Question for the British,I was just wondering. . .?

Question

If you could tell me something about this.
I'm Italian,aged 31 and in 2003 I spent one year in London where I attended a school of English and also worked part-time in a shopping centre.I loved living there and there are a lot of positive things that I still remember about life in the UK.
Unfortunately,i cannot say that I met and became friend with any real British person during my staying.I had a lot of friends there but they were all from other countries.I worked with many local people but nobody gave me ever the chance to talk to him/her.
So,I came back to Italy without having met a British friend or even acquaintance.
However,during the last days I posted here some important and serious question and i must say that I got very caring,sensitive and sensible answers from you.
Now,my question is,are normally British people shy,not very sociable or what?Is it easier for you to talk via the internet rather than face to face?

Answer 1

I am definatley aware that a lot of Brits find it hard to talk to anyone who isn't British!!! I live in England but I'm not from London..and I do notice when I go to London how...up themselves some of the people are. London is where you will find a lot of the most patriotic Brits....who think that our country is blessed with eveything that is great and good. I think they feel a little threatened by people from abroad...especially seeing as you in Italy have everything amazing that England doesn't have!!! I think that this is the main reason why they don't approach you. Just try not to be shy, if you are friendly, and when they eventually realise you are not talking to them to gloat about how fantastic Italy is :P Next time you go, if you go for quite a while tr and join a club of something that you are interested it. in will be a lot easier to make friends with people you have something in common with.
Good Luck!!

Answer 2

The English are generaly more reserved than most other Races, They regard you with Suspicion until they get to know you they cant help it its the way they are brought up . However the Further you get away from London the more Friendlier they are. I was in London years ago and I found them totally Obnoxious to deal with. I would ask them for Directions and they would walk through you literally, duck and dodge you to get away. I found the People of the North , Lancashire, Manchester ,Liverpool, and down in Wiltshire Especially,not Forgetting Wales very warm and friendly. The English are always giving out about the French being rude but I found the Opposite is true they were very friendly and would come up to you to ask if you were lost if they saw you were looking at a Map ,I never found that in England. The Italians are extremely friendly People as well. Maybe its because im Irish we have an natural Affinity with Continental People we seem to get along with everybody. There is a bit of the Latin Temperament in the Celtic Race.

Answer 3

I live in the North West of the UK and yeah, I find that people in London are very cold and do not communicate with people they dont know to well. Some people refrer to london as a very lonely city.

Where I am, people say good morning to each other, if you let another driver out on the road they thank you and vice versa, but in London people dont even acknowledge you.l I asked three people for the time once and was totally ignored.

I think some poeple everywhere communicate better on chat and forums etc as its faceless and the most shy people can become someone else. For example, you could have a man at home is is very overweight, not the best looking of chaps but online he can be anyone he wants.

I think you might have seen the worst of the UK, next time go a bit further north, people seem to be more down to earth - thats not my opinion but one that was online so I dont meen to offend anyone down south - all my family are down there so sorry in advance !

Answer 4

London is very unfriendly I was born and bought up there and when I left to live on the south coast I was very wary of the strangers who wanted to talk to me.
Most British people are friendly but they are taught from a very small child not to speak to strangers therefore in big cities it is unusual for someone to just start up a conversation with someone they don't know.
A funny thing happened on a plane trip from the USA we had some awful turbulence and everyone started talking to each other about it because food and drink had been thrown up in the air. About 20 minutes before landing the captain came n over the tannoy and said attention all English people we are now in England about to land so its time to put back on your stiff upper lip and stop talking to strangers. This is a true story - the pilot was American.

Answer 5

thats the whole problem! you stayed in london and i imagine it was in the centre of london! to get the real british feel you need to get out of the centre - thats where all the different countrymen and cultures gather but you dont find many true brits there! its too expensive for us!
also no we are not a shy nation. we love to meet new people from different walks of life but i think its the same in all countries! some people just dont know how to embrace foreign people! i personally love meeting new people and would have definately spoken and been friends with you if i would have met you during your time here! Dont be put off - come back but travel outside the capital, there is so much to see and so many people to meet especially in the local pubs! lol

Answer 6

Ok first of all, you lived in London, one of the busiest cities in the world. Londoners don't even talk to each other! Secondly, how can you judge a whole nation by one city?? You could've gone to Glastonbury or Edinburgh or Cardiff or Cheltenham and had a completely different experience. Perhaps next time you should visit Kent which is justoutside of London. Beautiful scenery, nice people and all that only a stones throw from London.

Answer 7

Hello Brenno.Greetings from Greece!Well,British people are not so open and communicative as we,the Meditteranean people,are used to be.A factor could be their climate.As my english teacher made me understand,they have their jobs,their family and have set their personal goals.They are not really interested in what other people do.They have ensured their friends and aren't really willing to get new ones.My teacher said that,we British people want our space and she made me think a huge area around her.So they find our impulsive appoachment quite annoying!I'm not that sure they act differently on the internet.Buon anno!
P.S.This sourness can also be met sometimes on people from Athens where I live.As for example ,northern outskirts like Kifissia,Ekali,Aniksi,Politia tend to be more rich and mountainous,therefore having a colder climate, than the rest and I noticed a different attitude than other Athenians have,although except from sharing the same country we also live in the same city.Such a great difference, tht made me astonished.So think how the climate and the standard of living can affect one's behaviour.

Answer 8

The British are reknowned for being withdrawn and prefer someone to approach them first so that might be where you missed out. As you say, contact via this route makes it easier. Shame you were not able to make friends as the majority of British are very sociable and once they make friends are very true to them. Maybe you can find the friends you need this way. Love to Italy from a shy Brit.

Answer 9

its obvious you were in London hun,to be honest if you went to any other town this wouldn't have happened.the reason i think you didn't make any friends was because that there are no British people in London anymore.were not shy we are very sociable,friendly people.next time you visit come to Liverpool[capital of European culture 2008]its a wonder full historic place.i bet you that you when you leave you have lots of friends.sorry you left England without a good impression.lots of love Karen.xxx

Answer 10

Were you friendly yourself? In London I always make connection with people WHEN I am friendly to them. But there are also many people in London who are NOT really British.
They seem reserved otherwise but it is all a matter of culture and is not to be interpreted with other's values. Besides..the city is not to be compared to a country in general and that applies all over the world.