These are a few of my favourite things…
Stamped: October 5th, 2005 | Toggle Similar
Tagged: food, living abroad, things i ♥.
It’s been over 4 months that I have been living in England and the place is slowly growing on me. Before I ever set foot on this fair island, I had a preconceived notion of the English as a bunch of cold sickly faces peering out of the rain. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Ok, I could be more wrong. It does rain here, but not nearly as much as they claim. And I’m sure there are some cold, snooty people living over here with silver spoons up their butts, but I sure as hell haven’t met them yet. In fact the first time I went to England was to Bristol, to visit my then English boyfriend I had met the year before on a hazy vacation in Jamaica with my girlfriends, and I was shocked at how kind and friendly people were. Even as a self-proclaimed “friendly American” I was put to shame by their “here you go my love”s and “cherrio”s and “care for another pint then darling”s.
So I’d like to start my list of favorite (favourite) things about England, which I shall be adding to periodically. Perhaps it will inspire some of you to visit your friends (i.e. moi) across the pond.
- Free birth control. Yeah that’s right. FREE. Not a friggin' pence did I pay for the pill, and they kept on shoving all sorts of condoms and lube into my hands on my way out. (I assume this is given to everyone and its not just because they shrivel at the thought of my bastard half-French half-American spawn being born on their soil)
- Rhubarb Yogurt. Who knew this would be so delicious?
- Drinking. The ability to get drunk (pissed) on a regular basis in the middle of the day and not be considered an alcoholic. Everyone does it. You’re just “haffin’ a laff, mate”.
- BBC. How cool to have completely public broadcasting that is intelligent, entertaining and puts the whiney PBS donate-a-thons to shame.
- Tea. No matter how hard I try, a cup of tea only tastes perfect when made by someone born and raised in England.
- English Food. I know what you’re thinking…’What? English FOOD?? But it’s notorious for being vile. Made fun of throughout the rest of the free world.’ Frankly, I think the English food jokes are ready for retirement. The joke is dead. Move on. Because the food is good. It is the perfect comfort food. I’m not a huge fan of Fish and Chips, but Bangers and Mash, a full English breakfast…mmmm. This is the kind of food thought up by a country dealing with a collective hangover every Sunday morning. Over indulgence meets grandma’s Sunday roast.
I’ll be back with more at a later date, perhaps to celebrate my five-month anniversary of a temporary Brit. And besides, if I give you too much, I’ll have the whole Girlspoke gang banging on my front door – and my flat just isn’t big enough to accommodate you and your fabulous personalities.
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betty being a canadian living in Manchester I so fully agree with you on everything!!! free birth control is wicked but what is even better is that all pescriptions are the same damn price!! absolute genius !
The drinking thing is great. the fact that the vast majority of families sole intention at christmas is to stay home eat loads of amazing choices of cheese and junk food and just get trollied ( drunk people ) is amazing! could never say that back home with out someone trying to set up a intervention for you ha !
BBC is great in fact that majority of tv is great. I have to say i am a sad one as watch all the soaps here but purely because they actually move on not like states and canada ! go back a year later and still the same story line !
so yes Betty you are so right and looking forward to your additions to the Great things bout the UK list of yours
Meme and I are on our way.
Prepare for the UK girlspoke invasion.
i’ll put the cider on ice ladies.
Ok, I’m hungry and drunk now.
free birth control- so awesome. now i feel like shagging and haffin’ a laff.
You haven’t had my tea, luv. (And I’m born and raised in Canada.) Also … how can anyone not like fish and chips? Are you mad?
Other than that, you’re spot on with everything.
I’ve been told I simply haven’t had the right fish and chips. But it’s really because I don’t like meals that are all one color.
“Girlspoke gang banging” interesting choice of words Betty.
Fish and chips in London is naff…. You need to go to Birmingham for the best fish ‘n’ chips and curries