England, from an American Perspective

I was in England for about two weeks recently because my boyfriend, David, is English and we wanted to visit his family. My coworker made all kinds of jokes about tea and accents and cultural differences, but despite his jesting, things seemed to work out well.  As we traveled through England, I made many observations, but I’m just going to share a few with you.  

1) England has a long and rich and painful history. Touring beautiful thousand-year-old churches and colleges and walking the cobblestone streets of Oxford really affected me. I kept envisioning the scholars and students (St. Thomas More, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, etc.) living there, praying there, walking over those very stones, contemplating and discussing and seeking the truth. While there, we were able to view and interact with the private collection of G.K. Chesterton’s books and other artifacts.  

It was painful for me to experience those stunning, magnificent churches because most are now Protestant and Jesus does not physically reside there in the most Blessed Sacrament. I thoroughly enjoyed the stained glass, the vaulted ceilings, and the generations of faithful departed buried there, but Jesus’ absence was acutely felt.  

2) English food is quite tasty. Not sure why everyone told me that the food would be bland and boring.  I really liked English breakfast and having tea morning, noon, and night. We had pub food, Indian curry, and lots of other delectable discoveries, like massive brioche buns in Bath and delicious lasagna.  I am a foodie (total understatement) and I thoroughly enjoyed eating and discussing all the dishes we tried while traveling. (P.S.- British Airways serves hot tea throughout the flight and it made the flight feel a little shorter and homier.)  

3) English people really do have a sense of propriety and etiquette. Don’t get me wrong, there were people in London who did not have that sense, but in general, I was amazed at the way that people spoke and behaved with each other. Having a meal was quite the event, free of elbows on tables or reaching over one’s neighbor. There was a ceremonial feeling that accompanied tea and meals and conversation that I liked very much.  I do like the informal and friendly American way, but it would be nice to incorporate a bit more of that respectful formality into American life. When I spoke and ate in England, I had some hope that there is still a place where people know how to dialogue with one another.  

Traveling to England was good for so many reasons. It broadened my view of the world and helped me to consider another culture’s way of living.