Great British Culture
As a Student at a UK University, what can you expect of the Great British Culture ? Great Britain consists of 4 countries , England , Scotland , Wales & Northern Ireland. Everyone speaks English and there is complete freedom of movement between all 4 countries. It’s a great destination for young travelers, offering ancient castles, English pubs, excellent shopping, beautiful scenery, museums, stately homes, latest fashions, world class music and theatre. To really get to know Britain and the English language, nothing can beat living and studying here for an extended period of time.
The people
Today , Britain is a multicultural society with people of all races , cultures and communities from most parts of the world. British Culture is an amalgam of all these 'flavours' from around the world. The British people are generally friendly towards International visitors and respect their different opinions , beliefs and customs. Both residents and visitors to Britain are free to travel around the country unhindered , but are expected to behave responsibly and with respect to others and comply with the laws of the land. The UK is a fairly relaxed place and is certainly not oppressive. Everyone is free to wear their preferred clothing of choice, worship their religion and express their opinions openly.
What kind of food will I find in the UK ?Britain is not best known around the world for its food.Perhaps the most famous British dishes are “Fish & Chips” and “Roast Beef”. Both are certainly a popular part of British Culture! However, being a multicultural society, you can enjoy dishes from all around the world – Italian, French, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Mexican, American and you will find all the usual world-wide fast food chains such as KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Starbucks coffee & many others .
Can I practise my Religion ?Being a multicultural society, people in Britain practise many religions including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism , Hinduism, and many others. There are churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship in most towns.British society respects the individual’s right to follow the religion of their choice and people are free to worship without interference or criticism. Multi-religious practises are now a fundamental part of British Culture.
EntertainmentEntertainment is an important part of British CultureThere are Cinemas showing the latest film releases and theatres showing world famous stage shows in most towns. Many of the theatres, particulary in London, are world famous and hold world premiers for new shows with famous stars. Make sure you take in a Christmas Pantomime at your local theatre. You can see music concerts accommodating all tastes from Clasical to Heavy Metal. During summer, you can attend outdoor Music Festivals such as Glastonbury or 'V' with the best artists from all around the world. You will find Art Galleries and Museums in most towns and cities. Sport is another very popular form of entertainment. Watch world famous soccer teams such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and others play at their home stadium. For the more energetic, you will find gyms, soccer, rugby, cricket, Ten-pin bowling, mountain biking, go-karting and many other forms of sport available. Many local festivals are free, but of course there are also commercial events for which there is an entrance fee. Costs will vary from a few £’s to £50 or more per ticket for a world-class concert. British Culture is alive and well, and the list of Cultural events is almost endless, right across the UK.
British Weather
Britain has a “temperate” climate. There are 4 seasons, Spring (March – May), Summer (June – August), Autumn (Sept – Nov) and Winter (Dec – Feb). Temperatures generally vary between +15 to +30 centigrade in summer, and from -5 to +10 in winter. Britain experiences many rainy days throughout the year but the rainfall tends to be moderate. Winds tend to be light though there can be storm strength winds on a few days each year. If you are coming to live in Britain, you will need light clothing such as short sleeved tops and shorts for summer and warm, rainproof clothing for winter.
Travel & TransportCompared with many other countries Britain is quite small, being around 700 miles (1100km) north to south and under 300 miles (480km) east to west.There are no formal borders between England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland, so travel throughout Great Britain is easy. Britain has a well developed transport system. There are many international airports around the country, railway and bus stations in most towns and taxi services everywhere. There is an extensive road network and high speed motorways covering the whole of Britain. For more information about transport to and in the UK, follow the link below to visit our Transport pages.
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