For some Americans, there’s something fascinating about British culture, whether it’s the “posh” accents and expressions or the apparent obsession with tea. But something Americans may not realize is that it’s a two-way street: British people are just as fascinated with our culture as we are with theirs.

Last week, Whitman hosted several British students from St. Peter’s School in York, England. The exchange students lived with host families, attended classes and toured D.C. The week in America focused on immersing the students in American culture while highlighting the similarities and differences between the U.K. and the U.S.

For one thing, according to some of the British students, Americans seem to depend more on cars than British people do. Exchange student Lily Martin said she is used to walking 45 minutes to school every day, and was surprised by the number of students who drive to school.

Cosmo Forbes, another British student, was also taken aback at how much people drive.

“The reliance on cars confuses me,” Forbes said. “I was staying two or so miles away from the school. I had assumed this would mean we would cycle or even walk to school, but we took the car. Car parks, too, are huge; the car park at [St.] Peter’s is probably one tenth of the size of that at Walt Whitman.”

Some exchange students said they also found Whitman more relaxed compared to their school in England.

“The attitude at Walt Whitman is certainly more laid back than at Peter’s,” exchange student Charlie Higginbottom said. “I’m not really sure if this is for the better, though. I definitely feel way more academic pressure back in England.”

Another thing that sets the British apart is dress code. The British students said they are required to wear full suits to school and some exchange students were surprised by how casually Whitman students dressed.

Despite these differences, many British students noticed distinct similarities, like family dinners and a rush to get out the door in the morning. Several British students noted that apart from the food and a few other minor things, there weren’t many big differences between life here and at home.

For the British students, the visit to America brought to life what they had learned about the U.S.

“It’s been a really interesting experience because it’s allowed all of us to see the differences and similarities between the way that we live and the education system and to have a more broad understanding of the things that we’re studying over in the U.K.,” Martin said.