Aussie living in London reveals four British things she thought were weird after making the switch – but now find ‘totally normal’

An Australian woman who moved to London has revealed the four British traits she found strangest after arriving on our shores.

Amie Elizabeth, passing by @amieelizabeth95 on TikTokmoved to Britain for work a year ago.

She posted a video with the caption: “A year later I’m a bit British… if you call it British to still have Vegemite on toast every morning,” and it was shared by more than 200,000 people in less than 24 hours seen.

She tells followers: ‘These are British things that I thought were weird when I first moved here, but after a year of living in London I just find them completely normal.’

Queuing for everything

First on the TikToker’s list is something Brits are notorious for: queuing.

She explained: ‘British people just love queuing and when I first got here I thought why are we waiting in this queue for Subway?

“Why is there a line to get to the gas station? As if there are queues everywhere.’

However, she revealed that she now just factors it into her daily life, joking: ‘I’m comfortable with the fact that I’m probably queuing 12 out of 24 hours a day.’

One viewer was confused and commented: ‘I don’t understand how people are shocked about the queue. What are other countries doing to get rid of people?’

Another surprised Brit chimed in: ‘I really don’t understand what the alternative to queuing is? What are other countries doing’ and another follower said: ‘Why do people think we ‘like’ to queue? We have no choice’.

Parking in both directions on the road

Second on the list for Australians is parking your car in both directions on the road.

She explained: ‘When I first got here I was really shocked that you like to be parked on the road in both directions, and I thought, why is that car parked backwards?

‘Now when I see a car park in London, it’s mine, it doesn’t matter how I get into it.’

Drinking culture

She then said that the drinking culture in Britain “really shocked her”, despite having heard about it before.

She told viewers: ‘Literally every day after work the pubs are full of people going for a drink after work.

‘In Australia, pubs are only really a thing on a Friday evening or a Saturday. My company also regularly organizes after-work drinks and that is nothing.’

Amie joked: “Australian businesses rarely hold alcohol-related events, but now it’s half past three and I’m thinking, OK, who wants to go to the pub and have a drink?”

One commenter asked, “How do you get to know your coworkers if you’re not interacting with your work?”

Another advised: ‘I lived in London for 20 years before moving… I don’t miss any of that stuff. Try to get outside the big smoke.”

UK customer service

Finally, she mentions that she was shocked by the British customer service and that when she arrived she thought ‘everyone was so rude’.

She said: ‘No one will say hello to you when you first walk into a store, people will literally just ignore you in terms of customer service.

“When I went to pick up my phone plan, I sat down and was like, ‘Hey, I want a phone plan,’ and they said, ‘yeah, no worries.’

“The girl turned around and tapped on her computer for 20 minutes, not saying a word to me or even looking at me.

‘I thought: is this normal? This is the most awkward thing I’ve ever done.’

But now she boasts that she’s “used to it,” saying, “Don’t actually talk to me.” You know what? I don’t want to talk to you in customer service, you just do your thing and I’ll do my thing, we’re fine.’

One Brit commented: ‘Customer service is only bad in the south. We’re very friendly up north, I promise.’

Another suggested: ‘Minimal interaction is the perfect level of customer service’.

Someone else agreed, writing: “The ‘detached’ customer service thing is definitely a London thing as we moved there from the north of England.”

However, Amie responded with ‘No, I moved to the Midlands first and this interaction was there!! I was so shocked when it first happened.”