Tuesday, November 14, 2006

God save the Queen!

I'm back! Ok, I've been back since Monday actually, but I haven’t had time to do absolutely anything. Once would think that they would give you some leave once you finish your mid-term exams, but nothing of that sort seems to be happening. It's just work, work and more work for me. I don’t think I like Uni anymore.

Well, the trip was great.
England, according to me would be the most beautiful country in the world if it was less colder or if it rained less there or if it didn't get dark there at 4 in the evening or if it was not full of drunk British people. But what would the world be without British people, really? British people are so absolutely strange that you can't help but be fond of them.

I love being in
England. People there actually speak in English! This means that I don’t have to actually try to eavesdrop on people. It just comes naturally. Even rude airport staff in England speak English! You have no idea how great it feels to have people talking in English around you. It’s not that I don’t speak Italian, it’s just that I’d much rather speak in English than in Italian because lets face it, my Italian is not very good.

I remember when I very young my mum had gone to London for work once. When she got back I asked her all about it. Since I was too young to understand anything much about tourist-London, my mum described England in the best possible way that one could to a child. She told me that in England, you could press buttons and get Dairy Milk from machines. Ever since that moment I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of vending machines (you see, we don’t have vending machines in India). I love England because it’s full of vending machines. I pretend not to, but I still get a minor thrill every time I put in some coins, press buttons and get things.

From this trip I have learnt some new things about the U.K
and English people that I didn’t know before:

1) People from Aberdeen are supposed to shag sheep. I still haven’t quite figured out why sheep and not cows, but I’m working on it.

2) Pastries are not sweet in England. The can also be salty, like stuffed croissants.

3) Crisps and chips do not mean the same thing. Crisps actually mean chips in the normal world and chips in England are French fries in the normal world.

4) Sainsbury makes the best chocolate chip cookies in the world. Nothing can beat those cookies.

5) ‘Chavs’ are bad, bad people, and you don’t want to be considered one of them.

6) People have to actually show their IDs there to buy alcohol. (This is so not the case in Italy)

7) People actually use the words ‘blimey’ and ‘cheers’ as a part of their normal vocabulary.

8) Scottish people have their own currency, which could possibly be labelled as one of the most useless currencies in the whole world.

9) British people are very fond of potatoes. I’m not sure where this obsession comes from, but it’s definitely there.

10) However funny this sounds, people in England still drink to the Queen.

And one more because I love prime numbers so much.

11) What is the deal with dinner at 6 in the evening? And why for the sake of God do people refer to it as supper or tea?

I'm getting very fond of lists these days. I should stop doing these.

Having said all this, I have to admit that I’m very fond of British people. After all, they all have sexy, unintelligible British accents and have the best tabloids in the world.

Cheers!

8 comments:

The Poodle's Friend said...

You know, I keep saying cheers now. It just comes naturally.

Hmm. You seem to often forget that the eavesdropping works both ways. When you say things like 'OMG, she's fat!' here, people actually understand. Sigh. You are so embarrassing! :D

Szerelem said...

People there actually speak in English!
Omg, I so know what you mean! When I was in Paris i would be so happy to hear an English accent. I could understand everything they said without effort. Any chance you will make a trip in dec? Btw, I will be in Milan for Christmas. Are you free around that time?

ash said...

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, but I have some views on the facts you discovered...

1)Aberdeen? No no no...well maybe. But Wales is much more famous for sheep shagging. And as for cow shagging, don't be ridiculous. Do you have any idea how difficult that is?

3) The crisp/chip thing being the same is an American thing, so obviously we're the ones that are right.

4)Absolutely correct.

5)Chavs yes. Alternate terms for chavs - scallies, townies, pikeys. I'm not sure why it's not spelt pikies instead...

6)I haven't been ID'd since I was actually under-age, and I don't think it's very common. Maybe you look very young and I look very old. Well, there's no maybe about me.

10) People still drink to the Queen? Who? I don't know who you were hanging around with but they sound like tossers...

11) Personally I never got the early dinner either - I always have mine about 8, always have. And only certain people call it supper or tea...usually posh or old-fashioned.

niTin said...

When I was young, my uncle who lived in America constantly talked of this one thing called alcohol. Now it was around this time that I had studied about the leaf experiments that one could do with (rubbing) alcohol. I assumed they were one and the same and I asked him to bring me some next time he came around.
Only now I understand the incredulous look he gave me then.

Panacea said...

TPF: Yeah, you should really stop doing that. It's very weird. I can't believe you think I'm embarrasing. I knew it. Reminds me of the time your ruined my GOF experience by being a bitch!

Szerelem: Language is such a problem in Europe. It's pretty hard actually.
I'm in Milan all of December, but I'm leaving on the 28th for Paris (I think). But if you're going to be here around Christmas, we'll be happy to see you :D

Ash: Oooh, sheep shagging is quite popular in all over the U.K then? Why is shagging cows harder than shagging sheep? I suppose, cows are taller than sheep, so it might be anatomically harder.
'Pikeys' is a new one. I like it! It's a great word.
I was probably ID'd because ahem, I'm quite short.
Muhahaha, we should tell TPF that people from her uni are tossers then because they drink to the Queen. I think it's the whole elitist attitude they have that makes them so wannabe posh :D

Panacea said...

Nitin: Ahem, people in Italy start drinking alcohol quite early, there is no way that they can ever make your mistake :) No one ever asks for ID's anywhere you go and it doesnt matter how old you are to buy anything here. I guess it's a cultural thing.
I've heard it's pretty strict in America, although eveyone I know know people who have fake IDs.

Szerelem said...

hmmm ok I realised my last comment didnt make much sense. I was wondering if you would be in England any time in dec.
Same query for TPF.
I am in Milan on 24th and 25th. (Well if the anal idiots at the Brit embassy give me my passport back in time to get my Italian visa that is...*cries*)
Was wondering if the midnight Christmas mass is nice? have you been? Btw, is there any way I can mail you rather than plan this out on your comment space? (You could mail me at my blogger email if you dont want to put out your email for mass veiwing =D)

P.S: isnt blogger beta nice??love the labels thing...

Panacea said...

pffft, sorry for not replying earlier, I'm having a crappy week!

No, I'm not going to be in UK for New Years (nor is TPF because she's here for holidays). Hopefully, I might be in Paris and that'll be fun. I'll mail you on your blogger address sometime this week, so you can tell me your plan :)

Hope the visas are going fine! Nope, havent ever been to the midnight mass, we could go this year, that might actually be nice!

PS: I love the labels too. They are so much fun!