BRITISH CULTURAL TRAITS
Background. There is a considerable diversity of culture among British people. British does not equal English! The British people are made up of Scots, Welsh and English, and react a little sensitively to being lumped together as ‘English’. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom but not of Great Britain. Being a small nation with many different accents and expressions, it is hard to define national characteristics. The following are some generalisations, which may help in understanding problem areas when a Briton encounters someone of a different culture. It needs to be remembered though that each individual Briton is different and there can be quite a strong nationalistic tendency. Britain has a strong history of colonising many areas of the world.
Independent. The British favour individualism rather than group orientation. A modern trend of thought is, ‘If it feels good to me, I will do it’ - without consideration for others. Britons like privacy. ‘An Englishman’s home is his castle’. This old saying sums up a fairly widespread tendency. Much of daily life is carried on indoors with the door shut. Doubtless the climate has played a part in this! Probably ninety per cent of visits are pre-arranged, rather than just casually dropping in on friends. Some people, especially older ones, can be really disturbed by having unexpected visitors. However, amongst close friends there is usually more freedom, and to some it can be an encouraging sign of acceptance to find that friends are happy to ‘drop in’ and visit on a casual basis. Certain information is thought of as private. This information is normally about personal details; e.g. older people would probably still not like being asked a direct question about their age. It is not acceptable to ask a childless couple why they have no children. People do not like to be asked how much money they earn.
Reservation. Most Britons tend to be reserved until they get to know someone. They do not quickly share their deeper feelings. Many would disassociate themselves from loud extrovert types, especially in public. British people often do not find it easy to try new things like food (though this is gradually changing). This would probably be truer of people from the north of the country than those from the south. A general tendency is to think before making decisions rather than acting on impulse.
Language. Britons are fairly tolerant of the misuse of the English language. They seem to prefer hearing someone speak English badly, rather than making the effort to learn a foreign language themselves. Perhaps the biggest problems with the use of English come with Americans who ought to speak English, but then use different words! Punctuality. This is a virtue for most British people. People are expected to arrive on time, or early, for meetings. For parties however, it is quite acceptable to be thirty minutes late. Britons do not like to be asked to do something at the last minute unless it is a real emergency. They like to be organized and plan ahead, both in personal matters, and in the administration of their work/ministry.
The queue is typically British, even if they borrow a French word to describe it. One is expected to queue in shops and for transport. Someone who ‘jumps’ a queue is engaging in uncivilized behaviour. Britons also prefer speedy, concise explanations of situations or requests. For example, bad news should be broken fairly quickly. If a death has to be announced, no more than a minute or two at the most should elapse between saying ‘I have bad news for you’ and telling of the death.
Disability and Death. The average person is unfamiliar with death at close quarters. Many Britons have never seen a dead person. Specialists deal with dying and dead people. People with severe physical and mental handicaps are also frequently kept apart from the general population. Lack of familiarity leads to a feeling of uneasiness when confronted with the severely disabled. It is expected that grief will be expressed quietly. This is especially true for men. Men do not cry, and the ‘stiff upper lip’ mentality has been greatly admired by the British. Amongst younger people however, there is more understanding of the need for men to express grief too, and that within reason it is alright for men to cry.
Finance. Standards of living in Britain have increased considerably in recent years. Many people have ‘luxuries’ which they see as ‘necessities’. Young people expect to start married life with everything rather than gradually acquiring their household needs. Sometimes this leads to debts, which then have to be paid off in instalments. People are not used to ‘making do’ any more. Older Britons would probably tend to live fairly carefully and simply and could be judgemental of others who are seen to be more extravagant.
Family. The immediate family consists of mother, father and children. Many children move away from home around the age of eighteen. Newly married couples rarely live with their in-laws. Elderly parents either live alone for as long as they are able or enter a home for the aged. An adult child will oversee such an arrangement but does not feel an obligation to take the parent into his own home. Because of the country’s National Benefit Scheme, children are not financially responsible for their elderly parents. In recent years there has been a marked change in family life. There are many extra-marital relationships and many choose not to legally marry but rather live together as ‘partners’.
Children. General tendencies are for insufficient parental discipline and family togetherness. Television has played a big part in the decline of family pursuits and most children watch many hours per week. The once common phrase, ‘Children are to be seen and not heard’ no longer applies. Children in some homes can dominate all that is taking place. Parents would not usually take kindly to other people disciplining their children if they were present themselves. Some would not be happy for others to discipline their children even if they weren’t present. Physical punishment is much less applied than used to be the case.
Relationships. The background of people can have a considerable effect on their abilities in inter-personal relationships. There are clear differences in attitudes between the north and the south of Britain. The location of your upbringing affects not only accent, and social background, but also your attitudes to money, humour, nationalistic tendencies, and your expectations of other people. Northern people are more open and blunt but also more friendly to strangers. Southerners are more reserved in expressing their opinions, and generally less ready to open up conversations with people they do not know, unless something unusual has happened. An example of this would be if a heavy fall of snow caused travelling difficulties for southerners, a sense of camaraderie could arise amongst people trying to get to work.
Religion. Britain was once considered a ‘Christian country’. Religion generally has little place these days. Church-going is not fashionable and Christian teaching, once accepted so readily in schools, is no longer welcome. Britain is openly multicultural and other religions exercise more influence on the political sphere.
Miscellaneous. Handshaking is no longer typically British. Sometimes, especially with older folk, this is still done when being introduced to strangers. With friends it is not normal to shake hands, usually a smile and a question as to how they are is sufficient. With a close friend greeting with a hug is usual. Social space is important. A Briton would start to feel uncomfortable when standing face to face with someone at less than about a metre distant. (This would not apply in a crowded situation where closeness is unavoidable.) When travelling on public transport a Briton would normally only sit next to a stranger when no other seat is available. A degree of resentment may be felt if well-meaning advice is offered without it being asked for, especially in the sensitive areas of family, husband/wife relationships, etc.
Teenagers and students life in England. Dating and marriage customs in Britain.
Pocket Money. The average amount of pocket money for seven to 11-year-olds is £6.31 per week. The average amount of pocket money for 12 to 16-year-olds is £9.15 per week.
What is life of a teenager like in England?
Teenagers in England do much the same as kids in America or other European countries do. They enjoy chatting to and texting friends on their mobiles, hanging out with their mates, listening to the latest music on their MP3 players, shopping for the latest fashions or just watching movies on the television or at the cinema (movie house). (In my free time I swim, go into town, text my mates, do household stuff with my mum and dad, go on the internet, watch TV and play on my Playstation and Gamegear! I listen to music all the time! I have a mp3 and a CD player. In Britain, most youths listen to punk, garage, house, rock, pop and R&B. (such as Busted, McFly, JLo, Xtina, Beyonce, Pink, Britney, Justin Timberlake, Mis-teeq)) (See Illustrations).
Many international students come to United Kingdom for its superlative education programs. Students may find many changes headed for UK culture can draw international students towards new experiences. Students can instantaneously discern the serenity, passivity and compliance in the country. As the streets and colonies are clean and tidy with bountiful of trees and flowers one can easily get attracted towards them. Education in UK is a demanding and challenging but it could discharge all your requirements. It has a long history of welcoming international students to study in its universities and colleges. As per 2007-08 statistics (Source: The Guardian, UK), European Union countries contributed only 1,12,150 students, whereas non-EU have contributed 2,29,640 – more than double! Among all international students, 81,480 opted for PG degrees, whereas 52,705 opted for their first degrees. Incidentally, 20% of all degrees in UK were granted to international students.
· China has sent the largest number of students – 49,595 (-2% increase)
· India is next with 23,835 (24% increase) and
· USA third, with 15,955 (8% increase)
· Scotland has attracted 17% of international students, whereas
· England has attracted 15%
· Wales – 14% and
· Northern Ireland – 11%
· Engineering and Technology is the most sought after program with 31% opting for the same.
· Business Administration is the next program with 29%,
· Computer Science – 20%
· Law attracted 19% of the international students.
The following universities attracted most international students:
· University of Manchester – 8,345
· University of Nottingham – 7,710
· University of Warwick – 7,430
· London Metropolitan University – 7,115
Academic Life in UK.
With a cheerful cosmopolitan society, UK offers an outstanding learning environment that is widely renowned all over the world. International students come to UK typically to pursue their undergraduate or post-graduation courses. Many universities and colleges in UK welcome new students through organizing various events before commencing the academic course, so that students can make new friends regardless to their nations. Besides, various social and cultural activities are often run for international students throughout the year. UK universities facilitate several clubs and societies that are accessible for all the students to get involved.
Living in UK – International Students.
For international students it is quite easy to develop a varied and interesting lifestyle in Britain. With an extensive student discounts and so many of the cities most appealing attractions being free, you’ll always find ways to make your money go further. Living in UK will increase the value of your studies. Students coming from different nations have a lot of things to perceive and learn from UK. When students arrive to UK, they have to get awareness about all the costs that are to be incurred. Usually students preferring to live off-campus will choose to live in shared housing and make use of public transportation networks such as electric trains, tubes, buses. Every university in UK has their student union that organizes several extra curricular activities like, theatre performances, movies nights and quiz nights. Besides, there are various clubs and sports in every university that varies from football, volleyball to painting, movies and etc, which are mostly run through university unions. It is a great way to meet other students and get involved in campus life.
Tourism & Traveling.
Many students come to UK for its eminent educational programs and enjoy the exciting adventures in their life. Apart from high quality of education one can acquire the world’s beautiful tourist destinations. While staying in UK, students can make the most of the admirable traveling network to visit around the British Isles and continental Europe. As a student they get a wide variety of discounts and cheap deals, making the opportunity to explore even more accessible.
Students Accommodation.
UK universities facilitate on-campus accommodation for all the international students for the first year. There will be an accommodation officer in every university who accommodation that better suits your requirements and budget. As the demand for UK higher education is steadily increasing, students have to apply early for the on-campus accommodation. Else students can live in off-campus accommodation. Usually universities provide accommodation in residence halls, privately owned flats and houses or home stay with a UK family. Living on-campus is a good source to meet with other students and build amity with them. Deciding where you live have a great impact on how much you enjoy your studies in UK. Therefore choose your home vigilantly.
Health Care and Wellness Living.
International students have to get prepared for the extremely new conditions. It may be difficult to get personalized in the first few days. Students can avail premium health care facility accessible at affordable costs. As an international student you can acquire this facility and it is also valid for the dependants of the students from abroad. International students are entitled to get free medical treatments from National Heath Service (not valid for below 6 months study program).
