Everything Is Smaller

My initial response to England is this: Everything Is Smaller. I think that's one of the main differences between here and the US. The second (and related) is, Everything Is Older.

The biggest (ha!) thing that strikes me is how much smaller the houses generally are. Smaller doors, smaller rooms, narrower hallways, steeper stairwells. This place is directly opposite of the dozens of new, gigantic homes I watched filling the valleys of Utah, with few windows and tiny, freshly planted trees. It doesn't seem to be a matter of not having enough room for a larger house, because most English properties I've seen have extensive backyards (while American houses increasingly have very small yards), but people seem content to live in much less space here. They're pretty creative with what space they do have, none of it's wasted, so you have these interesting nooks and crannies. America is not generally a nook and cranny nation, but I find that I love them. I have to admit that, by and large, smaller usually works just fine.

So instead of feeling cramped, I've been wondering why exactly we need so much room in the States. Is it that we value living space more than the English, who value their gardens more? Is it just that the older houses in England were smaller, so they're used to it, while America is comparatively new and the land is great and spacious? I've been thinking maybe it also taps a little into America's focus on the individual. A person's importance is reflected in the amount of space in his/her home, whether or not that space is actually used.

Not that every person in America is arrogant and self-important—certain things in the US, like stairs and doorways, probably have to be a certain size according to laws and building codes anyway. But it's interesting to consider a cultural difference.

However quaint and thought-provoking, smaller houses can be a little strange for a tall person. One of the first things I noticed was the placement of the doorknobs at the Cameron's. I was just short enough to not bump my head on some of the old doorframes, but I had to stoop a tiny bit to use the knob. The picture is me at my little bedroom door, standing at full height. Is the knob low, or am I gargantuan? That is the question.