ED'S WORLD

Ed's blog, but in English

Présentation

Hello, I'm an England addict.

I love cherries, painting, being on holidays.

I'm very unhappy with our present government and look forward to the next presidential elections, though I don't trust the French enough to be sure it'll be good news...

ABOUT

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING...

COMMENTS

Compteur

Depuis le 18-06-2008 :
18164 visiteurs
Depuis le début du mois :
522 visiteurs
Billets :
9 billets

Décembre

Di	Lu	Ma	Me	Je	Ve	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

I enjoy being there

<< Do you like Frogland ? | HOW I FEEL ABOUT ENGLAND | Have you ever heard of Chalon Sur Saône ? >>

HOW I FEEL ABOUT ENGLAND | 13 juillet 2008

Don't try to find any logical orders in this list. Besides I'm sure I've forgotten many things that would come to my mind in a conversation. So, please comment and I'm sure I'll find lots of things to answer.

I like

The beer. It's much more subtle than our rough French beer, or the Belgian and German beers. Moreover, I like the atmosphere in English pubs. People mix more and people my age can go and spend time at the pub without being labelled "alcohol addict". My neighbours, who already have a lot to say about me, would undoubtedly pass a judgement if they happened to catch the sight of me inside a local "Café".
As a matter of fact I like the way I did not feel "judged" when I lived in England. Honestly people tend to be more open-minded, and less prompt to put you in a definite category and forget you there, than in France.
I like your sandwiches. A snack in France is always awfully expensive, boring, unimaginative and tasteless. I suppose this explains why we have a proper cooked lunch and dinner. This has been changing in cities though. People getting a shorter break at lunchtime have to eat out. And our wages don't allow us to eat at the restaurant every day !
I like your shops and the way customers seem to be respected as such. In France you've always got to be aware that someone is trying to make you pay more than you should, or sell you something that doesn't work, or that's damaged... And then it's a real battle to get refunded. All the same, French customers are all the more satisfied than they have managed to pay less than they should have.
I like the way people are helpful and naturally friendly. Of course you have exceptions. But in France the exception is the other way round. It strikes my students every time I take some to England.
I like your idea of comfort and the way you make it more important than your looks.
I like your countryside. It's beautiful everywhere, even where in France there would be nothing to see : no hedges, no sheep, boring, overused for wheat and beetroots' fields.
I like your humour.
I like my English friends.

I don't like

The fake fires in your living-rooms.

I'm not fond of having carpet all over the place in the house even in the bathroom.

I don't like some rules in schools, and the way religion is so mixed with education.

I don't like marmite.

Publié par edthehorse à 12:17:08 dans ED'S WORLD | Commentaires (6) | Permaliens

16-07-2008 13:54

De SilverTiger Sujet: La belle Angleterre :) Url: [Liens]
OK, so this platform doesn't accept hyperlinks. My Paris account is at http://tigergrowl.wordpress.com/paris-2007/

16-07-2008 13:52

De SilverTiger Sujet: La belle Angleterre :) Url: [Liens]
I said I might post on the differences I find between Marianne and Perfide Albion but in the end, it's too big a subject! Anyway, your experiences are your experiences and if you like being in England I am glad. I like it here too! (Yes, and I like Marmite. I've just had some on cheese sandwiches mmmmm!) So maybe one day I will write about my experiences of France. I have had very happy times there (and some unhappy ones) and been treated with great kindness. We are looking forward to going again soon because we have the Eurostar literally just down the road from us. I wrote about our last trip to Paris on my blog here.

14-07-2008 17:53

De Ed Sujet: Actually
@Claude : I'm not particularly keen on English breakfast tea, as I don't drink my tea with milk, but black. And of course I couldn't list all the things I like in Great-Britain. Undoubtedly some will be evoked later in this blog. @Silver Tiger : yes, I suppose it all depends on the meeting and experiences we live abroad and in our own country. I look forward to reading your note anyway. @Chris : Marmite is a cultural thing, you can't adapt if you haven't tried that before you are 5 !

14-07-2008 07:06

De Claude Sujet: You forgot tea! Url: [Liens]
Or maybe you don't like tea. I like tea. And the meal I like best in England is high tea, what with dainty sandwiches and pastries, or Cream Tea, one of my favourites. Most of my friends lost weight when they went to England, I didn't! LOL

13-07-2008 21:16

De SilverTiger Sujet: England v France Url: [Liens]
I started to sketch out a reply to this but it very quickly became long and complicated :) I'm going to have to think about the differences and similarities between Britain and France and perhaps write a post about it. If I do, I'll put the link here. I think in some ways, we have had the opposite experiences: I have been treated with great affability and kindness in France. Also, I think one does not always appreciate the virtues of one's own community.

12-07-2008 17:07
Marmite

De Chris Sujet: Marmite Url: [Liens]
I agree: carpet in the bathroom is not a good idea. It's not very hygienic. I do love Marmite, though. Mmmmmm :)

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Tasty discovery | 13-08-2008
Have you ever heard of Chalon Sur Saône ? | 24-07-2008
HOW I FEEL ABOUT ENGLAND | 13-07-2008
Do you like Frogland ? | 08-07-2008
Shiny souls | 03-07-2008
FREE AT LAST ! | 27-06-2008
The City Where I spent Three Days | 24-06-2008
WHERE ED COMES FROM | 20-06-2008
First note and lots of emotion | 18-06-2008