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Behind the Traveler’s Eyes of England

There is so much more in the world than a hometown, a city, or just out the country. Traveling abroad is a great key to be more cultured about the world. Vacationing overseas, such as to England is a new experience for the average American that it is extremely important to brush up on the British culture, demographics, politics, religion, cuisine, entertainment and just any type of interaction with locals. All of these are to be taken in consideration to handle culture shock well so a vacationer can build his or her intelligence in a new country.

First off, it is best to know where to spot England on a map. England is located in Europe just north of France and east of Ireland. With many cities in England, London is the capital and also the most touristy city in the country. London is the most populated city in England counting a little over than 8.1 million people. There are many site seeing places in London that Americans or any other travelers should go visit and take pictures such as the Tower Bridge which is also mistaken for as the London Bridge which are two different sceneries. The Tower Bridge is located over the River Thames, the largest river in London and has stood there since the late 1800s.

Besides the capital, there are other major cities located in London that really stand out. Liverpool, populating at half a million, is a city that is widely known for the hometown of the rock band the Beatles. Beyond the music scene, Liverpool has a rich history behind it. Liverpool is actually translated to “a creek with muddy water” which in maritime history means that area is known as a port. Besides using this city as a means of cargo transportation, this specific land was a place to use as an escape for the Irish. During the Irish Potato Famine back in September 1845-49, many residents hurried on a ship to America to avoid starvation but a lot of them migrated to Liverpool instead. Now in present day England, there are many languages spoken but the main one is English. Other languages are spoken just from being near other countries such as Italian, French, and Welsh. Within England though, there are so many different accents for instance Scouse is one of them. Scouse was developed due to the Irish moving to Liverpool due to the Potato Famine. There are obviously many other different British accents due to the area or class, but it is good to know the different dimensions of England due to its history.

Knowing the background of a country for a traveler is nice to know but information of their politics and religion is good to which helps avoid ignorance to the locals in normal conversation. A little information on politics in the destination country is crucial to understand their rules and laws. Starting with the basics, England’s system is made up of a monarchy and the cabinet. The monarchy consists of Queen Elizabeth II being head of the state while the prime minister is the head of the government, together they set statute rules and laws to form the country’s constitution. Unlike America, England has an established church so religion and politics intertwine. Most British people are Roman Catholics followed by some being Christian, Baptist, and more from smaller groups.

After getting a good understand on how England is runs, then travelers can get into the more entertaining side of England. While a tourist is in a coffee shop or just lounging around the city, he or she may notice common magazine and newspaper stands. One common well known magazine is the Sun which is a tabloid British paper. Here you can learn about what the royal family is up to or any new politic topics. Other use of British entertainment would be the television channel BBC, British Broadcasting Corporation. This is one of the most popular networks on television and online. British television series and sitcoms such as Doctor Who are pretty well known in America as well which have appeared on this network. Other British shows that are well known would be Black Mirror on Netflix and Game of Thrones on HBO, both with English actors and actresses. Just from keeping up with these entertainments, a visitor could get a good taste of England and could try to chime into conversations at a bar.

Continuing onto bars, a tourist would most likely want to adventure out and explore and possibly grab a beer or “bevvy”. One thing interesting about England are their pubs. In America pubs are just a place with beer and greasy food. In England, a pub is actually short for a public house. The reason these bars are called public houses is because an owner of a home actually opens up their home to the public. Apparently the dingier the carpet the older and more welcoming it is. The classic pub food contains fish and chips which are typically fried fish and potato fries. There are other British restaurants who have other versions of fish and chips also do a take in a fancier form; fish and chips are not only bar food. There are other foods at pubs that have different names that some Americans would have a hard time decoding. Toad in the Hole has an interesting name but the dish is just a sausage in a baked dough or biscuit. Another interesting bar food is Bangers and Mash. This may be confusing because in the previous dish “Toad” was a name for sausage but Bangers is also a name for sausage and mash would be potatoes. These dishes typically come with an onion gravy. There are so many different types of foods to try in England so a visitor should try everything possible.

Along with English food, there meal times are quite interesting as well. British people follow the typical breakfast, lunch, and dinner routine. Breakfast would be eggs, protein and some sort of toast. While lunch would contain something packed from home and would be finger food. Lunch consist of a sandwich and crisp or better known as potato chips. Then dinner would consist of what they call “a meat and two veg” which is just a protein and two vegetable side dishes. One interesting add on to their meal times is that in England they have afternoon tea time which is a mini snack and a cup of black tea between lunch and dinner. The purpose of this is to hold off an appetite till dinner which is around eight o’clock.

Finally, what is a mandatory thing to know when traveling to England is their etiquette. To continue with food and its etiquette it is proper to wait till everyone else’s food arrives at the table before eating. Another important one would be is waiting in line is crucial. If a traveler is getting food, it is polite to wait your turn and be patient. After receiving your food always use a please and thank you even in an excessive amount. It is always important to know the mannerisms in another country because you do not want to come off rude and stick out.

Overall, England would be an exciting place to travel but it is essential for a person to understand what goes on in the country. It is fun to be a tourist but to really enjoy it, a traveler should learn about its history, political background, means of entertainment, mannerisms, even British cuisine and meal times. With all this information, a new traveler could find themselves reaching out for more knowledge and willing to learn more rather than to be blindsided by all the new culture shocking details.

Works Cited

Bestradios. “What Are the Most Popular Radio Stations in the UK?” Best Radios, Best Radios, 17 June 2018, bestradios.co.uk/what-are-the-most-popular-radio-stations-in-the-uk/.

Lia, and Joel. “British Manners and Etiquette! | British Culture.” Youtube, Youtube, 9 Mar. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPvoSTwKLGg.

McGough, Michael. “In England, There's No Separation of Church and State.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2012, www.latimes.com/opinion/la-xpm-2012-nov-27-la-ol-bishops-england-constitution-20121127-story.html .

Meyer, Amelia. “Languages.” England Forever, England Forever, 2013, www.englandforever.org/england-languages.php .

“Overview of the UK System of Government.” The National Archives, 3 Oct. 2012, webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121003074658/http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/Centralgovernmentandthemonarchy/DG_073438 .

“The Most Popular TV Channels in the UK.” YouGov, yougov.co.uk/ratings/media/popularity/tv-channels/all .

“The Quintessential Guide to British Pub Grub.” The London Pass, 13 Jan. 2017, 10:00 AM, blog.londonpass.com/guide-british-pub-grub/.

“Top 10 Moments from History.” English Heritage, www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/1066-and-the-norman-conquest/top-10-moments-from-history/ .

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