Quirks, Colloquialisms, and Other Funny Things, part one

Part of the fun of being in another country is the strange state of being a foreigner. Sure, sometimes you can blend in and don't feel like a foreigner because everyone here speaks English (more or less), but other times, someone will say something or do something that makes you feel, well, slightly dumbfounded.

Case in point: the noise. I'm not saying that American bars and pubs are not loud, or that I have never heard American erupt into spontaneous song. However, I was not prepared for the sounds that come from the Brass Monkey, a pub that can be seen (and heard) from our window, nearly every weekend, and some weeknights, too. I am a bit of a night owl, as some of you may know. At first I thought it was a random thing, but now I have discovered that it is actually quite normal, that at least this particular pub breaks into song/chanting at least once a night, usually around 2:00 in the morning. I cannot make out what they are singing, or even discern a tune, but it has become a regular, and befuddling, occurrence.

Another example: how to ask someone where they live. In America, if I want to ask someone where they live, I ask, "Where do you live?" Simple enough. The question here, however, is, "Where do you stay?" This can be quite confusing, as it always sounds to me as if the person I am speaking with thinks I am only visiting and am staying in a hotel (because when we Americans talk about vacations, and want to know about someone's accommodations, we ask, "Where are you staying?"). Now, this gets even more confusing with the addition of another Scottish term, 'outwith.' 'Outwith' simply means outside. So, if someone asks you, "Do you stay outwith Edinburgh?" they are asking if you live outside the city. Very confusing.