I moved from the US to the UK. Here are the 10 things I miss the most.

• I moved from Massachusetts to Scotland, and there are a number of things I miss about the US.
• In the UK, I miss driving and picking up everything I need at big superstores.

I moved from Massachusetts to Scotland in 2017, and the transition hasn't been a completely smooth process.

Though I love living in the UK, I miss bits and pieces of my life back in America.

Here are a few of the things I miss the most about the US:

I'm too scared to drive in the UK

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I don't drive in the UK, and it's one of the things I miss the most.

Standard, stick-shift transmissions are more common than automatic cars. Plus, the steering wheel is on the opposite side, and people drive on the left side of the road.

We own a car, but I would sooner trust myself to perform neurosurgery than drive across our bustling UK city.

Gas also seems to be far more expensive in the UK than it is in the US. Where we live, unleaded gas is about £1.12 per liter, which works out to approximately $5.70 a gallon depending on the ever-changing conversion rate. Driving long distances can sometimes be more expensive than flying or taking the train.

Still, I miss the convenience and freedom of driving regularly.

I miss aesthetically pleasing produce displays at the grocery store

I always thought US grocery stores were good at making produce displays look appealing, with perfectly balanced pyramids of oranges, glossy rainbows of apples, and uniformly ripe bananas.

Grocery stores in the UK seem less concerned with appearances, and in my experience, produce sections often look more burgled than bountiful.

Empty crates containing nothing but a few loose onion skins are a common sight, and a massive store may simply be out of spinach or only have a few peaches left.

UK grocery stores appear to stock just enough to last until the next shipment. That's probably less wasteful, but I sometimes find myself longing for more variety and abundance.

I miss having an outlet in my bathroom

Due to safety regulations, most electrical outlets and light switches aren't permitted in UK bathrooms.

This means if someone accidentally turns the light off in the bathroom while you're in the shower, you may have to waddle out into the hallway to turn it back on. And forget about blow-drying your hair in the bathroom.

It's a relatively small inconvenience, but I do miss the days of recklessly charging my electric toothbrush near my sink.

Dryers are more of a luxury item in the UK

I've lived in five homes in the UK. All of them had washing machines, and none of them had dryers.

For living in a region known for its perpetual dampness, people in the UK seem awfully determined to dry their clothes outside. If that's not possible (as it often isn't), it's completely normal to dry everything on a rack or line inside the house.

Dryers seem to be an entirely optional gadget — like a panini press or lava lamp.

The idea of washing a shirt in the morning and wearing it in the afternoon now seems the height of luxury.

I miss being able to stock up on bigger bottles of pain medication

When I go to drug stores in the UK, I can't find the big bottles of painkillers I'm used to from living in the US.

The UK introduced laws concerning the size of pill packs in 1998, reportedly to reduce the number of over-the-counter overdoses.

Having grown up in the US, I miss not being trusted with more than a few tablets of aspirin at a time.

It's hard to sleep in the summer since the sun sets so late

I'm an extremely light sleeper — I'm kept awake by the sound of my pillow moving as I breathe. So it might not have been my best choice to move to a country where the summer sun doesn't set until 10 p.m. and it's not truly dark until 11.

In fact, large parts of Scotland technically don't experience true astronomical night or twilight for the entire month of June.

My first summer here, I literally put boards across my windows at night to block out the sun before finally investing in decent blackout curtains. I miss having a day/night cycle that doesn't require wearing sunglasses to bed.

On the other hand, it's far too dark in the winter

After soaking up sunlight in the summer, people in the northern parts of the UK can expect to experience what feels like near-constant dimness in the winter.

In the winter months, the sun can set as early as 3 p.m. and not rise again until nearly 9 a.m.

With as little as seven hours of daylight, much of which is spent indoors due to rain or cold, living here in the winter means swapping the sun for a big bottle of vitamin-D tablets.

I miss the bright, clear winter days of my hometown. My skin has become so pale you could shine a flashlight through me.

I can't always pick up everything I need at one superstore as I did in the US

American stores are bigger. I don't have the hard data to prove this, but my Scottish husband agrees — the first time he stepped inside a Walmart, he nearly fell over.

There's something thrilling and distinctly American about being able to buy fishing poles and lingerie in the same place. Or standing in front of a shelf stocked with 20 different brands of peanut butter.

I miss the extravagance and absurdity of warehouse-sized superstores, with parking lots so large you need to take a shuttle to your car.

I miss making small talk with strangers

The British people I've met have been remarkably kind, funny, and generally wonderful. But it's definitely been difficult to adjust to the different social norms.

In America, it wasn't unusual for me to make small talk with my cashier, barista, or even a stranger sitting next to me on the bus.

In the UK, it seems less natural for people to have casual conversations with nearby strangers. In some instances, it can feel downright rude.

I've worked remotely nearly all of my adult life, and until I moved to the UK, I didn't realize how much I appreciated those quick chats with strangers.

Big holiday celebrations with festive decorations aren't as big in the UK

In the US, Every major holiday between Valentine's Day and New Year's comes with its own slew of decorations, events, and traditions.

From what I can tell, holidays in the UK seem to be more subdued affairs. Festive decorating doesn't seem to be as popular, and to someone who grew up with American-style celebrations, holidays here can feel a little lackluster.

Though it's nice to feel less pressure to buy gifts, decor, and seasonal foods, I find myself missing the over-the-top decorating and general merriment.