What I Wished I’d Known Before My Year Abroad in England.
This is to all my Italian friends who are thinking about moving to the U.K.
There are only 1,6925382 kilometres between London and Rome, but you should be aware that there are some considerable differences related to culture and local traditions. Therefore, I thought of giving you some advice that may be helpful whether you decide to spend your year abroad in England.
So, before booking your flight ticket, take a look at some of the cultural differences that aroused my curiosity the first time I saw them because of their uniqueness… but don’t worry, after a while you’ll get used to them.
Number 1: THE SINK. Dear Italians, forget washing your hands with warm water; in effect, in England the tubing of cold and hot water is separated. This means you must take a decision: you must choose if you want to wash your hands ONLY with cold or hot water. But beware of using directly hot water: you could get burned !
Number 2: THE PUB. The pub is like a religion. The typical English pub is always full with people at any hour of the day. Here is where friends meet to have a chat and drink a good pint together. Every Sunday during the Sunday’s football match, the pub transforms itself into a stadium and everyone starts shouting at the TV in order to incite their team. By the way, the pub is the best place where you can make new friends and spend a lovely night with them. Finally, never refuse when someone offers you a pint: he/she could be hurt for the rest of his life.
Number 3: THE FITTED CARPET. It should create in the room an atmosphere of relaxation and comfort. Even if it looks like it’s old and dirty, it will make you feel like you were at home reading a book near the fireplace. It is soft and usually decorated with different patterns. You will find it anywhere, even on a train.
Number 4: THE QUEUE. Dear Italians, you must be prepared to queue everywhere. To enter a room, to go on the bus and even to cross a road. Respect the queue and nothing will happen to you.
Number 5: THE WEATHER. The English sun is shy: it’s a scientific fact. Dear Italians, after a week that you’ll be here in England, you may ask yourselves if someone stole the sun. You could also be regretting those warm and sunny Italian days you’ll miss a lot once you’ll be here… But actually, you’ll find out that the famous English rain isn’t so bad after all. The English wind is much worse. Forget about your fancy coloured umbrellas, and hurry up to buy a raincoat and some high boots: you’ll definitely need them !
Number 6: THE ENGLISH HUMOUR. As soon as you’ll be here, you’ll immediately notice how the English people are so friendly and cordial. They’ll never miss the chance to make a joke about everything in order to brighten up your day a little bit!
Finally, dear Italians, I hope these few guidelines will be helpful when you will decide to spend your year abroad in the U.K.
And trust me: England is really worth it !
With thanks to Georgia-Ann Carter
