Texan moves to Suffolk and becomes a social media sensation

The idea of upending your entire life and moving nearly 5,000 miles away might prove a daunting prospect.

But that's what Darrell Fishbeck did last summer when he and his wife moved from Blanco, in Texas, to Felixstowe, Suffolk.

After touching down on airport tarmac in the UK in August, the 54-year-old was braced for a settling-in period of adapting to an alternative culture and a new way of living.

But, as he told the BBC, the town he now calls home has more in common with where he is from than one might imagine.

"It actually reminds me of the Texas towns I'm from – the people are very similar, there's kind of a smaller town mentality and a slower pace," he said.

And that's only been helped by the support he has received on social media for his videos in which he compares life in Texas with life in Suffolk and the UK.

Across TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, Fishbeck has amassed more than 180,000 followers, millions of likes and just as many views.

"When I moved here I thought I'll throw up some videos so my friends and family can kind of keep up with me. That was my original intent," he said.

"I had no idea it was going to do what it did. It's just been incredible... the different types of reactions and the positivity.

"I get a lot of people who actually love the videos of me just walking around Felixstowe."

In Fishbeck's clips, nothing is off limits, be it the weather, banter, electricity, food, history, postcodes or even contactless payments.

"My social media is about trying to say in a tongue-in-cheek way that Brits do it better, and the whole heart and soul of it is me coming to appreciate the differences," he said.

"So, a lot of times my posts are subtle attempts to educate Americans on why it's different, how it's different and that it really is actually different."

He's also not afraid to tackle the tough topics – such whether or not we Brits can handle the hot weather.

"It's hot, it's humid and you can't really get out of it, and that's the difference," he said about the UK's climate.

"In Texas, you can always dip into a shop or a store. Air conditioning is everywhere, so you can get cool. The problem here is sometimes you can't get out of the heat."

Fishbeck was talking to BBC Radio Suffolk's Sarah Lilley during the recent heatwave, which saw record-breaking temperatures sweep across the country, reaching highs of 37.3C (99.1F).

While most of us stayed indoors to escape the sweltering conditions, for Fishbeck it was business as usual – he even went out for a "few jogs".

"I loved it. The only reason I didn't hate it was because it wasn't miserable at night and I still had a breeze at night, so I was loving the daytime heat," he said.

"We did go for a dip in the sea and after the initial chill it was quite pleasant, so I can understand why Felixstowe has been heaving with swimmers."

The heatwave saw people across the country scrambling for air conditioning units, with suppliers seeing a surge in sales as households tried to cool down.

In Texas, they are a common fixture. But should they be here?

"A lot of people that live here just suck it up and endure it, but I also know heat here in Suffolk is different than heat in London and it's hard to get relief," he said.

"Trying to cool your body off and not overheat, staying hydrated and just finding a way to get your body temperature down really is a challenge."

Fishbeck, whose morning commute sees him walk through the town's Spa Gardens, moved to Felixstowe to live with his English wife, with whom he had been in a long-distance relationship for several years.

He will soon be celebrating a year in the county, and he doesn't plan on going anywhere else, anytime soon.

"I know it's probably not everyone's experience, but people have been so kind, gracious and welcoming, and that's made the adjustment that much easier," he said.

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