From American to Brit
When thinking about my perceptions of what it means to be British prior to this study abroad experience, one of the things I considered a lot is the “on-the-go” culture that I had been told exists in London. Through my experiences the past two weeks, I have seen firsthand how this attitude effects nearly every aspect of how Brits live, work, and communicate. Furthermore, my experiences have caused me to want to expand my description of the lifestyle that I have seen in London to include a “culture of independence”. The atmosphere in London is very non-judgmental, and it is very common to see people traveling, working, eating, and relaxing by themselves. These two ideas summarize the lifestyles of typical British citizens, young and old, that I have encountered during my time here thus far, as they are two of the biggest differences between lives in the US and the UK.
There are several examples that come to mind when thinking about the fast-paced lifestyle that is so common here. The first is how small, everyday things are often done at a much quicker pace than I am used to back home. From rapidly boarding the tube, using contactless credit cards (something that the US should take note of), spending less than a minute at the grocery store checkout, and maneuvering through the bustling downtown streets, the average British local is focused and concentrated on completing everyday tasks in the quickest and most efficient way possible.
The second aspect of British life that I mentioned as standing out to me was their love for independence. It makes sense that people would commute to school and work by themselves, and I expected to see most people walking in downtown London on their own. What has really surprised me is the number of people I have seen doing things which I would normally associate with larger groups of people completely by themselves. A good example of this was when we took a walk through the nearby Waterlow Park on a weekday night. Almost everyone in the park was without company, whether they were reading on a bench, taking a stroll, or even exercising on the grass. Back home, it would be rare for me to find this in a similar park or other public location. Perhaps this is because the US does not offer a lot of activities that can be enjoyed by yourself. Nevertheless, the frequency of people I have seen doing things they enjoy on their own has been surprising, and it makes me wish that I could feel as comfortable having a similar lifestyle back home.
Another preconceived notion of mine that has been confirmed is the fact that British culture is strongly rooted in traditions. Many of these traditions we learned about on our trips to Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, and Parliament. Specifically, at Parliament, I was really interested in the detailed rituals that go along with daily meetings, as well as with voting on big issues. One of the things that drew me to want to study in London was my fascination with traditions, and I loved learning more about just how central they are to British identity. I wish we could have sat in on an actual Parliament meeting to see their ceremonial events in action! In addition to these historical and important traditions, there are also several more everyday things that I believe could also be considered traditions. A prime example would be the everyday use of public transportation. It is almost like a rite of passage to use the tube or bus for the first time, especially coming from somewhere like the US where it is virtually nonexistent. Public transportation is something that seems so mundane, and yet it is something that is deeply central to the way that Brits live.
