Having spent over four months abroad in the United Kingdom, I faced many new experiences and challenges, which I had to adapt to. One would think that a fellow Western nation, that shares a common language with us, would be quite culturally similar to us; however, the more I immersed myself in British culture and day-to-day life in the United Kingdom, the more I began to realize that there are many things which make the United Kingdom unique.
Although there is one cultural difference, that was quite noticeable, that I appreciated the most. This was the collectiveness that communities had, no matter where I went in the United Kingdom. While Americans seem to be more individualized, sticking more so to themselves and placing a higher emphasis on individual achievements, Britons are very passionate about their community. Many Brits that I encountered found their identity in their nation and hometown. There isn’t much of a rivalry among American regions; however, there is a bit of a rivalry feel in the United Kingdom amongst different regions. It can be offensive to assume a Scottish person is English, an English person is Welsh, or a Welsh person is Northern Irish. Furthermore, there is a lot of county and hometown pride. People in Yorkshire love their region and will fly a flag with a white rose, or wear a white rose, whereas people in Lacastershire will do the same thing with a red rose, with each of these two roses symbolizing its region and its people. Part of what makes these individuals so proud of their communities is their community involvement. Each week, many British towns will have markets and events going on, which many people attend. For example, during Christmas, British towns and cities will have Christmas markets every weekend in November and December until Christmas. These are heavily attended events, and there will be many stands set up by local vendors, which will sell local products. Additionally, Brits will get together and socialize at their local pub regularly. It is not uncommon for neighbors to head over to their favorite pub and talk about their day, after getting off work. One friend and his family, whom I stayed with on a few occasions, do this about every day. For him, this is just a typical aspect of life. When he goes to the pub across the street from his house, he knows everyone there by name, many of whom are a close friend. I do not know many of my neighbors well, and my close friends all live in different towns.
Although unfamiliar to me as an American, this was an aspect of British culture I enjoyed. Seeing families in their community, get together so often, really made me wish that we had something to this extent in the United States. I feel as though our individualistic nature, although great, can sometimes make us feel lonelier than we truly are. Although, in the United Kingdom, it seems as though you are reminded of how accompanied you are every day. Reflecting on this has helped me realize how different day-to-day lives can be between two very close nations and it has helped me appreciate the cultural diversity in the world. Discovering new cultures may put you out of your comfort zone, but once you do, you’ll find certain aspects of that culture that you love. It’s valuable lessons like this, which push me closer to becoming a global citizen.