It never dawned on me how uniquely American my job is until I came to the United Kingdom. I am working remotely from the middle of England for most of 2024. My wife Elizabeth is English. We want our kids to better understand this half of their heritage. We will come back to the US in August for the start of the new school year. Liz was granted leave from her job in Ann Arbor for about eight months. I’m writing this from the guest room, now the home office, of my in-laws’ rental property in the small town of Rothwell, Northamptonshire, keeping some late hours due to the time difference.
Traveling reveals lots of interesting details about other cultures. This immersive, extended stay is teaching me some subtleties of English life I hadn’t observed during shorter visits in the past. You’re probably aware of our different definitions of “football”. In the US we drive on the right. In the UK it is optional. Beyond the big, obvious differences, I’ve found the schools here are generally a little stricter. Farms are smaller, which greatly affects the landscape. People socialize in pubs differently.
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