One of the first rules we learn in advertising is that the headline in an ad must be eye- catching. I reckon this headline should get me a bit of attention at least from people back at home (if they read this). Back to the topic, yes after nearly a year of living among the British, I think I relate more to them than my own kind. A few reasons as to why I say this-
Their Politeness- The British are probably the most polite people I have ever met- the sorrys, the thank-yous, you name it! And I get them so well. If someone were to step on my shoes, I would be the one doing the apologizing. This is something my friends back in India never understood and ticked me off for being too subservient but it feels such a relief knowing there are people like me on the other side of the world!
Their Love for Queuing- Not that I absolutely love queuing but I do think being disciplined and organised can save people a lot of hassles while getting on in buses, in supermarkets or even on road traffic unlike in India where chaos is a typical scenario on most Indian roads! I wish we did more of this back at home.
Weather as a Conversation Starter- Ok, I never used to do this before but this has sort of become an acquired trait even just being in the UK for 9 months. I do start most of my conversations now with the weather. Whether (no pun intended) it’s a good thing or bad, I don’t know but my folks back at home will have to deal with it, once I return.
Our shared love for tea and Indian food- No explanation needed there.
Their Reserved Nature- I’m not sure if the majority of people in England are this way but this is based on what I have observed and is probably the reason why I relate to them the most. Indians are known for their love of getting together and having long conversations with their family or friends. I, on the other hand, was considered quite the anti- social person in India. Here, however, I seem to fit in more as people here are friendly yet are not intrusive and respect each other’s space. Ahhh my kinda people…sorry India!
Their Sense of Humour- This is how I see it –
Indian sense of humour: jokes with cultural references (even though born and raised in the country, I do not sometimes get the cultural references partially because there are so many different cultural and linguistic implications)
British sense of humour: witty, dry, puns/ sarcasm, self- deprecating (maybe because I’m a masochist myself)
Sadly, I can’t say I’m as witty as the Brits are but I am definitely more drawn to the British sense of humour than any other kind.
All in all, these are just a few reasons I could think of, of why I relate more to the British than Indians. Don’t get me wrong, I love my country and I’m proud to be an Indian and there’s nothing like Indian food BUT given a choice of God giving me a choice of which accent I would like to have in the afterlife, it would definitely be, a British one.
Thanks for reading!
Digital ambassador
Faith Syiem