How Great is Britain

How Great is Britain
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Falling in Love with the UK! What happens when you press reset in your 40s? You find magic! Welcome to How Great Is Britain, the podcast celebrating the joy, beauty, and unique lifestyle of the UK. Join Gemma and Brett, a British-American couple with two girls and two dogs, as we share our love for our new/old home. We celebrate the everyday moments and experiences of life in the UK to discover How Great is Britain. Expect: • British Charm: Hidden gems & traditions. • Family Adventures: Making memories. • Fresh Starts: Joyful mid-life chapters. Hit Follow & join our transatlantic family!

  1. 1d ago

    5 Things Every American Needs to Know Before Visiting the UK

    Americans visiting the UK: the first tip is to keep your voice down. We didn’t come up with that one. Our viewers did.In this episode, we share five things Americans should know before visiting the UK, including a few tips from our comment section! We cover why you might be louder than you think, what to know about hair dryers and electrical sockets in UK bathrooms, why a “To Let” sign isn’t what it sounds like, and the everyday words that mean something completely different on either side of the Atlantic. Looking at you, fanny pack.We also tackle the one that still trips Brett up: the difference between England, Britain and the UK. Then there’s “cheers”, and why you probably shouldn’t try the local accent, however good you think it is.The theme running through all of it? You don’t have to become British to enjoy Britain. You just have to stay curious, laugh at yourself and accept that you’ll get a few things wrong.As seen on BBC's Points West, we’re a British-American couple sharing our experience of leaving the USA and moving to the UK with our two little girls and two rescue pups, while celebrating everyday British life.Join our YouTube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXQgjB0xD09JWfExUCgN9g/join Download our US → UK relocation checklist: https://howgreatisbritain.com/resources Products that helped: https://howgreatisbritain.com/recommended Website: www.HowGreatisBritain.com Follow us:Instagram: @howgreatisbritain.gbTikTok: @howgreatisbritainEditing and Cool Animations - Dave Weisser (www.youtube.com/@daveweisser)End Music - "Lemonade Stand" by alanajordanhttps://pixabay.com/music/cartoons-lemonade-stand-329815/00:00 – 5 Things Americans Should Know Before Visiting the UK01:47 – Tip 1: Keep Your Voice Down (Especially in UK Pubs!)03:26 – Tip 2: UK Bathroom Quirks (Switches, Sockets & Taps)05:25 – Bonus: What Does “To Let” Mean?06:03 – Tip 3: England vs Britain vs the UK07:54 – Tip 4: British vs American Words, “Cheers” & Getting Things Wrong11:24 – Tip 5: Don't Try to Do the British Accent15:30 – Channel Announcement: Introducing The Great Memberships16:24 – Final Thoughts: Visiting the UKFirst Day of School: We Realised What We No longer Had to Carry - https://youtu.be/dJI7B9MczQAWe Had the Same Procedure, but 60x THE COST! - https://youtu.be/uxSsh0Aa5wo5 Things This American Learned After One Year Living in the UK  - https://youtu.be/fcGITqIGxrk#VisitingTheUK #AmericanInEngland #UKTravelTips #LivingInTheUK #BritishCulture #UKvsUSA

    5 Things Every American Needs to Know Before Visiting the UK

  2. Oct 12

    How We Accidentally Made Our Car Illegal in the UK

    Join our YouTube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXQgjB0xD09JWfExUCgN9g/joinThe UK MOT test: one of those things you know matters when you move to England… until you find out just how much.In this episode, Brett learns the hard way what happens when you forget (or never fully understand) the MOT. Car tax, keeping the car legally on the road, and everything that follows depend on getting that test done. Then the car battery dies on the very morning of the test. Add two people with colds, and it’s a pretty miserable week.Is the MOT just annoying British bureaucracy, or is there a reason it’s so strict? We compare it with Florida, where routine vehicle safety inspections aren’t required, and look at how inspection rules vary across the US. Even so, nothing we experienced back home comes close to the MOT.As featured on BBC Points West, we’re a British-American couple sharing our experience of leaving the USA and moving to the UK with our two little girls and two rescue pups while celebrating everyday British life.Download our US → UK relocation checklist: https://howgreatisbritain.com/resources Products that helped: https://howgreatisbritain.com/recommended Website: www.HowGreatisBritain.com Follow us:Instagram: @howgreatisbritain.gbTikTok: @howgreatisbritainEditing and Cool Animations - Dave Weisser (www.youtube.com/@daveweisser) End Music - "Lemonade Stand" by alanajordanhttps://pixabay.com/music/cartoons-lemonade-stand-329815/00:00 – The MOT Test: A Stressful Week in England01:34 – Channel Shoutouts & Exciting News02:14 – What Is an MOT? And How Did We Miss Ours?05:01 – No MOT, No Tax, No Driving?05:36 – UK MOT vs US Vehicle Inspections: Florida and Beyond07:37 – Car Battery Dies on MOT Day09:12 – Why Is the MOT So Strict?10:14 – What Happens If Your Car Fails Its MOT?13:42 – Is There an MOT Grace Period?14:15 – Our MOT Experience: Final ThoughtsFirst Day of School: We Realised What We No longer Had to Carry - https://youtu.be/dJI7B9MczQAWe Had the Same Procedure, but 60x THE COST! - https://youtu.be/uxSsh0Aa5wo5 Things This American Learned After One Year Living in the UK  - https://youtu.be/fcGITqIGxrk#britishculture #culturalshocks #howgreatisbritain #AmericanInEngland #BritishVsAmerican #MovingToTheUK

    How We Accidentally Made Our Car Illegal in the UK

  3. Oct 5

    The Box Nobody Would Open — And What It Taught Us About Britain and America

    Join our YouTube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXQgjB0xD09JWfExUCgN9g/joinNobody in the room would open the box of donuts. Not even Brett — and he's American.In this episode, we dig into a real moment from a UK playgroup where a box of donuts sat completely untouched for over an hour because nobody wanted to be the first to open it. Brett thought it was a classic British social dynamic — until Gemma, who's actually British, said she'd have just opened them herself.That one comment turned into a much bigger conversation about British politeness, social etiquette, and the unspoken rules around sharing — and whether Americans are really more direct, or just trained to avoid a different kind of social risk. We look at how the exact same situation might play out back home in America, testing the idea against a few other everyday scenarios. Because maybe it's not about who's polite and who's rude in American vs. British culture. Maybe it's about whether we're more worried about seeming rude... or missing out.As featured on BBC Points West, we’re a British-American couple sharing our experience of leaving the USA and moving to the UK with our two little girls and two rescue pups while celebrating everyday British life.📄Download our US → UK relocation checklist: https://howgreatisbritain.com/resources🛍️ Products that helped:https://howgreatisbritain.com/recommended🌍 Website:www.HowGreatisBritain.com📱 Follow us:Instagram: @howgreatisbritain.gbTikTok: @howgreatisbritainEditing and Cool Animations - Dave Weisser (www.youtube.com/@daveweisser)End Music - "Lemonade Stand" by alanajordanhttps://pixabay.com/music/cartoons-lemonade-stand-329815/00:00 – The Unopened Donut Dilemma03:51 – A Quick Channel Announcement04:45 – Who Takes the First Donut?07:40 – Why Britain and America Handle This Differently10:12 – Individualism, Buffets & Queue Culture16:29 – British Reserve, American Boldness18:44 – What Would You Do?First Day of School: We Realised What We No longer Had to Carry - https://youtu.be/dJI7B9MczQAWe Had the Same Procedure, but 60x THE COST! - https://youtu.be/uxSsh0Aa5wo5 Things This American Learned After One Year Living in the UK  - https://youtu.be/fcGITqIGxrk#britishculture #culturalshocks #howgreatisbritain #AmericanInEngland #BritishVsAmerican #MovingToTheUK

    The Box Nobody Would Open — And What It Taught Us About Britain and America

  4. Sep 28

    I Made An American Blind-Test Britain's Favourite Chocolate Biscuits

    We put Hobnobs up against Hob-nots — dupes from Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, and a bonus Sainsbury's contender — all blind taste-tested and ranked. There were a few genuine surprises along the way, including one clear winner.In this episode, we rank each Hobnob dupe on taste and (most importantly) dunkability, completely blind. Real Hobnobs are famously called "the marine of biscuits" by Peter Kay, so we put that reputation to the test against some more affordable alternatives to see if any of the Hob-nots can actually hold up in a cup of tea.As featured on BBC Points West, we’re a British-American couple sharing our experience of leaving the USA and moving to the UK with our two little girls and two rescue pups while celebrating everyday British life. Download our US → UK relocation checklist: https://howgreatisbritain.com/resources Products that helped: https://howgreatisbritain.com/recommended Website: www.HowGreatisBritain.com Follow us:Instagram: @howgreatisbritain.gbTikTok: @howgreatisbritainEditing and Cool Animations - Dave Weisser (www.youtube.com/@daveweisser)End Music - "Lemonade Stand" by alanajordanhttps://pixabay.com/music/cartoons-lemonade-stand-329815/00:00 – The Ultimate Hobnob Taste Test01:23 – How the Blind Taste Test Works (Aldi, Lidl & Morrisons)  03:26 – Hob-not #1: Crunch & Dunkability05:12 – Hob-not #2: Oatiness & Texture06:44 – Hob-not #3: The Lighter, Sweeter Biscuit08:14 – Hob-not #4: The "Marine of Biscuits"10:04 – Scoring & Ranking the Biscuits11:00 – Guessing the Brands & Comparing Prices11:43 – The Reveal: McVitie's vs. the Hob-nots14:09 – Bonus: Sainsbury's Chocolate Chip Oaties15:30 – Final Verdict: Which Oat Biscuit Won?First Day of School: We Realised What We No longer Had to Carry - https://youtu.be/dJI7B9MczQAWe Had the Same Procedure, but 60x THE COST! - https://youtu.be/uxSsh0Aa5wo5 Things This American Learned After One Year Living in the UK  - https://youtu.be/fcGITqIGxrk#britishculture #culturalshocks #howgreatisbritain #AmericanInEngland #BritishVsAmerican #MovingToTheUK

    I Made An American Blind-Test Britain's Favourite Chocolate Biscuits

  5. Sep 21

    We Had 3 Assumptions About Life in the UK. All Wrong.

    We had three assumptions about life in the UK before we moved here.We were wrong about every single one. In this episode, we go through the specific things we got completely wrong before moving to England — from assuming there just wasn't enough room to build bigger houses, to thinking travel between places would be faster on a smaller island, and assuming a shared language meant a shared culture.…wait, Gemma has noticed a difference between the North and South of England?Turns out, moving to another country has a funny way of showing you just how much you thought you understood before you got here. As featured on BBC Points West, we’re a British-American couple sharing our experience of leaving the USA and moving to the UK with our two little girls and two rescue pups while celebrating everyday British life. Download our US → UK relocation checklist: https://howgreatisbritain.com/resources Products that helped: https://howgreatisbritain.com/recommended Website: www.HowGreatisBritain.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowGreatIsBritainFollow us:Instagram: @howgreatisbritain.gbTikTok: @howgreatisbritainEditing and Cool Animations - Dave Weisser (www.youtube.com/@daveweisser)End Music - "Lemonade Stand" by alanajordanhttps://pixabay.com/music/cartoons-lemonade-stand-329815/00:00 – What We Thought Life in the UK Would Be Like01:28 – Why Are UK Houses So Small?04:06 – Why We Stopped Buying So Much Stuff07:49 – Driving in the UK: Miles vs Minutes09:19 – Commuting to London: How Far Is Too Far?12:10 – Same Language, Completely Different Culture16:13 – Making Friends & Finding Community18:43 – We Were Wrong About British Weather21:14 – Final Thoughts On Life in the UKFirst Day of School: We Realised What We No longer Had to Carry - https://youtu.be/dJI7B9MczQAWe Had the Same Procedure, but 60x THE COST! - https://youtu.be/uxSsh0Aa5wo5 Things This American Learned After One Year Living in the UK  - https://youtu.be/fcGITqIGxrk#britishculture #culturalshocks #howgreatisbritain #AmericanInEngland #BritishVsAmerican #MovingToTheUK

    We Had 3 Assumptions About Life in the UK. All Wrong.

  6. Sep 16

    What We Looked Forward To About the UK... and What We Didn't See Coming

    A year ago, we filmed a video about what we were most excited for before moving to the UK — back when we'd only ever visited, never actually lived here. This time, we're watching it back and being honest about what actually held up.In this episode, we react to our own "before we moved" video for the first time since filming it — including our very serious excitement over the food, the cooler weather, having stairs in our house, British telly, all the traditions and history, and of course, Christmas.But watching it back led us somewhere we didn't expect — into a real conversation about what actually matters to us now, a year into living in Britain, that wasn't even on our radar back then.As featured on BBC Points West, we’re a British-American couple sharing our experience of leaving the USA and moving to the UK with our two little girls and two rescue pups while celebrating everyday British life. 📄 Download our US → UK relocation checklist: https://howgreatisbritain.com/resources🛍️ Products that helped: https://howgreatisbritain.com/recommended 🌍 Website: www.HowGreatisBritain.com 📱 Follow us:Instagram: @howgreatisbritain.gbTikTok: @howgreatisbritainEditing and Cool Animations - Dave Weisser (www.youtube.com/@daveweisser)End Music - "Lemonade Stand" by alanajordanhttps://pixabay.com/music/cartoons-lemonade-stand-329815/00:00 – American Family: One Year Living in the UK01:06 – British Food & Greggs: Expectation vs Reality06:48 – British TV We Love: Gogglebox, Strictly Come Dancing & Traitors12:00 – American Reacts to UK Weather in Autumn15:23 – British Houses vs American Houses: What Surprised Us18:37 – Whst Do UK School Uniforms & Exploring Castles Have In Common? British History22:35 – Christmas and British Holiday Traditions26:00 – The Biggest Surprise: The NHS and Feeling At Home28:35 – Final Thoughts & What's Coming NextFirst Day of School: We Realised What We No longer Had to Carry - https://youtu.be/dJI7B9MczQAWe Had the Same Procedure, but 60x THE COST! - https://youtu.be/uxSsh0Aa5wo5 Things This American Learned After One Year Living in the UK  - https://youtu.be/fcGITqIGxrk#britishculture #culturalshocks #howgreatisbritain #AmericanInEngland #BritishVsAmerican #MovingToTheUK #OneYearLater #barbour #aldi #kelloggs #weetabix

    What We Looked Forward To About the UK... and What We Didn't See Coming

  7. Sep 7

    First Day of School: We Realised What We No Longer Had to Carry

    Our daughter has officially started school in the UK 🇬🇧And suddenly, one of the biggest reasons we made the decision to leave America feels very real.In this episode, we sit down and talk about why sending our daughter to school in England was such an important moment for our family, what we were looking for when we decided to move from the USA to the UK, and how it feels now that we're actually here.Was this the right decision? What feels different? And after everything we've given up to make this move, do we still feel like England is where we want to build our family's future?This is an honest conversation about parenting, schools, safety, moving countries and starting over.Thanks for being here with us on the journey ❤️🇬🇧 Welcome to How Great is BritainDownload our US → UK relocation checklist:https://howgreatisbritain.com/resourcesHow Great Is Britain Resources Products that helped:https://howgreatisbritain.com/recomme... Follow us:Instagram: @howgreatisbritain.gbTikTok: @howgreatisbritainEditing and Cool Animations - Dave Weisser (   / @daveweisser  ) End Music - "Lemonade Stand" by alanajordanhttps://pixabay.com/music/cartoons-le... #HowGreatIsBritain #MovingToTheUK #USAtoUK #AmericanInTheUK #UKSchools #LifeInTheUK #MovingAbroad00:00 - First Day of School in the UK: An American Perspective02:11 - The Real Reason We Moved to Great Britain03:14 - Addressing US School Safety vs. UK Reality05:32 - Risk Assessment: Raising Kids in America07:25 - The "Unremarkable" Drop-Off: Why It Felt So Different08:22 - UK School Uniforms & Our First Impressions09:40 - 11 Years Married: Reflections on Our Move to the UK10:30 - The Subconscious Shift: Feeling Safe in Public13:51 - Cultural Differences: US vs. UK Lifestyle16:42 - Did We Make the Right Choice for Our Family?19:00 - Planning Our Possible Future in Britain

    First Day of School: We Realised What We No Longer Had to Carry

  8. Aug 31

    UK v US Healthcare: We Had the Same Procedure, BUT 60x THE COST!

    We had the same medical procedure—one in the US, one on the NHS. The final cost? Vastly different.In this episode, we compare our experiences with healthcare in the USA and UK after going through remarkably similar treatment—a foot exam and toenail lab test—on opposite sides of the Atlantic.For Brett, the experience in the US ultimately cost more than $1,600, including the complications of navigating health insurance and dealing with unexpected medical bills after the fact. Gemma's experience in the UK? £20 for her prescriptions.As featured on BBC Points West, we’re a British-American couple sharing our experience of leaving the USA and moving to the UK with our two little girls and two rescue pups while celebrating everyday British life. Download our US → UK relocation checklist:How Great Is Britain Resources Products that helped:https://howgreatisbritain.com/recomme... Follow us:Instagram: @howgreatisbritain.gbTikTok: @howgreatisbritainEditing and Cool Animations - Dave Weisser (   / @daveweisser  ) End Music - "Lemonade Stand" by alanajordanhttps://pixabay.com/music/cartoons-le... 00:00 – NHS vs US Healthcare: The Biggest Culture Shock 01:17 – The Mental Load of Paying for US Healthcare 02:46 – Our Experience With US Medical Bills 04:03 – Our Experience With the UK NHS 06:14 – US vs UK Healthcare Costs: What You Really Pay 07:37 – US Health Insurance Premiums Explained 08:12 – US Healthcare Copays and Hidden Fees 09:55 – Why Did This Prescription Cost $200? 11:40 – Out-of-Network and Surprise Medical Bills 13:31 – How to Fight and Appeal US Medical Bills 14:48 – Why Was a Callus Removal $65 in the US? 16:06 – NHS vs US Healthcare Cost Comparison 17:38 – Level of Care: NHS vs US Healthcare 19:10 – UK Visa Costs: NHS Immigration Surcharge 20:23 – Which System Is Better? Share Your Experience5 Unwritten Rules In the UK No One Tells You -    • 5 Unwritten Rules In the UK No One Tells You  5 Things That Driving in the UK Reveals about British Life -    • 5 Things That Driving in the UK Reveals Ab...  5 Things This American Learned After One Year Living in the UK -    • 5 Things This American Learned After One Y...  #britishculture #culturalshocks #howgreatisbritain #AmericanInEngland #BritishVsAmerican #MovingToTheUK

    UK v US Healthcare: We Had the Same Procedure, BUT 60x THE COST!
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About

Falling in Love with the UK! What happens when you press reset in your 40s? You find magic! Welcome to How Great Is Britain, the podcast celebrating the joy, beauty, and unique lifestyle of the UK. Join Gemma and Brett, a British-American couple with two girls and two dogs, as we share our love for our new/old home. We celebrate the everyday moments and experiences of life in the UK to discover How Great is Britain. Expect: • British Charm: Hidden gems & traditions. • Family Adventures: Making memories. • Fresh Starts: Joyful mid-life chapters. Hit Follow & join our transatlantic family!

Information

  • Creator
    How Great is Britain
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © How Great is Britain
  • Show Website
    How Great is Britain

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