Wishing you and all visitors to our site a wonderful Christmas.

For a start we all imagine the characters wearing clothing from the middle ages, because we are used to seeing paintings from the Renaissance period.

The church has also made sure that we are told the story as they want us to hear it, and of course there are no known records of the actual events that took place on that night.

so what am I to beleive

You are correct on a lot of the cultural difference between the USA and the UK but let me clarify a few things.

1. Driving on the left or right is totally irrelevant in terms of true comparison between two countries. Bear in mind, most of the world drives on the ride side of the road.

2. There is an awful lot of things that both Americans and British do not like about their own countries and each others’ countries. As you said, that is normal for anyone to find.

3. You are correct that there is no perfect place in the world. You are correct that people in places like Jamaica and the Bahamas do not take advantage of their backyards. That is because Jamaica and the Bahamas are poor countries. However, you say most people do not visit places that are on their doorstep. This is not really true. Most middle-income Americans do visit places in their back yard for holiday (vacations) because it is cheaper than travelling long distances. On an average, there is more to see and do on the Mainland (USA) as compared to small island or poor nations.

4. What American said “we have to be different to England”? This is not an official US policy or a US cultural thing.

5. The differences between 220 volts AC and 120 volts AC has to do with the evolution of economically distributing power for different power applications in both continents. You just have to do more reading on this in other sources.

6. On the telephone dialing issue, well it is not really an issue on both sides of the
Atlantic.

7. On door locks and light switches, it is not really an issue whether turn up or down or left or right. These things are extremely minor.

8. Since taste in food is subjective and varies, I will not challenge you in chocolate or food in general. It is still a minor difference.

9. The health insurances is not free in the UK, it is paid for by taxes. British Citizens pay more in income taxes than US Citizens. The difference not paid by US Citizens in income taxes for health care is paid in private health insurances. Plus there is socialized health care for the poor and elderly in the US.

10. Holiday time for most Americans is about three weeks and the work week consists of 40 to 60 hours, depending on the type of job. In some jobs, Americans get three weeks off after five years service. Unfortunately, some jobs are like this because that is what the market will bear in certain areas. Anyway, most jobs allow 10 federal holidays in addition to the three weeks of holiday. Also, if you work 60 hours a week then you get paid 60 works of work, unless you are on salary. If you are on salary then you do not always work 60 hours a week but it varies from week to week; this is just to get the job done on a timely basis.

11. All people around the world who move to another country will always experience homesickness in one form or another not to mention associated isolation. I am an American and I had a 2.5 year job in Utah and experience homesickness and isolation. This did not happen when I lived in Germany. So it is not just living in another country but could happen within you own country as well.