So after recovering from my Dublin trip on Monday, I finally started classes at UCL. On Tuesday I had my first two classes: Archaeology of the Ancient Near East and Cognitive Evolution and Early Technology. Both classes promise to be alot of work, but their subject material appears pretty cool.
Since my involvement in these classes forces me outside the American bubble in my flat, I am determined to make some British friends. Unfortunately, this is not proving to be so easy. For instance, in my Cog. Evolution and Early Tech. class, we sat around a large seminar table and I was sandwiched in between two British boys. I turned to the boy on my right and attempted to engage him in conversation.
"Have you had this professor before?" I asked him.
"Yeah," he said, barely meeting my gaze.
I paused. "So was he good?"
"Yeah."
Hmmm. "Are you an archaeology major?"
"Yeah."
Third strike, you're out. I gave up.
This example pretty much sums up my interactions with British students so far. I'm not really sure where I go wrong. I exude my best American girl charm and a winning smile, but I feel like it bounces off the Brits; they are immune to my powers.
Another example of my impotence occurred during my first choir practice on Tuesday night (I joined the UCL choir- I wanted to keep my voice in shape for my return to Fordham in the spring). The director of the UCL choir seemed amiable enough; this was how he introduced himself:
"Hello, I am Charles, the director of this choir. My name is Charles, not Charlie, not Chuck- Charles."
So at the end of rehearsal I went up to the director to introduce myself, being a study abroad student and all.
"Hi Charlie, I'm Annie," I said, smiling and shaking his hand. His mouth opened slightly and he looked almost disgusted. I'm not kidding. My smile faltered confusedly for a moment, but then I went on. "I'm a study abroad student from Fordham University in New York City."
"Oh," he said; he had clearly never heard of it.
"It's a Jesuit school?" I said.
"Oh, you're the serious Catholics, aren't you?" he asked, frowning.
I wasn't sure how to respond to this. "Actually, we're the academics," I replied finally.
We talked for about thirty seconds about the Bach piece we were singing (Bach's Magnificat in D), and then he abruptly walked away without even saying goodbye. It was then that I realized that I had called him Charlie when he specifically asked us to call him Charles. Nice work on my part.
Since my involvement in these classes forces me outside the American bubble in my flat, I am determined to make some British friends. Unfortunately, this is not proving to be so easy. For instance, in my Cog. Evolution and Early Tech. class, we sat around a large seminar table and I was sandwiched in between two British boys. I turned to the boy on my right and attempted to engage him in conversation.
"Have you had this professor before?" I asked him.
"Yeah," he said, barely meeting my gaze.
I paused. "So was he good?"
"Yeah."
Hmmm. "Are you an archaeology major?"
"Yeah."
Third strike, you're out. I gave up.
This example pretty much sums up my interactions with British students so far. I'm not really sure where I go wrong. I exude my best American girl charm and a winning smile, but I feel like it bounces off the Brits; they are immune to my powers.
Another example of my impotence occurred during my first choir practice on Tuesday night (I joined the UCL choir- I wanted to keep my voice in shape for my return to Fordham in the spring). The director of the UCL choir seemed amiable enough; this was how he introduced himself:
"Hello, I am Charles, the director of this choir. My name is Charles, not Charlie, not Chuck- Charles."
So at the end of rehearsal I went up to the director to introduce myself, being a study abroad student and all.
"Hi Charlie, I'm Annie," I said, smiling and shaking his hand. His mouth opened slightly and he looked almost disgusted. I'm not kidding. My smile faltered confusedly for a moment, but then I went on. "I'm a study abroad student from Fordham University in New York City."
"Oh," he said; he had clearly never heard of it.
"It's a Jesuit school?" I said.
"Oh, you're the serious Catholics, aren't you?" he asked, frowning.
I wasn't sure how to respond to this. "Actually, we're the academics," I replied finally.
We talked for about thirty seconds about the Bach piece we were singing (Bach's Magnificat in D), and then he abruptly walked away without even saying goodbye. It was then that I realized that I had called him Charlie when he specifically asked us to call him Charles. Nice work on my part.
I don't understand it. I try to be as outgoing and charming as possible, and it seems to repel the Brits. Maybe it's true- maybe I am a loud American and it offends them. Is my 'Americaness' really that glaring?
During one of my first orientations, I remember meeting a girl from Denmark. I shook her hand and introduced myself :"Hi! I'm Annie."
"Fiona," she answered, smiling thinly.
"Where are you from, Fiona?" I asked.
"Denmark."
"Cool! I'm from the States."
Her smile grew brittle as she looked me up and down. "I know."
Is it that obvious? Do I have a neon sign hanging over my head saying: 'I'm AMERICAN!' ? If that's true, then is it repelling the Brits or is it all in my head? They never really teach you about this stuff in study abroad orientations. And this problem is not unique to me; my roommates are all dealing with this.
Now keep in mind, reader, that I don't think the Brits are mean or anything of the sort. I just find them to be mysterious, and their friendship elusive. Hopefully I'll figure out a way to win them over. How hard could it be?
"Fiona," she answered, smiling thinly.
"Where are you from, Fiona?" I asked.
"Denmark."
"Cool! I'm from the States."
Her smile grew brittle as she looked me up and down. "I know."
Is it that obvious? Do I have a neon sign hanging over my head saying: 'I'm AMERICAN!' ? If that's true, then is it repelling the Brits or is it all in my head? They never really teach you about this stuff in study abroad orientations. And this problem is not unique to me; my roommates are all dealing with this.
Now keep in mind, reader, that I don't think the Brits are mean or anything of the sort. I just find them to be mysterious, and their friendship elusive. Hopefully I'll figure out a way to win them over. How hard could it be?
4 comments:
Dear Annie, The Brits are quite reserved with strangers. Once they get to know you are not a threat to them, they'll be good drinking buddies. Just play it cool and a bit reserved yourself and put out a feeler once in a while to see if they've warmed up yet. They are much more serious about schooling than we are. Only a few of them get to college in comparison to the U.S. Love, Poppy
Howdee, Annie!
Strange that you find the Brits reserved. They actually flirt with me a lot and I am actually relieved to find them quite interested in me. I always assumed that the Brits were cold and snobby, but I actually find the ones here in Oxford quite flirtatious. Heck, one of the older professors here at Oxford, Sir Barry Cunliffe, even suggested we go out for tea after our departmental party! Wow, me going out for tea with a peer and a very famous archaeologist!
Anyway, they don't really dislike Americans as far as I am aware. Just try to be a bit more reserved and don't ask too many questions. They will come around......
Annie darling, you are so nice and cute that they're probably taken aback that you paid special attention to them. Keep being yourself! Don't change and become demure! These dull Brits need a bit of Yankee pizazz! Pay no heed to Poppy who is a Brit himself! Love, Nana
Annie, first of all, don't call them Brits because that includes the Scots and Welsh in your assessment of ENGLISH behavior. English men are notoriously reserved with women, and the only chance you have with them is to get them drunk and talk to them then. (grin) But I'm actually pretty serious. The guys in Scotland couldn't stand them.
And don't change your behavior--Americans are much more colorful than the rest of the world, and the rest of the world is both fascinated and repelled by us at the same time. Just remember what Tony Blair said...to paraphrase, any place that has so many people wanting to become citizens of it can't be all bad. Hang in there, sweetie!! And they're so damn friendly, AK, around Oxford because those guys are always in the pubs when they're not in the classroom, right?
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