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American woman living in London admits there are 10 things she totally misses about the U.S.

"The default American personality when meeting strangers is happiness."

via Canva/Photos

Some of the best things about America.

Every American probably has a long list of things they would change about their country, whether it’s the cost of rent, political divisions, or the bill you get from going to the ER. However, if you took the same person to Europe for an extended period, there would probably be many things that they would begin to miss. As they say, absence makes the heart grow fond, especially if you’re an expat.

TikToker @AnAmericanInLondon recently graduated from William and Mary College and moved to London to start her career posts about the cultural differences between the US and the UK. Recently, she posted a photo collage about the things she misses about the US, and it’s sure to make Americans feel a twinge of pride, even those with a long list of gripes about the country.

Here are 10 favorite things that AnAmericanInLondon misses about living in the US. (Note: You can see the full photo carousel on TikTok).

tiktok, us, ukTikTok · AnAmericanInLondonwww.tiktok.com


1. Nature

“We really do have the best nature out there, from California to New York Island. From the redwood forest to the gulfstream waters. From the Grand Canyon to the rocks at Yosemite. The diversity of nature in the USA is *chef's kiss*.”

2. Happiness

“The default American personality when meeting strangers is happiness. Yeah, people say we're loud and overly friendly, but I'd rather be that than perpetually gray and depressing all the time.”

3. Big glasses of FREE water

“Why am I paying for water everywhere else? And why, when I pay, is it poured into the tiniest glass, not even big enough for a chihuahua!?”


4. The food

“We have amazing food, and I won't hear any slander for it. You wonder why we're all fat. It's 'cause our food rocks. Mexican, southern fried chicken, New York bagels, Chicago pizza. You can't beat all the local food in the USA.”

5. Thanksgiving

“It's honestly more fun, lowkey, not as stressful as Christmas. Americans get two days off for Thanksgiving rather than one day for Christmas, so it's a better vibe if you get me. The food is unreal! Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, dressing, green beans, apple pie. So much better than Christmas.”

6. Driving in my car

“Now that I live in London, I never drive, and I really miss when I was in high school driving with my best friends to school. Stopping at Starbusk singing Jason Derulo's 'In My Head' at the top of our lungs. Ahh, the good ol' days.”


7. College (uni) sports

“College sports are so much fun. Especially since, in the USA, this is how players go pro. Imagine sitting next to Peyton Manning in calculus on a Tuesday morning.”

8. Fahrenheit

“I just will never wrap my head around Celsius or Kelvin. They will never make me like you, Kelvin!”


9. Diversity of choice

“There are so many options in the USA. More variety. According to Econ, more choice = higher utility = better preferences = happier people.”

10. The American Dream

“The idea is that every American should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. Americans value success and are proud of their achievements, which should be celebrated.”

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A 75-year-long study just revealed the key to happiness, and most of us are getting it so very wrong.

There are lots of things that can contribute to happiness and fulfillment, and they vary with each individual. A 75-year-long study, however, has found one common element that's believed to play a pivotal role in most people's genuine, longstanding happiness.

Good ol' fashioned friendship.

This study, which is considered the longest ongoing study on human happiness, started at Harvard University in 1938 with 724 men, 60 of whom are still alive today (women were added later because misogyny). After decades of observation, one of the study's leaders, Robert Waldinger, came to this conclusion:

"Good relationships keep us happier and healthier," he stated in a TED Talk on the subject.  

That's right, friends. You don't have to make millions of dollars a year or write the next bestselling vampire/werewolf/wizarding world novel to feel joy. It's as simple as forging strong bonds with a few people whose general presence you appreciate.

Or is it?

Perhaps it is in some countries where loneliness hasn't reached epidemic levels, but here in America, making and holding onto friends is much easier said than done.  

According to a new study, making new friends is incredibly difficult for Americans. In fact, the average American hasn't made a new friend in five years.

Sure, you may have made some casual connections, but we're talking someone you'd want to hang out with at least once every couple weeks here — at least, that's the best many of us overworked, underpaid millennials can do at the moment. It's not easy to let new people into our weird little worlds, which is why most adults only boast five true friends on average. Those longtime friends often stem from our childhood/formative years when, you know, work and life seemed far less overwhelming.

The study, which was performed by OnPoll on behalf of Evite, polled 2,000 Americans, and while 45% said they had no problem going out of their way to make new friends, when it came to actually taking action, things like work, family and a lack of hobbies often impeded them.

Our general addiction to technology doesn't help either. It's so easy to just shuttle between work and home all the while existing within our little tech/online bubbles. Those bubbles often trick us into thinking we have a seemingly endless list of "friends" from our past and present when in reality we haven't seen 98% of them in over five years. And online connections are no substitute for in real life connections, no matter how you slice it.

So yes, isolation and loneliness are bad for us, and it is hard to make new friends as an adult, but it's far from impossible. Kati Morton, therapist and relationship specialist has some great tips.

In fact, she has a whole series of YouTube videos on various mental health issues, especially having to do with human relationships and socializing, that are absolutely worth a watch. Based on her experience with patients, Morton says one of the most common impediments to making new friends stems from not knowing how to initiate a conversation.

To that she says you have to figure out what types of people you want in your life before you go looking for friends, and then make a hard commitment to do it regularly. Whether you join a friend meet up service, or specific activity group that appeals to you, just like with dating, it's best to go in there having a clear idea of the relationship/type of friend you're looking for.

I know, I know, still easier said than done, but like with anything else, when you continue to make the effort to step out of your blue light-filled comfort zone, look someone in the eye and say, "hey, how's it going?" the easier it will get. The worst that can happen is you make another casual acquaintance you'll never speak to again. The best is you'll have a new buddy who loves/hates brunch as much as you do.

6 eye-opening, hilarious comics about life as a Muslim woman in Texas.

Huda Fahmy had a story inside her that desperately needed to get out.

And yeah, it was a good one.

A Detroit native now living in Texas, Fahmy is a devout Muslim. She thought about writing a book about her life, but after several rejection letters, her sister advised her to go in another direction — web comics.

"I’ve loved comics since I was eight years old, so it felt like such a natural segue, from writing my stories to illustrating them, that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought to do it earlier," she explains via email.

[rebelmouse-image 19533430 dam="1" original_size="750x736" caption="All images by Huda Fahmy for "Yes I'm Hot In This."" expand=1]All images by Huda Fahmy for "Yes I'm Hot In This."

Her comic, "Yes I'm Hot In This," captures the funny and frustrating experience of being a Muslim woman who wears a hijab.

While many of her comics come straight from her life, she also writes her main character into situations friends have shared with her and draws inspiration from current events. Through telling these stories, particularly in this format, Fahmy hopes to start a conversation and help people connect across different backgrounds.

"My comics are not without controversy, even among the Muslim community, but it was very important, from the beginning, that I create a safe space to share thoughts, find common ground, and even express opposing points of view in a respectful and light-hearted manner," she says. "If anything, the more I grow, the more I see that we really are just trying to relate to one another. It gives me a lot of hope."

Her comics and interactions with readers offer a bit of hope, something Fahmy herself has needed since the 2016 election.

The rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric and attacks since the election of Trump make Fahmy fearful and anxious, but she does her best not to let it stop her or her family from living their lives.

"'Is today the day someone tries to snatch my hijab?' 'Is today the day I get told to go back to where I came from?' 'For God’s sake, when I walk into a store, I always make sure to know where the exits are, and I find myself subconsciously looking at things as potential weapons I could use to defend myself in case I’m attacked. This is my reality."

But with that fear comes anger and frustration, particularly at the president and anyone else who second guesses the patriotism of Muslim Americans.

"The fact that he can stand in front of MY flag and spew his disgusting, filthy hate makes me ill. So, this year more than any other year past, I am determined to get my stories out," says. "Whether my stories are written or drawn, I am going to share what makes ME an American."

So far, the response to Fahmy's comic has been overwhelmingly positive.

In May, she celebrated her thousandth Instagram follower. Today, just seven months later, she has more than 85,000.

They're people of different backgrounds, coming together to laugh, learn, and connect with each other. It gives Fahmy hope that things won't always be so scary.

"The overwhelming response has been incredibly positive and uplifting," she says. "The DMs I receive the most are ones from followers thanking me for dispelling harmful beliefs they once held."

Breaking down barriers, making connections, and sharing a good laugh? That's one amazing story.

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What a Muslim mom said to her daughter about the election — and what you can say, too.

Muna Hussaini walked into her polling station near Austin, Texas, with her daughter on Election Day. Her excitement was weighed down by fear.

Now a mother of two, Hussaini was born and raised in the United States to immigrant parents from India. But as a Muslim woman who wears hijab, she's seen firsthand the angry and xenophobic rhetoric that still plagues this country. Sometimes, she still feels unsafe in her rightful home.

"This election has wreaked havoc on our family as Muslims, who have continued to look on in horror as women, Latinos, Blacks, gays ... so many have been denigrated," she confessed in a private post to tens of thousands of strangers in Pantsuit Nation, a secret Facebook group. (Her post is shared here with permission.)

"These people and their views will still be here after the election. And who will now be walking around with a target on their back?"

Photo by Muna Hussaini, used with permission.

Hussaini watched her 8-year-old daughter press the buttons in the voting booth. She cried.

"Is it true, Mom, do Obama and Hillary think it's OK for two men to marry each other?" her daughter asked. "That's what one kid said at school today and why I should vote for Trump."

Hussaini replied: "Baby, what if tomorrow someone said we can't eat meat because it's against their religious beliefs?"

Her daughter paused to process the thought before agreeing that it wouldn't be fair.

"That's right, sweet love," Hussaini said. "That's the beauty of democracy in the USA. No one's religion gets to be more important than other people's beliefs. That's called separation of church and state. And you can't pick and choose, otherwise tomorrow, someone will get to tell Mommy to take her scarf off. If two dads want to marry, we have to fight for their right to do so. We have to show up and vote."

Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images.

Tuesday morning was full of hope and inspiration for the Hussaini family. But the next day, they woke up to an opposite feeling.

Like many parents, Hussaini tries not to push too many worldviews on her daughter. But on Wednesday morning after Election Day, that was simply unavoidable.

Her daughter was terrified of being kicked out of the country she was born in, with an impenetrable wall between her and her friends. She asked, in detail, questions about passports, contingencies, and travel plans and whether it was even safe for her to go school.

Hussaini did her best to explain how the government works — that there's a Constitution and three separate branches with a system of checks and balances built in to make sure no one has too much power.

She told her daughter, "We want to be positive, because as Americans, we believe in our laws and [that] people are generally good" — even though, she noted, she wasn't even sure if she believed those words herself.

But sometimes, she said, you need to believe in something, even if it's just to hearing yourself say it. Sometimes that's what it takes to get by.

Photo by Andrew Biraj/AFP/Getty Images.

"What would be helpful [now] is knowing I'm not alone," Hussaini told me. "That if hate comes out in full force that I can keep my family safe."

"I'm an American citizen, born and raised, and I don't feel safe or comfortable. I don't know when my rights are going to be infringed upon and if they will, what I am supposed to do.

I want to know that my freedom of religion is covered.

I want to know that my freedom of speech is still safe.





I want to know that America is still for me."

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