The United States calls itself “The Land of the Free.”
But travel blogger Kalyn Franke, who moved to the UK from Florida, says she feels freer in Britain than in the US, despite the latter’s claim.
In a video for her Girl Gone London YouTube channel that has garnered more than 160,000 views and 3,100 comments, she explains her reasons, which focus on healthcare, religion, public transportation, jaywalking and annual leave.
He told MailOnline Travel that many Americans would not be aware of the differences between their country and Britain, “because our news can be very local and US-centric”.
Read on to learn more about the entries on Kalyn’s list.
HEALTH CARE
Travel blogger Kalyn Franke (above), who moved to the UK from Florida, says she feels freer in Britain than in the US.
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is one of the biggest contributors to Kalyn feeling freer in Britain than in the US.
She says in the video: “It’s not just about the fact that I can go to the doctor here and pay nothing or have surgery and pay nothing, but it’s also about the fact that I’m self-employed.” If you are self-employed in a place like the UK that has a nationalized healthcare system, it means you don’t have to include this in your job.
‘In the United States, having health insurance is essentially mandatory to go to the doctor. Typically, health insurance is tied to salaried employment. In the United States, those who are self-employed have to obtain health insurance and pay the monthly fees, which can be exorbitant; we’re talking at least several hundred a month.’
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is one of the biggest contributors to Kalyn feeling freer in Britain than in the US.
Kalyn told MailOnline Travel separately: “The freedom of having an NHS and not having to worry about going into debt if you get sick, or choosing a job based on health insurance, is the most important freedom I feel I have in the world. United Kingdom”. which I would love to have in the US. It really makes a big difference and eliminates the enormous stress that people in the US feel.
‘They are always amazed at how easy the NHS is to use. One thing that really makes them jealous is that they won’t bill you in the UK after having to use an ambulance; sometimes you will have to pay thousands of dollars for this in the US.
PUBLIC ACCESS TO LAND
Kalyn loves the UK’s right to roam and told MailOnline that many Brits she has met “didn’t realize that the ability to access public footpaths and walk on private land is quite special”.
She says in the video: ‘In the United States, it’s a much more private system with no public access or right of way in that sense. Of course you can go to a national park, but I feel like I can move a little more freely in the UK.’
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The vast majority of the UK is very well connected by trains and buses, says Kalyn
Getting around is much easier in the UK, says Kalyn, thanks to public transport.
She says: “Most of America is powered by cars, as is much of the UK. However, the vast majority of the UK is very well connected by trains, buses and other forms of transport, so I have more options.’
LABOR RIGHTS AND PAID LEAVES
Americans often lack vacation time, Kalyn says, while Britons have far more leave.
She says: ‘In the UK, if I were to work in a traditional nine-to-five salaried role, the government would guarantee me 28 days of annual leave a year. In the US, if you were in the exact same position… there are no requirements from the federal government on how many days you could have off.
‘They are considered a perk of the job, so one hopes to choose a job that offers enough leave or enough days off. It could be zero! And even though the US usually includes holiday days in their work, they are usually much less than in the UK.’
Walking recklessly
Brits: savor your right to cross the road. That’s the message from Kalyn, who explains: ‘In the United States, there are a lot of laws in different states that say you can’t just cross the street wherever you want (known as jaywalking). By law, you have to cross the street at a dedicated intersection, and if you don’t, you risk getting a fine.
“You’re not likely to get thrown in jail for jaywalking, but it’s still something that’s coded as not legal.” In the UK, I can cross the road wherever I want (except motorways). I can see with my own eyes if there is traffic and decide to cross that street.’
RELIGION
Kalyn comments that in the United States “it can be more difficult for someone to be in a position of power without being part of the majority religion, which is Christianity.”
Kalyn comments that in the United States it is difficult to occupy a position of political power without being a Christian.
She explains: ‘In the UK, I feel there is much more freedom to become someone in power, whether locally or nationally, regardless of your religion.
“In the United States, it can be more difficult for someone to be in a position of power without being part of the majority religion, which is Christianity.”
For more information about Kalyn, visit www.youtube.com/@GirlGoneLondoofficial and girlgonelondon.com. To see the original YouTube post click here.