Another stereotype that we often have of British people is that they are obsessed with tea. This one is pretty accurate, but there are still British people that prefer coffee or dislike tea. After a meal, it is common for your host to offer you tea, and sometimes it is even offered before the meal. Tea is often served while eating scones or biscuits, generally during the afternoon. There are many cute tea shops in Exeter that all put their unique spin on serving tea. Tea is undoubtedly a vital aspect of English culture. This was interesting to me because sweet tea is an important part of life in the southern United States. Like the fancy tea associated with the U.K., extraordinarily sweet, iced tea is firmly correlated with the cuisine of the South.
Those were just two of the stereotypes commonly affiliated with England. There are many more such as British people having bad teeth, which is untrue in my experience, and British food being bland. While some foods may have fewer spices than what I am used to, many are delicious and could not be considered bland. However, there are also stereotypes that British people associate with the United States such as that we are optimistic, loud, overweight and love fast food and snacks. Do you view these stereotypes as true or untrue?
The main thing I have learned while living in the U.K. is that we are actually very similar. Both countries have positive and negative stereotypes associated with them. Both countries are portrayed in movies differently than they are in real life. Before coming to the U.K., I knew little about Devon and its accent and culture because I had always seen London in the media. In a similar manner, a lot of the people I have met in the U.K.
