The Top 10 Things I Admire About the Brits and Their Culture

I'm putting off writing my paper to compile this Top 10 list. It's a terrible thing to do I know, but at least I'm keeping my creative juices flowing, right? No? Yeah, it was worth a shot. Anyway, I've been residing in jolly England, more specifically Brighton, for the past two months and I think I've got quit a handle on the city and the country. For past eight weeks I've explored London (quite a few times actually), Portsmouth, Liverpool, Manchester (kinda), Oxford, Cambridge, Windsor, Greenwich, and of course Brighton. I like to think that that's quite an impressive list of cities, but there is still so much more of England that I haven't explored and don't even get me started on Scotland or Ireland. Some time in the future perhaps, but I digress.

So I had the ingenious idea of creating a Top 10 list à la Dave Letterman, but not as funny (perhaps not even funny at all) and it is not prefaced with Paul Schaffer and the band. England has made quite an impression on me, most of it is good and I just wanted to share with you the top ten things that I admire most about the British and their culture.

10. Their yogurt
My housemates Jen and Gaby eat this all the time and one day I was curious enough to try this yogurt that they incorporated into their diets. Our first few days in England, I could have sworn that was all Gaby ate and nothing else! Müller yogurt is absolutely delicious and they are packaged in a cute fashion. One corner consists of the yogurt (banana, vanilla, strawberry, etc.) and the smaller right corner contains it's mix-in. At this moment, I am snacking on the Crunch Corner strawberry shortcake flavor, which has strawberry yogurt coupled with a white chocolate covered shortcake biscuit balls.

09. Their efficient public transportation

Yes, England does use double decker buses and they are not only limited to London. My main mode of transportation in Brighton is the double decker bus and I love riding in it. Sure, paying 3 pounds can get costly after a while, but when that's the only way to get into town, you find yourself complaining less and less. Another thing I would like to add about the buses is the electronic signs located at each bus stop that tells you approximately how long it will take for your bus to arrive. Wonderful, isn't it? I have also developed a love for trains. Trains are a novelty in America and it's a shame that the train system is dying. I would also like to praise the Tube (the city's underground railway system) in London.

08. Their love for bicycles

I couldn't include their use of bicycles in number 9 because well it isn't a mode of public transportation. Although I guess one could argue that tandem bicycles can be considered public transportation. Bicycles are everywhere here in England as well as Europe. People of all ages, shapes and sizes travel around the city with their bicycles. It has inspired me to buy a new bike (because the one I have previously owned is about 10 years old)!

07. They don't give a flying f@#k about the rain

When I first arrived in England and the following two weeks after that, it poured. After I got over my grumpiness and just accepted the fact that I had to carry my umbrella around everywhere (and grateful that I had brought my beloved umbrella in the first place) I realized that this is just a taste of what the British go through. Being a native Californian and more specifically a Southern Californian, we are natural enormous cry babies when it comes to precipitation. Californians are extremely spoiled with our perpetual sunshine and sandy beaches and it gave me a new perspective on weather and rain. Unlike Southern Californians, the British go on about their day as if the raindrops weren't as large as bowling balls! They don't even use umbrellas at time! That's what makes them tough I guess and I admire them greatly for it.

06. Their beer

I've never been much of a drinker, let alone a beer drinker, but I must say that the British adore their beer. Pubs are essentially open all day long and the on-campus pub has turned me on to their beer. Personally, I took a liking to Strongbow, but overall my likeness to beer developed from "Eh, beer" to "I'll have another pint please!"

05. Their eco-friendly methods

The Brits sure do like to recycle! Back in Los Angeles, I wouldn't bother separating the glass bottles from the plastic bottles because I knew the homeless people would do it for me. Jokes aside, I have been more conscious about recycling. In addition to the recycling bins located outside of our house, the on-campus grocery store charges customers for their plastic bags, which forces people to recycle their plastic bags or to use a canvas bag. I was a bit annoyed at first, but soon realized the brilliance behind it.

04. Topshop

I feel a tad bit shallow for including Topshop in my top 5, but I'd be in denial if I placed in anywhere else. I didn't do much clothes shopping here because the conversion of American dollars to English pounds is absurd and I spent most of my spending money on transportation to trips, food, and honestly booze. When I did decide to go shopping, Topshop was a must.

03. Pasties

One of the first things I tried in Brighton besides RFC (which is a bit embarassing to admit) was a West Cornwall Pasty (yes, it has a website, most wonderful things do!). Damn, they are so good. I think I may make it my last meal before heading back to America.

02. Their parks

You may recall my London weekend trip which consisted of me visiting a few of the Royal parks. If there's one thing the British know how to do, that is to create a gorgeous park. They are large as they are stunning. Many of the parks stretch on for miles, complete with beautiful flowers and sculptures. Every park I've come across as well as wannabe parks (i.e., basically a turf of grass) there is always a group of people enjoying a picnic, playing soccer, or simply taking an afternoon nap.

01. Their tea

Why on earth is English tea number 1? Simple. I am addicted to it. I drink at least one cup a day and often times it's the cheapest thing on the menu! Back in America, I had my tea plain often times because it was a flavored tea, but here I've tried the English way of drinking tea- with milk and sugar. I think my teeth have become a few shades darker, but I do not regret a single cup of tea that I've thrown back.

I guess that's enough procrastinating for now. I had to return to writing my paper some time. This probably marks the conclusion of this blog. If I do return with a new post, it's probably to post some pictures of my last few days in Brighton. Tonight there is a farewell party and tomorrow after everyone has submitted their paper, we'll be having another picnic and then going into town for some sushi. Thanks for reading everyone and enjoy the rest of your summer!