By Jake Smith

If you are an English speaker, you will probably have an idea of what to expect when you arrive in London. You may think you know the UK well due to a fair amount of knowledge you have collected over the years from movies, songs and stories. However, this is not even close to what really visiting or living in the UK is about. We will have a look at some myths and truths about the UK and eventually, you will have a clearer idea at the end of this blog. 

Food in London is disgusting 

Firstly, bad food has always been one of the biggest stereotypes by far. Not just food in London, but British food gets criticised constantly. Some people say they will not tolerate this kind of food one more day in their lives. Now, if you lived enough time in the UK you might think that British cuisine is represented by things like our classics Sunday roasts and Fish and Chips or your Meal Deal at supermarkets. By contrast, you can find pretty much any cuisine in the world and more, as well as loads of cheap restaurants and open markets. It is a great way to explore new flavours and experience innovative recipes that will broaden your knowledge.

It is always raining

There is a common belief that the weather is awful in London. Well, that kind of depends on what you consider to be awful weather. If you live in Spain, Italy or Greece then, yeah, the weather here is horrible. However, if we take into account the average weather conditions in the UK, we may say that it is not a complete disaster.

In the summer, you have a lot of pleasant sunny days and you can go sunbathing or just chill in parks. Winters might be cold and rainy but If you think this is bad you should try living in Scotland. There ,the umbrella will be your best friend for sure.

London is very expensive

Of course it is and some experts claim that it will get even more expensive in the coming years. For example, transports and accommodations are so costly that some people struggle to make ends meet at the end of the month.

But there are ways to make it cheaper: London has some great street food within your budget. Also, clothing, house amenities and furniture can be really cheap if you look carefully. There are pound shops and charity shops everywhere in London. You can buy second-hand stuff in good condition at ridiculous prices. It’s a bargain!

the British Museum, National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the V&A, the Science Museum and many more. Do you know what these places have in common? They are free! You can walk straight into Britain’s most popular tourist attractions without paying a penny. If you know where to look you won’t be skint but only more knowledgeable.

Londoners are rude

Londoners, in general, are not a rude. Many people have this idea  because there is a huge number of tourists in London. People mistake foreignness for rudeness. Let’s put it this way, how would you feel, whenever you take a bus in your city, if you met disoriented tourists every morning? That’s kind of how Londoners feel about it too. They have lives to live and ignoring you is not being impolite. It’s a completely unique ecosystem when people rush continuously to get on with their lives.

The English language in London is the same as in all the rest of the UK

 People speak the same language to communicate and you have to speak standard English if you want to be understood. Most native speakers can easily understand other regional accents from different parts of the country whereas the majority of people coming to London don’t know this accents variety and feel powerless when they cannot understand the difference. There is really no such thing as “British” English. On one hand, the grammar and vocabulary are the same. On the other hand, Someone born in Edinburgh or Cardiff will have a different accent to those born in Belfast or London. So, next time you speak English with an Irish, Scottish or Welsh person try to catch the differences among the accents, sounds and intonations. 

Improve your English with our tips!

We know the British are renowned for their politeness. So, ​for this reason, we’ve asked our Teacher Jack to show us some British etiquette for surviving in England without saying “Thank you” or “Please” after every sentence.?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aoQ5U_lN1c&list=PLNcfxD6u-vxKyCqI4SEC_9FG8y-4yHC-Q

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