimble around the countryside yesterday and found some wonderful antique shops. Bimble a leisurely drive through the countryside.
Trust me, many English/British drivers have problems knowing which side of the road to use!!! Glad to hear you have made many British friends, you are welcome in England. Looking for a house in the UK is difficult, blink at the house you want and its gone
Haha, I think you know it's just a universal problem that we all have.. What side of the road do we need to be on today.. I'm just kidding! Yes, it was so stressful.We would find a house.Try to get scheduled to look at it, and then it was off the market. The process of renting is totally different than in the US. Thank you so much for your comment! 🤍 Jess x
We’re ever you go in the world it’s hard to fit in believe me..but the Americans are so welcome here In The U.K. we love you so much here in the U.K. you are or cousins and always will be..god bless 🇬🇧🇺🇸😊👍🏻
Our cousins?. I think that is pushing it a bit. The Australians ,New Zealanders ,even the South Africans fit that description better. Only about one in five hundred Americans (outside of Utah) have English ancestry. That said all of the Americans based here have been pleasant and respectful, something our colonial kinsmen have not always been.
Regarding accents.... I'm from the West Suffolk/Fenland border and grew up sufficiently close to Lakenheath to have been woken up by the returning F-111s returning after they bombed Tripoli in the 80s.... For any African-American finding themselves in the area... whereas the Suffolk dialect is, sadly, dying out, we call everyone either 'boy' or 'girl'. It's a very geographically restricted linguistic wrinkle, but it's friendly. It's the local equivalent of 'mate'. Speaking as someone who thought he was going to die after greeting a new-in-country truly terrifyingly large African-American Air Force NCO whilst working in Newmarket Tesco some thirty years ago.... :)
If the tables were turned guys... And i was considering living in the US for a couple of years... I'd probably be thinking it would be way easier than what the reality would be... Whenever i watched American TV shows as a kid... America always seemed like a great place to live... But as you get older and more worldly wise... You then see that it's not quite as glamorous as you had once thought it was... For instance... TV shows always seemed to show hot and sunny weather... Everyone lived in a huge house like you'd see in the movies... Like... "Home Alone's" Mccallister Family Home... Or Americans lived in upscale trendy Penthouse Suits... Everyone seemed to drive brand new muscle cars... And everyone seemed to dine out at expensive restaurants rather than cooking at home... And although some of those perceptions are true... It's about as realistic as the perception that all British people speak just like the late Queen Elizabeth II... With RP - Received Pronunciation. Or that all British men wear a Bespoke Savile Row Suit & Bowler Hat everyday... And always carry an Umbrella... A little bit like the Suits worn in the movie... Kingsman : The Secret Service... But finally seeing the reality can come as a little bit of a shock to some... We're all guilty of looking at things through rose tinted specials at times... But that's just human nature i guess... And when reality hits home... And you'll have to adjust your expectations accordingly... It always put a smile on my face... Whenever i watched Sir Michael Palin Traveling Around the World in 80 Days... The people he met on his travels were genuine and friendly... But some were shocked... Simply because they had a perception of what a British Gentleman looked like... And Sir Michael couldn't have been further away from the perception that many had previously had about a British Gentleman... Especially with his subtle Yorkshire accent... 😂 All the very best Chris & Jess... Cheers guys.🍺
I agree that TV shows give you a false sense of reality. I truly agree with you on what in my mind imagined what the UK would be like. Also, yes, not everyone in the US drives nice cars, lives in a homelone type house, or goes out and eats because that's stuff's just way too expensive. I absolutely appreciate your comment! 🤍 Jess x
No I think that's straw not hay. Hay is dried grass used for feed, straw is the stalks of wheat/corn/whatever separated from the head at time of cutting, left to dry and then baled up - used for bedding. Hay would look greener and finer. Still, very pretty, you're very lucky!
I don't know if i said it before, but nevertheless, i'll say it one more time!!!! You're absolutely gorgeous, sweetheart!!!! You do an amazing job, and if or when you go back to the good old USA!!!! Don't be a stranger, and come back soon!!!! 😊X.
Oh, thank you, dear friend! I so love sharing with you all. Just so you all know, I will definitely be back to visit as much as possible! I have found a piece of my heart here, and I will not soon forget how happy the UK makes me. The UK has been a great experience and helped me mentally grow and learn more of who I am. I'm so very thankful for all the love and support! 🤍 Jess x
This is very interesting. I used to work as a cross cultural coach and trainer and some of that work included one-day coaching sessions for US expats and spouses, provided by their companies. One of the biggest hurdles is often exactly what you describe - we mistakenly believe that because we speak (approximately) the same language that we therefore share approximately the same culture. But we don’t, and although the “culture gap” between the USA and U.K. may be less wide than between the USA and eg France, it still exists and is ignored at your peril. You also described a sequence of experiences that were a common pattern of “culture-shock”. It was often described as being similar to the famous “Kubler-Ross Model” of the “5 stages of grief” which has been adapted by consultants in many fields to describe the impact of major change on people and how they adapt to it and reconcile themselves to it over time.
Thank you so much for sharing. I completely understand. When moving, you have such a false sense of reality until you are finally in the middle of it. Thank you so much for your time.Sharing and what you do to help others. 🤍 Jess x
To a large degree, your experiences have been as a result of your character and approach to a new situation. I have known service people who did just live and work on an airbase and who rarely ventured out. By moving to the countryside you have integrated into the community well so your experience is so much deeper. I have also lived for a few years in another country so I share some of the things you describe. You are very positive about this country and it's obvious your family would be welcome anywhere. I have a question. We have a reputation for using very subtle language and not usually speaking plainly. My overseas friends have sometimes found that frustrating. Is that something you have experienced?
I agree with you. I definitely did not want to live on base because I felt that I was going to be robbed of an opportunity and growth. I feel that this experience has helped my family in so many ways. Thank you so very much for your time watching and leaving me wonderful comment! 🤍 Jess x
The large straw bale behind you are from corn being harvested. hay is cut grasses made into small , green, bales. Please watch a comedy farming series on television, its very informative.
Like any country, we have our issues and the negative aspects are highlighted by our predominantly right wing press. However, I think we are still one of the most open and tolerant countries and anyone such as yourself and family, with a similar attitude, will always be welcome. If and when your new UK friends start taking the piss, remember that's a sign you've truly been accepted! All the best to you and family.
All British drivers have to learn to drive on the 'other side' of the road if they want to travel pretty much anywhere abroad in a car. It is is nerve-racking to start with but only for a few minutes. Gets easier and easier. That said I have European friends who have come to UK MANY times and have never dared to drive on the left!
If you were coming to the UK from the EU you'd probably have found it easier to get started as things like educational and workplace qualifications and driving licences are accepted or have equivalents due to our previous membership and common standards we have with Europe. And if you were from some northern European countries you'd probably be more familiar with British English than most Americans and also have better English language skills than half the British population.
Yes, I'm British but have also lived in Hungary and Croatia. Despite the language differences there was not much of a culture shock. I think I would experience a much greater culture shock if I moved to USA.
@@DaydreamersBarn The purpose of the EU single market was to allow people from member states to trade and work freely in each other's countries. So, to do that you need to have similar standards and recognise each others qualifications, skills and documentation. Purely from a business perspective it allowed large companies to draw on a pool of skilled people from across Europe with no complications like work visas, different employee insurance, health & safety and working conditions etc. So for example, a project based in Germany could draw on British people if they had certain skills and vice versa and pan European projects where you were rolling out a product or service across all of the EU were relatively straight forward.
I love that hay field in the background! Gorgeous! I really appreciate hearing your honest and sincere perspectives, Jess. I'm so glad you have made this transition well and established yourself in England with wonderful friends here! Well done on finding an amazing place to live!🤍 XX Dara
Hiya Dara, Thank you so much. I absolutely adore our garden!! I definitely wanted to share it with you all. I just want people to know it's not easy, but it's so rewarding living here in the UK! I'm so glad you all are back. How long will you all be here? Love all your videos ❤️ Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn haha well we leave tomorrow! 😭 We arrived at the beginning of May and have had FIVE sets of American friends come visit us! The 2nd set stayed a month... most stayed 10 or 12 days. We have been madly dashing about showing people all around Gloucestershire as well as other parts of Britain. The summer flew by!! But we will be back next May again. Now we are off to hangout in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany for two months. Then back to Texas... hopefully by the end of September it will have cooled off a tiny bit! 🙏 Will you still be in England next May?
From the UK. At last, an American who had the same experience as I did when first driving on the other side of the road (in the US). After a short while it came easy, even with my first experience of driving an automatic. I can't understand why Amaricans make such a big deal out of it. PS: They are straw bales, not hay. Notice the corn stubble left in the field. The lawn needs mowing.
I think you all have more opportunities to drive on the right-hand side because as soon as you leave the island, you drive on the right-handed side of the road in Europe. Most Americans, when they vacation they may find it difficult because they're not close to a place to get the hang of driving on the left-hand side of the road. It was not a horrible transition for my husband and I. P.S. Definitely, I don't need to mow my grass... What I have read was that cutting the grass less may be better for the environment. The reason why I called it a hay bell is because 9x out of 10, that is what people normally call it. Do they not have Hay Rides or hay bells for halloween or Fall decorations here!? As they actually don't use hay.... So hints why I called it hay bells. 😂 Definitely knew what it was. Thank you for your comment. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn I had never driven on the right before going to the USA, but I must admit the wider US roads made it much easier than when I later drove in Europe. I did once find myself briefly on the wrong side in Spain after exiting a layby. Being a country boy and working on a farm in my youth there was a big distincintion between hay and straw (feedstuff and bedding respectively). Also I've never heard of "hay bells" before. What you want on your "lawn" is to scatter a few wildflower seeds which can be purchsed in most garden centres. Even farmers in the UK are doing this in fallow fields to encourage more polinaters (bees etc.).
We have many accents, as you have mentioned but whatever our local accent might be we all understand BBC English, unfortunately it doesn't always work the other way round. You speak almost BBC English so you will be able to make yourself understood in most places. You mentioned briefly that you were trying to learn the various accents (seemingly to mimic them); my advice is do not try it - not anywhere. People will jump to the conclusion that you are 'taking the piss'. I've spent a lot of time in Scotland and have relatives in Glasgow; I could do a fair impression of a Glaswegian accent but if I tried to do it in front of a real Glaswegian I would likely end up with a broken nose. I love that you settled in already and live in a beautiful part of the country, I have relatives in Norfolk and visit regularly, but it's kind of flat down there - we have hills up here which break the monotony with a different kind of beautiful. Love your channel.
Thank you for the comment and kind words. You make a valid point about the accents. When she was talking about learning various accents, she was referring to understanding the different ques from the accents, like in American, something said down South may not have the same meaning as it does in the North. Cheers, Chris
I did look in the larger cities near us, Kings Lynn, but was unable to find anything or anyone that would expect me. No biggie. Because we were able to start the channel and I think that that is what I needed to do. 🤍 Jess x
We have learned so much from the farmer and just how agriculture works here. From pesticides and herbicides that are used also the amazing need for the wild flowers, the ins and outs of farm ownership. We have learned a great deal. Fabulous question. It's really appreciated! 🤍 Jess x
Oh, I most definitely agree with you. It has made our time here more of an adventure. We have worked together to figure things out, and it's truly been a wonderful experience for us all. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn Absolutely, plus, you have invaluable knowledge and experience that you can pass onto others. And just think, you haven't had to experience the nutty media in America at this mad time 😂😂
@jaysummers9396 Yes, I definitely want to share our experience, positive or negative, with others. Oh, I'm hearing about it, unfortunately. All I can say is that it is disheartening to hear what is going on. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn Yes, it may be disheartening, but at the end of the day you have your three score years and ten to live regardless of any political and social shenanigans that you have zero control over. You and Chris are good people. 🤘👍
@@DaydreamersBarn Yeah it was tough - and I was starting a new business here as well, I had to order stock by pictures and sign language for the first 3 years LOL
Still, when driving do be careful with 'force of habit' lurking in the background. As a Brit who used to drive a lot on in UK cars in continental European - I would still find myself driving on the wrong side of the road very occasionally. Like once when I was coming out of a rural French petrol station . Amazingly, my first thought then was 'why is that car coming up on the wrong side of the road?' followed by 'Oh yes, I'm in France'.🙄 I also once went round a Belgian roundabout just off the car ferry the wrong way - the locals were amazingly tolerant and gave way - I suppose they saw the numberplate and thought 'Oh God, another British idiot just arrived!' 😁
That is a great bit of advice. We can understand how easily that can happen. It is a constant reminder as we drive. It will be interesting when we get back to American as well. Cheers, Chris
Lovely lady, lovely couple. Thank goodness she's not broadcasting from Russia, though: those beautiful green and yellow colours would get her arrested and fined!
Thank you so much. I am thankful I was not either! Don't ever want to be punished for wearing something I'm comfortable in. I love being in the UK. 🤍 Jess x
What I don't understand is why I am not permitted to live in the UK and work online for an American community college. It's my job, I'm not taking it from a British person. If only I could do that, I'd love to move out of the US.
Im just over the border from Norfolk, in Lincolnshire and in spring and summer it is idyllic. However I must warn you that the colour of autumn is Brown, both leaves and mud from the agricultural activity. It can be a little bleak but it makes a warm pub so much more welcoming
Thank you, friend. Last year, we mowed our garden into November. We understand about the autumn leaves and the mud on the roads all too well and welcome that changing of the season. I appreciate you sharing your time with me. 🤍 Jess x
Just like in the US! In the US, we have more storms that devastate communities, so yes, places are not taken care of.. Also, the US money is sent to other countries instead of taking care of it's communities and it's horrible health care and many other things. 🤍 Jess x
Did you get confused between left and right when talking about using a manual gearshift? Whatever, you and Chris obviously got your British licences and drive with confidence. I would say that it's probably harder to pass a British driving test than an American one, but that doesn't in any way guarantee that we necessarily produce better drivers - the recent horrific accident near Barnsley is testament to that. We now hear the police are looking for another driver/car that split from the scene and whom they think might bear some responsibility.
Glad you understood what I was meaning regarding the gearshift, the birds were distracting, lol. We have actually enjoyed the driving experience over here. Hopefully they find out what happened and who was responsible for the accident. 🤍 Jess x
You keep mentioning Garden instead of Yard ? .They are called yards or Back Yards when in Britain if you live in a house without pasture or a business with a rear expanse. Perhaps you could also say you have a Green Finger instead of Green Thumb !
Very interesting. Never had anyone call their garden a yard or backyard here in Britain. I will now always refer to it as a garden. I love the term and the word. I had never heard the expression green fingers. I love it!! Thank you 🤍 Jess x
I think you meant it was easy to shift with your left hand. Of course you had to change the bank, phone, house, healthcare. If you want a job live in a busy town not in Norfolk! Or work on line?
The fact that you have made good friends comes as no surprise to me .
Thank you friend, that means a lot. 🤍 Jess x
I'd be surprised if they didn't , lovely lady, lovely family. Open to new experiences and to accept the good and bad with equal thoughtfulness. I have lived and worked in many countries and it is the supposedly simple things (driving licence, registering for a doctor, local taxes etc) that cause the most angst, so well done for dealing with all of them.
Dear Jess & Chris, I watch all your videos, like them without exception but comment rarely. On this occasion I really feel the need to congratulate & thank you for your willingness to embrace change in the most challenging of circumstances, powering through whilst maintaining that beautiful disposition. You are an inspiration in seizing the moment, persevering in difficult times, whilst enjoying the simple things we take for granted ie the beautiful, lush countryside, history & historic places. I forget how many times I’m guilty of passing by those special places without a second thought & you have reminded me not to. You are always so pleasant & a credit to America. I’m so pleased to hear that you have all come to love our island nation & hearing you referring to it as a 2nd home is so touching. Each of you would be easily conferred with ‘Honorary Brit’ status if I had a say, for you are truly the most fabulous of families. You have been respectful throughout, so curious & excited on the travels you share. Thank you so much for sharing your lives . Frank, Cheshire
Frank , thank you so very much for your love and appreciation and support! We definitely try and embrace and learn so much so we can take to our small holding. I really appreciate your time! 🤍 Jess x
Big Congrats guys. Integrating into a new country and new culture takes effort, determination and acceptance that things work differently here. You guys have embraced all of that with positivity and love and you have reaped the rewards for doing so, making great friends , experiencing the culture , the food, the countryside and the history. In doing so I’m sure you have made many wonderful memories to cherish once you eventually return to the U.S and you will certainly be missed when you do.
It has taken some effort, even in a country that speaks the same language. We have done the best we can given the situation and it has worked out well so far. We will have all the memories to take back. Especially with the channel, we can always look back and see what we did in our time while we were here. Cheers, Chris
Fantastic observations and real-world advice. You guys are going to be missed, so don't leave it too long before coming back. It really is beautiful where you live. Living next to farmland is just so tranquil and peaceful, and it's very therapeutic watching a farmer work the land. Have a great weekend guys! 🇬🇧🤝🏻🇺🇸
Thank you. I'm so thankful to just be able to share. Oh, I will be don't you fret. This place has a very special place in my heart. I have truly found a strength I have been missing in my life, and it's because of my time here. I'm so blessed beyond belief!
I agree that living next to farmland and being able to see and appreciate what they do is so incredible. So peaceful and good for the soul. It's definitely why I wanted to take you all outside to the garden with me. Thank you so much for your support! 🤍 Jess x
Peaceful? My neighbouring farmer cutting silage/haylage all night as there is a break in the weather or the cows noisily heading into the milking parlour at 5am. Not to mention the dawn chorus an hour before dawn right outside my wide open bedroom window. Forget the barbecue in late Autumn if slurry spreading has taken place. Wouldn't go back to city or a big town though as that would now be totally alien. Not having to lock doors and being able to leave the car keys in the ignition without having to spend 10 minutes hunting for them is a bonus.
Gosh, an American who can drive a manual. Pleasantly surprised.
AND didn't call it stick shift !
There are more than you would think, but it is quickly dwindling back in America, unfortunately. Cheers, Chris
@@DaydreamersBarn Chris, that's sad to hear. Driving connoisseurs like myself prefer manual, because timing your gear changes is part of the art and skill of driving! From what I've seen of your driving in these videos, you're pretty comfortable with it.
Memphis, TN here. I learned to drive stick when I was 17.
Plenty of us can drive em...
Background is like a screensaver. Beautiful
It was so beautiful not to share. I think I will do more videos outside with you all. 🤍 Jess x
They harvested that field never heard anyone call it Hayed,
@Liz-hp1pk understand, it's a word.. hayed - haying - hays. intransitive verb. - to cut, cure, and store. 😉
Jess x
@G53ij grew up in cornwall and can honestly say if someone said they harvested a hay field i'd look at them like they were simple.
Harvest implies you are gathering human food, this is more like mulching.
I’ve heard a few Americans saying it’s hard to get jobs here. They expected qualifications and wages to translate in another country. It would be the same the other way round, if we moved to America. It’s good to get that fact out there, so people moving over here realise that.
Yeah, definitely.Want to be honest with people and let them in on what I have struggled with and learned. Most definitely, it would be the same, the other way around. That is why I said, if you have qualifications over here, it doesn't always get accepted in the US. It's a scary fact of life if you have a qualification that you spent time and money on to just have to turn around and spend more time and money on the same qualifications it's a little disheartening but understandable. 🤍 Jess x
When I migrated to Australia, my UK qualifications were deemed not as good as Australian certificates. This was the same for an Australian who I worked with in the UK - he was told his Australian qualifications were not as good as the UK equivalent.
@pittarak1 I just wish more people would share this. Thank you for your comment and for sharing. 🤍 Jess x
@@pittarak1 lol, strange. It’s so you spend money getting re-qualified.
@@krissyg7026 Yes, that's right, but remember in the UK and Australia, education is so much cheaper than over in the states. I decided that if I wanted to live in a new country, it was just something I had to do and cop it on the chin ...and in the wallet!
Open minds make such a huge difference. And when a mind is open, differences pale and the sun shines brighter. Also a little effort goes a long way and brings much reward. Long before US goods were available in the UK, my dad worked on US (and UK) military bases and we were always treated to Hershey bars from the base commissary. Small acts of kindness open the eyes and heart. Just want to say a big thanks to Chris, and all the base colleagues, past and present.
Open minds for sure help bridge the gap. And some times the small acts mean the most. Also, you are welcome. We appreciate the support from the community as a whole. Cheers, Chris
'Treated' 😂😂😂
Please don't worry about bird song in the background. We all enjoy it and it would only add to the quality of your videos.
Thank you so much. I definitely will be taking out outside in my garden even more!! It's definitely my happy place. 🤍 Jess x
likewise pig sounds, however, pig smells, that would be a different matter 😂
@@chrisshelley3027😂😂
@@DaydreamersBarn There is a clasdic recording of a nightingale singing whilst Elgar Cello concert was being played.
Lovely video again Jess. Thanks for making us a part of your story ❤
Thank you so much for being apart and enjoying our adventures! 🤍 Jess x
Hi Jess. Over the years I've heard people say that 'flitting,' or, moving home, has been the most stressful event of their lives ; moving to the UK must have added another dimension to that experience, and adding on the bureaucracy, ( which drives me nuts), is Paracetamol time. But you survived, and I have to say that the view behind you is lovely. So peaceful ! Sheffield South Yorkshire (Norman).
It definitely is a stressful experience to pick up your entire life that you know and move to a totally new country. It's not impossible but stressful and so rewarding! It will probably be just as stressful moving back to the US when we have to leave. I will definitely share my experience on that, hopefully much later!! Thank you so much for your wonderful comment. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn....I suspect a lot of your content when you return to the US will be shock and horror at the cost of groceries!
@@DaydreamersBarn In the military you soon find that it's the hard things that, when you battle and succeed, build your confidence and abilities. The trick is not too many at once! 😀
From observation (x4), American wives who have come to England following their husbands' work are prone to severe homesickness, to the point where seemingly trivial things (even changing a light bulb is different) cause acute distress.
Glad to hear you are adapting to this looking glass world, and hope you will forgive our foibles.
Husbands in speech marks? Why?
@@SgtSteel1 That's a solitary apostrophe indicating the possessive of the plural husbands. As in the work of their husbands.
I think I got that right, didn't I? If not, my apologies. I certainly did not intend any other meaning. Thanks for the interest.
@@frankfriedlos3721 I read it again and you're right, I apologise. The plural.
Oh, I most definitely agree it's not easy and a lot definitely experience loneliness and homesickness. I have spoken to so many thay want to go home because it's so hard to find work and struggle to find a sense of home here. I'm very thankful that I was able to find my happiness here and see the beauty around me. ❤️ Jess x
Where you are living: right in the heart of the countryside and with those views is priceless. When Chris's tour of duty is finished he needs to tell them he's not going - you've decided you're going to stick around for a while.
Friend, I am absolutely love my garden, my home here! We would definitely love to stay, but we have our small holding awaiting our return. Also, our family in the US kind of misses us. 😉
But we will definitely be coming back. My heart is at home here! 🤍 Jess x
It will be a sad day when you all leave. Even though we have never met it feels like I have known you all for years. It has been quite an experience to discover the opinions and views on my country. I know you are all 100% sincere. Look forward to follow you with different scenery, when it comes.
Friend, it will. I completely agree. It will be the saddest day!! I am so thankful that you have enjoyed our adventures and our thoughts and experiences. We are happy to have you all experienced for us to share our little farm/adventures back in the US with you all. Thank you for all the love! 🤍 Jess x
I'm a supermarket grocery delivery driver in the Feltwell and Lakenheath area and it's always a pleasure meeting and chatting to military families when I'm delivering to their homes 😃
They mostly seem to like living in communities along with us Norfolk folks!
I love that! It's so lovely that you have such wonderful interactions with military families. Thank you for sharing with me. Do you deliver out to Downham Market or just Lakenheath and Feltwell?
🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn we deliver all across East Anglia from our store in King's Lynn (our logo and vans are orange 😉) including Downham Market area 👍
I'm a military aviation aficionado so Lakenheath is one of my favourite places to deliver to plus I love seeing some of the cars you guys drive around in that we can't get in the UK especially the V8 ones 💪😁
That backdrop is gorgeous
I agree , and I wanted to share it with you all!! We will definitely be doing more videos outside.. 🤍 Jess x
Getting out of the RAF base was a good move. I've served in British Army, sometimes it's just nice to get away from it.
I completely agree, friend! 🤍 Jess x
I live in Suffolk. You must check out Lavenham, full of crooked old houses.
And a bit of witch burning as well 😊😊😅.
We have and will definitely be returning. We did a video a while back and loved it! 🤍 Jess x
I have been watching you and your Families adventures for some time.
What I have noticed Jess, is how much your confidence has grown.
Hopefully when you go back to USA, you will carry on with Podcast's.
Thank you so much! This channel will not go anywhere.I promise you will get to see our adventures and me sharing with you all along the way. I definitely don't wanna leave any time soon. I know that 2025 is around the corner, unfortunately. 😭
🤍 Jess x
Just subscribed. I’ve been following you lovely people for ages and can’t believe I hadn’t. Love your videos and glad you grace our country xx
Well we are glad you subscribed, it will make sure you see our videos when we make it back to America. We are glad to be here showing the amazing country side and looking forward to bringing it back with us when we leave. Cheers, Chris
My first experience in America was working with Boy Scouts of America. So I do understand the cultural shock!! You have been on an amazing journey!!! We should also reflect on how much we expect our armed forces just to up-sticks and move around the world. The impact is on whole families. It’s great to have followed your adventures here, great driving. Very heart warming videos
Thank you so much for sharing. I definitely think that we have learned so much and embraced it to where it has helped us open our minds and just appreciate everything even more in life. 🤍 Jess x
Great video Jess, very informative and honest, and I love the enthusiasm that You & Chris have for the UK 👍
Thank you friend. I try my best to be honest and embrace our situation. 🤍 Jess x
My son is serving in the RAF police. Next month he transfers to an American base in Germany so I'm hoping to hear a mirrored version of your life here. Exciting times.
I am sure he will love his time there! Tell him best of luck from us and to enjoy the time while he is there. 🤍 Jess x
I saw someone else's video talk about getting a job, they had problem, so they used chat gtp to change there CV to a more British look and feel. They said they then started getting interviews.
That is a good idea. Thank you so very much for that insight! 🤍 Jess x
I am English and learnt to drive here. But I have driven extensively abroad. I lived in France for a year, in Spain for four years and have also driven a lot in Finland and also Slovenia, Austria, Italy and the USA. I agree that adjusting to driving on a different side of the road is much easier than a lot of people who have never tried it imagine. It doesn't take long. I DID find that for a while I was driving either too near the middle of the middle of the road or too near to the edge but it sorted itself out.
I found driving in the USA the hardest because road signs across Europe tend to rely on images we all recognise but in the USA a lot more actual words are used. And although we speak the same language - or variations of the same language - vocabulary to do with roads is one of those areas where there are a few differences. So sometimes I just didn't fully understand the signs. Driving an automatic was fun. I enjoyed it but the lady at the hire car place in Boston was laughing that she had to give me a quick lesson before I left. It didn't take long. 😂
It is easy in a way if you open your mind up to the change and embrace the driving experience. Thank you so much for sharing your experience in Boston and the little lesson the lady gave. Also, you're experience traveling all over the world and driving. 🤍 Jess x
In my experience there are two really hazardous situations when it comes to driving on the "wrong" side of the road. The first is where you stop somewhere on a rural road with no traffic, roadsigns or other visual clues as to which side of the road to be on: it's all too easy to momentarily lose concentration when you pull out again. The other situation is supermarket car parks, which are always a bit anarchic in any country, as again, there are few visual cues and a lot of moving vehicles.
My mantra is ‘ me in the middle’……
I think it’s easier for Brits to drive on the right, because whenever we go on holiday, the chances are that it’s a right hand drive country. So we become a accustomed to looking the other way, even to cross the road as kids, whereas Americans can go into their 30s 40s et cetera without ever having to think about crossing or driving on “the wrong side of the road.
You are very welcome here..
So nice of you 🤍 Jess x
Hi Jess! I’m just about to start the process of getting my UK license and adjusting to driving on the left side of the road. Glad to hear it was less difficult than you had expected! Gorgeous backdrop ❤️
I moved from UK and initially used my UK right hand drive vehicles. When I bought a left hand drive car I had to get used to allowing for a chunk of car to my right rather than my left. After a couple of years I drove my big UK van in the initial stage of getting it registered on Hungarian plates. I must have failed to allow fully for my different position in the vehicle as my left door mirror hit the door mirror of an oncoming truck. My mate had been following to give me a lift home and he said I had been driving in the middle of the road the whole way!
@@Phiyedough 😱
Hiya Annie,
Good luck and sending you good vibes! We love our garden and will be doing more videos outside because it's just too beautiful not to share. ❤️ Jess x
You need to be very careful when driving at junctions,roundabouts and when you have stopped,parked at the side of the road. They are the most likely times that you might forget which side of the road you are driving on.
It's just a case of focusing and it helps if you know where you are going enough that you can fully focus on the driving.
Looking right at home,loving the view think you all are a lovley family have you grasp the british humour 😂
Oh, most definitely get the british humor! Have to love the great sarcasm and irony of the good British humor. Definitely something. I will miss it when we go back to the US! 🤍 Jess x
Thank you for persevering with our ways and customs, and for the great videos
I love it here and will be so sad to have to leave. I truly appreciate your love friend! 🤍 Jess x
Yes, it’s in fact straw in bales behind you Jess, not hay. That straw will be used for winter bedding for livestock. Needless to say, it’s the corn that was combined earlier in the month to harvest the grain.
Whereas hay is grass (and thistles and nettles and various other bits and pieces that was growing in with it) that was cut, left to dry out a lot of the moisture, turned, and then baled. Usually the headlands are cut for hay. That’s the strip of land that runs all round the perimeter of a cultivated field. The hay will make feed for livestock over the winter.
Worth mentioning silage, which is grass cut and put into pits or compounds while still full of moisture. Covered over and weighed down, it ferments and turns into a ‘cake’ like substance that can be cut up and fed to live stock during the winter.
Yes, thank you so much. I am so glad you knew exactly what I was talking about! A lot of people don't know the difference between hey and straw. 🤍 Jess x
Hi Chris & Jess im glad you seem to be enjoying the Uk ive always found you very respectful and kind i will be upset when you have to go but keep up the good work.
We're so glad you enjoyed following along with us. We definitely love it here and want to share it with you all. 🤍 Jess x
My Canadian friend always said 'passenger to the kerb!'. That stood her in good stead over here in the UK and me whenever I drive in Europe or North America.
Love it! Thank you for sharing and spending time with me, friend. 🤍 Jess x
I’ve got a work friend - Rob - who is married to Sara Schmidt who is the principal at Lakenheath middle school (they both have public web profiles as do I so happy to name them here) . Maybe you know her? Anyhow, they’ve been living in the UK for a while now but Rob still finds some of our British ways odd. Maybe enjoying these differences as well as trying to overcome them etc is part of what makes life interesting, rich, and often very funny!
I do not think we have met them. However, you make a good point, enjoying the differences is part of what makes life interesting, especially in situations like ours, and your friends. Cheers, Chris
@@DaydreamersBarn I’m guessing your kids are older so don’t attend that school perhaps, but it’s a funny coincidence . As is the fact we had a holiday in norfolk last week. Loved Cromer and the Broads and Sandringham, Hunstanton sea life centre, and Wells next the sea, but it was really hot, too hot, both days at Cromer and Wroxham. My son is disabled so couldn’t access the viewing area in Cromer pier lifeboat station so they let us in at ground level and he got to open the doors down the ramp - very exciting! North Norfolk is definitely worth a visit, and less busy, than other similar picturesque areas - eg Devon, Cornwall etc.
Perfect location! Sorry to hear that you experienced such stress, but it seems you have now rediscovered your mojo. Well done!
It is the perfect location. I just wanted to express the ups and downs, expected or not expected. 🤍Jess x
You are living in a lovely area, we often commented on how easy it is to drive around where you are in comparison to where we are down in the South of England
We've driven down in that area and in the bigger cities. It's nice and safe compared to driving in the US. Driving here it takes knowledge and being aware of others. 🤍 Jess x
Glad you're settling in. Just a thought but it might be worth fixing/sticking a small ' Stay Left' sign on your dash, just below your eye line.
I definitely love it here. We don't need the stay left anymore because it's just normal now. Will be crazy when we go back to the US. 😬
🤍 Jess x
Hi Guys , when can i move in 😁 lovely backdrop you have . 😊❤
@claregale9011 love it, friend! I definitely wanted to share some of what I get to enjoy each day. 🤍 Jess x
Interesting that you were able to find an appropriate home in these days of housing shortage. P.S. the golden-coloured plants that created your lovely background is actually ripened wheat that was made into "straw" bales. Hay is made from dried grasses/herbaceous plants.
Thanks for the tip. 🤍 Jess x
All Americans are welcome. My brother is over there in Florida.
Florida is a beautiful state indeed. Thanks for welcoming us. 🤍 Jess x
0.25. That “Hay” is actually straw. That’s a wheat field after the combine harvester has had its way with it.
Right, very aware. 🤍 Jess x
jess the uk and the usa. we are so similar and yet so different.
the way we have elections for national government in the uk when a general election is annouced it takes place 40 days after the annnocement.
all 650 seats in paraliment are up for election on the same day which is always a thursday polling stations open at 7am and close at 10pm by 1pm the next day all 650 seats have had there result announced and a government and prime minster takes office and government continues as normal
Thank you for sharing all the ways the US and UK are different. We definitely appreciate and love the similarities and differences. 🤍 Jess x
On the education front, that is what's really putting me off moving to America. I have qualifications coming out of my ears, but they're not accepted in the US. Yes, I'm only a hairdresser, but I refuse to do another 3 years training. Let me just sit the final exams and do the practical mark offs (I still have to do 3 of everything). I have 15 years experience in the UK and Spain, having to retrain would be a waste of all of our time.
@adrianboardman162 friend, I completely understand! It is so frustrating and I'm sure that's why a lot of people worry because putting in more time to something you have already sorted is crazy. You're a valuable member of the workforce, and I appreciate what you do! Thank you for sharing. 🤍 Jess x
If you want to move to the US, maybe you could become a police officer? In some police forces there, a police officer needs only six weeks of training - much easier and cheaper than 3 years!
@@Sine-gl9ly My ultimate goal is to work with special kids. But I'm nearly 40, I don't have 3 years to spare re-doing what I did in the UK. I've also looked at police work, and it's not for me. Social Care may be my calling. Again, hairdressing plays a part in it as it's therapeutic.
@adrianboardman162 I absolutely love your goal!! Never give up on your dreams. I appreciate everyone for what they do. Whether they feel it is significant or not.I know it plays an important role in life. Thank you for sharing with me. I really do appreciate it. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn You're our cousins. Why wouldn't I want to look after you? I may only be a hairdresser, but that little 2 hour pamper can make you walk out feeling like a different person. I went into the job to make people feel good, because I like making people feel good. Cutting down the training for already qualified people would make more of us want to move. I wouldn't mind doing a few top up classes, and demonstrations. 3 years however is a long time.
Yes, the requirements for renting a property have become a series of hoops to jump through. The big advantage of being based in the UK is that it's just a relatively short flight to visit all of the other European countries. Particularly if Stansted is just a short drive away. I'm assuming the birds are Jackdaws. I get 200 of them flying past at sunset and they can make a right racket.
More hoops than we were anticipating, but mostly it was just a lot of different requirements. It is just a quick flight or drive, but we only have a limited amount of time and we want to make sure we take advantage of the UK. Cheers, Chris
Jackdaws or starlings maybe? Starlings are prettier, but they squitter all over EVERYTHING!
That looks like Graven Hill in the background.. based there in the 80/90's
I'm not sure, but we love yhe views from our garden! 🤍 Jess x
We are a very open as a country we seem standoffish but we are in reality a bunch of sarcastic people who love to drink and socialise.
I do agree with you! We love it here. 🤍 Jess x
Love your top I got few Lakenheath and Mildenhall t shirts from airshows from the Americans especially RIAT few days ago 😊
I'm so glad you enjoyed my top! I'm so glad you were able to get some for yourself. 🤍 Jess x
Surely the airforce provides you with accommodation like in the British Military
It does, however, there are still a number of things you need to do on your own. Cheers, Chris
You were talking about British words you now use. May I suggest “bimble”. As in we had a bimble around the countryside yesterday and found some wonderful antique shops. Bimble a leisurely drive through the countryside.
Oh, interesting. Thank you for your recommendation on the word. 🤍 Jess x
Love your vlogs.
.
Oh, friend, I'm so happy. I love sharing with you all. It makes my heart so happy! 🤍 Jess x
That’s a back garden every one would love
It is for sure! 🤍 Jess x
I guess we are so used to switching from U.K. to mainland Europe we don’t even think about switching from left to right and vice versa.
That is fair. Hopefully, it is just as easy when we get back. 🩶 Jess x
Great episode thank you
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 🤍 Jess x
Trust me, many English/British drivers have problems knowing which side of the road to use!!! Glad to hear you have made many British friends, you are welcome in England. Looking for a house in the UK is difficult, blink at the house you want and its gone
Haha, I think you know it's just a universal problem that we all have.. What side of the road do we need to be on today.. I'm just kidding!
Yes, it was so stressful.We would find a house.Try to get scheduled to look at it, and then it was off the market. The process of renting is totally different than in the US. Thank you so much for your comment! 🤍 Jess x
We’re ever you go in the world it’s hard to fit in believe me..but the Americans are so welcome here In The U.K. we love you so much here in the U.K. you are or cousins and always will be..god bless 🇬🇧🇺🇸😊👍🏻
We are glad to be welcomed here. Thanks for the comment and support. 🤍 Jess x
Our cousins?. I think that is pushing it a bit. The Australians ,New Zealanders ,even the South Africans fit that description better. Only about one in five hundred Americans (outside of Utah) have English ancestry. That said all of the Americans based here have been pleasant and respectful, something our colonial kinsmen have not always been.
Regarding accents....
I'm from the West Suffolk/Fenland border and grew up sufficiently close to Lakenheath to have been woken up by the returning F-111s returning after they bombed Tripoli in the 80s....
For any African-American finding themselves in the area... whereas the Suffolk dialect is, sadly, dying out, we call everyone either 'boy' or 'girl'.
It's a very geographically restricted linguistic wrinkle, but it's friendly. It's the local equivalent of 'mate'.
Speaking as someone who thought he was going to die after greeting a new-in-country truly terrifyingly large African-American Air Force NCO whilst working in Newmarket Tesco some thirty years ago.... :)
Thank you for sharing! The US and UK are so different , but also so similar. 🤍 Jess x
If the tables were turned guys... And i was considering living in the US for a couple of years... I'd probably be thinking it would be way easier than what the reality would be... Whenever i watched American TV shows as a kid... America always seemed like a great place to live... But as you get older and more worldly wise... You then see that it's not quite as glamorous as you had once thought it was... For instance... TV shows always seemed to show hot and sunny weather... Everyone lived in a huge house like you'd see in the movies... Like... "Home Alone's" Mccallister Family Home... Or Americans lived in upscale trendy Penthouse Suits... Everyone seemed to drive brand new muscle cars... And everyone seemed to dine out at expensive restaurants rather than cooking at home... And although some of those perceptions are true... It's about as realistic as the perception that all British people speak just like the late Queen Elizabeth II... With RP - Received Pronunciation.
Or that all British men wear a Bespoke Savile Row Suit & Bowler Hat everyday... And always carry an Umbrella... A little bit like the Suits worn in the movie... Kingsman : The Secret Service... But finally seeing the reality can come as a little bit of a shock to some... We're all guilty of looking at things through rose tinted specials at times... But that's just human nature i guess... And when reality hits home... And you'll have to adjust your expectations accordingly... It always put a smile on my face... Whenever i watched Sir Michael Palin Traveling Around the World in 80 Days... The people he met on his travels were genuine and friendly... But some were shocked... Simply because they had a perception of what a British Gentleman looked like... And Sir Michael couldn't have been further away from the perception that many had previously had about a British Gentleman... Especially with his subtle Yorkshire accent... 😂 All the very best Chris & Jess... Cheers guys.🍺
I agree that TV shows give you a false sense of reality. I truly agree with you on what in my mind imagined what the UK would be like.
Also, yes, not everyone in the US drives nice cars, lives in a homelone type house, or goes out and eats because that's stuff's just way too expensive. I absolutely appreciate your comment! 🤍 Jess x
I think those could be straw bales, not hay, after the corn was harvested? Sorry if I’ve got it wrong!
They are, from the winter barley. Cheers, Chris
No I think that's straw not hay. Hay is dried grass used for feed, straw is the stalks of wheat/corn/whatever separated from the head at time of cutting, left to dry and then baled up - used for bedding. Hay would look greener and finer. Still, very pretty, you're very lucky!
Yes, that is correct and we are very blessed. 🤍 Jess x
I don't know if i said it before, but nevertheless, i'll say it one more time!!!! You're absolutely gorgeous, sweetheart!!!! You do an amazing job, and if or when you go back to the good old USA!!!! Don't be a stranger, and come back soon!!!! 😊X.
Oh, thank you, dear friend! I so love sharing with you all. Just so you all know, I will definitely be back to visit as much as possible! I have found a piece of my heart here, and I will not soon forget how happy the UK makes me. The UK has been a great experience and helped me mentally grow and learn more of who I am. I'm so very thankful for all the love and support! 🤍 Jess x
This is very interesting. I used to work as a cross cultural coach and trainer and some of that work included one-day coaching sessions for US expats and spouses, provided by their companies. One of the biggest hurdles is often exactly what you describe - we mistakenly believe that because we speak (approximately) the same language that we therefore share approximately the same culture. But we don’t, and although the “culture gap” between the USA and U.K. may be less wide than between the USA and eg France, it still exists and is ignored at your peril. You also described a sequence of experiences that were a common pattern of “culture-shock”. It was often described as being similar to the famous “Kubler-Ross Model” of the “5 stages of grief” which has been adapted by consultants in many fields to describe the impact of major change on people and how they adapt to it and reconcile themselves to it over time.
Thank you so much for sharing. I completely understand. When moving, you have such a false sense of reality until you are finally in the middle of it. Thank you so much for your time.Sharing and what you do to help others. 🤍 Jess x
To a large degree, your experiences have been as a result of your character and approach to a new situation. I have known service people who did just live and work on an airbase and who rarely ventured out. By moving to the countryside you have integrated into the community well so your experience is so much deeper. I have also lived for a few years in another country so I share some of the things you describe. You are very positive about this country and it's obvious your family would be welcome anywhere. I have a question. We have a reputation for using very subtle language and not usually speaking plainly. My overseas friends have sometimes found that frustrating. Is that something you have experienced?
I agree with you. I definitely did not want to live on base because I felt that I was going to be robbed of an opportunity and growth.
I feel that this experience has helped my family in so many ways. Thank you so very much for your time watching and leaving me wonderful comment! 🤍 Jess x
My left ear enjoyed this. 😊
Which is more than Trump's ear can say.
Oh, my...... 🤍 Jess x
@@anthonyferris8912
😂😂😂
The large straw bale behind you are from corn being harvested. hay is cut grasses made into small , green, bales.
Please watch a comedy farming series on television, its very informative.
Thanks for the info. 🤍 Jess x
Like any country, we have our issues and the negative aspects are highlighted by our predominantly right wing press. However, I think we are still one of the most open and tolerant countries and anyone such as yourself and family, with a similar attitude, will always be welcome. If and when your new UK friends start taking the piss, remember that's a sign you've truly been accepted! All the best to you and family.
Thanks for the kind words and support. I have truly enjoyed my time over here. 🤍 Jess x
All British drivers have to learn to drive on the 'other side' of the road if they want to travel pretty much anywhere abroad in a car. It is is nerve-racking to start with but only for a few minutes. Gets easier and easier. That said I have European friends who have come to UK MANY times and have never dared to drive on the left!
We have learned so much and love the driving experience here in the UK! 🤍 Jess x
As Al Murray says, we're two people's separated by a common language 😂
Yes, I agree with you! 🤍 Jess x
He was quoting George Bernard Shaw, an English playwright from the 1940’s.
If you were coming to the UK from the EU you'd probably have found it easier to get started as things like educational and workplace qualifications and driving licences are accepted or have equivalents due to our previous membership and common standards we have with Europe. And if you were from some northern European countries you'd probably be more familiar with British English than most Americans and also have better English language skills than half the British population.
Yes, I'm British but have also lived in Hungary and Croatia. Despite the language differences there was not much of a culture shock. I think I would experience a much greater culture shock if I moved to USA.
It was very interesting that I would not know, but I would love to look into that. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn The purpose of the EU single market was to allow people from member states to trade and work freely in each other's countries. So, to do that you need to have similar standards and recognise each others qualifications, skills and documentation. Purely from a business perspective it allowed large companies to draw on a pool of skilled people from across Europe with no complications like work visas, different employee insurance, health & safety and working conditions etc. So for example, a project based in Germany could draw on British people if they had certain skills and vice versa and pan European projects where you were rolling out a product or service across all of the EU were relatively straight forward.
I love that hay field in the background! Gorgeous!
I really appreciate hearing your honest and sincere perspectives, Jess. I'm so glad you have made this transition well and established yourself in England with wonderful friends here!
Well done on finding an amazing place to live!🤍 XX Dara
Hiya Dara,
Thank you so much. I absolutely adore our garden!! I definitely wanted to share it with you all. I just want people to know it's not easy, but it's so rewarding living here in the UK!
I'm so glad you all are back. How long will you all be here? Love all your videos ❤️ Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn haha well we leave tomorrow! 😭 We arrived at the beginning of May and have had FIVE sets of American friends come visit us! The 2nd set stayed a month... most stayed 10 or 12 days. We have been madly dashing about showing people all around Gloucestershire as well as other parts of Britain. The summer flew by!! But we will be back next May again.
Now we are off to hangout in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany for two months. Then back to Texas... hopefully by the end of September it will have cooled off a tiny bit! 🙏
Will you still be in England next May?
Straw
Hayed? I think you meant harvested!
Yes they harvested, you know what she meant. Cheers, Chris
From the UK. At last, an American who had the same experience as I did when first driving on the other side of the road (in the US). After a short while it came easy, even with my first experience of driving an automatic. I can't understand why Amaricans make such a big deal out of it.
PS: They are straw bales, not hay. Notice the corn stubble left in the field. The lawn needs mowing.
I think you all have more opportunities to drive on the right-hand side because as soon as you leave the island, you drive on the right-handed side of the road in Europe. Most Americans, when they vacation they may find it difficult because they're not close to a place to get the hang of driving on the left-hand side of the road. It was not a horrible transition for my husband and I.
P.S. Definitely, I don't need to mow my grass... What I have read was that cutting the grass less may be better for the environment.
The reason why I called it a hay bell is because 9x out of 10, that is what people normally call it. Do they not have Hay Rides or hay bells for halloween or Fall decorations here!? As they actually don't use hay.... So hints why I called it hay bells. 😂 Definitely knew what it was.
Thank you for your comment. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn I had never driven on the right before going to the USA, but I must admit the wider US roads made it much easier than when I later drove in Europe. I did once find myself briefly on the wrong side in Spain after exiting a layby.
Being a country boy and working on a farm in my youth there was a big distincintion between hay and straw (feedstuff and bedding respectively). Also I've never heard of "hay bells" before. What you want on your "lawn" is to scatter a few wildflower seeds which can be purchsed in most garden centres. Even farmers in the UK are doing this in fallow fields to encourage more polinaters (bees etc.).
We have many accents, as you have mentioned but whatever our local accent might be we all understand BBC English, unfortunately it doesn't always work the other way round. You speak almost BBC English so you will be able to make yourself understood in most places. You mentioned briefly that you were trying to learn the various accents (seemingly to mimic them); my advice is do not try it - not anywhere. People will jump to the conclusion that you are 'taking the piss'. I've spent a lot of time in Scotland and have relatives in Glasgow; I could do a fair impression of a Glaswegian accent but if I tried to do it in front of a real Glaswegian I would likely end up with a broken nose. I love that you settled in already and live in a beautiful part of the country, I have relatives in Norfolk and visit regularly, but it's kind of flat down there - we have hills up here which break the monotony with a different kind of beautiful. Love your channel.
Thank you for the comment and kind words. You make a valid point about the accents. When she was talking about learning various accents, she was referring to understanding the different ques from the accents, like in American, something said down South may not have the same meaning as it does in the North. Cheers, Chris
you have to go into the cities to get a job ..very difficult in the countryside
I did look in the larger cities near us, Kings Lynn, but was unable to find anything or anyone that would expect me. No biggie. Because we were able to start the channel and I think that that is what I needed to do. 🤍 Jess x
Hayed?
I'm so glad you knew what I meant.. They harvested and put it into bales behind me. 🤍 Jess x
Have you learnt anything from the farmer for when you go back to the US? xx
We have learned so much from the farmer and just how agriculture works here. From pesticides and herbicides that are used also the amazing need for the wild flowers, the ins and outs of farm ownership. We have learned a great deal. Fabulous question. It's really appreciated! 🤍 Jess x
Just a quick question regarding the accents, have you ever heard Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaelic or Cornish before?
We have, not sure I can pick them out. But we have heard them for sure. Cheers, Chris
I find driving in France; ten minutes and it all comes naturally.
Like riding a bike, something that you can get back to quickly. 🤍 Jess x
So Jess! In America! The left hand is your right - no left - hang on! Right hand? Oh! I give up - carry on!
Haha, that bird had me so distracted. All I will say is that people should know what I meant.. 😂 😉
🤍 Jess x
FYI, you cut and bale a field of hay you don't hay it.
Cheers, Chris
Here's the thing, maybe if you'd known about the struggles beforehand you may not of even tried what you have. And i bet you're glad now 🤘👍
Oh, I most definitely agree with you. It has made our time here more of an adventure. We have worked together to figure things out, and it's truly been a wonderful experience for us all. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn Absolutely, plus, you have invaluable knowledge and experience that you can pass onto others. And just think, you haven't had to experience the nutty media in America at this mad time 😂😂
@jaysummers9396 Yes, I definitely want to share our experience, positive or negative, with others.
Oh, I'm hearing about it, unfortunately. All I can say is that it is disheartening to hear what is going on. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn Yes, it may be disheartening, but at the end of the day you have your three score years and ten to live regardless of any political and social shenanigans that you have zero control over. You and Chris are good people. 🤘👍
The field behind you has been harvested, a grain crop, possibly barley, and the bales are straw, not hay.
Thanks for the info. 🤍 Jess x
if you want an accent challenge....go for a weekend in Hartlepool, and listen to the locals in spooons :)
That sounds like a very interesting experience. 🤍 Jess x
Oi reckon them hay bales is straw bales 🙂
Oh, right, this is not the first comment like this. 😂
🤍 Jess x
*IMAGINE ME MOVING TO BULGARIA...!!!* Different language and different ALPHABET...!!!
And this was before mobile phones could do translations.
That would add a completely different fold into the transition. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn Yeah it was tough - and I was starting a new business here as well, I had to order stock by pictures and sign language for the first 3 years LOL
Still, when driving do be careful with 'force of habit' lurking in the background.
As a Brit who used to drive a lot on in UK cars in continental European - I would still find myself driving on the wrong side of the road very occasionally. Like once when I was coming out of a rural French petrol station . Amazingly, my first thought then was 'why is that car coming up on the wrong side of the road?' followed by 'Oh yes, I'm in France'.🙄
I also once went round a Belgian roundabout just off the car ferry the wrong way - the locals were amazingly tolerant and gave way - I suppose they saw the numberplate and thought 'Oh God, another British idiot just arrived!' 😁
That is a great bit of advice. We can understand how easily that can happen. It is a constant reminder as we drive. It will be interesting when we get back to American as well. Cheers, Chris
Lovely lady, lovely couple. Thank goodness she's not broadcasting from Russia, though: those beautiful green and yellow colours would get her arrested and fined!
Thank you so much. I am thankful I was not either! Don't ever want to be punished for wearing something I'm comfortable in. I love being in the UK. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn
And the UK loves having you here, Honey!😀
If you are worried about driving in the uk, just book a lesson with a driving instructor..they will gladly walk you through it
Oh, we're not worried. We pick it up, and we love driving here. 🤍 Jess x
What I don't understand is why I am not permitted to live in the UK and work online for an American community college. It's my job, I'm not taking it from a British person. If only I could do that, I'd love to move out of the US.
Friend, I'm not sure. I will definitely recommend you look into what steps you need to take. Hope you're able to figure it out. 🤍 Jess x
Did you mean 'harvested' Jess? xx 🤔
Yes, but it was baled behind me. 🤍 Jess x
@@DaydreamersBarn Indeed. the days of manual gathering, post reaping, as my Grandpa did it are, thankfully, long gone.
Not hay, its straw, quite different!
Haha, right, thanks for the friendly correction. ✌️
welcome to England
Thank you, friend! 🤍 Jess x
I think you probably mean learning to shift with your left?
Yep. 🤍 Jess x
Im just over the border from Norfolk, in Lincolnshire and in spring and summer it is idyllic. However I must warn you that the colour of autumn is Brown, both leaves and mud from the agricultural activity. It can be a little bleak but it makes a warm pub so much more welcoming
Thank you, friend. Last year, we mowed our garden into November. We understand about the autumn leaves and the mud on the roads all too well and welcome that changing of the season. I appreciate you sharing your time with me. 🤍 Jess x
Some places are a dumps don’t sugar coat it we know
Just like in the US! In the US, we have more storms that devastate communities, so yes, places are not taken care of.. Also, the US money is sent to other countries instead of taking care of it's communities and it's horrible health care and many other things. 🤍 Jess x
Did you get confused between left and right when talking about using a manual gearshift? Whatever, you and Chris obviously got your British licences and drive with confidence. I would say that it's probably harder to pass a British driving test than an American one, but that doesn't in any way guarantee that we necessarily produce better drivers - the recent horrific accident near Barnsley is testament to that. We now hear the police are looking for another driver/car that split from the scene and whom they think might bear some responsibility.
Glad you understood what I was meaning regarding the gearshift, the birds were distracting, lol. We have actually enjoyed the driving experience over here. Hopefully they find out what happened and who was responsible for the accident. 🤍 Jess x
Lots of English people complain about how noisy the countryside is especially if they 've lived in towns.😆
We love living in the countryside. 🤍 Jess x
You keep mentioning Garden instead of Yard ? .They are called yards or Back Yards when in Britain if you live in a house without pasture or a business with a rear expanse. Perhaps you could also say you have a Green Finger instead of Green Thumb !
Very interesting. Never had anyone call their garden a yard or backyard here in Britain. I will now always refer to it as a garden. I love the term and the word. I had never heard the expression green fingers. I love it!! Thank you 🤍 Jess x
I think you meant it was easy to shift with your left hand. Of course you had to change the bank, phone, house, healthcare. If you want a job live in a busy town not in Norfolk! Or work on line?
Correct, thank you for the information. 🤍 Jess x
Happy Yorkshire Day.....God's own county. 👍
Thank you, friend! 🤍 Jess x
Stick shift, surely left hand not right hand??
Yea, I am glad everyone knew what I was referring to. The bird threw me off 😂. 🤍 Jess x
Remember you live in a rural area, getting a job could be more difficult.
That is true, it can be limiting. Thanks for your comment. 🤍 Jess x