Your Views

What surprised you most when you first came to the UK?

 

This topic brought a very interesting and wide range of comments. Friendly bus drivers, cars driving on the other side of the road and Britain's multicultural society were among the biggest surprises for you.

 

A big thank you to all who contributed their comments.

 

 

Concha, Spain 

For me, the landscape was a big surprise. It’s very green, with a lot of trees and flowers. Where I come from, in the south of Spain, the landscape is a desert, so when I see flowers, I love it. And it’s very surprised for me, when it’s a sunny day, all English people go to the park and sunbathe.

 

 

Tomoe, Japan

Bus driver remember me and sometimes, I didn’t arrive bus stop, but always bus driver stop. They are very kind.

 

 

Umit, Turkey

Firstly, when I came to England I made a mistake which was I tried to get into the car the wrong side and driver was waiting for me I was waiting and he asked me, “Why are you waiting?” I said, “Please open the door, I want to get in the car.” He laughed and he told me, “Please, other side, because this side is for driver. Other side is for passenger.” The second thing is that I can’t get over how polite the English drivers are… even though the traffic lights are red, I am not allowed to go to other side, but they stop and show me with their hand and I can go – it’s very good for me.”

 

Young women have a lot of children – two or three children. I am a traditional man, and when I saw it, it was very surprised for me and I thought, I like it. It’s very good that they like to have a family very quickly. But after that I asked to my friend why are they getting married very early. My friend told me because the government help them and they get married but they don’t live with their husband. After they have children, they separate and then the government give them money and house. I think it is wrong. They like to have a family quickly, but it is wrong. It is because of money and benefit of government.

 

 

Cagdas, Turkey

Firstly, nothing surprised me, because we are living the same lifestyle in Turkey. Traffic surprised me because it is wrong way to Turkey, but I’m getting used to traffic in England. English people are so colder than the Turkish people. If you are a stranger in Turkey, most people want to help you, but in England, nobody cares you, but I’m getting used to it too.

 

 

Mohammed, Libya

The most thing surprised me is weather. England weather is so contradictory and so strange for me. I am from Libya and it is so hot. From May, we say goodbye to cloud, but in England, day by day it is sun, rain, sun, rain... It’s so strange for me. The second thing is that there are a lot of Pakistani and Indian people. It’s very strange for me – I think I am in Islamabad!

 

 

Khalied, Libya 

Grass in Libya not colour green, but here it’s very green. In Libya, any time making conversation is no problem, but in here people don’t like open conversation. But people here in England is so lovely. English people are very mixed. Pakistan, Indian, Czech, Japan, China. I don’t know which people are English and which are different nationality.

 

 

Kohsho, Japan

For me, the buildings, the scenery is the biggest surprise. Like the church, that building in Japan I couldn’t see. It’s very big and very old. In Japan, the old buildings were made by only wood, but in England the churches are made by stones. It’s very historical. I can feel holy things from church. It’s very surprising for me.

 

 

Jasmin, Austria

First of all, it was surprising that everything is really expensive. Also, I like double decker buses very much. In Austria there is no such thing. Finally, in our homestay, we are eating pasta with garlic bread. It’s not usual for us.

 

 

Astrid, Austria

The bus system, because it’s very complicated, and also the food – everything is cooked! And the English are very polite, especially to the bus drivers. Everybody says thank you.

 

 

Ahmed, Libya

 When I came to England, the first surprise for me the life for English people. It’s the simple life, it’s very easy. It’s about working hard, about eight hours a day and coming back to home, taking dinner and relax at home, speaking with your friends or meeting up outside the pub. English people go to another city or beach. In my country I don’t see that. People just go to home and stay at home and don’t go out, just maybe one time a month people go out to have trip.

 

 

Romana , Slovakia

The weather, because everybody told me England is a cold country and always raining here. It was a surprise because it was about 32 degrees when I arrived.

 

 

Jana , Slovakia

English people, because everybody says that they are very reserved and shy and quite cold, but my host family are crazy and funny.

 

 

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