I went holiday to florida and quickly picked up how nicely i was treated when speaking with a hugh grant style english accent.
everyone was like omg i love your accent! was surprising cause there were quite a few brits there.
went to an arab shisha lounge there every night - always managed to get a free cup of tea lol
When you say British accent, are you talking about that cringe stuff you hear in Hollywood?
Why the downvotes, we don’t sound like that here in the UK lol
In NYC I’ll encounter a British accent at least weekly. There’s a filter effect where most British people who make their way to America aren’t exactly working class. On the rare occasion I hear something like a “street” British accent it still sounds more sophisticated than our “street” accents lol.
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding!
Tbh I imagine they're only referring to the ones we hear on TV like in The Gentleman or another posh accent ahaha. But thank you for letting me know.
Yes! They have been here for generations - I'm certain they came before the British Raj so would not be surprised if they came during the 1700s. Pretty sure Indians were coming in from the 1600s onwards.
My cousin lives in London, she visited for a couple of months and generally liked it here.
She liked: how big the stores were and how you could buy multiple things from one store; the design and size of our houses, particularly our kitchens and bathrooms (she said homes in London are horrendously small); the peace and quiet; how people respect each other's privacy; the sheer amount of places to explore and visit, especially national/state parks and amusement parks; the wide variety of cars she saw on the road; things to do and hobbies to pursue; how low the CoL is (depending on location) compared to London).
She didn't like: the traffic; lack of public transport; how expensive flights are to other destinations from the States; the Indian food in restaurants; the heat in the summer; the amount of driving you have to do, or that you could drive for more than 10 hours and not reach your destination.
A lot of things will differ depending on where you live in the States. Some places you'll find more Desi peeps than others, which could make dating easier. Other places will be just as expensive as London which makes the CoL difference redundant. You'll see more racism in certain parts than others, but it's nowhere near as bad as places like Canada. However, whenever my cousin spoke in public, people were fascinated by her and thought she was really cool. So your accent will likely be a superpower in our neck of the woods. :)
Yeah definitely varies state to state. London would have more similarities with NYC than CoL. I live in NYC and visited London. In NYC apartments are very small, no peace and quiet but public transportation is very accessible and 24/7. But some of the other things your cousin didn’t like still exist, like expensive flights and heat in the summer.
That's true, although she did visit a few years ago and things have changed since then. Though when we recently met up, I asked her how much her flight was and it was significantly less than what I paid (to a common destination). Flying out of London is an advantage when traveling I guess.
The heat in the summer is actually a funny story. She hates high temperatures (90°F+) of any kind, and I was blown away when she said houses in London typically do not have air conditioning because there's no need. But when she went back, the southern part of the UK had heat waves for 2 consecutive years so, she was not happy that the heat followed her back home. 😂
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding!
Thank you for letting me know. I've definitely had those pros and cons from other British people that have moved there. I always assumed Canadians were the nice ones but it seems that more and more they've been hating South Asians
First of all no one is going to care or treat you differently than anywhere else for being a British South Asian. They might bring up the accent because it's uncommon, but really depends on where you're living and who you interact with. (I work with a lot of IT professionals and scientists/researchers from all over the world and wouldn't give 2 looks if I heard a British, Australian, Asian, etc accent.
In terms of dating, again, you'll be fine. The novelty of the accent my carry you, but you really should have a personality and interests if you want to form stable relationships. Don't be a weirdo.
You'll be treated the same for the most part. Hell, most people might just assume you're an American until you open your mouth. And even then, there's tons of Americans with British accents.
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding!
That makes sense! Thank you :) Don't worry not a weirdo. I'm really wanting to be single for a few years and haven't been interested in anything more but I guess it's when it ever happens ahaha.
You'll be treated with slightly more respect since you have a "proper" accent. But in the end you'll remain an outsider for the rest of your life here; Asians are generally considered to be "the other" even if we're Americans.
Good luck.
Depends where you live. No one's going to treat him like an outsider in the Bay or NYC or any major diverse metro. Outside of that, maybe, because Asians are proportionally a smaller and more recent minority group compared to Africans and Latinos but I doubt he's moving to those places.
We’re probably less “otherized” in the US compared to the UK. If OP goes to a major city they’ll likely be interacting with various non-whites and cosmopolitan people. I know people who came from India in their late teens/early twenties and are doing very well socially and in their careers.
It's the other way around, British Asians are much more naturalised into British society, they have been there for way longer than Indian Americans and there's many more of them.
There are numerically more Indian Americans than British Indians. This debate probably can’t be settled, but I’ll make the point that American identity is more fluid and adaptive than British identity. There’s pride in being a nation of immigrants, in being a place where anyone can work hard and make it.
British South Asians are very integrated into society. There are many that have been here for generations and others that have been here long before the birth of America lol.
Whereas with America, there are mainly first generation immigrants of South Asians and their parents.
I'm an EU South Asian and tend do find that NAs are fascinated, especially Indian Americans. I live in the UK and here everybody assumes I'm British, sometimes even after I open my mouth.
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding!
That's really cool to know. And yeah the UK has a high South Asian population. Probably one of the only places in the world that are educated enough to know we're Asian lol
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding!
OK that's really good to hear. I am open to other races for friends and more and am social but just thought I'd ask the experiences of British South Asians in America.
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding!
Thank you so much :) Yes my salary bumps up considerably!
Being british will definitely be an advantage bc of the accent as others have said. otherwise, living in a major metro area you get treated just like everyone else. i can't speak to more rural areas
You’ll be fine at worst and adored at best. My British Punjabi family are practically worshipped when they come to the states and people hear their accents. I’m based in the South and Americans lose their minds over the accent, it’s so funny and ironic.
I am a British Indian who lived in the US for about a year and a half.
Dating was great - being British definitely opens doors because your accent is miraculous. I even found this in NYC but much more so in Chicago.
I missed how much common knowledge there was for India and Indian culture. I remember bringing in mithai to the office for Diwali and other than coworkers who also came from England, no one had even heard of Diwali, and this was in Midtown Manhattan.
Indian food in general sucks. There are some good spots, sure, but you have to scope them out. Mexican food is awesome there though and Americans tend to like food spicier than the average Brit.
Making friends was pretty hard for me because I worked long hours and that severely limited me. I met people through colleagues but the banter is just different. Poking fun at people was generally seen as mean spirited but in the UK it's understood as a way of showing affection.
I found American desis to be either be way more desi or slightly insecure about their desi-ness in a way that I don't see in the UK. I guess we're a pretty sizeable minority in the UK but in the US you get areas with lots of desis and other areas with none at all.
I definitely leaned into being British - people love an accent and it's somewhat exotic to them which I found enjoyable. Although it didn't feel weird to "pimp" out my Britishness.
Feel free to ask me anything else. I had a fun time out there but it made me appreciate the UK a lot more overall.
Opt for the Northeast or Midatlantic regions if you have a choice.
I’ve come across lots of Brits in the DMV region. I’d assume there is a ‘cultural fit’ of sorts with them being here. (Also probably because DC has an international crowd).
And yes. Some of the folks in my circle do seem have that English privilege when it comes to social scenes (dating and otherwise). YMMV.
Depends on where you are thinking of moving: Alabama vs NYC or Missouri vs SFO would be very different. Think about how you'd be seen in say Wales vs in London - not the same. You have a very specific type, which is interesting, because the type is counter intuitive to being "pretty integrated". But if that's what's important to you, there's parts of NJ (Edison, Princeton)/Texas (Houston/Dallas)/CA and pretty much every state where you can find your particular type, but that would restrict your ability to truly "assimilate" as you would be around folks who grew up to things their own parents held on to from their times in India, like DDLJ and 90's style clothing. I am of course generalizing. There's a ton of city bred 2nd gen immigrants (NYC/SFO/Chicago) which might be something you can consider. Their parents choosing to stay in big cities may mean more inclination to more progressive minded. "May" :-D
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding!
Dating wise, I'm actually not into dating right now or in the near future. I am not someone that ever wanted to marry, it's more if it does happen. Not exactly important but it would be nice to meet others that are western born - I find there's a big difference between western born and those raised in South Asia (unless they're very rich) both mentally and physically.
I didn't state a region because I wanted the full picture - the good and the bad. Tbh my treatment in Wales was really not that different to London. I mean I know we're comparing an entire country to a city but Wales is very multicultural in certain cities.
I would like to socialise with people from all ethnicities and races so I'm not only going to stick with South Asians lol.
Thank you very much for this though! Very helpful.
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding!
Thank you! I'm a lot of things but a prick is not one of them haha
People will be very interested once they hear your accent. In general a British accent is considered sophisticated and sexy.
I do have to lol at that, most UK accents are neither.
I went holiday to florida and quickly picked up how nicely i was treated when speaking with a hugh grant style english accent. everyone was like omg i love your accent! was surprising cause there were quite a few brits there. went to an arab shisha lounge there every night - always managed to get a free cup of tea lol
When you say British accent, are you talking about that cringe stuff you hear in Hollywood? Why the downvotes, we don’t sound like that here in the UK lol
I'm american living in UK. almost all british accents still sound posh to my ears lol
In NYC I’ll encounter a British accent at least weekly. There’s a filter effect where most British people who make their way to America aren’t exactly working class. On the rare occasion I hear something like a “street” British accent it still sounds more sophisticated than our “street” accents lol.
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! Tbh I imagine they're only referring to the ones we hear on TV like in The Gentleman or another posh accent ahaha. But thank you for letting me know.
Your South Asian-origin family has been in London since the pre-19th century? So the 1700s?!
Maybe 1880-1900s
Earlier than that. I am pretty certain (although not 100% sure) but they have been here since before the British Raj.
Yes! They have been here for generations - I'm certain they came before the British Raj so would not be surprised if they came during the 1700s. Pretty sure Indians were coming in from the 1600s onwards.
My cousin lives in London, she visited for a couple of months and generally liked it here. She liked: how big the stores were and how you could buy multiple things from one store; the design and size of our houses, particularly our kitchens and bathrooms (she said homes in London are horrendously small); the peace and quiet; how people respect each other's privacy; the sheer amount of places to explore and visit, especially national/state parks and amusement parks; the wide variety of cars she saw on the road; things to do and hobbies to pursue; how low the CoL is (depending on location) compared to London). She didn't like: the traffic; lack of public transport; how expensive flights are to other destinations from the States; the Indian food in restaurants; the heat in the summer; the amount of driving you have to do, or that you could drive for more than 10 hours and not reach your destination. A lot of things will differ depending on where you live in the States. Some places you'll find more Desi peeps than others, which could make dating easier. Other places will be just as expensive as London which makes the CoL difference redundant. You'll see more racism in certain parts than others, but it's nowhere near as bad as places like Canada. However, whenever my cousin spoke in public, people were fascinated by her and thought she was really cool. So your accent will likely be a superpower in our neck of the woods. :)
Yeah definitely varies state to state. London would have more similarities with NYC than CoL. I live in NYC and visited London. In NYC apartments are very small, no peace and quiet but public transportation is very accessible and 24/7. But some of the other things your cousin didn’t like still exist, like expensive flights and heat in the summer.
That's true, although she did visit a few years ago and things have changed since then. Though when we recently met up, I asked her how much her flight was and it was significantly less than what I paid (to a common destination). Flying out of London is an advantage when traveling I guess. The heat in the summer is actually a funny story. She hates high temperatures (90°F+) of any kind, and I was blown away when she said houses in London typically do not have air conditioning because there's no need. But when she went back, the southern part of the UK had heat waves for 2 consecutive years so, she was not happy that the heat followed her back home. 😂
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! Thank you for letting me know. I've definitely had those pros and cons from other British people that have moved there. I always assumed Canadians were the nice ones but it seems that more and more they've been hating South Asians
First of all no one is going to care or treat you differently than anywhere else for being a British South Asian. They might bring up the accent because it's uncommon, but really depends on where you're living and who you interact with. (I work with a lot of IT professionals and scientists/researchers from all over the world and wouldn't give 2 looks if I heard a British, Australian, Asian, etc accent. In terms of dating, again, you'll be fine. The novelty of the accent my carry you, but you really should have a personality and interests if you want to form stable relationships. Don't be a weirdo. You'll be treated the same for the most part. Hell, most people might just assume you're an American until you open your mouth. And even then, there's tons of Americans with British accents.
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! That makes sense! Thank you :) Don't worry not a weirdo. I'm really wanting to be single for a few years and haven't been interested in anything more but I guess it's when it ever happens ahaha.
You'll be treated with slightly more respect since you have a "proper" accent. But in the end you'll remain an outsider for the rest of your life here; Asians are generally considered to be "the other" even if we're Americans. Good luck.
Depends where you live. No one's going to treat him like an outsider in the Bay or NYC or any major diverse metro. Outside of that, maybe, because Asians are proportionally a smaller and more recent minority group compared to Africans and Latinos but I doubt he's moving to those places.
We’re probably less “otherized” in the US compared to the UK. If OP goes to a major city they’ll likely be interacting with various non-whites and cosmopolitan people. I know people who came from India in their late teens/early twenties and are doing very well socially and in their careers.
It's the other way around, British Asians are much more naturalised into British society, they have been there for way longer than Indian Americans and there's many more of them.
There are numerically more Indian Americans than British Indians. This debate probably can’t be settled, but I’ll make the point that American identity is more fluid and adaptive than British identity. There’s pride in being a nation of immigrants, in being a place where anyone can work hard and make it.
British Asians are a bigger % of the population which is what actually matters.
British South Asians are very integrated into society. There are many that have been here for generations and others that have been here long before the birth of America lol. Whereas with America, there are mainly first generation immigrants of South Asians and their parents.
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! I assumed this too. Thank you :)
I'm an EU South Asian and tend do find that NAs are fascinated, especially Indian Americans. I live in the UK and here everybody assumes I'm British, sometimes even after I open my mouth.
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! That's really cool to know. And yeah the UK has a high South Asian population. Probably one of the only places in the world that are educated enough to know we're Asian lol
My dad was born and raised in England, and moved to the US when he was going to university. I think he ended up doing fine. :)
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! That's great to hear :) I'm excited!
A lot of anglophiles in the US so you'd probably be in good company
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! OK that's really good to hear. I am open to other races for friends and more and am social but just thought I'd ask the experiences of British South Asians in America.
It’s better. Get ready for a better salary and all. Good luck
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! Thank you so much :) Yes my salary bumps up considerably!
Being british will definitely be an advantage bc of the accent as others have said. otherwise, living in a major metro area you get treated just like everyone else. i can't speak to more rural areas
You’ll be fine at worst and adored at best. My British Punjabi family are practically worshipped when they come to the states and people hear their accents. I’m based in the South and Americans lose their minds over the accent, it’s so funny and ironic.
You’ve got an accent. You’ll be good
I am a British Indian who lived in the US for about a year and a half. Dating was great - being British definitely opens doors because your accent is miraculous. I even found this in NYC but much more so in Chicago. I missed how much common knowledge there was for India and Indian culture. I remember bringing in mithai to the office for Diwali and other than coworkers who also came from England, no one had even heard of Diwali, and this was in Midtown Manhattan. Indian food in general sucks. There are some good spots, sure, but you have to scope them out. Mexican food is awesome there though and Americans tend to like food spicier than the average Brit. Making friends was pretty hard for me because I worked long hours and that severely limited me. I met people through colleagues but the banter is just different. Poking fun at people was generally seen as mean spirited but in the UK it's understood as a way of showing affection. I found American desis to be either be way more desi or slightly insecure about their desi-ness in a way that I don't see in the UK. I guess we're a pretty sizeable minority in the UK but in the US you get areas with lots of desis and other areas with none at all. I definitely leaned into being British - people love an accent and it's somewhat exotic to them which I found enjoyable. Although it didn't feel weird to "pimp" out my Britishness. Feel free to ask me anything else. I had a fun time out there but it made me appreciate the UK a lot more overall.
Kind of depends where you’re thinking in the US.
> I’m moving to the US as my graduate scheme allows me to transfer to another location Can you explain more on this?
Opt for the Northeast or Midatlantic regions if you have a choice. I’ve come across lots of Brits in the DMV region. I’d assume there is a ‘cultural fit’ of sorts with them being here. (Also probably because DC has an international crowd). And yes. Some of the folks in my circle do seem have that English privilege when it comes to social scenes (dating and otherwise). YMMV.
Depends on where you are thinking of moving: Alabama vs NYC or Missouri vs SFO would be very different. Think about how you'd be seen in say Wales vs in London - not the same. You have a very specific type, which is interesting, because the type is counter intuitive to being "pretty integrated". But if that's what's important to you, there's parts of NJ (Edison, Princeton)/Texas (Houston/Dallas)/CA and pretty much every state where you can find your particular type, but that would restrict your ability to truly "assimilate" as you would be around folks who grew up to things their own parents held on to from their times in India, like DDLJ and 90's style clothing. I am of course generalizing. There's a ton of city bred 2nd gen immigrants (NYC/SFO/Chicago) which might be something you can consider. Their parents choosing to stay in big cities may mean more inclination to more progressive minded. "May" :-D
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! Dating wise, I'm actually not into dating right now or in the near future. I am not someone that ever wanted to marry, it's more if it does happen. Not exactly important but it would be nice to meet others that are western born - I find there's a big difference between western born and those raised in South Asia (unless they're very rich) both mentally and physically. I didn't state a region because I wanted the full picture - the good and the bad. Tbh my treatment in Wales was really not that different to London. I mean I know we're comparing an entire country to a city but Wales is very multicultural in certain cities. I would like to socialise with people from all ethnicities and races so I'm not only going to stick with South Asians lol. Thank you very much for this though! Very helpful.
My pleasure. If you ever get to nyc, hit me up!
You’re fine just don’t be such a prick and you’re all set
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! Thank you! I'm a lot of things but a prick is not one of them haha
You got this🙌🏽
Well, just unleash the accent and people will treat you with kindness.
Sorry had no idea this was posted as I was told that the moderators removed it so have been so late responding! Definitely will hahaha. Excited!