Fulbright Orientation and the Postgraduate Induction
I arrived in Britain two weeks ago, and spent my first week with my fellow Fulbright Scholars enjoying a lively and engaging series of orientation events with the US/UK Fulbright Commission. This included touring London, eating a series of delicious complimentary meals, and meeting 40 of the most talented and interesting people that I've ever had the pleasure to know. This included 32 postgraduate scholars (US students seeking Masters or Doctoral degrees in the UK), and around 8 postdoctorate scholars (US professors researching in the UK).
 |
| We even made it out to Wimbledon. If you zoom in, I'm pointing to Andy Roddick, the eventual (in my dreams) champion. |
After a week in London, I took the train out to Norwich, Norfolk, which is where I'll be based for the next year while I pursue a Master's degree at the University of East Anglia. Already I've come to lovely the beautiful city of Norwich, mostly for its history, rich culture, and rural setting. My flat is mostly fully furnished at this point, and I start my postgraduate program in Development and Education on Monday, October 1st. (yikes).
The Best Lessons I've Learned to Date:
It didn't seem to me that there would be a lot about the UK that I didn't know. I'd studied up on the country quite a bit to prepare for the Fulbright process, and felt I had a solid grasps on the national identity. Hell, I'd even read "Notes from a Small Island", Bill Bryson's book about the UK. What else was there to discover? Answer: A lot. Here are some of the cultural lessons that I've really enjoyed:
The English are British, the Scottish are kind of British, but the Scottish are Definitely not English
Make sense? I never knew how important these titles were until I started mixing them up and getting miffed reactions from my new British friends. Basically, the UK is comprised of four nations, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England. And no, they are not all "English". Big mistake. This video can help you figure it all out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNu8XDBSn10
The British Believe that the UK is not in Europe
The following is an except from a real conversation:
British person: So is this your first time in the UK?
Me: Yes, actually I've never even been to Europe before.
British person: Great, well Europe is right on our doorstep, so you can visit it while you're here.
Me: Oh swell! Wait...
 |
| Look, I know the map says it's in Europe, but since when can we trust maps? Come on. |
Basically, people from the UK don't really think of themselves as European. I'm sure it goes back to a long history of wars and fighting between countries, but it's something that I've yet to understand. I mean, the royal family has strong German lineage, and France is 50 miles away, but ya, definitely not European.
Never have I heard so many different ways to use English
I spent 4 1/2 months in Australia, so I considered myself ready for the different usages of words, phrases, etc. etc. But nothing comes close to the amount of different words and phrase that you will find in the UK. Here is a quick summary of the rules I've learned so far:
- Don't say pants. Pants are underwear, people will laugh if you say your trying decide what pants to wear. Here, it's trousers.
- It's not a fanny pack, it's a bum bag. In fact, fanny is a slang term for a girl's private region.
- Don't try to order a 64oz. "Growler" of beer. (See above not about girl's anatomy)
- "Are you ok?" = "How's it going?" We say "Are you ok?" after someone has just tripped into a rose bush. For them, it's just a normal greeting.
They make two ways out of one ways:
 |
| Room for one car, right? Nope. It's a two way street. You just have to keep your eyes open for cars. |
The first time I saw this particular British custom, I was in a bus, storming down a one lane road with cars barreling down on us from the opposite direction. But those cars calmly pulled out of the way, and continued on after we had passed.
So there is it. Of course, there are many more things I've yet to discover about the UK, so stayed tuned for further updates!
Much love from Norwich, UK
Kurt
This is not an official US Department of State website or blog. The views and information presented in this post are my own and do not represent the Fulbright Programme or the US Department of State.