The American Dream

The American Dream: what does that mean?

I think it means achieving happiness and success and wotnot in all that you do, whether that’s working your arse off in a corporate company and making lots of money and having a big house and flash car; or to be able to spend your days fishing with your two dogs by your side; or to travel across the country in a camper van hanging out and meeting people; or to just to be with your friends and family and be content….I don’t think the ‘dream’ is one single thing; I think the dream is an individual one where you set your own expectations and then go about trying to make them a reality.

What is it?

My ‘dream’ when I came out here was simple: have a bloody brilliant time, see and enjoy America, and make the most of it. Yep, doing just that thanks 🙂

This is my expat column piece about what British expats think the American dream is and whether or not their own American dream has come true. And, yes, I reference my own dissertation about Dallas and Eastenders 😉

A Little Piece of Britain in the USA

Yesterday I headed north of Baltimore to an event I had been invited to. ‘The British Garden Party and Fete’ in Timonium, MD.

Now, to be honest, I did say to my friend that this could be bloody awful or it could be totally ace.

Thankfully, it was the latter.

When we rocked up it certainly felt like a little piece of Britain had been created on the lawn of St Stephen’s Anglican Church. Blow me down, there’s Henry VIII lording it up! And a British bobby! And folks doing Maypole dancing! And a Punch and Judy show! Am I in a Cotswold village? Nope, I’m 10 miles from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor!

The lovely people who organise this (a mixture of Brits and Americans) got it spot on. Cups of tea, pieces of homemade cake, pipe bands, pin the tail on the donkey, sack races, glamorous granny and knobbly knee competitions, and of course, the flower show – it was certainly an authentic British fete – just like the ones my mother and her chums go to!

And I think they even got a spot of rain in the afternoon. See – can’t get more British than that, can you?! 😉

Daughters of the British Empire

British cake!

Punch and Judy show

Maypole dancing

The loos – Brit-sytlie

British bobby (with sneakers on!)