i can't (and won't) keep a stiff upper lip

Well, I had kind of intended to start my blog chronologically, going over some key events that happened when I first immigrated here back in the fall, but this piece of news caught my eye and I just couldn't let it slide through the cracks, as I found it pretty apt.

Recently, the Obamas were in jolly old England for the G-20 Summit. While here, they met up with the Queen and her always-lurking-in-the-background husband, Phillip, for some tea and photo ops.

Of course, one thing that has often bothered me about this little island known as Great Britain is how they hold onto some stupid, arcane traditions. Don't get me wrong, I am all for tradition and I think holding onto some vestiges from our past is very worthwhile - it reminds us of where we came from, it gives us a sense of nostalgia, and it helps direct us towards the future. That being said, there's some things here that really just need to be forgotten in order to embrace some modern civilization.

See, the big guffaw in the news lately is how Michelle Obama "touched" the Queen. For those of you who don't know, that apparently breaks Royal etiquette and has landed some politicians in the past who did it with majorly bad media coverage.

Where am I going with this, exactly? Because I could care less about the Royal Family, to be honest. But what this represents is how a great majority of the British act. I'm not one to generalize, but in this case, I have empirical evidence to back things up, so trust me in that I'm not talking garbage here. It goes to show how cold and reserved the Brits can be and how that whole "stiff upper lip" thing is still strongly entrenched in their minds. This goes far beyond something like hugging too, right down to casual everyday conversation and getting to know people.

It's made my adjustment here particularly difficult at times. Living with two Brits has made me more cognizant of these things, and when I first moved in, they proved a very difficult culture to crack (sometimes, this still holds true, 7 months later). I wasn't expecting hugs and warm welcomes, but it's the little things from back home that I really miss. Like when someone leaves the house and shouts "See ya later" to whoever is still home, instead of just slamming the door and leaving. Or stopping to chat when they see you in the street, instead of walking by. I even miss being hounded by greeters and sales associates when you go to a store, instead of having to struggle desperately for a little bit of customer service.

It's often been hard not to take these personally. Recently, I had a friend from Canada visit and stay with me. This was great because it allowed me to get the perspective of another "outsider" and really dissect the culture here. It's made me realize that it's not something intentionally directed towards me, but something that is just set in their DNA and guides the way they act. While that should be amazingly good news, it isn't - because at the end of the day, it's me against a country. Seriously, whoever thought I'd miss those annoying greeters at The Gap?

But I digress.....

-D.