London Local Custom Tips by Manyana

Over 200 languages are spoken in London and over 80 nationalities are available here. You can find your favorite food and drink from your country nextdoor.
There are also certain areas for specific communities like China Town, Oriental City, and other.
You'd seldom hear British accent is spoken for multi-lingual English is spoken everywhere. You'd rather listen to Spanish, Chinese or African English spoken than British English...very amazing!
A Londoner once told me that London is the most beautiful city to live in in the world for everything is available here, all differences melt in harmony. You'd feel home.

I like you London:^)

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Two-minute silence, flowers, and respect are a common local costum among Londoners, showing gratitute and sympathy in memory of the beloved or who gave their lives for love or patriotism.

After the 7-July attack, squares and parks have been filled with flower tribunes and letters of love and sympathy. It was a touchy scene to see love grow and nourish.

I never felt discriminated as media might show, in contrast, i feel like home.In general, Britons are very generous in spirit. They always show a goodwill to help and lend a hand whenever it is possible. They always say, 'thank you' and 'sorry' and give a genuine smile:^)

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one of the weird and discomfortable things is to flush in the toilet paper in the bidet! i mean it!
i've been to different english houses, student flats and so on and they seem to share this common custom! once i was in this lady's house whom i was her guest for a couple of days. then i was looking for a rubbish bin in the toilet to throw away the used paper. i was looking and looking and looking until i just grabbed a plastic bag to get rid of it. then i hanged the bag in the toilet, so my other guest friends were using it as well. the lady got upset and said, 'no, we don't do this here. you'd throw the used paper into the toilet then flush it in. it's recycled paper and should dissolve'..............excuse me! it's not even good to have the toilet well-maintained, it'll block the poor toilet.
so here, just flush the used paper in, never throw it away! tho i'd still feel sorry not to dignfy the paper in bin rather humiliating it somewhere else,lol

oh wait...also some public toilets have lady's machines and ie to insert a coin and here you receive lady's sanitary stuff. cool, innit? i found this machine to cost £2 per item.

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Sending and receiving cards is one of the things i've found very compelling and culturally extraordinary in Britain! i mean for every single thing a card should be sent off. i have this *very* british friend who sends me cards all the time. he even makes his parents send me some too,lol.....for christmas, easter, my graduation, even a welcome and so i expect a good-bye card upon my leave:^)

In my college, i usually see the library, the registerar, and even the reception quite often designed by thank-you and greetings cards. when i spent last year's christmas in south england, the house was filled by cards!

i find this a very traditional custom in the UK that i once read that the Royal Mail often posts more than 2 million cards only for christmas within the UK!!!! needless to mention the e-cards.

i'm not saying that in saudi arabia, there's no such a thing but it's not quite culturally as much as this. in a world where intimate 'close' communication has been somehow lost, keeping in touch via cards is the most 'direct' way now of expressing our feelings. my appreciation for such kindness and sincere attempts to be really in touch regardless!

so send cards all over the world:^)

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well, i should say i am a bit surprised and stunned by british english. goodness! britons have their own world of language usage! and i thought that english is english everywhere, forget about the spelling difference too. i've converted of course to british spelling;^) guess will remain loyal to Ss and OUs for the rest of my life.

quid=pounds
father christmas= santa claus
lad/chap/bloke=guy
cheers=thanks
chips= fries
crisps=chips
petrol=gas (cars)
first degree=bachelors
second degree=masters
subject=major (college)
jumper= a pullover sweater
boot= trunk (cars)
aubergine= eggplant (food)
underground=subway
trousers=pants
arse=ass (it took me ages to understand,lol)
tights=pantyhose
suspenders=braces
single ticket=one-way ticket
motorway=highway/freeway
loo=toilet (i've read somewhere that toilets used to be in room no. 100 in buildings, so it originated from 100 to loo).

more to come if i remember;^)

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i was surprised to know that cremation is the common way of pay a final respect to the deceased. in saudia, that would be a sign of disgrace and disrespect not to bury the body. on my way around london and travelling across england and wales, i've passed by many crematoria more than any cemetery. a british friend usually gives me the excuse that there's no enough space and cremetion is more affordable! i guess only the religious people will carry out the burial process but the majority would opt for cremation.
honestly, it has offered me an option rather than following the traditions i came from. my friend cremated his wife and had some of her ashes in her family's and in his. i guess it can also give one more last chance for the deceased to be where they want to; everywhere they want to be. maybe i'm becoming more englacised in that matter. i admire it regardless of i was taught!
actually this's one of the cultural shocks i've experienced moving between saudia and england. it wasn't the drinking, clubbing or stripping off that shocked me, but burning the deceased and bathing naked in summer at parks!

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Guy Fawkes was a key conspirator in the famous Gunpowder Plot that attempted to kill the protestant royal family 400 years ago. Since their failure of blowing up the Houses of Parliament in London on 5 November 1604, britons celebrate this every November.

you'll see lots of firework throughout the country, in the suburbs and big towns.

i remember my friend and i were driving on the motorway from London to Cardiff in Wales, and there was firework almost every 10 km:D it was exciting to see lights in the sky, but remembering the purpose of celebration is kinda not fun - ie celebrating Guy Fawkes' failure or perhaps his death, every year! what a payoff!

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