I will no doubt update this list over the coming months, but here are some initial observations from my time spent in the states so far:

• Everybody is incredibly friendly.
• The ground floor is called the first floor. Whilst I can understand the reasoning, it has caused a little confusion at times.
• Information on the back of pharmaceuticals has a standardised layout. What a good idea!
• Talking about good ideas, the system of dividing a neighbourhood into blocks is just brilliant!
• The trains run on time and to schedule, certainly from what small experience I’ve had so far.
• In San Francisco, the in-store music gets turned up a notch whenever a George Michael song plays!

In terms of television:

• Jimmy Carr is on the television here too. Is there no escaping the man?
• So is Harry Enfield—all be it advertising cheeseburgers for Burger King. How the mighty fall.
• They have the Antiques Road show here too, and in primetime!
• Every poor celebrity reality television show you can think of that airs in the UK has its respective version over here. The celebrities are just as Z-list as they are in the UK.
• To be a female news anchor you need to sound like a man (or at least deepen your voice)
• I no longer have any idea what’s happening in the rest of the world. However I do have more than enough information about the weather and all criminal activity in the entire Bay Area.

Need I say more about how I have been spending my evenings so far…