If there’s one place that still makes me feel like an ex-pat it’s my kids’ school. First there’s the grade system. My oldest is now in tenth grade thank goodness, so there’s less of the counting on fingers to figure out a kid’s age. In the UK, it’s “years” which are one ahead of grades - Year 1 is Kindergarten, Year 2 is First Grade, and so on.
Then there’s the annual school supplies list which asks for things like trapper-keepers. I thought it was zoology equipment at first! (For those not in the know, it’s a school binder with lots of things inside and a zip all the way round.) I used to phone friends for translations, but I now give my kids the lists and let them run around the store.
Being English, senior proms, home-comings, cheer-leading and science fairs are all new to me. I called recess, “playtime”, the principal was the “head” and math had an “s” at the end. We bought “sweets” at the “tuck shop”, and had “dinner ladies” serve us lunch. Fortunately, my kids are “bilingual” and understand my English words. They are just thankful that I have stopped calling erasers “rubbers”, at least in front of the principal.
This post was written by Toni, an expat from the north east of England that moved to the States in 1990. She now lives in Chicago with her husband, plus three children ranging from five to 15 years old. In her spare time she writes and blogs, and managed to get her first book published in 2006. "Rules, Britannia; An Insider's Guide to Life in the United Kingdom" (St. Martin's Press) is especially written for Americans moving to the UK.
Photo credit: amanky
I can just imagine your kids trying to melt into the floor when you use the word rubbers.
Posted by: Kat | 29 April 2009 at 08:44 AM
As an American living in Scotland with a 6 year old and an 8 year old I can totally sympathise! I think I've got the hang of it now but it's taken me the better part of 3 years. Having already lived here for 7 years before that I thought I had the whole living in the UK thing sussed. I was wrong! When my daughter started in Primary one I thought, ok, is that like first grade? No, wait if we were in the states, she'd only be in Kindergarten. Ok so primary school goes P1-P7 instead of K-6, that makes senses. Kind of. Unless you ask someone English and then it's totally different again. Then she needed a school uniform (no jeans!?!) and school shoes (what are school shoes? are they in some fundamental way different from normal shoes? No. They just have to be black) and gym shoes (gym shoes - is that like sneakers? No-black gym shoes, you know. No, i don't know - are these different from the black school shoes? Yes - like plimsoles - YOU KNOW. NO I DON'T KNOW!). Now I know. I have 5 pairs in various sizes sitting in my sons closet.
But the winner by miles was when I was told she needed to bring a playpiece. I asked my English friend - she didn't know either. I thought maybe they had to bring something to play with at break time - could British schools not afford to provide skipping ropes and balls? No, turns out it was just a snack.
BTW, my kids find it hysterical when they're American grandma comes to visit and talks about her 'pants'! :)
Posted by: Rebecca | 29 April 2009 at 09:04 AM
Rebecca -- yes it's the not knowing that bugs me!
Posted by: A Modern Mother | 29 April 2009 at 02:24 PM
Play Piece - that's a new one on me too! Very sweet though.
Posted by: Expat Mum | 29 April 2009 at 08:24 PM
It is so interesting to read the other side of things as I am a UK expat constantly trying to figure things out in Japan!
In fact the number of times I have said, 'Why can't they all just have plimsols????' LOL.
Posted by: MissBehaving | 15 May 2009 at 01:42 PM