I’m using this blog as my “while abroad” assignment for Willamette. I had to answer two questions for the assignment.
1. What have you done to learn about your host-country’s culture? What parts of the culture are you learning about? What do you feel you are missing? What can you do to explore the parts you feel you are missing?
What parts of the host culture do you enjoy the most? What are the least enjoyable parts? Why do you dislike these aspects of the culture?
I already knew quite a bit about English culture before I left but I was interested to see what parts of my expectations were real and what parts were based on literature/films/music which may no longer be valid (if they ever entirely were). I’ve learned quite a lot about British politics and history from the classes I’ve taken while on the program. I’ve also watched some television (thank you, BBC iPlayer) and, probably most importantly, I’ve listened and read. People’s conversations can tell you a lot about their culture if you’re listening for it—the slang and references to programs or just general cultural ideas. I have also found the advertisements helpful since they often include jokes that someone native to Britain would understand. I always feel a little thrill of elation when I get the joke.
I feel like I am missing a lot of the youth culture simply because I don’t know any young people! My host mother’s children are grown up and on their own now and because our program is so self-contained, it’s possible to go for three months without really getting a sense of how people our age live. I suppose making more of an effort to go to International Student House events might have made a difference in this regard but I think it is one of the dangers of having such a separate study abroad program.
I enjoy the general sense of tradition that is present, even today. It’s hard to ignore the past when you’re living in it and around it, seeing it every day. Also, free museums. Free museums are wonderful. However, Britons in general could give Americans a run for their money in terms of thinking their culture is the best possible (and then complain about it in the same breath). And really, American tourists are not as bad as the French tourists so I think our reputation is somewhat undeserved. Football matches are not fun, in my opinion. Of course, I’m biased because Wembley Park, two stops before mine, has a big football arena so several Tube rides home were filled with multitudes of football fans singing songs at each other and pounding the walls.
2. What did you assume before you left that you are not finding in your host-country, host-culture and/or host family and friends? Why did you make those assumptions?
I assumed that I would find a fairly straightforward culture. It’s England, right? But in London especially, a recent wave of immigrants has meant that the idea of “English” culture most of us probably think of has definitely been challenged. There is still definitely a sense of the English history, heritage, and culture. But for someone whose parents were born in India and immigrated, how do you identify? Are you English or Indian? Or are you in some strange limbo in between? In the outlying areas this is less of a problem as there are simply fewer immigrants but for many people the question of who is and isn’t English has become a major problem.
I really assumed that I would find that kind of culture because of Britain’s portrayal in literature, film, and other kinds of media. Since I’ve been here, I’m noticing a more diverse portrayal in internal media. That is, within British television/books/etc, the current cultural situation is at least somewhat accurately portrayed.
I also assumed that the people I met would be kind of coldly polite. But that really is a stereotype. I’m sure the very wealthy and very aristocratic can be quite snooty and it’s true that people put a bit more distance between each other. However, I have met some wonderfully nice people, from the program but also friends of my host mother. Again, I think I made that assumption because of the portrayal in books/movies/television, etc.
