Friday, February 10, 2006

Little Britian

The Brits are everywhere in this country, Eastern Suburbs especially. Young people come from the UK to backpack and run amok as unskilled workers like bartenders and such, older skilled workers come and fill white collar positions later in life. A resounding commonality among these ex-patriots is their identifying themselves as being from the UK. Not England, as their accent clearly discerns them as being from, but the United Kingdom of Greater Britain and the Commonwealth of Northern Ireland. This bugs the snot out of me. It means having to ask a follow up question about which country (which is pretty obvious, given the pronunciation gaps between Scots, Ulster and those from England) and additionally, which city if I want to get a true sense. This happens consistently. Why the obscurity? If I was from, say, the British Virgin Islands or the Cook Islands, should I also say the United Kingdom? Our informal research methods, conducted at a British, no English-style, pub have proved as such.

Certainly, the Welsh and Northern Irish have consistently distinguished themselves from the English, taking pride in their heritage. I suppose it is akin to us saying we're from California, knowing that we need to quickly delineate ourselves from any other part of the country that might be considered a 'red' state, almost as a way of deflecting guilt.

Whereas once Australia viewed England with such disdain as being 'Royalist' and having a superiority complex, many young professionals go to England, I mean the UK, to spend a few years developing their career. The adage of 'if I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere' that the states has toward New York would be akin to London here. Yet, why would anyone want to trade this gorgeous, laid-back beach lifestyle for the crowded, over-priced, cold and foggy hubbub of London? Makes no sense to me. I don't feel that being at the center of it all (home of Greenwich Mean Time, as an example) is enough of an even trade for such a drop in quality of life.

posted by ncawthon at 1:02 PM

My Reintroduction into Society

Returning to the U.S., I'm reminded of the largeness of this country. On the way to my parent's house, I was surprised to notice how wide the freeways were. I had forgotten that Costco sells everything in huge portions. I mean, really, who needs a cherry pie that measures 24 inches across? The size of the houses and the cars, all of it is bigger than Australia. And there are so many more people here!

While it is summer in Sydney, the high today in San Francisco was 74, quite nice for the winter. I miss the long days in Australia, it gets dark here so soon that I think that 7:45 should be bedtime.

I haven't had much of a chance to go shopping yet, but I'm looking forward to getting some new clothes; the clothes in Australia are quite expensive. Shopportunites await!

posted by Peggy C. at 5:32 AM