Over 3 million people use the London Underground (aka tube) daily
PDA is very acceptable
What class of society you are in is the equivalent to your race in the states
There is a large population of Indian and Jamaican, but British born people descendants of immigrant during the World Wars ...so weird to hear an Indian or Jamaican person with a British accent
Majority of locally brewed beers are not carbonated because they think the carbonation takes away from the true flavor
You rarely see "English restaurant" - many Indian, Thai, and Italian places with the occasional places being known for chicken pot, shepherds, or kidney pie
Brits in the music industry still have trouble distinguishing themselves from American music stars and that's why most popular ones wrap themselves in the British flag in their music videos, etc to distinguish themselves (Beatles being the first)
Space and privacy are treated completely differently. Considering there are 8 million+ in London alone and who knows the total on this little island almost the size of Wisconsin space and privacy are very important because they are stacked on top of each other. Example: not talking on the tube
Football (soccer) is hugggggggggge here! Imagine all college and professional sports combined and that's the popularity it has here...it covers the news pages daily and IS the sport you watch
Over 50% of the US youth population listen to hip-hop and rap whereas less than 20% of British youth do
The British Conservative party is much more liberal than ours - the Civil Partnership Act in 2004 sailed through Parliament (Tony Blair asked Elton John to be the first gay man married in England)
Crossing the street is the main cause of injury in London
No London police carry guns (it's that safe!) unless guarding the Royal family, etc
Royal wedding china is considered to be one of the most valuable collector's items in the world
Say CHEERS! constantly...I'm still not sure what it means. I though "thank you" at first but people say all the time, in all different contexts, and with 'thank you' ...just a British term to say
One of my professors told us never to ask someone for a "fag" outside of the UK. It means cigarette here, and he said when he visited the states he asked a guy if he had a fag and got a pretty dirty look.
Wedding rings aren't common (big time secular society). I found it very surprising to hear some of my professors discuss their husband or wife but wear no wedding ring...apparently that's common
Children before marriage, living together, and not getting married - all of the above very common
Most parents would rather than children bring someone home of a different race rather than of a different class
"posh" = upper class, wealth, very nice. Example: Chelsea is a very posh area
Awesome is never used.
Brilliant, lovely, fantastic are used in every other sentence
When you ask how someone is doing they normally reply with an ok or alright...never great! good! wonderful! or even bad! terrible! ...they give very neutral answers to people they don't know - back to that idea of privacy
The reason a pub is practically on every corner is because back in the day and even now they were "neighborhood" pubs. After work, on the weekend, etc you would go to your neighborhood pub to enjoy a drink with your friends, family, and neighbors. This is very very very much still a very important cultural value practiced in London and the UK today.
Brits love American accents just like we enjoy listening to theirs
Almost all movements and eras in Britain are reactions to another
Their government, in all aspects, is slowly but surely and currently heading towards more American principles. examples: students paying tuition, people paying for health insurance, more difficult ways to get welfare, an alternative voting system rather than a first past the post system
The building my classes are held in in Bloomsbury is older than America
London seems really big and is but everything is surprisingly easily connected and close
They are shutting down the tube for the Olympic games
Kings Road (the road I live on in Chelsea) is the famous road where the world's first super model, Twiggy Lawson, wore the first mini skirt and where famous designers from then on such as Vivienne Westwood opened their first stores...it's quite the "posh" area
Markets are huge here and an absolute blast to go to - Saturdays and Sundays
The city of London is actually only one square mile - first called Londoninium and boundaries set by the Romans
There is no set style of architecture...it is unbelievably diverse and varies building to building which makes it so beautiful
Few people drive cars in London because you have to continually pay a fine to be within city limits...hence popularity of public transport
Key Gardens are garden squares in the middle of blocks (they're everywhere) that only the people in the area have access to...wouldn't it be nice to have a private garden for you and your neighbors? :)
I am yet to see a large dog (all small or medium)
I am yet to see anyone wearing saggy, baggy jeans, a flat billed hat, gold/diamond teeth, hear blasting rap music, see someone completely ungroomed, someone in sweats or dressed down
When they say London is based on class it's true. Everyone is always well dressed and groomed and polite...I love that!
Tea is lobster to maine, peaches to georgia, and horses to aiken...so important! Many businesses even require that at 3 pm daily everyone leave their desk and go have a cup of tea together
In America when we say lets have a drink and talk about it, Brits say lets have a cup of tea and talk about it
Jewelry isn't worn much if at all
The weather is not really rainy at all...if anything a drizzle but hardly ever a rainstorm. What it definitely is often though is overcast
There is never nothing to do or see
I LOVE LONDON
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