“America is unhinged.”
This is how the travel blogger wrote. Kalyn Franke after posting a YouTube video in which he reveals “five American things that Brits find weird.”
Kalyn is originally from Florida but has lived in the UK for over 10 years.
However, there are some aspects of American life that are etched in his memory, as his post reveals, from homeowners associations that dictate how tall grass can grow to disturbing car crash drills created to warn students about the dangers. of drunk driving (which even feature real parents brought in to cry in pain).
Would Kalyn like to see any of the five weird things imported to the UK? She told MailOnline: “I like the UK the way it is so I wouldn’t want any of these to be imported.” They work in the United States, but they should be left there. Read on to learn more about each entry on Kalyn’s list…
OWNERS ASSOCIATIONS
Homeowners associations can decide what colors houses can be painted, the maximum height of grass, the type and size of Christmas decorations that can be displayed, and more.
Kalyn describes “homeowners associations” as “the strangest” of the five concepts she lists in the video.
He explains that these “autonomous bodies”, which cost between $100 (£80) and $1,000 (£800) a month, are popular in American suburbs and can dictate the aesthetics of neighbourhoods.
For example, according to Kalyn, they can decide on the colors that houses can be painted, the maximum height of the grass, the type and size of Christmas decorations that can be displayed, the type of mailbox to have and “anything else that can change the exterior.” of the home, including landscaping, additional storage and parking options… as well as noise and occupancy rules.”
Because?
“This is all to preserve the ‘neighborhood feel’ and surrounding property prices,” Kalyn tells MailOnline.
And he adds: “They are made up of your own neighbors, who can turn against you if they get involved in a power trip.”
FAKE DANCE ACCIDENT
Kalyn, above, is originally from Florida but has lived in the UK for over 10 years.
Kalyn explains that to discourage high school prom attendees from drinking and driving, some schools stage extremely realistic car accidents, with students deployed to play the victims.
Kalyn explains: “At my school, the juniors and seniors were called out of class on a random day before prom and taken to the football fields, where we saw the wrecked car and the kids at the school. theater presenting the moment right after the accident.
“The car is on fire or whatever and there’s the kid playing the dead guy and his real-life friends playing his friends, and you essentially see the whole plot of your classmate dying and the police coming.
‘A hearse carries the dead child out of the field and involves the real parents, who pretend to mourn their son.
And the thing doesn’t end there. After this person is taken away in a hearse and the parents scream and cry… a video commemorating the deceased classmate is played on the classroom televisions.’
Kalyn agrees that it’s “effective” but “a little strange.”
HOLIDAY PARTIES
Tailgating, in the US, is a large-scale community barbecue gathering before a football game.
In Britain, tailgating is when a driver intimidates a car in front by driving too close to it.
But in the United States, tailgating is a large-scale community barbecue gathering before the football game.
“They happen at large universities around the country,” Kalyn says, and “often alumni groups participate, but it’s not a commercial operation.”
Judgment House is an American introduction to the Halloween season and the craziest thing I’ve ever been to in my entire life.
She says: “If you’ve never been to America, you have to somehow engage in a shadowing experience – it’s way beyond what would happen here in the UK.”
Participants bring their cars, tents, televisions and “tons of food.”
Kalyn adds, “It’s next level.”
HOUSE OF JUDGMENT
Judgment House is an American “presentation” of the Halloween season, “and the craziest thing I’ve ever been to in my entire life,” says Kalyn.
The concept, which she says was particularly popular in the early 2000s, involves people watching a presentation at a church about “people’s decisions and the consequences of those decisions.”
Kalyn explains that in this performance there are two actors playing people who have “died” in some kind of disaster and those watching “follow them on their journey to heaven or hell.”
Kalyn continues: “The presentation is always dramatic, there are sounds of people screaming and some dressed up as the devil himself.”
The idea is to persuade people to make certain decisions and “not be banished to hell.”
Kalyn explains that the ‘house of judgment’ is a concept that replaces Halloween celebrations in areas where Halloween might not align with prevailing religious beliefs.
The YouTuber, who went to court when she was around 10, adds: ‘They seemed to be more popular in the south and are particularly associated with Baptist churches.
‘It was definitely scary. They did a good job of evoking emotions and sending their message through the presentation.’
HOMECOMING
Homecoming is a week of activities, including parades and dances, culminating with a Friday night football game.
Homecoming, Kalyn explains, “kicks off the American high school football season… and it’s a big deal.”
Implying?
Kalyn explains that it’s a week of activities, including parades and dances, culminating with a homecoming football game on Friday night.
She tells MailOnline: ‘Homecoming is extremely popular and most people and children look forward to it. Americans love community spirit and participation. However, you are not required to participate in the activities; You don’t have to go to the homecoming game or dance if you don’t want to, but a lot of people do.’
For more information about Kalyn, visit www.youtube.com/@GirlGoneLondonofficial and girlgonelondon.com. To see the original YouTube post click here.
