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10 British things you (surprisingly) missed on your year out

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Nottingham chapter.

Here they come – the year abroad-ers, the cultured linguists who’ve spent the last 7 months eating, living and breathing their second (and maybe third) languages. But beneath all that bravado and new found confidence I’m sure there’s a few things they’ve missed about their beautiful home nation. Jelly, hugs and the new Compare the Meerkat: it’s good to be home!

 

1. Queuing

No touching, polite and reassuring smiles, and the occasional eye roll if people break the sacred queuing rules.

 

2.       TV Ads

My family are very much enjoying each time I show any kind of emotion towards an ad I’m seeing for the first time. The same goes for music – some songs just haven’t quite made it across the channel to me. Hey, at least it’ll make Ocean exciting!

 

3.       Primark

No, I will not invest £19.99 in that hand crafted undergarment, I just want a £1.50 white vest top to have a disappointingly short relationship with.

 

4.       Voucher codes.

Following that, I don’t want to pay full price for my meal. Thank you Britain for always giving me the option to opt-in to a buy one main, get the other free deal.

 

5.       Jelly

After offering to make jelly shots for a friend’s birthday this year, I soon realised that I’d also offered to traipse around every shop in town looking for jelly that didn’t have peas or carrots in it… now I’m back in the UK, the simplicity and accessibility of Hartleys is a gift I will never take for granted again. 

 

I mean…

 

6.       Cider

“Just a simple Kopparberg please sir. I know that it’s the land of wine, but just this once I want some refreshing mixed berry goodness.”

 

 

7.       Sunday Roast

Again, the wine is fab, but what is good wine on a Sunday without a Yorkshire pudding to go along beside it. I’ve missed you, Betty.

 

8.       Sunday shopping

And after I’ve devoured that thoroughly British feast? I head to the shops, because in the UK the day of rest means nothing to retail opening hours.

 

9.       Hugs (and personal space)

So. Many. Kisses.

 

10.   Weather small talk

Finally, as a Brit there is something undeniably reassuring about having the fall back of weather chat if a conversation falls flat. After several failed attempts of ‘ooooh it’s a bit breezy today’, it’s nice to finally be back in the homeland of the small talk. And yes, it is a bit overcast today.

 

Sources

http://www.lazerhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Weird-Strange-Unexplained-queue-fox.jpg

http://i.giphy.com/CNZp0mW0kt5NS.gif

http://i.giphy.com/a8tovilHdwNr2.gif

http://i.giphy.com/qHho9D3nk3nS8.gif

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/50f6ae6ee4b018f68bd1aceb/t/5359874de4b0bcc8365c0d7c/1398376278908/

http://i.giphy.com/huHHuZ1JS9vyg.gif

http://i.giphy.com/5usQ5OObLDdcc.gif

http://i.giphy.com/UOjtOtQwNI13i.gif

http://i.giphy.com/oIGmZDhDzDckw.gif

http://i.giphy.com/LgBUGQZdFN09G.gif

 

Edited by Nicole Jones

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Fran McKay

Nottingham

  3rd Year, History & French, spending a year working in a primary school in Valence, France. Go on, have a read.
Sam is a Third Year at the University of Nottingham, England and Campus Correspondent for HC Nottingham. She is studying English and would love a career in journalism or marketing (to name two very broad industries). But for now, her favourite pastimes include nightclubs, ebay, cooking, reading, hunting down new music, watching thought-provoking films, chatting, and attempting to find a sport/workout regime that she enjoys!