There was a lass in our office who was always cheerful and brown-nosed management. She came in one morning with a cheerful ‘Morning!’ and my mate shouted ‘shuuut upppp!’...she was wounded 😂
When the big "much hated" boss retired, the kitty envelope did the rounds! Middle management put in first but when it was returned it had less money than when it left, in addition it contained buttons, washers, empty sweet wrappers and numerous IOU' s
I'm from Brazil, living in England for almost 2 years now, since I got here I have been working in a warehouse. I started as an operative, and as my English improved I began to feel more confident to apply for other positions in the same warehouse, and it has been a good experience for me! I think if you are looking for any kind of job is kind of easy to find it, in warehouses, restaurants, etc. If you want something more specific, or in an office or something like that, than it gets more difficult. Anyway, it was nice to know more about your experience here, I love your videos! 😄
The last job I had in England, I was allowed to work a half day on Fridays. That was because my boss said the company were freezing pay raises that year and couldn't give us the pay raises he thought we deserved so he let us go early every Friday. There was a pub a few hundred yards away with a really nice beer garden so we would spend Friday afternoons there 😁👍🍻
It's funny working from home because of covid that I've forgotten those kind of things that i didn't realise I missed. The banter at work and random outings for lunch and the friends you make and also getting next level smashed and making an idiot of yourself at the xmas do.
haha this is so true, my former colleague was from London and she would always make us tea and talk about which books or TV shows we were watching LOL. Loved her for it.
Ahh, that takes me back to my first job in the Civil Service. When my boss first said that to me I initially thought that it was some strange Civil Service holiday that I had not heard of!
I laughed at that 'Back already' reference you made. You have probably not been on the end of 'Good Afternoon!', when you arrive a minute late at work in the morning, usually due to terrible traffic. 😳
I appreciate your videos as a benchmark for the week. I've said it before, but since quarantine started, it's nice to have a regular reminder of what day it is. All this office talk makes me miss working. Just a little, but still!
Lol when you turned suddenly to stare at something I genuinely thought of the distracted dogs from UP going "Squirrel", and then you informed us it was an actual squirrel 🤣 this is totally something I would do
Hi. Another great video thanks it’s lightened up a crap day. I think we in Britain get more holiday days than North America too so all good this end. Have a great week and watch out for the bugs and spiders. 😃
I've always used "kitty" in the context of an ongoing mutual fund for a general purpose ie. tea, biscuits etc. and whip-round for a one off collection for a specific purpose (or person).
Yep, if you are a sensitive soul and don't like banter and piss takes you are not going to like working in a British office. If you do it's great fun. I remember going out of the office for 10 minutes and came back to find my desk completely empty - even the computer had disappeared. It took me half an hour to find it all. No one took the slightest notice and carried on as normal.
The backtory : I don't live in London, everyone I work with does. They've been seeing each other on a reasonably regular basis since lockdown. I went into the office for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and everyone there had t-shirts with my face on them and a caption saying "missing" over the picture. The banter is real. Of course we went to the pub after work and got smashed :-)
As a 🇬🇧 Brit working in 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent, the Caribbean for 5 years, it was like your experience in a way, with the ups and downs, meeting great people and experiencing so many new things. The most challenging things were the weather (very hot, as well as crazy storms!) and life is so laid back, so things don't always go to plan. Do I regret any of it? No. A chapter in my life I will always treasure 💙💛💚
Hi Naps, when someone is leaving or celebrating a birthday and a collection is made we would normally refer to that as a whip-round. Possibly a little alarming for an expat to be told we're having a whip-round if they're unfamiliar with the term but now you know :-) "Kitty" is good for for the coffee / tea fund etc as you suggested.
In the midlands another term used for a “kitty” is a “whip” (shortening of whip round). For coffee/tea clubs the money you pay (weekly/monthly) is often referred to as ‘subs’ (subscription) or ‘dues’. With banter, the harsher the leg pulling the greater the fondness. So banter is taken as a sign of belonging and acceptance.
I’m still furloughed & the main thing I miss is the banter & sarcasm! Great video Alanna, hope you’re feet are okay, I got sunburnt feet in Cyprus last year (remember holidays!) & it was horrendous!!!
OK Alanna, I can understand that you might have been upset but under no circumstances do you throw roast potatoes. What do you think sprouts are for? Roast potatoes are much too tasty to waste by throwing them.
That makes it worse. You could put somebody’s eye out. Sprouts are soft and do not represent a danger to life or limb. Not only that they can leave a nice stain, either green or gravy.
@@dave_h_8742 Does anyone know anyone who ever had their eye put out? Everything could 'take someone's eye out', according to my dad, too. It's remarkable that the vast majority of people have two functioning eyes, considering all of the 'high jinks' which were blamed for eye-destruction. ;)
Today is my birthday, and this vid is a good present from all the way in Canada to Manchester. As u should know by now that ur channel is one of my favourite. Thanx
Ah, the traditional British 'office Christmas party' - It's a maker or breaker of many a work-life reputation. 'Hurling roast spuds'? I'd say that venue got off lightly.
Gday Alanna, another gem today! I left corporate life to be self-employed in 1996 so you reminded me so much of the great aspects of office life in a fairly large company In fact I had forgotten about all the kitties. With EFT being so prevalent nowadays I don’t even know if they still exist. I don’t have money in my pocket much any more In Sydney you don’t even use cash for public transport any more Is it the same in Britain? I love the gesture you use whenever you say your name. “I’m Alanna,” and you press both hands to your chest, as though you’re sharing something secret and deeply personal with us, which of course you are Thank you once again for sharing another part of your life with us in your unique gentle and entertaining way.
Hiya Alanna, I just popped round to say "Hi" and wanted to let you know I love your positivity and enthusiasm, it's rather infectious, hope you are keeping well back in Canada 🇨🇦 and make it back to Blighty 🇬🇧 real soon x x
The office banter between the workers and the boss goes both ways in British offices. Of course you have to be certain of what you can get away with before you make the boss the butt of your jokes. At one point in my career, I worked in a large communal office with 5 or 6 other people. Our boss's boss's boss had just returned from his summer vacation, and walked into our office. My desk was nearest the door, so I said to him: "Ah, so you're back Pete. Did you have a nice time away?" He smiled and nodded and I asked him whereabouts he'd been, to which he replied "Austria". I confessed that I didn't know much about Austria and asked him: "Whereabouts?". He replied "Vienna." I looked at him with as blank an expression as I coud muster, shook my head slowly, and said: "Where?". "Vienna," he repeated, (because obviously everyone has heard of Vienna.) I continued to give him a puzzled look, then frowned and glanced at everyone else present, and shrugged my shoulders, before repeating "WHERE?". He couldn't understand my confusion, and said forcibly: "VIENNA!". I shook my head one more time and said: "It means nothing to me." at which point everyone else burst into laughter. Pete had obviously never heard the song, but with all the laughter, he realised that I'd been having a joke with him, and not wanting to admit that it had gone right over his head, he slowly slinked out of the office. ( In case Pete is reading this after all these years, or for the benefit of anyone else who STILL doesn't get it: ruclips.net/video/xJeWySiuq1I/видео.html )
You're a real star. I want you to know the heartfelt joy at seeing you at your stalwart best. Through the 'buses and driving, cooking and,, stuff. I don't ever remember such kindness before? There' s so many of us worried about you, sure you know that. You are funny, that IS immediate citizenship,, you know that right?
Yeah, I've definitely heard of kitty's where I live. I've seen them for gathering money for someone's birthday or retirement. We also have Timmy's run but that's a bit different.
We share office space with other groups. The coffee fund is for all the coffee drinkers and their accoutrements. My department has a flower fund that people contribute too that sends flowers or a plant for occasions good or bad (weddings, funerals, surgeries, etc.).
You'd be amazed how quiet rush hour has been since March, especially in March and April. And here in the Birmingham area there were still a fair number of buses and trains running. I suppose in Kent they may have cut the buses more. Of course the schools are going back now so maybe the traffic will get worse again.
So good to see you again. I think I missed one of your posts and went into withdrawal. So, I've said it before, but it's worth repeating - come home! Now!
My colleague and I were like the lighthouse keepers at work, working through the whole Covid thing. Now our fellow office friends are coming back off furlough the banter is relentless, like 5 months of work besties separation has pumped up our fondness for each other!
Great video, Alanna! Well, I have some stories to tell about works Xmas parties. I have seen all manner of shenanigans. Trashed hotel rooms, food fights, proper fights, young lads trying to chat up old women, young girls copping off with older men who should know better etc. Anything goes at a Christmas party!
You're better off there at the moment. I'm in West Sussex (next door to Kent) and the weather here over the last few days has been cold and horrible ! Enjoyable vid, thanks.
Hi Alanna, a kitty is when you use communal items (tea, coffee etc). If it's for a leaving or birthday gift, its called a collection. I worked at one place where they gave you a day off for Christmas shopping! Glad your working experience was an enjoyable one.
I love the morning bus commute. There are so many people packed on them that the windows steam up and you can draw little pictures. It's how I met my wife.
Most engineering companies in the UK, or at least the ones I worked for, finish at noon on Friday. Half day Fridays! Love them. Missed them whilst working abroad (Europe and Canada) for a few years.
As someone who has been working and living abroad for well over 20 years I certainly agree that anyone that gets the chance to do so either in the UK or elsewhere abroad should definitely do so. It’s a learning experience that can change your life. Love your videos! Cheers,
One tip about commuting (whether it's by bus, car or train) - if you have flexible work hours and aren't "client-facing" - is to avoid rush hour times wherever possible. I get into work at 9.45am and leave around 5.50pm - the traffic is so much lighter at those times and your overall travel times are noticeably shorter.
Waving hi from Sheffield in the north of England. I hope your overall experience here was a good one. Be sure to come back. I want to say what an amazing country you live in. I have family in Medicine Hat Alberta and been to Toronto and Vancouver.
Fantastic video as always Alanna! I worked in a college a long time ago and every Friday was 5 a side football after all the students had left. Lecturers and technicians all past our sell by dates trying to run! But it was the thing we all looked forward to, when you passed another player during the day you had a smile of shared anticipation that it was Friday! On another thought about banter, apprentices used to get sent for buckets of steam or glass hammers 😂
Ah I fondly remember working in Scotland: finish 3.30 on Fridays, paid every 2 weeks, and at least three pub lunches every week not to mention the after work get togethers. On Thursdays it was Domino League night at the pub and you got free soup and sandwiches. Some other companies had half-day Wednesdays.
I work for a pharmaceutical company and when we're on lates we finish at 19:45 on a Friday instead of 10:15, which is the other four days, so that's cool and I can get to the pub at a normal time as well
Great video Alanna. Interesting about the pay as you go taxes. Maybe Canada needs a similar scheme, I wonder if it would benefit some people better than having to file at the end of April each year.
Glad you had a great experience working over here - it's something I've always loved about working here growing up (especially the Christmas dos!) and hopefully when things are sorted out you can come back again! For some clarity on the Tax front, PAYE as you say normally applies when you're with a registered limited company that pays you as a direct salaried employee on the payroll (ie you're not a contractor with a temp agency, work experience with school or a volunteer). When you first start in the UK you'll might get asked to fill out something called a P46 form which gets your basic details in for setting you up on the payroll and with HMRC (the tax and customs people). Once you're in you'll pay your income tax automatically along with your national insurance (a tax that allows you to build entitlement to state benefits such as tax credits and monetary support) and state pension. If you stay in the country and change jobs whether by choice, redundancy or firing you'll get a P45 form (similar situation to the infamous "Red Slip" in pop culture, you might hear this code referenced in jokes and memes) to give to your new employer, which is pre-filled with everything you had on your P46 but updated to your current situation, meaning you should (though the system isn't perfect) be set up to pay the right tax rates then going forwards in your new job. If you are contracted somewhere through an agency, get paid cash in hand, set up as a sole trader or in some cases (even if you are on a PAYE scheme) have some kind of work/family benefit or salary sacrifice to claim on (e.g: Credit for having to clean your own uniform, single parent support, pay for staff accommodation or have offshore funds) then yes you'll have to file taxes yourself though a tool called "Self Assessment" on the government website GOV.uk. It's not the most fun process but after seeing my wife in the US file her taxes, it's a heck of a lot easier than that! Don't forget if you're doing any of this to make sure you ask your boss for your P60 (end of fiscal year tax certificate) or at the very least a statement of your earnings!
Example of English office humour - someone I know bought a second home in France. An electrical store close to where he worked (in Swindon) had a sale on, so he bought a TV there to take to France with him, and he picked it up on his way to work for a 12 hour night shift. The plan was to take it with him on the train after work. Train to London, then the London Underground to St. Pancras, the Eurostar to Lille, a TGV to Bordeaux, and a local train from there. He arrived at his French house sweating and exhausted, and opened the box - only to discover that his work colleagues had removed the TV from the box and replaced it with a load of scrap paper!
I don't know if you ever experienced the warped British humour of leaving the office for a break and someone calls your name, when you turn round to answer them all you get is "How far would you have got if I hadn't called you?" My reply was always "Twice as far as I have."
Only 30 minutes early on a Friday, a lot of places will now shut at lunch time. We did not, but all our customers did, normally called POETS day, (push( or similar) off early tomorrows Saturday)
Kitty....😳 🤣🤣🤣 Great to hear your perspective and take on all things British Alanna 👍 Keep, keeping us aware of ourselves and entertained. I'd also like to say that you were extremely brave in making a move that most of us can only dream of making 😊
Sounds like you missing life in England and that's ok...we miss you too, I love your insights into office life....funny and so true, great observations and you look lovely....great vid ..can't wait for the next one....😘
I have been watching a lot of your videos recently as I decided I am gonna move to the UK for a bit. I have some friends over there and I need a change in my life. I was suppose to go to Canada on a work and holiday visa, but since covid it has been tricky and I am gonna have to postpone it. I am looking forward to making a move to England. I have been there several times and there is just something special about it. A lot of my friends that are British does not understand why I would like to move there but I just love the culture and the people. I hope that you get your visa and get to move back to England. From the sounds of it, it seems like you miss it :) All the best! x
I requested some garden footage ages ago and you finally relented! 😄 Can I put in a polite request for some squirrel footage next time? - great stuff as always.
On the subject of the kitty, if you don't intend to drink the tea of coffee it will still be easier on you to contribute as the subscription will have been calculated on the assumption you will be chipping in. Plus your colleagues will watch you like a hawk whenever you get up from your desk.
We say 'collection' for buying presents and kitty for regular events, eg birthday cards. Someone held the kitty and got the cards which they circulated around the office for signatures. In big offices it can be a bit overwhelming (and sometimes you really don't care) and I remember once, a manager who was invariably busy, signed the card 'have a lovely day' and passed it on. The card was brought back to him - they'd had to Tippex out what he'd put as it was a bereavement card - a woman's husband had died - she wasn't in his direct line of responsibility but whoops! In the spirit of office banter that you talk about Alanna, my how we all laughed!
You gave me sunshine, when I had only rain, You brought me happiness, when I only knew pain, You gave me light, when darkness filled my world, You beautified my life, brown eyed girl ❤️
Hi Alanna, we sit down as a family to watch your videos every Tuesday. My wife however is rather nosey. She has been begging me to ask you when you are returning to the UK?
@@AdventuresAndNaps Good luck! My wife is from Argentina - married her so that she got a spouse "right to remain" - and 17 years later we are still together (and she has been a British citizen for the last 13 years)!
We all used to work half an hour extra Monday to Thursday so we could finish 2hrs early on Fridays. I did my 40 years, quit Fridays when I turned 60 and finished altogether at 61, just before we went into lockdown. Haven’t missed it for a second.
😂 14:17 Alanna puts bug's in their place. The weather here plummeted☔☁️🌫️⛅🌪️⛅🌫️ a few weeks ago so make the most of it before fall. I sunburnt my feet once too - not nice, they blistered 😖
Me learning the bus system in England: "Wasn't our First Bus supposed to arrive 10 minutes ago?"... Colleague: "Yeah we refer to those as 'ghost buses', happens all the time"... "So it's just not coming then?"... "Nope." LOL smh
Don't be too worried about being recognised, here in the UK although we have a dense population a lot of people know a lot of other people. It's not unusual to be discovered or found as it is such a small country! Just as long as you don't have any psychopaths on your radar you're avoiding.
I have a Polish work mate who cheerily comes in to the office everyday and says' Morning Wankers' ! He's definitely got the British sense of humour!
There was a lass in our office who was always cheerful and brown-nosed management. She came in one morning with a cheerful ‘Morning!’ and my mate shouted ‘shuuut upppp!’...she was wounded 😂
That would be funny, we had a guy who say Morning Girls, to male office
When the big "much hated" boss retired, the kitty envelope did the rounds! Middle management put in first but when it was returned it had less money than when it left, in addition it contained buttons, washers, empty sweet wrappers and numerous IOU' s
And if you forget something in the evening and go back everyone says "morning" without fail...
I'm from Brazil, living in England for almost 2 years now, since I got here I have been working in a warehouse. I started as an operative, and as my English improved I began to feel more confident to apply for other positions in the same warehouse, and it has been a good experience for me! I think if you are looking for any kind of job is kind of easy to find it, in warehouses, restaurants, etc.
If you want something more specific, or in an office or something like that, than it gets more difficult.
Anyway, it was nice to know more about your experience here, I love your videos! 😄
The last job I had in England, I was allowed to work a half day on Fridays. That was because my boss said the company were freezing pay raises that year and couldn't give us the pay raises he thought we deserved so he let us go early every Friday. There was a pub a few hundred yards away with a really nice beer garden so we would spend Friday afternoons there 😁👍🍻
... and spend your money in the pub. (ha, ha).
and end up the pub is owned by your boss
You know when you’ve got a good boss when you can take the piss out of each other but that respect is always there.
You ought to see what it's like in the Army. I worked with vets and once they get to know each other it's like that x 10
It's funny working from home because of covid that I've forgotten those kind of things that i didn't realise I missed. The banter at work and random outings for lunch and the friends you make and also getting next level smashed and making an idiot of yourself at the xmas do.
First rule of working in the UK, work starts at 8, have a cup of tea, talk about last nights TV until 8.30 then start work
haha this is so true, my former colleague was from London and she would always make us tea and talk about which books or TV shows we were watching LOL. Loved her for it.
Friday is POETS day!
Clean version Push Off Early, Tomorrow’s Saturday
neigh on a 6 month POETS day this year! (also why cars that break down are known as POETS cars (they were assembled in a rush to knock off early).
Ahh, that takes me back to my first job in the Civil Service. When my boss first said that to me I initially thought that it was some strange Civil Service holiday that I had not heard of!
Ya beat me to it!
@John Boy he did say it was the polite version.
John Boy did toy with which version to write!
I laughed at that 'Back already' reference you made. You have probably not been on the end of 'Good Afternoon!', when you arrive a minute late at work in the morning, usually due to terrible traffic. 😳
That office sounds so much better than my Midwest American office. No genuine conversation or humor. Just talking about empty carbs and fake smiles
I appreciate your videos as a benchmark for the week. I've said it before, but since quarantine started, it's nice to have a regular reminder of what day it is.
All this office talk makes me miss working. Just a little, but still!
I hope the squirrel gets some screen time next week
Lol when you turned suddenly to stare at something I genuinely thought of the distracted dogs from UP going "Squirrel", and then you informed us it was an actual squirrel 🤣 this is totally something I would do
Hi. Another great video thanks it’s lightened up a crap day. I think we in Britain get more holiday days than North America too so all good this end. Have a great week and watch out for the bugs and spiders. 😃
You're absolutely right about more holiday days! We hardly get anything in Canada.
If a collection is for single use e.g. for a leaving present it is not usually called. kitty, rather a 'whip-round'.
I love your stream of conscious speaking videos, they are the best
Glad you like them!
Respect matey 👍 got ya back xx 😘 ❤
I've always used "kitty" in the context of an ongoing mutual fund for a general purpose ie. tea, biscuits etc. and whip-round for a one off collection for a specific purpose (or person).
In London, Friday’s mandatory pub visit generally moves to Thursdays because everyone tries to work from home on Friday. 😉
🐿️ Yay for squirrel!!
I once shared a packet of cheesy Wotsits with a squirrel in a park. He had little hands 👐 awwh
None for Bullwinkle then. Tch, tch, tch
Yep, if you are a sensitive soul and don't like banter and piss takes you are not going to like working in a British office. If you do it's great fun. I remember going out of the office for 10 minutes and came back to find my desk completely empty - even the computer had disappeared. It took me half an hour to find it all. No one took the slightest notice and carried on as normal.
The backtory : I don't live in London, everyone I work with does. They've been seeing each other on a reasonably regular basis since lockdown. I went into the office for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and everyone there had t-shirts with my face on them and a caption saying "missing" over the picture. The banter is real. Of course we went to the pub after work and got smashed :-)
@@mattparker8747 That's hilarious.
I agree with you 🌷
As a 🇬🇧 Brit working in 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent, the Caribbean for 5 years, it was like your experience in a way, with the ups and downs, meeting great people and experiencing so many new things. The most challenging things were the weather (very hot, as well as crazy storms!) and life is so laid back, so things don't always go to plan. Do I regret any of it? No. A chapter in my life I will always treasure 💙💛💚
Nobody asked bro....
Hi Naps, when someone is leaving or celebrating a birthday and a collection is made we would normally refer to that as a whip-round. Possibly a little alarming for an expat to be told we're having a whip-round if they're unfamiliar with the term but now you know :-)
"Kitty" is good for for the coffee / tea fund etc as you suggested.
In the midlands another term used for a “kitty” is a “whip” (shortening of whip round).
For coffee/tea clubs the money you pay (weekly/monthly) is often referred to as ‘subs’ (subscription) or ‘dues’.
With banter, the harsher the leg pulling the greater the fondness. So banter is taken as a sign of belonging and acceptance.
I’m still furloughed & the main thing I miss is the banter & sarcasm! Great video Alanna, hope you’re feet are okay, I got sunburnt feet in Cyprus last year (remember holidays!) & it was horrendous!!!
Cheers Gem!!
@@AdventuresAndNaps Do you have April Fools' Day in Canada?
The tricks people play on their colleagues!!!
Glad you had a positive experience!😊
Me too!
Always wondered if you worked at my local college in Kent :)
PAYE is very handy. Big fan.
Hope you'll be back in the UK soon!
I hope so too!
First time viewer. Love the side tracking. A squirrel stared me down this morning so know the feeling.
OK Alanna, I can understand that you might have been upset but under no circumstances do you throw roast potatoes. What do you think sprouts are for? Roast potatoes are much too tasty to waste by throwing them.
Well, the roast potatoes were as hard as cannon balls so it seemed only fair..
That makes it worse. You could put somebody’s eye out. Sprouts are soft and do not represent a danger to life or limb. Not only that they can leave a nice stain, either green or gravy.
@@JohnRS100 😂 love it.
My dad used to say that could take someone's eye out 😂
Adventures and Naps . No eat the roasties and sprouts and launch the bread rolls!
@@dave_h_8742 Does anyone know anyone who ever had their eye put out? Everything could 'take someone's eye out', according to my dad, too. It's remarkable that the vast majority of people have two functioning eyes, considering all of the 'high jinks' which were blamed for eye-destruction. ;)
Wait, it's already 18 minutes and the end of the video already? That was quick!
Wow Alanna you've been gone too long (from England)! That Canadian accent is really starting to come back strong :)
Getting closer to your visa date hope it all goes smoothly and collecting money for a birthday or leaving present is also known as a whipp round
Today is my birthday, and this vid is a good present from all the way in Canada to Manchester. As u should know by now that ur channel is one of my favourite. Thanx
Happy birthday! 🎉
Hey there Alanna, hope you’re having a wonderful day 😊
I thought her full name was Alana I'm from Canada 😂
Thank you! You, too!!
Canadian women are very forward! She kissed me on a bus!😼
Padijeff why you chatting shit?
@@AdventuresAndNaps Aloe Vera gel on your sunburnt feet if you have it.
Loved it! Hope to have a experience as great as yours when I get there :D
Ahh that's really exciting!! :)
Adventures and Naps very!!! Haha Thank u! ❤️
Me 2 🌷
Ah, the traditional British 'office Christmas party' - It's a maker or breaker of many a work-life reputation.
'Hurling roast spuds'? I'd say that venue got off lightly.
Potatoes no. Bread rolls however....
In my first job the drinks at the office party were free and people made the most of that! Best of times! The gossip lasted until about March! 😎
Unless everyone is so drunk no one remembers each other antics.
TheCanadiangirl4 those were the ‘happy times’ before camera phones.
@@nickshale6926 Good point.
.......banterous......have you just coined a new word....amazing...is there no end to this ladies talents......
Gday Alanna, another gem today! I left corporate life to be self-employed in 1996 so you reminded me so much of the great aspects of office life in a fairly large company In fact I had forgotten about all the kitties. With EFT being so prevalent nowadays I don’t even know if they still exist. I don’t have money in my pocket much any more In Sydney you don’t even use cash for public transport any more Is it the same in Britain? I love the gesture you use whenever you say your name. “I’m Alanna,” and you press both hands to your chest, as though you’re sharing something secret and deeply personal with us, which of course you are Thank you once again for sharing another part of your life with us in your unique gentle and entertaining way.
Hiya Alanna, I just popped round to say "Hi" and wanted to let you know I love your positivity and enthusiasm, it's rather infectious, hope you are keeping well back in Canada 🇨🇦 and make it back to Blighty 🇬🇧 real soon x x
Thank you so much!
This one made me miss being in a lively office so much, especially Friday drinks. Really captured the atmosphere so well.
The office banter between the workers and the boss goes both ways in British offices. Of course you have to be certain of what you can get away with before you make the boss the butt of your jokes.
At one point in my career, I worked in a large communal office with 5 or 6 other people. Our boss's boss's boss had just returned from his summer vacation, and walked into our office. My desk was nearest the door, so I said to him: "Ah, so you're back Pete. Did you have a nice time away?" He smiled and nodded and I asked him whereabouts he'd been, to which he replied "Austria". I confessed that I didn't know much about Austria and asked him: "Whereabouts?". He replied "Vienna."
I looked at him with as blank an expression as I coud muster, shook my head slowly, and said: "Where?".
"Vienna," he repeated, (because obviously everyone has heard of Vienna.)
I continued to give him a puzzled look, then frowned and glanced at everyone else present, and shrugged my shoulders, before repeating "WHERE?".
He couldn't understand my confusion, and said forcibly: "VIENNA!".
I shook my head one more time and said: "It means nothing to me." at which point everyone else burst into laughter.
Pete had obviously never heard the song, but with all the laughter, he realised that I'd been having a joke with him, and not wanting to admit that it had gone right over his head, he slowly slinked out of the office.
( In case Pete is reading this after all these years, or for the benefit of anyone else who STILL doesn't get it: ruclips.net/video/xJeWySiuq1I/видео.html )
I've got home from working (in London), it's 10 past midnight and I'm watching the You Tube highlight of the week. Cheers Alanna!!
You're a real star. I want you to know the heartfelt joy at seeing you at your stalwart best. Through the 'buses and driving, cooking and,, stuff. I don't ever remember such kindness before? There' s so many of us worried about you, sure you know that. You are funny, that IS immediate citizenship,, you know that right?
Hi Alanna. I worked in an office for 20 years. This brings back memories both good and bad. Take care.
In my time in the Canadian Forces, we usually had a "kitty" for the coffee fund, or whatever.
Yeah, I've definitely heard of kitty's where I live. I've seen them for gathering money for someone's birthday or retirement. We also have Timmy's run but that's a bit different.
We share office space with other groups. The coffee fund is for all the coffee drinkers and their accoutrements.
My department has a flower fund that people contribute too that sends flowers or a plant for occasions good or bad (weddings, funerals, surgeries, etc.).
You'd be amazed how quiet rush hour has been since March, especially in March and April.
And here in the Birmingham area there were still a fair number of buses and trains running.
I suppose in Kent they may have cut the buses more.
Of course the schools are going back now so maybe the traffic will get worse again.
So good to see you again. I think I missed one of your posts and went into withdrawal. So, I've said it before, but it's worth repeating - come home! Now!
This is a nice treat ✌️☺️
Thank you!!
Send us some sunshine over ..our summer seems to be done!
My colleague and I were like the lighthouse keepers at work, working through the whole Covid thing. Now our fellow office friends are coming back off furlough the banter is relentless, like 5 months of work besties separation has pumped up our fondness for each other!
Great video, Alanna! Well, I have some stories to tell about works Xmas parties. I have seen all manner of shenanigans. Trashed hotel rooms, food fights, proper fights, young lads trying to chat up old women, young girls copping off with older men who should know better etc. Anything goes at a Christmas party!
Horses sweat, gentlemen perspire, ladies glow.
I knew it! I’m a horse! (he said, buffing his nails)
@@richardpoynton4026 a touch of hoof dressing on thats the way to do it
You're better off there at the moment. I'm in West Sussex (next door to Kent) and the weather here over the last few days has been cold and horrible !
Enjoyable vid, thanks.
Hi Alanna, a kitty is when you use communal items (tea, coffee etc). If it's for a leaving or birthday gift, its called a collection. I worked at one place where they gave you a day off for Christmas shopping! Glad your working experience was an enjoyable one.
I love the morning bus commute. There are so many people packed on them that the windows steam up and you can draw little pictures. It's how I met my wife.
Most engineering companies in the UK, or at least the ones I worked for, finish at noon on Friday. Half day Fridays! Love them. Missed them whilst working abroad (Europe and Canada) for a few years.
As someone who has been working and living abroad for well over 20 years I certainly agree that anyone that gets the chance to do so either in the UK or elsewhere abroad should definitely do so. It’s a learning experience that can change your life. Love your videos! Cheers,
Thank you so much!!
Something I am surprised you didn't talk about were the holidays, 28 days a year.
Spose Im luckier, 365 days holiday. Oh wait Im retired took 51 years to get here.
Thanks for the video, I hope you are recovering from filming it and generally doing ok.
Thank you so much!
One tip about commuting (whether it's by bus, car or train) - if you have flexible work hours and aren't "client-facing" - is to avoid rush hour times wherever possible. I get into work at 9.45am and leave around 5.50pm - the traffic is so much lighter at those times and your overall travel times are noticeably shorter.
Waving hi from Sheffield in the north of England. I hope your overall experience here was a good one. Be sure to come back. I want to say what an amazing country you live in. I have family in Medicine Hat Alberta and been to Toronto and Vancouver.
The June bugs are awesome! Don’t complain, sitting here in freezing rainy England and missing them loads.
Went to work for 2 years but ended up there for 32 years! Loved working in England! London, Essex and Berkshire!
Fantastic video as always Alanna! I worked in a college a long time ago and every Friday was 5 a side football after all the students had left. Lecturers and technicians all past our sell by dates trying to run! But it was the thing we all looked forward to, when you passed another player during the day you had a smile of shared anticipation that it was Friday! On another thought about banter, apprentices used to get sent for buckets of steam or glass hammers 😂
I was once sent for a telescopic chisel!
@@JimmyTheRake I got told to go and ask the storeman for a big dick and I refused! It turned out it was an actual name for a spanner 😂
@@andymlynek8839 A King Dick as I remember!
@@JimmyTheRake yes, you're right!
Ah I fondly remember working in Scotland: finish 3.30 on Fridays, paid every 2 weeks, and at least three pub lunches every week not to mention the after work get togethers. On Thursdays it was Domino League night at the pub and you got free soup and sandwiches. Some other companies had half-day Wednesdays.
I work for a pharmaceutical company and when we're on lates we finish at 19:45 on a Friday instead of 10:15, which is the other four days, so that's cool and I can get to the pub at a normal time as well
Great video Alanna. Interesting about the pay as you go taxes. Maybe Canada needs a similar scheme, I wonder if it would benefit some people better than having to file at the end of April each year.
It certainly helps take away all the stress of filing taxes!
@@AdventuresAndNaps and dont forget if you have paid to much tax in the year come april the end of the tax year you get a tax refund
Glad you had a great experience working over here - it's something I've always loved about working here growing up (especially the Christmas dos!) and hopefully when things are sorted out you can come back again!
For some clarity on the Tax front, PAYE as you say normally applies when you're with a registered limited company that pays you as a direct salaried employee on the payroll (ie you're not a contractor with a temp agency, work experience with school or a volunteer). When you first start in the UK you'll might get asked to fill out something called a P46 form which gets your basic details in for setting you up on the payroll and with HMRC (the tax and customs people). Once you're in you'll pay your income tax automatically along with your national insurance (a tax that allows you to build entitlement to state benefits such as tax credits and monetary support) and state pension. If you stay in the country and change jobs whether by choice, redundancy or firing you'll get a P45 form (similar situation to the infamous "Red Slip" in pop culture, you might hear this code referenced in jokes and memes) to give to your new employer, which is pre-filled with everything you had on your P46 but updated to your current situation, meaning you should (though the system isn't perfect) be set up to pay the right tax rates then going forwards in your new job.
If you are contracted somewhere through an agency, get paid cash in hand, set up as a sole trader or in some cases (even if you are on a PAYE scheme) have some kind of work/family benefit or salary sacrifice to claim on (e.g: Credit for having to clean your own uniform, single parent support, pay for staff accommodation or have offshore funds) then yes you'll have to file taxes yourself though a tool called "Self Assessment" on the government website GOV.uk. It's not the most fun process but after seeing my wife in the US file her taxes, it's a heck of a lot easier than that! Don't forget if you're doing any of this to make sure you ask your boss for your P60 (end of fiscal year tax certificate) or at the very least a statement of your earnings!
Hi Alanna, Hot weather, Sunburnt feet, you're lucky it seems our summer is over already
Example of English office humour - someone I know bought a second home in France. An electrical store close to where he worked (in Swindon) had a sale on, so he bought a TV there to take to France with him, and he picked it up on his way to work for a 12 hour night shift. The plan was to take it with him on the train after work. Train to London, then the London Underground to St. Pancras, the Eurostar to Lille, a TGV to Bordeaux, and a local train from there. He arrived at his French house sweating and exhausted, and opened the box - only to discover that his work colleagues had removed the TV from the box and replaced it with a load of scrap paper!
I don't know if you ever experienced the warped British humour of leaving the office for a break and someone calls your name, when you turn round to answer them all you get is "How far would you have got if I hadn't called you?" My reply was always "Twice as far as I have."
Your experience is useful for me
Glad to hear that!
Only 30 minutes early on a Friday, a lot of places will now shut at lunch time. We did not, but all our customers did, normally called POETS day, (push( or similar) off early tomorrows Saturday)
Great video as always, hope your back in the UK with us soon.crossing my fingers for ya
I hope so too!
Kitty....😳
🤣🤣🤣 Great to hear your perspective and take on all things British Alanna 👍 Keep, keeping us aware of ourselves and entertained. I'd also like to say that you were extremely brave in making a move that most of us can only dream of making 😊
Its a mixed bag, one thing I noticed is that everyone thinks that everyone else is paid more than them.
Sounds like you missing life in England and that's ok...we miss you too, I love your insights into office life....funny and so true, great observations and you look lovely....great vid ..can't wait for the next one....😘
As long as you remember Kent is your home, you'll always be welcome back
Hope the visa application goes well enjoyed video
I have been watching a lot of your videos recently as I decided I am gonna move to the UK for a bit. I have some friends over there and I need a change in my life.
I was suppose to go to Canada on a work and holiday visa, but since covid it has been tricky and I am gonna have to postpone it.
I am looking forward to making a move to England. I have been there several times and there is just something special about it. A lot of my friends that are British does not understand why I would like to move there but I just love the culture and the people.
I hope that you get your visa and get to move back to England. From the sounds of it, it seems like you miss it :)
All the best! x
I requested some garden footage ages ago and you finally relented! 😄 Can I put in a polite request for some squirrel footage next time? - great stuff as always.
That might be asking for too much to be revealed
Great Gruff I can but try ... 😁
The early dart on a Friday is known round my way as POETS day.....it stands for
Piss
Off
Early
Tomorrow’s
Saturday
On the subject of the kitty, if you don't intend to drink the tea of coffee it will still be easier on you to contribute as the subscription will have been calculated on the assumption you will be chipping in. Plus your colleagues will watch you like a hawk whenever you get up from your desk.
We say 'collection' for buying presents and kitty for regular events, eg birthday cards. Someone held the kitty and got the cards which they circulated around the office for signatures. In big offices it can be a bit overwhelming (and sometimes you really don't care) and I remember once, a manager who was invariably busy, signed the card 'have a lovely day' and passed it on. The card was brought back to him - they'd had to Tippex out what he'd put as it was a bereavement card - a woman's husband had died - she wasn't in his direct line of responsibility but whoops! In the spirit of office banter that you talk about Alanna, my how we all laughed!
Great Tuesday again. You've had a brilliant time on Public Transport... please make a video on it
"The Dangers and Drama of filming for RUclips" could be an episode idea...🙂
A great video... made me reminisce about working in a UK office.. (I am a brit working overseas for most of the past 15 years.)
Oh you found out why Friday is known as poets day.
Piss off early, tomorrow's Saturday.
If you thought it was hard before to get a job it is a nightmare now due to Covid and mass unemployment.
Hi Alanna, very entertaining video as always, let’s hope you get back soon, just in time for a mild British winter.
I hope so!
Well my fingers are crossed for you and I wish you all the luck you deserve, but I’m sure you’re going to be ok.
@@AdventuresAndNaps That would be about right too. Just when its freezing cold and miserable they'll say, you can come back now.
You gave me sunshine, when I had only rain,
You brought me happiness, when I only knew pain,
You gave me light, when darkness filled my world,
You beautified my life, brown eyed girl ❤️
Loved the background noise of the cicadas. Reminded my of the tropics.
It's the soundtrack of summer in Ontario!
Hi Alanna, we sit down as a family to watch your videos every Tuesday. My wife however is rather nosey. She has been begging me to ask you when you are returning to the UK?
No idea! I'm at the mercy of the Home Office.
@@AdventuresAndNaps Good luck! My wife is from Argentina - married her so that she got a spouse "right to remain" - and 17 years later we are still together (and she has been a British citizen for the last 13 years)!
We all used to work half an hour extra Monday to Thursday so we could finish 2hrs early on Fridays. I did my 40 years, quit Fridays when I turned 60 and finished altogether at 61, just before we went into lockdown. Haven’t missed it for a second.
😂 14:17 Alanna puts bug's in their place. The weather here plummeted☔☁️🌫️⛅🌪️⛅🌫️ a few weeks ago so make the most of it before fall. I sunburnt my feet once too - not nice, they blistered 😖
Great personality! Well delivered!
Thanks for watching!
I've always thought the kitty collection thing should be a cat shaped box.
Me learning the bus system in England: "Wasn't our First Bus supposed to arrive 10 minutes ago?"... Colleague: "Yeah we refer to those as 'ghost buses', happens all the time"... "So it's just not coming then?"... "Nope." LOL smh
Oh my god, Ghost Buses were the bane of my existence!! 😣😂
@@AdventuresAndNapsHad a 're routed bus route in one direction, MINE, so no busses come at all but I could see them on the other side of the rd 😡
One of our bus drivers in Manchester flat out stated the timetable was "more of a guideline."
Ahhh buses the private system we have now that was supposed to be better run that what we had in the 80s and before. Cant beat socialism
@@petermizon4344 haven't we just had over ten years of Torys in power ?
Shure even they could fix any fault .... ah well maybe not 😂
Don't be too worried about being recognised, here in the UK although we have a dense population a lot of people know a lot of other people. It's not unusual to be discovered or found as it is such a small country! Just as long as you don't have any psychopaths on your radar you're avoiding.