A lot of you probably won't understand the title of this post, so let me explain.
In the USA, whether its Go Terps (Maryland), Go Orange (Cuse) or GO HILLERS (Hopkinton); Americans love supporting the town they're from, or school they attend. Feeling left out; it seemed only appropriate for us Scottish internationals to start showing some support for our home country, and as a result of our unique national animal, it became habit to scream 'GO UNICORNS' every time anyone even hinted something Scottish. Therefore this post is about what it's like to be a Scottish girl living at an American Summer Camp.
1. Lingo
Kids think Scottish accents are the funniest thing they've ever heard. They will never tire of asking you to say 'aluminium', 'girls' or 'water bottle' and will laugh their heads off for days trying to impersonate you.
They also don't understand half the words we say. Forget asking them to wear a jumper; or telling them to put on trainers and grab their torch. Sweatshirt, sneakers and flashlight will soon become part of your every day vocabulary. Oh, and if you want to save yourself from HOURS of ridiculing and frustration, don't even bother asking them to put something in the bin - unless you want a response along the lines of "Ben, who's ben?"... YOU MEAN TRASH CAN.
By the end of summer, this American lingo seems natural, you'll have slowed your speech waaaaay down (apparently Glaswegians speak 3000mph) and you'll have picked up a general camp accent consisting of a medley of Scottish, American, Australian and Irish articulations.
But if you thought the kids winding you up about your Scottish accent was bad, JUST WAIT till you get home and your friends hear you pronouncing your T's and talking about popsicles.
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| This was a SMALL nachos :)) |
Food in America is a completely foreign concept.
- The portion sizes are bigger than that needed to feed a Scottish family of 4,
- EVERYTHING is sweet, even the butter,
- The chocolate and candy options are surprisingly awful,
- You don't know real craving until Irn Bru and Cadburry's are no longer an option,
- you'll long for a real cup of tea and your mum's home cooked meals.
Don't get me wrong, its not all awful - Wholefoods guac will save your life; Chipotle is a place of dreams; and don't even get me started on Panera Mac and Cheese. However, the differences make you appreciate Scottish cuisine (no, @Americans I don't mean Haggis) that little bit more when you get home.
3. "Is there wifi in Scotland"
Yes, some kids genuinely think Scotland is a 3rd world country. But, they're so gullible; you can turn this into a really funny game; "whats wifi?" "No, I've never heard of Justin Bieber" "I live in a castle and ride my dragon to school every morning"- you get the gist. 4. "Do you know my 3rd cousin from Cork?"
I'm not sure exactly what happens in American Geography lessons, but for some reason the majority of people you meet seem to think that everyone in the WHOLE OF THE UK knows one another. One mention of Scotland and you'll have people telling you "My great Grandmother is 1/16th Irish" (Yes someone did actually tell me this); as if it has any relation to what you just said. They also have no understanding of Great Britain, and think it is literally made up of just London. If you mention anything about being British, make sure you've set aside some time to answer at least 200 questions .
There are many other cultural differences between the Bonny Banks and the Land of the Free, such as the difference in distance perception, tipping and taxing, Greek life, and the importance of sports, however for me, these 4 are most relevant from my time at camp and I hope they're relatable for those who share similar experiences.
I also just wanted to say a huge thank you for all the responses I received on my last post and my blog in general. I am honestly blown away by all the heart felt messages and comments, and I'm so glad people are enjoying it :)
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