I Was Wrong About the UK

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  • Опубликовано: 22 май 2024
  • As an expat, I was wrong about the UK.. please forgive me! After living abroad for the last 6 years, I've realised all the ways I was wrong about British culture and life in the UK.
    Please subscribe here! ruclips.net/user/Adventuresa...
    0:00 I was wrong, oops!
    0:47 35g of flour??
    2:03 29/04/22
    4:48 milk, no sugar
    6:21 bit cool out there!
    7:25 yum yum!
    10:01 get your tickets ready!
    12:30 it's you guys!
    14:45 wait what???
    18:45 I'll never fit in
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    Hey! I'm Alanna - a twenty-something documenting my life as a Canadian living in England.
    I share the ups and downs of an expat living abroad and what it's really like living in the UK. It's not always easy, but there's been so many wonderful experiences, too. I post a RUclips video every Tuesday & Friday plus an additional video every Saturday on my Patreon account. I also livestream every Wednesday and Sunday at 5:30pm GMT/BST on Twitch.
    Alanna x

Комментарии • 1,4 тыс.

  • @stephenhargreaves9011
    @stephenhargreaves9011 Месяц назад +40

    Oh, my , God. A cup of tea cures everything. "You had a bad day, have a cup of tea", "Your grandma died, have a cup of tea", "You just learned that your neighbours were bombed (WW2 era), have a cup of tea". "You have terminal cancer, have a cup of tea". How does the world not know this?

    • @paulklee5790
      @paulklee5790 Месяц назад +7

      Thing is…. It actually works…. Odd that.

    • @philiprice7875
      @philiprice7875 23 дня назад +2

      a story from WW2
      just got back from the evac at Dunkirk they thought was going to be court marshalled for dereliction of duty but was given a cuppa
      oh british food chip butty say no more

    • @ianhill4585
      @ianhill4585 21 день назад

      The American 911. To us is the 9th of November. We have to translate back to 119.😮

    • @DanBeech-ht7sw
      @DanBeech-ht7sw 20 дней назад +2

      But it is also a satisfying marker. If I've done a chunk of hard physical work, cuppa

    • @googleisshittoss
      @googleisshittoss 2 дня назад

      Tea saves lives and sanity!..Simple as that.

  • @geraldinebton7677
    @geraldinebton7677 28 дней назад +21

    I am French, but I have lived in the UK for almost 20 years, and you are so right about the food. Not only is the traditional beige food comforting, but there's also a great variety of easily available foreign food here. At least in the cities. And sticky toffee pudding was a revelation to me, I remember eating it for the first time at a party and I couldn't believe how good that was. Also, I mainly eat plant based food, but one of the few things I make an exception for is yorkshire pudding, it is so simple, and yet delicious.

    • @jaelexlinsey
      @jaelexlinsey 17 дней назад +2

      Ooh! Yorkshire pudding. One of the best things about English food. It's so versatile. You can eat it as a filler with meat and vegetables. And you can also sweeten it, by adding a bit of sugar to the ingredients. And then you have a delicious dessert, that tastes great with custard. So versatile, so filling, so tasty. 😋
      Apparently, there's actually a restaurant somewhere in Yorkshire (I don't know where. Just remember seeing it on TV) that serves nothing but Yorkshire pudding based meals. Starters, mains and desserts are all made with Yorkshire pudding as the main part of the dish.

    • @caroletraynor8763
      @caroletraynor8763 4 дня назад

      Sticky toffee pudding tastes better with cold cream on it. The pouring variety is best.

    • @jaelexlinsey
      @jaelexlinsey 3 дня назад

      @@caroletraynor8763 I'd prefer vanilla ice cream. There's something about the contrast of hot versus cold that just lifts it for me.

  • @matthew4107
    @matthew4107 7 дней назад +2

    fun fact: a hot drink in the summer is actually the best way to cool down long term. a cold drink feels good in the moment, but makes your body think its not hot in the core anymore and stops sweating, so you get hot again.
    if its hot, cuppa tea
    if its cold, cuppa tea

  • @albertbrammer9263
    @albertbrammer9263 28 дней назад +9

    We get sweaty in the UK when it gets hot because as an Island the air is very moist. Higher temperatures are worse than on larger areas because moisture is higher and your lungs work harder.

  • @jonathanbrown4465
    @jonathanbrown4465 Год назад +125

    I think one of the reasons for the 'heavier' more traditional foods is that they come from a time when the average person would be working hard all day (in the fields, mines, mills etc) and the weather was cold. You would need lots of calories and a filling meal would provide that.

    • @lesley585
      @lesley585 Год назад +8

      Yes, you needed your carbs in those days....now not so much.

    • @StephenBoothUK
      @StephenBoothUK Год назад +10

      Also a lot of those foods would be to use up and/or preserve an excess of something or the parts of an animal that you wouldn’t just eat as they are. Pork pie and scotch egg were both to use up the scraps of the pig.

    • @theinvisibleneonrainbowzeb2567
      @theinvisibleneonrainbowzeb2567 Год назад +8

      It will also be partly due to availability of goods, I mean go back 100 years or whatever and obviously we didn't have air freight and the ability to import perishables from overseas.
      There was a lot of difference depending on season too, through the summer and into autumn obviously there would be a lot more fresh fruit and veg than in the middle of winter, which is when preserves would be used, and certain root vegetables etc.
      And not everything traditional is unhealthy, just might not be what fits the modern palate so much, other things or variants upon them aren't so bad I wouldn't have thought, I mean things like a ploughmans lunch, or a pasty back when the folded over thick pastry was basically a built in disposable handle.
      Also as mentioned, as times change so does taste, some foods and flavours go out of fashion and new things are discovered. On that note too, we have become accustomed to much more sweetness and there's probably a lot more sugars and things in modern versions of traditional foods especially in store bought/pre-made things.
      There's also the fact that rationing carried on for a long time after WW2, into the 50's, so I think a lot of the things that we think of as traditional were things that survived the war in the sense that people were able to make a dish, or a close equivalent with rations, OR were popular enough that as rationing ended people could once again make whatever dish again.
      idk, this has basically become just some random ramblings nobody asked for!

    • @StephenBoothUK
      @StephenBoothUK Год назад +4

      @@theinvisibleneonrainbowzeb2567 The Ploughman’s Lunch is not actually a traditional dish. It was invented in the 1960s as a marketing tool to take advantage of the rise in private car ownership and people driving out into the countryside for a day trip.

    • @theinvisibleneonrainbowzeb2567
      @theinvisibleneonrainbowzeb2567 Год назад +1

      @@StephenBoothUK huh, well there you go, you learn something new every day I guess. Mind the original marketing must have been effective, because it has stuck around for the last 60 years!

  • @cosmicsman666
    @cosmicsman666 Год назад +36

    All of this has happened because you are genuine, Honest,Lovable and sarcastic. I Adore your sarcastic side. We taught you well and you have improved upon it lol. Blessings from liverpool.

  • @alanreid2251
    @alanreid2251 Год назад +100

    Hi Alanna, I'm a much older fellow Canadian, but I was taught and have all my life said the dates as day-month-year (along with the last letter being 'zed', spelling colour with a 'u' and other things :) ). I think it's quite a common thing throughout the Commonwealth, but being where we are we're inundated with so much US influence that I fear the younger generations are losing a lot of what made English in Canada distinct from the US. Hope you continue to enjoy your life across the pond!

    • @jamesfry8983
      @jamesfry8983 Год назад +13

      The US influence is getting bad here in England, people are getting lazy with spelling words with the correct spelling, far too much US culture its a bad time for the future of British culture in general, there's even small children with US accents where parents just dump them down in front of US kids shows for way too many hours a day

    • @jamesfry8983
      @jamesfry8983 Год назад +4

      ​@@bendawson1995 Personally I would say maths is going to be replaced in the next ten years by math, anyway, I would give maybe five years till anyways becomes normal with the increasingly vast amount of US culture being force fed to the children. American English if you can call the abomination such, is more a dialect of True English and should be treated as such in order to protect one of the most historically important languages.

    • @thelastmotel
      @thelastmotel Год назад +4

      @@jamesfry8983 Nevermind the Great Firewall of China, I often think they need to build a firewall around the U.S. Americans make up 4% of the world's population, but they seem to be 90% of the cultural influence online, sadly. I work with children, teens, and young adults, and they are often so confused about what some things are and how they work, then they listen to Americans online, and then they're shocked to discover those things aren't the same here in the UK.

    • @johnd6487
      @johnd6487 Год назад +4

      It’s not where you are, in Britain the Americanised way of doing things is seeping in, I used to work in admin and the number of forms our young new starters would fill out with American spelling was getting depressing - but not especially surprising as while British children’s stories have to reprinted and Americanised before they are let loose on the American market, American stuff is just published here as is. I was watching a software instruction video on here the other day where the British presenter said to press Zee.. and I kind of lost all respect for him... but when a British kid tells me he’s playing with Legos, I may need to kill him lol

    • @michaeldavison9808
      @michaeldavison9808 Год назад

      The other thing that is disappearing is 'th/the' on dates. I always say 'the 25th of December' or 'December the 25th' not December 25th as our American and increasingly Canadian friends do.

  • @mark450
    @mark450 Год назад +11

    I loved the way you used 8th August for the date example.... pure genius! You'll be moving to Essex next.

  • @mouse-junkie
    @mouse-junkie Год назад +39

    I tried for years to get my US company to add YYYYMMDD to the beginning of all file and folder names on their servers to keep the files and folders sorted chronologically. They refused to adopt this idea, because they were so accustomed to naming files and folders in freeform text, like "Joe's trip to job site March 2019 when 3rd floor plans changed". Good luck finding anything quickly while sifting through those garbage names! I gave up trying to convince them.

    • @dotheyfloat9961
      @dotheyfloat9961 Год назад +1

      You can just click and sort chronologically though regardless of the name

    • @edweatherup3887
      @edweatherup3887 Год назад +2

      Good luck with "Joe's trip to job site March 2019 when 3rd floor plans changed" versus "Joe's on site March 2019 when 3rd floor plans changed" vs "Site March 2019 when 3rd floor plans changed - Joe Schmow" ... that's why "natural" filenames are a very bad idea.

  • @erictaylor5462
    @erictaylor5462 Год назад +68

    I had a British friend tell me he was asked by an American (not me) if they had the July 4th in the UK. The friend said, "We do. But for us it's the same as the 5th of November for you lot."
    The American asked what was special about the 5th of November?"
    He responded, "Exactly."
    This friend told me this because he knew that I could "Remember remember the 5th of November."

    • @bigdaddigaming
      @bigdaddigaming Год назад +5

      I've had this asked me about the 4th of July I immedatly went into Bill Engvall mode "no in England it goes from the 3rd to the 5th, here's your sign"

    • @erictaylor5462
      @erictaylor5462 Год назад +1

      @@bigdaddigaming That's not the weirdest thing though. In Canada they *DO* have Thanksgiving, but it happens *BEFORE* Halloween in October! And it's on a Monday (the Second Monday in October) *AND* it's French,.

    • @bigdaddigaming
      @bigdaddigaming Год назад

      @@erictaylor5462 oh yes I know, I have friends up in Quebec so I've heard all about it, Canada's an odd county, they have our queen as a figure head, and they all sound either an unusual form of American or french, talk about a mish mash

    • @bulutturok7322
      @bulutturok7322 Год назад

      @@erictaylor5462 yeah french real set of muppets, just like muppets who talk about french festivals and such nonsense, children are starving in de earth man..

    • @sirtarquin7288
      @sirtarquin7288 Год назад +6

      I am English and July 4th is very special to me, it's my birthday.

  • @Brummiemartin
    @Brummiemartin Год назад +173

    It's not just the UK that has the smallest to largest date formula. The rest of Europe (in their own languages) and in fact the rest of the civilised world uses it too. Only the USA (and as Canada gets dragged down by the USA) and Canada use the month / day / year formula....all except, of course for the 4th of July.

    • @BBKing1977
      @BBKing1977 Год назад +20

      Yes, Canadian here. All official government forms use the date in the same format as the UK. The problem is that in casual usage, the cultural impact of the US has affected the way people use dates. Many people in business/education even leave computer settings in US format, so it's commonly seen in that way.

    • @john_critchley
      @john_critchley Год назад +16

      In computing we are more and more often using YYYY-MM-DD - not only is this unambiguous, it sorts correctly. (I work for a company in America, remotely from the UK, so I see MM-DD-YYYY constantly)

    • @BBKing1977
      @BBKing1977 Год назад +10

      @@john_critchley Indeed, I prefer that YYYY-MM-DD format for the same reason (sorting), but getting everyone to adopt it is going to be a monumental overhaul.

    • @roberthindle5146
      @roberthindle5146 Год назад +6

      I think everyone should use YY-MM-DD-hh-mm-ss. It's just logical. MSB always on the left.

    • @BBKing1977
      @BBKing1977 Год назад +9

      @@roberthindle5146 to be a stickler, I'd stick with YYYY-MM-DD(-hh-mm-ss) just to keep things properly in order for the next 8000 years. 😁
      Plus, it allows for sorting dates over 22 years old.

  • @peterjeager4083
    @peterjeager4083 Год назад +56

    I think you are right about the main motive behind British reservedness. Once you realise that being as considerate as possible and as cautious about not even risking to offend anyone as possible are the primary commands in everyone's mind, you will understand the background of British social behaviour. This is not surface level politeness, nor some kind of an over-emotional care for others, but an emphatic, risk-avoiding approach to social life ingrained into everyone's mind from childhood.

    • @lucylane7397
      @lucylane7397 Год назад +7

      I think it’s common in small populated island countries like japan

    • @catherinerobilliard7662
      @catherinerobilliard7662 Год назад +4

      This is where talking about the weather is so useful. You can say “Phew, it’s so hot” and they can start chatting, or just give a sympathetic smile and a nod, and go back to whatever they’re doing, no offence taken by either side.

    • @jamesbonsall8657
      @jamesbonsall8657 Год назад +1

      What a load of bollocks. Come on a British building site and see how reserved we are😂

    • @rickybuhl3176
      @rickybuhl3176 Год назад +1

      Similar to elements of "Janteloven", as we have in Denmark, though with a polite British twist. A genuine "we're in this together" solidarity that only really comes from having struggled/suffered together.

  • @alanokelly3581
    @alanokelly3581 Год назад +51

    You don't have to apologise for being wrong, you're Canadian, we expect nothing less! 🤣It's all part of your immense charm.😉

    • @michaeldavison9808
      @michaeldavison9808 Год назад +2

      Canada's charm is that it is in the same area as America, has similar gun controls as America but is a superb example of how a country can have guns without daily mass murders simply by being populated by nicer people.

    • @monember2722
      @monember2722 Год назад +2

      ​@@michaeldavison9808 Canada is near empty and their gun laws are not like America's.

    • @loomick
      @loomick 21 день назад

      ​@@michaeldavison9808 the uk has guns too

  • @jcasillas78
    @jcasillas78 Год назад +121

    Great video! I think the "bad British food" thing is one of the biggest myths about the U.K. I've always had really good food when I visit, I wish I could find Cornish pasties in California!

    • @AdventuresAndNaps
      @AdventuresAndNaps  Год назад +10

      So true!

    • @RalphBellairs
      @RalphBellairs Год назад +4

      I'm told by an American friend that you have to go to Butte, Montana to find Cornish pasties in the USA.

    • @brianwhittington5086
      @brianwhittington5086 Год назад +2

      Cue...Time for another Alanna has a go at making traditional British food video, Cornish Pasties 👍

    • @stevenartmann2642
      @stevenartmann2642 Год назад +4

      Pengenna pasties in St Ives, best I ever had

    • @Brian3989
      @Brian3989 Год назад +1

      The law says you can only get Cornish Pasties when they are made in Cornwall.
      The origin of the Cornish pasty is back in the days of tin mining. Miners carried their meal with them down the mine, tin is poisonous. The pasty was eaten by holding the crust which was thrown away.

  • @MazzaEliLi7406
    @MazzaEliLi7406 23 дня назад +2

    RE: The Air Con issue. Insulation in walls & roofs helps to maintain a moderate temperature in summer as well as in winter. Also there are fewer bugs in built up areas in the UK so sneck/lock the double glazed windows open a crack & draw down the blinds during daylight hours. Honestly it does make life much more tolerable, saves on utility bills & even helps to minimise harm to the planet. n.b. Very few stone cottages have hollow walls & some are not allowed to have double glazed windows. Most stone cottages are located in rural areas. Thoughts on those from any one who knows would be gratefully received - we all have our dreams.

  • @helenroberts1107
    @helenroberts1107 Год назад +15

    You’re not old, it’s that we can have lots of different weather all in one morning. A lot of popular British food is because it’s comforting

    • @foreverhungry84
      @foreverhungry84 Год назад +4

      if you don't like the weather give it an hour. we can have 4-5 types of weather all in one day

  • @maurashahar2967
    @maurashahar2967 Год назад +8

    You are such a sweet and positive person, and you are so young to have such an open view of life, it is a pleasure to watch your videos! Thank you so much for all your insights. Best regards from Israel.

  • @andyrichardsvideovlogs8835
    @andyrichardsvideovlogs8835 Год назад +6

    You've grown accustomed to our country 😉 and we're delighted you're here 👍

  • @markj66
    @markj66 Год назад +64

    Great fun video, very pleased you consider England "home" and that you've come to realise things weren't just thrown together here! There's a reason for everything!

  • @janrogers8352
    @janrogers8352 Год назад +9

    We all have preconceived ideas about places, no matter where we are from or where we go. No country has a monopoly on what's best in every circumstance. However, learning to embrace the differences, accepting the positives, is the grown up thing to do, but also recognizing that some things just aren't better.

  • @jonaschick912
    @jonaschick912 Год назад +57

    as someone that's (permanently) moving to the UK from the US in a few months, I found this video so helpful! especially the last part about "never fitting in". i think that's my biggest fear, so I'm relieved to know it won't always be that way 🥰

    • @chrisaskin6144
      @chrisaskin6144 Год назад +14

      Please don't worry, when you arrive here people will welcome you and want you to feel at home - and if unfortunately you encounter someone who is less than pleasant, then I'm very sorry. But they're probably unpleasant to everyone, regardless of their nationality, even British. Just be aware that you might experience a 'culture shock' when you arrive. We're not blessed with acres of space and so sizes of things are noticeably smaller here, and that extends to houses etc. But it also extends to most things such as food portions in restaurants etc. I hope you have no regrets and slot right in and wonder what you were worried about.

    • @terrym3837
      @terrym3837 Год назад +7

      Things will be fine you will have nothing to worry about.
      There will be the odd jerk but there everywhere , people will be more interested where in the US you came from.
      Just go with the flow and have fun.

    • @AdventuresAndNaps
      @AdventuresAndNaps  Год назад +12

      I hope you have a great move!! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!

    • @brianwhittington5086
      @brianwhittington5086 Год назад +9

      If you are unsure about something, just be friendly and say " sorry but it's all strange to me, could you help please as I'm new to the area". You will usually find middle aged and older folk will be glad you asked, and go out of their way to help you understand our ways. The younger generation may not seem so helpful, but above all else, don't complain and say the dreaded " things are bigger / better in the USA" or you will find people are more defensive and unhelpful. You will soon find out which are the most friendly, and being from South Yorkshire, I have to say we are very straight talking, but very friendly people once you've met them.

    • @izzyroberts5518
      @izzyroberts5518 Год назад +10

      You will be fine, just prepare for sarcasm and being willfully insulted when someone regards you as a friend

  • @wessexexplorer
    @wessexexplorer Год назад +4

    It’s so lovely to hear Alanna taking to so much British stuff🤗🤗 I bet at the end of the video she confirms her Britishness by saying she was joking about it all!!

  • @richardlee3235
    @richardlee3235 Год назад +2

    Your point about politeness is spot on love,, love this video many thanks 😊

  • @adfe8921
    @adfe8921 Год назад +1

    It's amazing how time changes perspective. I've found that myself. You're almost never the same person at the end, as the one you were in the beginning. Enjoyed the introspection.

  • @LeicesterGuy123
    @LeicesterGuy123 Год назад +5

    As somebody who's been watching for many years, it makes me genuinely happy to hear you say that you feel like you fit in :)

  • @martinwyke
    @martinwyke Год назад +9

    Talking weather is a social lubricant with strangers without getting personal or controversial.
    Probably one of the healthiest traditional British dishes would be roast chicken dinner, boiled potatoes and veg including greens, lots of different options cabbage, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, leaks, peas, carrots, parsnips, turnip in multiple varieties.

    • @philiprice7875
      @philiprice7875 23 дня назад

      and next day for brekkie, gods own food "bubble and squeak"

  • @applejuice5272
    @applejuice5272 Год назад +1

    Healthiest food is probably fruit (strawberries, apples, raspberries, pears, blackberries, damsons, gooseberries, snozzberries, bananas (if you buy a banana plant and your greenhouse is heated & lit)) and vegetables (carrots, potatoes, parsnips, avocados, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, leeks, cauliflower, basil)

  • @andymcgarty3099
    @andymcgarty3099 Год назад +2

    Great video. Brave to admit you've changed your mind. And about some big things too :) Like the new chapter feature too, will be great when rewatching later.
    Love that England feels like home, its a great place to live.

  • @rayjennings3637
    @rayjennings3637 Год назад +45

    The date format is not specific to Great Britain, it's pretty much the standard format across the globe although some countries are beginning to confuse the issue by adopting the UTC date, i.e. year/month/day!

    • @gordonlawrence1448
      @gordonlawrence1448 Год назад +10

      UTC is actually a better format for a lot of jobs as it makes things easier to file in date order.

    • @sheridanwilde
      @sheridanwilde Год назад +2

      @@gordonlawrence1448 I was thinking that too - though the important thing is to start at one end and go to the other (large to small, small to large) and not go medium, small, large!

    • @John_259
      @John_259 Год назад +1

      I prefer the 29-Aug-22 format, because it's far less likely to be misinterpreted.

    • @Richard-tf5cf
      @Richard-tf5cf Год назад +1

      Ray you have raised an Interesting point. The ISO preferred format of yyyymmddhhmiss is how all dates are saved in computers worldwide. Programmers then have to convert this to local country format or just to add punctuation e.g. yyyy-mm-dd (as I understand is used in Japan?). Even though I am a Brit who has only ever lived in the UK I can see the advantage of this e.g. when sorting a list in date format, so have begin to use it myself in recent years, much to my wife's chargrin!

    • @sammorrissey9094
      @sammorrissey9094 Год назад

      @@Richard-tf5cf Not really. A lot of dates are stored as epoch millis and then converted for presentation purposes

  • @matc6221
    @matc6221 Год назад +4

    So glad you feel you've 'fitted in' here more. Even planing on at stone cottage some day. Wow. But are there some days where you still feel like you're on vacation here? Enjoyed it gurl! 😉 👍

  • @loosewheels1000
    @loosewheels1000 Год назад +2

    Very true about using the buses when you use them for the first time, made me think of when I was in Ottawa many years ago, myself and some Australians I'd met in the youth hostel decided to go somewhere, we went to the bus stop, but didn't think of which side of the road the bus would arrive on, very amusing when it went past on the opposite side of the road !!

  • @chrisshelley3027
    @chrisshelley3027 Год назад +1

    Your last item in the list is such a big deal, I don't recall how many years I have been subscribed to Adventurous and Naps, but I have never been subscribed to any channel for this amount of time, you keep the content fresh, new, funny, interesting, relevant, lively, useful, informative even serious and a billion more things that no one else can do like you can and for it to be interesting after 6 years, but getting back to the last on your list, that took courage, I know that you miss your home in Canada, but I have seen you get more and more into what your little corner of England has to offer. The times you have gone out with the camera to show us what is close to your home, a short train ride away, you are proud of what there is and how old it is and the history, no you don't go into the history really, but you love where you live and I think that is wonderful for different reasons, I as a Brit see the beauty in someone from another country enjoying what is here is to be celebrated, you really are a wonderful person, for so many reasons, but the best reason is because you don't hold back with what you say, you tell it how you see it, today's video is proof of that, please don't ever feel that you might upset anyone, continue to be as you are please, I just want to say thank you for this video, you didn't have to admit and apologise, but I'm guessing that the inner you wouldn't let you not apologise, bless your heart :)

  • @JamesStoddah
    @JamesStoddah Год назад +12

    Loved this video. I can get everything you said. There's plenty wrong with the UK (especially in recent years) but there's so much that I'm grateful for living here.

    • @AdventuresAndNaps
      @AdventuresAndNaps  Год назад

      Thanks for watching!

    • @jsmith1561
      @jsmith1561 Год назад +1

      Remainer Alert!

    • @JamesStoddah
      @JamesStoddah Год назад

      @@jsmith1561 Fukwit alert!

    • @christopherbuck7679
      @christopherbuck7679 Год назад +4

      Having worked in many many countries around the world, for many years, when I come home I think the UK is very good, there may be better climets, larger countries, but unless you have lived anywhere else you will never know how good the UK is. Folk that winge about need to go live elsewhere.

  • @Malfie657
    @Malfie657 Год назад +5

    Thanks for the great video Alanna - it's lovely to hear that you feel like you belong here now. I've subscribed to A&N long enough to get a sense of how much of a challenge it probably was early on, even if only in the collection of little things that you talked about back then. It's a great attitude that you have to embrace a different culture and probably a good lesson for other potential ex-pats wherever they are.

  • @Hydraas
    @Hydraas Год назад

    I'm sad the food/drink videos aren't popular on here, those are my favourite of yours to rewatch

  • @seanscanlon9067
    @seanscanlon9067 Год назад +1

    I do not know how long ago you got it Alanna and I have been watching from near the start and I am sure that you must be on your third home by now since I have been watching, but I have only just noticed your RUclips award in the background.

  • @adamclark7536
    @adamclark7536 Год назад +7

    That was an interesting video, I don't think I have seen one like that before. It was good to see the cracker drop too, one of my all time favourite moments!
    Talking of tea, a bar in Leeds has created a cocktail using Yorkshire tea, rhubarb liquer and vodka.

  • @iian0
    @iian0 Год назад +3

    Made me laugh when you said "cup of tea" you sounded so British. Great video thanks 👍

  • @peterlyall2848
    @peterlyall2848 Год назад

    Allana you are forgiven...Pete from Australia...we all love RUclips channel..its great you have such a warm happy personality about keep it going..
    🤠🤟👍🙋‍♂️

  • @Jamie_Smith.
    @Jamie_Smith. Год назад

    Them Birthday vibes getting you on the trending tab 🥳🥳🥳 (there’s your gift)

  • @mauricestainsby196
    @mauricestainsby196 Год назад +13

    Interesting to compare your experiences to my wife’s. She emigrated from Michigan 3 years ago, and I see her learning similar lessons as you tell.

  • @iancomputerscomputerrepair8944
    @iancomputerscomputerrepair8944 Год назад +7

    Alanna, another brilliant video, good presentation. As you spend more time here in England you are slowly adapting to English life. The sign of that is that you are consuming more tea. A lot of British food was created when it was normal to earn a living by doing a lot of Physical work, such as Coal mine, Tin mine, Steel foundry for example when people did not have central heating etc, and if the house was cold they needed plenty of hot filling and cheap food, such as Beef Hotpot, Stews, Toad in the hole for example.

  • @simonlee7633
    @simonlee7633 Год назад +1

    Hi, I am enjoying watching you blossom in your home in Kent. It reminds me of when I moved to London from the North of England. Thank you.

  • @stuarthardy8202
    @stuarthardy8202 Год назад

    Yes Alanda, it's about time you go back! To your local farmers market... I was impressed with it.

  • @terryomalley1974
    @terryomalley1974 Год назад +49

    You weren't wrong about any of those things. All that's happened is, after being in England for several years now, you've become accustomed to these things. Same with when you grew up in Canada. The North American customs you cite aren't "wrong" per se, but they were what you were familiar with. You can tell you've become "Britishized" to some extent, since you said "air con", in contrast to "A/C", which is the common term used in the US and Canada.

    • @williamjackson2089
      @williamjackson2089 Год назад +3

      In the UK a/c is usually taken to mean alternating current.

    • @idiotbuster8662
      @idiotbuster8662 Год назад

      @@williamjackson2089 not really. Most people know what AC is and contextual relevance makes it clear whether they're referring to alternating current.

    • @williamjackson2089
      @williamjackson2089 Год назад

      @@idiotbuster8662 Are you saying that a/c is not really usually taken to mean alternating current in the UK?

    • @TootlinGeoff
      @TootlinGeoff Месяц назад +1

      When my father wasxwith the RAF in the middle east, we referred to,air conditioning as A/C

  • @norbertfricke7116
    @norbertfricke7116 Год назад +9

    Really great idea for a video. After 44 years of moving to UK I had to revise my opinion on a LOT of things, so I know what you mean. It's great though realizing how we change !! 😄😄

  • @kathleenjones817
    @kathleenjones817 Год назад

    Totally agree about the room air conditioner! Best purchase ever. We bought one 15 years ago and while we don’t use it often, when you need it-you need it!

  • @dallasstrilcuk5042
    @dallasstrilcuk5042 Год назад +1

    Love you're Canadian. In the winter in Alberta the sun goes down at 2:00 pm lol

  • @johnboy2562
    @johnboy2562 Год назад +3

    When you suddenly realised that 08/08 was not a good example in explaining date differences between here and North America, I had to pause for a few minutes while I stopped laughing!! Made my day though.🤣😂

  • @Raysnature
    @Raysnature Год назад +18

    I'm from London originally and therefore supposed to love jellied eels but... na, you're definitely right there Alanna.
    I now live in rural north Devon and you are also right to be sceptical about the public transport services 'out in the sticks'. For the most part they are non-existent.

    • @Isleofskye
      @Isleofskye Год назад +1

      I could only bring myself to move 11 miles, Ray, from the heart of South East London in 1983 and the transport is still good but does not compare with the 33 Bus Routes that were within 2/3 miles of my home in town😀

    • @gordonlawrence1448
      @gordonlawrence1448 Год назад +1

      It's not just out in the sticks. They are not fit for purpose in many cities. EG the city I'm in if you want to do shift work but don't have a car you are stuffed. The hospital had a desperate need for porters but the first bus arrives at 06:27 and that's if it is on time and if you do not have to get a bus into the city center to get that one. It's so bad if you live in many places you cannot even get to the jobs that start at 8AM. It's not just people out in the sticks that are screwed it's everybody.

    • @MatthewDoye
      @MatthewDoye Год назад

      When you want a bus and look at the calendar instead of your watch 😆

  • @mauricecasey866
    @mauricecasey866 Год назад +1

    While looking for you at the earlier slot I was fed your yorkie pudds video which I had seen before but watched again while waiting. Still the best yorkies on you tube without doubt! Pudd hole still makes me cry!

    • @AdventuresAndNaps
      @AdventuresAndNaps  Год назад

      Ahhh thank you so much!! Haven't made them in ages, should do it again!

  • @karengray662
    @karengray662 Год назад

    First video I’ve seen of yours, but thought it was really interesting, so thanks

  • @589steven
    @589steven Год назад +11

    Canada actually uses the same date format as the UK to comply with the international standard. Some people may use the US standard in writing the date but it's not the case when you type in dates in online forms or official documents.

  • @bobblebardsley
    @bobblebardsley Год назад +6

    Haven't seen the full video yet but just wanted to say I love the 5pm posting time, I work from home so I get to finish work and immediately watch your newest video. Very happy!

    • @AdventuresAndNaps
      @AdventuresAndNaps  Год назад +2

      Ahh so glad to hear it!!! I was so nervous about changing the time 😅

  • @galaxywhispers1787
    @galaxywhispers1787 Год назад

    Great video as always Alanna.🙂

  • @davidchristian8218
    @davidchristian8218 Год назад +2

    Thanks Alanna! It's nice to know how your perceptions of our culture have changed over the years. BTW, I ❤ the new thumbnails. Nice colour combos 👍

  • @gert8439
    @gert8439 Год назад +4

    Lol you're right about the brown/beige food thing. There's something satisfying and wholesome (if not always heakthy!) about it too tho, and sometimes that's just what you want. I remember being confronted by an unspecified vegetarian version of the available menu in the Czech Republic once which was a bright purple mush with lumpy bits, it was very alarming! ;)

    • @phoenix-xu9xj
      @phoenix-xu9xj Год назад

      I don’t think our food could possibly be called beige anymore.

  • @RalphBellairs
    @RalphBellairs Год назад +8

    "Maybe I'm just getting old?!" - or maybe you're just getting British! 😂🇬🇧

  • @jimalbruzzess2445
    @jimalbruzzess2445 Год назад

    Hi Alanna, I wish you did more cooking/baking videos. That's what "got me" hooked on your channel to start with. Now I'm just hooked, and you are my dealer!!! Have a great rest of the week and I will watch you on Friday. 🇨🇦🥂🥂🤘🤘🤘🤘

  • @clairesouter7116
    @clairesouter7116 Год назад +2

    Hi Alanna, I found this quite moving. Completely relate as we moved away from our home town last year and I did wonder if I would ever feel at home in the new place, but given time it is true that home is where the heart is.xx

    • @AdventuresAndNaps
      @AdventuresAndNaps  Год назад +1

      Thank you so much! I hope you're enjoying your new home!

  • @robinholland1136
    @robinholland1136 Год назад +27

    Another great video! 'Meat and two veg' used to be a staple part of the UK diet and, if cooked properly and in the right proportions, isn't all that unhealthy. Formed the basis of most of the cooked meals I had growing up. Not a great deal of meat (expensive!) and usually green vegetables in abundance with root veg like carrots and swede, for example. I remember having liver on a regular basis and liver in onion gravy with boiled potatoes and spring greens is still a particular favourite of mine. You should try it . . . 🙂

    • @jrd33
      @jrd33 Год назад +7

      I grew up in England during the 1970s and had a similar experience. Boiled or mashed potatoes, peas, green beans, carrots were the staple base of most dinners, plus some sort of meat.

    • @deanrolph6912
      @deanrolph6912 Год назад +5

      When ever people say "meat and two veg" it makes me crack up, One of our main eating habits also has to have a rude meaning as well.

    • @roberthindle5146
      @roberthindle5146 Год назад

      @@deanrolph6912 Yeah, but your mum would never say "It's cock and balls for dinner!"

    • @michaelmclachlan1650
      @michaelmclachlan1650 Год назад +3

      Mmmmmm, happy memories of liver (aka lambs fry) cooked in bacon fat and served the way you describe. 😋

  • @naitchb16
    @naitchb16 Год назад +8

    Despite reading North American content daily their date format still catches me out occasionally. This summer has definitely made me think about my a/c situation 🥵 I’m happy that you think England feels like home ☺️ Great vid, Alanna!

    • @AdventuresAndNaps
      @AdventuresAndNaps  Год назад +1

      Thank you so much!!

    • @Pippins666
      @Pippins666 Год назад

      "9/11" always has me confused - is that September or November?

  • @raibeart1955
    @raibeart1955 Год назад

    We are priviledged to have tou here. All the very best to you and yours - from a Scotsman who'se lived in England for 52 years. All the best. Rab

  • @princesshassim6009
    @princesshassim6009 Год назад

    Hi. I'm British and i;ve been living for the past 5 years in Montreal....so whatever you've had to get used to in my country i've been doing the same in yours. Fun eh? Yes i'm coming home to England in the fall, i want to start over since my old life is trashed. I have no home yet in Britain but i'm gonna see if i can find one. Good luck with all your endeavours in the future hon, i've been watching some of your vids and i know how hard learning new tricks can be but you've done OK, and always remember you were brave enough to try it and stick at it in the first place. Go well Ontario.

  • @matc6221
    @matc6221 Год назад +3

    I thought the last few summers were more intense, in my area, because there was no breeze. This summer has made a difference, but yeah give me air-con 😌

  • @stephenphillip5656
    @stephenphillip5656 Год назад +4

    Hi Alanna, another great video of your "take" on British life. Gotta say it- you're getting more British everyday! (Not that you'll be less Canadian of course).
    The date format can be confusing. A friend of mine had a whole lot of trouble at US Customs and Immigration a few years ago, due to the US officials (mis)reading the dates on his entry & exit documentation. They took a *lot* of persuading (3 hours!) that he wasn't staying as an illegal immigrant.
    Aircon would've been useful in the recent heatwave. I haven't got a/c so I dragged a mattress downstairs & slept in the cooler part of the house. Might get a portable air con unit ... we'll see.
    Take care of yourself (and Mr Naps if course!) Enjoy your week. Bye!

  • @johnpage5103
    @johnpage5103 Месяц назад

    im so glad you feel that England as your home. i watch alot of people who come here on you tube and none has embraced the culture like you have. id say from year two you could see you get it, so in my opinion you've being english since year two. from the perspective of someone watching you feels like you've come full circle

  • @Shaun_Garratt
    @Shaun_Garratt Год назад +2

    Great video, glad you are getting more and more accustomed to life in the UK. Can definitely tell with the kinds of food you like. Seemed that earlier taste test videos had a lot more dislikes of UK dishes and snacks. Maybe one day you will even like pickled onions, haha.

  • @angelique_cs
    @angelique_cs Год назад +22

    Cooking with a scale was something I had a tough time with too. A friend of mine put it this way: a cup of flour can vary because it might be packed too full, but the weight measurement is always consistent. that's when the lightbulb went off 😊
    I struggle with calendars starting on Monday when I book tickets to the UK!
    Thanks for another fun video!

    • @AdventuresAndNaps
      @AdventuresAndNaps  Год назад +3

      Thank you so much!!

    • @tonys1636
      @tonys1636 Год назад +2

      Sunday is and has been since Biblical times the first day of the week, I hate it when calendars use the Monday as the first. Hence the Sabbath being the Saturday and finding a London Taxi on a Saturday almost impossible a few years ago or a Tailors open.

    • @oliabid-price4517
      @oliabid-price4517 Месяц назад

      I think you mean when the light bulb went on... (lit up).

  • @grantparman4705
    @grantparman4705 Год назад +4

    Thank you for showing us the spilled crackers bit again. You always know how to make us laugh! With you, not at you 🙂

  • @gerrimilner9448
    @gerrimilner9448 Год назад +1

    i have a water bed in the summer i turn the heating off and sleep on a cool surface, then when its cold i turn it up and its nice and warm, cheep to run too 1p/day

  • @Marie-Elaine
    @Marie-Elaine Год назад +2

    This vlog is hilarious. I have been watching you for years and I saw the vlog where you talked about not liking tea and now you are a convert but I surprised you didn't mention when drinking tea the obligatory biscuit to accompany it.

  • @MartinParnham
    @MartinParnham Год назад +4

    There are a lot of things that North America does that seems strange to me but I can understand why they do it that way but the backwards date is just stupid so I’m glad you’ve come round to that! 😄

  • @keancv
    @keancv Год назад +4

    Alanna love the video, you don't look a day over 21. Some experiences may be different each time. ref public transport, what about 'leaves on the line' or 'the wrong kind of snow'?

  • @stephenlee5929
    @stephenlee5929 Год назад +2

    Hi, so pleased you have become comfortable here.
    I think the air con is one of the most difficult and yes air con is nice, but its about being acclimatised to not having it. A cooled bedroom is so good..

  • @clairenoon4070
    @clairenoon4070 Год назад +1

    Talking about the weather (specifically when it's really bad) is just a way of giving a brief verbal hug. When you're having a terrible day, struggling through driving wind and rain in the middle of winter, just to share your 'fed-up-ness' with someone else helps.
    Agree about public transport - I haven't owned a car for over 25 years; most of my adult life.

  • @lizhorton5333
    @lizhorton5333 Год назад +3

    Enjoyed the video. I grew up in Canada and then moved to America. Maybe not as much of a cultural difference as moving to the UK, but it was still quite a change. I’m lucky too to have roots in two really great countries. I think I would really like the UK too. My parents are European, so I would feel “at home” with the more European aspect of the UK. Also I’m a huge fan of the Queen and the Royal family. The history and architecture there must be awesome!

    • @Richard-tf5cf
      @Richard-tf5cf Год назад

      You think the UK being in Europe makes Brits Europeans, I think not!

  • @harrisonandrew
    @harrisonandrew Год назад +10

    England is lucky to have you and your honest views of our country.

  • @DMGamanda
    @DMGamanda Год назад +1

    Hiya, i do enjoy your videos you always make me smile. When i finished this i did use your link and hop over to your flat tour and saw you had a Nintendo switch. Now this is possibly a random request, i guess you may have also done this and i missed it somehow, but i would love a video about what you play. I love seeing what others are playing on their switches as it gives me ideas of things to check out. Thanks again for the great content, Amanda :-)

  • @AaronTheHipHopGuy
    @AaronTheHipHopGuy Год назад +1

    That was an interesting video! I like how your new thumbnails look, they stand out well and they look cool! I like the new upload time too! It’s an exciting new era for A+N! A+N is my favourite RUclips channel and I always root for you to do well! I really appreciate your channel and you’re a really nice person, I hope your new upload time and new thumbnails work out well for you! They seem great, I think it’s going to help a lot! Thanks so much for the video and hope the new changes to the channel help you get the views you deserve! You and your channel are great!

    • @AdventuresAndNaps
      @AdventuresAndNaps  Год назад

      Ahhhhh new era, love it! Thanks so much for your support pal!

  • @Jamie_D
    @Jamie_D Год назад +3

    I never realised Canada also did the weird date format, for some reason i thought it was just the states

  • @margueritehuggett440
    @margueritehuggett440 Год назад +3

    the 'heavy' very filling food goes with the cold/wet/dank/dark climate - and we've survived several thousand years of the climate by eating the food! And I've just heard you ask what is the 'healthiest' food: answer to me is 'milk' . Good luck.

  • @benlee6158
    @benlee6158 Год назад

    I'd love to see more cooking/baking videos!

  • @dforder5607
    @dforder5607 Год назад +1

    I've only seen your cooking vids on RUclips.. I love them... find them very funny with your laissez faire approach towards following the recipes lol

  • @Leocoz82
    @Leocoz82 Год назад +6

    You're slowly turning British 😉
    I must say, as a brit, I hate talking about the weather 😆
    Never understood why people do it!

    • @Sue474
      @Sue474 Год назад +1

      I don't think we talk about the weather because we're obsessed by weather or find it fascinating. It's just that the weather is a 'safe' subject if you want to strike up a conversation with a stranger or slight acquaintance. Talking about other things might be too personal or too controversial and you just want a light conversation in order to be friendly and pass the time pleasantly.

    • @Leocoz82
      @Leocoz82 Год назад +1

      @@Sue474 maybe it's because I'm terrible with small talk. If some were to say to me "terrible weather today, isn't it?" my reply is just "yep" and that's the end of that conversation 😂

  • @joshbrailsford
    @joshbrailsford Год назад +18

    I actually don't think there is a problem with writing the date Month/Day/Year, the problem is that it's so often expressed numerically, e.g., 8/2/22 which, depending on your location, could be interpreted as August 2nd or 8th February. It would be less confusing if everyone always used alpha characters to represent the month, i.e., AUG 2 or 2 AUG, then there's no confusion.

  • @ashofthe3yamyamsa.k.aasher675
    @ashofthe3yamyamsa.k.aasher675 Год назад +2

    I don't think I'll ever get my head round the non British way of writing a date, I still fail to see how there are 30 months, at least that's how my brain tries to read it but that's just how it's engrained. The other thing with tea is it's the perfect accompaniment to many snacks such as biscuits, crumpets, toast or best of all cake. Can't beat a good bit of comfort food & I feel that's what we do best, hearty, rustic comfort food. Great video & liking the new time, easier to catch after a morning shift for me, even have time for a quick nap if I need a reset, appropriate really

  • @richardpalmer7640
    @richardpalmer7640 Год назад

    Excellent job alanna ❤️❤️❤️

  • @afpwebworks
    @afpwebworks Год назад +18

    This “I was wrong” thing is going to get you in serious trouble with the sisterhood. But it would sure make you a serious marriage prospect for any man. Not many wives will concede they are wrong. I once had a mate send a message on Facebook saying “Guys I need your advice. I’m in the middle of an argument with my wife and she just said I was right! What the f**k do I do now?” He got lots of helpful advice like “careful! It must be a trap!”

    • @chubbymoth5810
      @chubbymoth5810 Год назад

      Hmm,.. it took six years though to make that public.

    • @FaithPixel
      @FaithPixel Год назад

      Jesus.. I feel sorry for the straights

  • @raywoolmer861
    @raywoolmer861 Год назад +7

    As an oldy englishman living in Shetland and having previously lived in several different parts of England, I can assure you that it takes just a few years to settle in any new place when you have neither friends or family living locally. I think it takes 4-5 years for you to be trully accepted and settled in a new area, but you certainly seem to have the right attitude to do so.

  • @jesuse141
    @jesuse141 Год назад +1

    So relatable. Thanks for this.

  • @pauly5418
    @pauly5418 Год назад

    Growing up here in Ontario, our family didn't have air conditioning for the first few years at our home, but we had a fan that turned from side to side so that it could cover most of the room at some point. That helped.
    My sister now lives in an older home in Toronto that doesn't have air conditioning. She also has an air conditioning unit in her bedroom, but she also uses our old family fan in the part of her home where she spends most of her time.
    For those that don't have air con, consider at least a fan. Another thing. Whenever we have a hot day or a heat wave, we're often told to check up on vulnerable people like elderly neighbours as they're less able to cope.

  • @kumasenlac5504
    @kumasenlac5504 Год назад +4

    15:43 Not all the UK fried - the North-West Highlands of Scotland were a very pleasant 18-20C. It was also possible to get there without going through an airport or getting involved in the railway anarchy.

    • @charlestaylor3027
      @charlestaylor3027 Год назад

      I'm on the Ayrshire coast - we got to a balmy 24 degrees.

    • @Daytona2
      @Daytona2 Год назад

      Nice, but the bugs make it a no go area for me, between May and September, sadly

  • @MadnessQuotient
    @MadnessQuotient Год назад +7

    I was raised with the DDMMYY format, but actually YYYYMMDD is a fantastic format because it auto sorts into both calendar and date order even between years. If you name a document something like "20220803 Meeting Notes" it will naturally sort itself with all your other meeting notes (or whatever other regular doc system you have to maintain)

    • @martinconnelly1473
      @martinconnelly1473 Год назад

      NATO standard is ddmmmyyyy or ddmmmyy where mmm is the first three letters of the month. This is to avoid any errors when you have USA forces interacting with European forces.

    • @RatKindler
      @RatKindler Год назад +1

      In Canada all government communication uses YYYYMMDD and I love it. It seems to be slowly creeping into the private sector but I wish it would hurry up.

  • @ericrabinowitz6390
    @ericrabinowitz6390 Год назад

    Glad to hear you're feeling at home now. Does Kent play a part in that? When you were coming from Canada, what convinced you to settle in Kent over another part of the country? Love your energy and interesting videos. Keep up the great work!

  • @Phiyedough
    @Phiyedough Год назад

    I do the same with the portable aircon. thing in the bedroom. I turn it of when I go to bed as it is very noisy but it is on all day and does help. It also gives me the option of going to bed early for some relief on the hottest days. In contrast I spent 2 nights in a rented apartment that was listed as having AC but the unit fitted was useless. I got virtually no sleep and was glad to get home to my own setup.

  • @brianwhittington5086
    @brianwhittington5086 Год назад +5

    Great video Alanna, it's good that you came to realise that the UK does things "our way", for a reason.

    • @stephen129
      @stephen129 Год назад

      What like driving on the left when hardly any other countries do? Or using both Imperial and metric units? (which is mental).

    • @brianwhittington5086
      @brianwhittington5086 Год назад

      @@stephen129 There is far more to it if you look it all up Stephen, around 1/3 of all countries with roads drive on the left. There are also ancient laws dictating horses and coaches kept left on tracks. All to do with how weapons, reins and whips were held. (A side note is also why most staircases in castles etc, spiral clockwise going up. It gives the defenders above the advantage to use weapons right handed) Other motoring reasons are founded in medical and scientific tests, it has proved safer. Most people are right side dominant, with both hand and vision. Steering is more important than gear change, so the right hand dominant keeps better steering control. You can theoretically see oncoming vehicles better, for passing parked vehicles and overtaking. It's also why the accelerator and brake pedals are positioned as standard for right foot use, and the less important clutch for left foot use. Working in the motor industry many years, I remember scientific research showed drivers subconsciously steered to the left when facing an impact situation. That theoretically is avoiding a head on collision, and reducing the combined impact speed of both vehicles. Even at 30 mph, a head on into another vehicle approaching at 30mph would equal the same as a 60 mph impact into a solid object. Those are part of the reason your insurer will ask questions about transmission, and which hand drive your vehicle is, to determine the extra risk factors.

  • @davebirch1976
    @davebirch1976 Год назад +12

    Always makes me laugh that Americans do month, day , year...... Until it's 4th of July 🤣

  • @raibeart1955
    @raibeart1955 Месяц назад +1

    34 is not old ! TEA he😊 You are loved here. we do have air conditioning we call it opening a window - not too many beasties that will fly in and eat you!All the best.Rab

  • @bilsib53
    @bilsib53 Год назад

    So glad you've found it, as have many Brits who've experienced foreign cultures. Many 'stay at home' Brits don't seem to appreciate what they've got. That said, I do love life here in France and many years ago, I loved life in Canada (Alberta). None are perfect.
    It's sweltering here too, a nice mug of tea brings out the sweat, so then you switch on a couple of big electric fans to enjoy the body's inbuilt cooling system. That's why tea is more refreshing in a hot climate.