[Hewitt]

I am interested in how people abroad view Britain.

What do you think of the UK?

[Mierder]

I'm from Hong Kong and have been studying in the UK for 4 years but before i went to a international school which followed the British education system (GCSEs, A-level etc.). I have also traveled around a lot in Asia, Europe and North America and even lived abroad different countries due to my parents jobs.

To be frank, not a lot of Hong Kong people or asians think that much about the UK. In our minds you just exist its like what would the average British person think about Indians, Chinese? Probably not a lot.

Asians do however, admire the British education system a lot and indeed is why so many international students travel to the UK to study (along with the US of course). The general view that i had is i always thought British people were very posh and "formal" but thats just the stereotype.

[Revilo1]

Although I was born in the UK, one of my friends (who moved from Thailand to Britain when he was 2) says his mum always thought of the British as hard-working, generous people who generally had tea at 4 o'clock. Safe to say, she was a bit shocked at what she found when she moved to Nottingham

[Noonz]

i love Britain. I did my undergrad in Sheffield. The people were nice, the city was delightful and I now drink tea all the time even though I currently reside in the Caribbean.

[Pink lipstick]

Well i guess it depends on where you stay. I have been a victim of racism a few times here

[dgeorge]

(Original post by Noonz)
i love Britain. I did my undergrad in Sheffield. The people were nice, the city was delightful and I now drink tea all the time even though I currently reside in the Caribbean.

Where you from Noonz? Caribbeaner in the house (that's not a word...until now)

[iwantcurlyhairtoo]

An island largely consisting of degenerate morons.

[dgeorge]

(Original post by Hewitt)
I am interested in how people abroad view Britain.

What do you think of the UK?

This is an interesting topic. I had intentioned to write up about my experiences in the UK as a student, but never got around to it, so I guess this is a bit of an opportunity.

Your experiences, wherever you travel, will ALWAYS be dependent on your outlook in life. There will be some people who will enjoy their stay, almost anywhere they go, and some who will moan about their stay, anywhere they go.


1. I don't find the weather to be THAT bad. Certainly, the weather is quite a bit more unpredictable than other temperate places. However, on arriving to the UK, my (Nigerian) flatmate warned me about the cold that would "seep into my bones"

However, I found the weather pretty easy to cope with. The issue was PREPARATION - simply be prepared for the weather to change, especially in the mornings and evenings, and you'll be fine.


2. The people -

Overall I found the people in Britain to be extremely friendly, contrary to the normal British stereotype. This could be also chalked down to the fact that I was a bit "exotic", coming from a not very well known Caribbean country.

It could also be that I do my best to be as friendly as possible as well.

But I remember the woman on the train, who was drunkenly trying to explain to me and another friend about working in the prison services. A guy who lived in Central London who I spoke with while we were eating McDonalds. The crazy amount of people I met on a normal night out (the only "club" I knew was literally two streets away from me)

Were there instances of people being idiots? A few, including the day I got egged by a group of young idiots in a car.

But there is nowhere immune to this sort of behaviour. Every country has it's fair share of idiots, and once you accept this, understanding people becomes a whole lot simpler

[FuLLuPMepOrtION]

I can't stand people who call Britons 'Brits'!

Spoiler:

Show

Sorry for breaking the no 'Brits' rule though.

[dgeorge]

3. The tea

Britain is well know for it's tea! There was a suspicious lack of tea times which left me a bit disappointed lol.


4. The food - Being on a student budget, I didn't get much of a chance to eat out. I did get to sample a few relatively unique food ideas - first time having a bap, your weird (but tasty) breakfast which included some weird sort of mushroom, baked beans, and that black thing (was it a sausage?) that I never bothered to taste.

The Sunday Carvery was nice, although I never did figure out what to do with the Yorkshire pudding

[Blue Skies]

(Original post by dgeorge)
3. The tea

Britain is well know for it's tea! There was a suspicious lack of tea times which left me a bit disappointed lol.


4. The food - Being on a student budget, I didn't get much of a chance to eat out. I did get to sample a few relatively unique food ideas - first time having a bap, your weird (but tasty) breakfast which included some weird sort of mushroom, baked beans, and that black thing (was it a sausage?) that I never bothered to taste.

The Sunday Carvery was nice, although I never did figure out what to do with the Yorkshire pudding

The black thing you're talking about is black pudding, basically congealed blood mixed with spices and what but yeah just think of it as a sausage.

[Blue Skies]

(Original post by Mierder)
I'm from Hong Kong and have been studying in the UK for 4 years but before i went to a international school which followed the British education system (GCSEs, A-level etc.). I have also traveled around a lot in Asia, Europe and North America and even lived abroad different countries due to my parents jobs.

To be frank, not a lot of Hong Kong people or asians think that much about the UK. In our minds you just exist its like what would the average British person think about Indians, Chinese? Probably not a lot.

Asians do however, admire the British education system a lot and indeed is why so many international students travel to the UK to study (along with the US of course). The general view that i had is i always thought British people were very posh and "formal" but thats just the stereotype.

That's interesting, I always assumed people from Hong Kong would have a bit more of an opinion of the British due to it only being 15 years since the handover and the hundred and a bit years of rule under the Empire.

[NapoleonDynamite]

(Original post by dgeorge)
3. The tea

Britain is well know for it's tea! There was a suspicious lack of tea times which left me a bit disappointed lol.


4. The food - Being on a student budget, I didn't get much of a chance to eat out. I did get to sample a few relatively unique food ideas - first time having a bap, your weird (but tasty) breakfast which included some weird sort of mushroom, baked beans, and that black thing (was it a sausage?) that I never bothered to taste.

The Sunday Carvery was nice, although I never did figure out what to do with the Yorkshire pudding

A little tip with Yorkshire's.

Smother in gravy, Cut up and combine with the roast potato

Or do what I do at home, just shove it all in :P

[Noonz]

(Original post by dgeorge)
Where you from Noonz? Caribbeaner in the house (that's not a word...until now)

I'm from St. Lucia!!! YOU?

[prog2djent]

(Original post by Blue Skies)
That's interesting, I always assumed people from Hong Kong would have a bit more of an opinion of the British due to it only being 15 years since the handover and the hundred and a bit years of rule under the Empire.

They were protesting not to be under chinese rule, and I recall a public survey where something like 80% thought they were better off pre 1997.

[dgeorge]

(Original post by Noonz)
I'm from St. Lucia!!! YOU?

Antigua!

[TimHuak]

The weather is terrible, the people are unattractive, the people are depressed, horrible teeth, most of the country isnt very aesthetic

Then I found out most of that is actually true

[Mierder]

(Original post by Blue Skies)
That's interesting, I always assumed people from Hong Kong would have a bit more of an opinion of the British due to it only being 15 years since the handover and the hundred and a bit years of rule under the Empire.

yea, i mean the average Hong Kong person doesn't really think that much about the UK. Hong Kong people definatley prefer being ruled by you guys rather than the mainland Chinese up north.

But we still keep some things british in Hong Kong. Like there are a few roads and train stations in Hong Kong with British names like Prince Edward etc.

[ckingalt]

The parts of Britian I have visited are exceptional. Scotland is gorgeous. There are so many iconic landmarks in London that it is hard not to get a sense of deja vu when you visit for the first time. I have never been to Northern Ireland but their accents are fabulous. I have no idea what is in Wales. The political attitude is a little too left for my taste, but it seems to work for Britain, so why should I care.

I have many British mates and have traveled to the UK twice. Not surprisingly the all to common anti-American sentiment that permeates TSR, has not emerged with any of my personal interactions. Some stereotypes are true. Brits (sorry FuLLuPMepOrtION) have a dry wit with amazing timing for delivering a zinger. They are fun to drink with, are a bit formal at times (uptight), but they do like to "take the piss." I also get the impression that most Britons pretend to have no pride in their nationality, race, or heritage. They do this because they culturally have contempt for patriotism as being unintellectual. The truth is that Britishness does entail a degree of pride. That pride is the greatest British attribute in my opinion. At least amongst my mates.

Oh yea, another British stereotype that is completely true is that Essex girls are total sluts.

[Born'nBred]

(Original post by dgeorge)
Antigua!

and last but not least...St Vincent ...although nobody asked me