UK based TikToker in America reveals ‘the things that make no sense to a Brit’

Moving from the UK to America can be a culture shock – and a UK based TikToker in the US captures that experience brilliantly.

Melissa Herra is originally from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, but moved to the Fort Mill neighborhood of South Carolina in August 2021. She’s made several videos about the things she finds “odd” about living as a Brit in America and they’ve struck a chord with TikTok users: she has over 74,000 followers on the video platform.

The video titles include “Things in an American Home That British People Would Find Strange,” “Stuff in an American Neighborhood That Doesn’t Make Any Sense to a Briton,” and “Things That Scream I’m in America.”

In her videos, the 31-year-old documents uniquely American customs such as “weird” drive-through ATMs, “strange” outdoor TVs on porches, and “glittery” fake boulders designed to hide neighborhood electrical boxes.

Other unusual features for Brits that she captures on camera include a drive-thru pharmacy (‘handy if you’re really sick’); wreaths on doors (“I don’t understand why, it’s not Christmas”); colorful flags pinned outside houses (“I don’t know what’s the point of it”); water coolers in homes (“randomly”) and top-loading washing machines (“I didn’t even know this was a washing machine when I got here…so weird”).

Melissa – who lives with her wife Stacie and their dogs – also captures people driving through her neighborhood in golf buggies, signs in front of houses to mark birthdays and graduations, and basketball hoops (“every house has a basketball hoop”).

She tells MailOnline Travel separately: “Everyone here is very, very patriotic and I would say well over 80 percent of the houses all have the American flag out. Even if it’s not a special occasion.’

Other unusual things she noticed? In one clip, she reveals she was fined for leaving their wheelie bins in front of their home, and in another, she points her camera at the “one and only” roundabout she’s seen since she was in America.

Melissa, who met her wife Stacie through TikTok and moved to America to be with her, is also amazed at the amenities in her residential community, which is run by a private “homeowners’ association.” Her videos show how the neighborhood has its own clubhouse with a gym, as well as a private pool and tennis court for residents to use. ‘[It] I’m surprised we wouldn’t have this in our neighborhood in England,” says the TikToker, who describes herself as a “full-time dog mom and housewife.”

A major plus of such American neighborhoods, she reveals, is that they are clean. She says in a video: ‘Ten out of ten for the cleanliness of the neighborhoods in these neighborhoods. There is never litter. Britain doesn’t look like this.’ Melissa also notes that American street signs “look much fancier than the street signs in Britain.”

That said, she was shocked by the sheer size of everyday objects and buildings in the US. The content creator says, “Everything here is so, so much bigger. It’s on a supersized level.’

Melissa explains, “The American homes I’ve seen and been in are all very, very big. We have two living rooms, four bathrooms, [and] walk-in closets in every room. [It’s] just really, really big, but in the area where I am, a house this size is considered the “norm.”

Her videos are about her large pantry, her “gigantic” fridge-freezer, a walk-in wardrobe that is “the size of a bedroom” and the “massive” bed that “wouldn’t fit in any bedroom in England unless you lived in it.” a villa’.

In one, she points her camera at a huge high school (“as big as London”) and a “huge” American liquor store, noting that “every car is like an army tank.”

What are the greatest benefits of living in the United States? Melissa muses, “The best thing I’ve found about living in America is without a doubt the nicer weather we have here in South Carolina. The beaches are a lot nicer.’

She also highlights “the ease” of living in the East Coast state, noting that “the shops are almost all open twenty-seven hours a day” and “you can have anything and everything delivered to your doorstep.” Melissa comments: ‘I also love that you can go to a normal shopping center near here where you live and buy designer make-up and clothes, whereas in the UK you have to go to specialist shopping centres.’

And the low lights? Melissa reveals, “The worst thing about living in America is that absolutely nothing is known or even comparable to the UK. It never really feels like “home”. I’ve found that the food here isn’t very tasty as they put a lot of extra stuff in their products that we don’t have in the UK. I miss English Sunday Roasts so, so much!’

The TikToker adds that in its opinion, McDonald’s in the US tastes “disgusting” compared to the chain’s food in the UK.

Plus, she misses driving in the UK, saying, “In America it’s so, so big I never know where I’m going and everything seems to be driving a long way.”

Melissa’s experience adjusting to the American lifestyle has not been smooth sailing. She says: ‘Honestly, I’m a true Brit through and through and have really struggled to adjust to life in the US.

‘I may be biased but I think the British generally do everything better! Our food is better, our sense of humor is better, and our restaurants are more fun. I could really go on, but I don’t want all of America to hate me!’

In response to Melissa’s videos, some American TikTokers highlighted how different life in South Carolina is compared to everyday life in other parts of the country. User Brian Allen wrote: ‘Looks very different from where I live in the US. Interesting.’ And user ‘No’ wrote, “I don’t live in this kind of US.”

One user, meanwhile, was impressed with the drive-thru concept. Alice Darrand wrote: ‘What! A drive-thru ATM, that’s what Britain should invest in!’

To see more videos from Melissa, follow her on TikTok tiktok. com.