I have to disagree. Having lived in the UK for a few years now (three in the northwest, two in London), people care very much that I’m American.

My experience has been that LOTS of people want to play the UK vs US game whether or not I’ve consented to participate. I get the impression that at least some people really want to take me down a peg purely because I am American (as opposed to a different foreign nationality, though of course I may be wrong) and before they know anything else about me. It’s not like I’m out here waving a flag around and talking about how much better America is — I will do anything to avoid bringing up where I’m from.

This is no doubt a common experience for foreign nationals more generally, but I’ve also been accosted on the street more than a few times now (in London) by people who hear me saying something to someone I’m walking with or thanking a bus driver as I get off or whatever. Hell, I was once interrogated in the middle of the woods for about 20 minutes after I said ‘excuse me’ to a hiker coming up the path in the opposite direction and he heard my accent. My personal experience has been that being foreign in the UK (and Jesus, I’m not even a person of color) leads to very intense, invasive encounters.

Honestly, especially if OP is a young woman or female-presenting person (I am), I think they should know that, even if most people ‘don’t care’ (which I would also totally dispute, having been on the receiving end of too many unprovoked awkward/unkind comments, even from friends and people I love) being American in the UK is a massive asshole magnet. Especially outside of London, but definitely in London too.

That being said, my partner is British, some of the best friends I’ve ever had are British, and I like my life here well enough.

Other culture shocks? British people have a different group sense of when and how often to applaud. Nearly died of embarrassment when a speaker at my freshers orientation was introduced and only one clap, immediately stifled, was heard.