During the last week in London, I’ve been able to gather more experience with different cultures as I immerse myself more as a “local” citizen. As I venture to my classes and internship during the week, I’ve picked up certain things that Londoners do a bit differently. First, I’ve learned that afternoon tea is actually a thing. Whether it is with your friends, family, or even coworkers, going for tea in the afternoon. I’ve been able to go for afternoon tea where you get a pot of tea, some scones, and an assortment of biscuits. Another thing I’ve noticed is that Brits are fussy about queuing. They are famous for their love of queuing and take it very seriously, meaning there is no excuse to jump in front even if you are in a hurry. Brits also love to apologize. As I’ve grown up accustomed to NYC culture, people tend to be quite rude compared to Brits. It is their way of being polite and not inconveniencing others.
Something that I did not expect was Brits spelling certain words differently. The main difference is that British English keeps the spelling of words that it has absorbed from other languages, mainly French and German. Whilst American spelling is mostly as the words sound when they are spoken, so the spelling is more phonetic. There are also many words that don’t exist in British English that do in American English and a great many that mean something quite different. I was also surprised with all the different accents, as one person does not sound exactly the same as another. There are over 50 accents in the UK which change every 25 miles or so. Not everyone speaks like the Queen, and that is a judgment I came into my study abroad with that has changed. Once again, I’m trying to be completely open with my initial thoughts or judgements.
It has been slightly challenging adjusting to the differences I’ve experienced, but I’ve been trying to open myself more to absorb these nuances. Instead of questioning them, I let myself pick up on these differences so that I can respect the culture more. Since I’m here for a significant amount of time, it is important to really immerse myself in every way I can. This comes with great intention. I try to be very intentional with how I treat locals, since I am technically still a tourist in their eyes.
My favorite part of British culture is the pubs. You might think that this initially comes with a negative connotation, but a pub is a place to socialize, eat, drink, watch sports, and take part in the great British pursuit that is called the “pub quiz”. Pubs are friendly places where everyone is able to go, and I think that this makes the UK extra special. After the past three weeks, I’ve been able to dive nose-first into the British culture, and I’m thrilled to continue my last two weeks.