27 April, 2007 | Leave a Comment
It’s my two-week anniversary of being in London…and I finally went to the pub. I went with my classmates because right now I have no life besides this course. On the first day of class, I made the mistake of saying I’m from California. That’s where I was born and spent the first eight years of my life…so that’s where I’m from, right? But people have taken this to mean that I just stepped off the plane from LA last week. So in class I am known as a California girl, which brings with it all sorts of horrific stereotypes. Tonight at the pub I was drinking ginger ale (oh be quiet!) and they were like, “Oh, she’s not drinking because she’s a health fanatic from California!!! And she’s so empowered!!! Then another guy told me I have a weird first name, but he imagined it was because I have New Age hippie Californian parents. Yes, my New Age hippie name…comes right out of the Book of Genesis.
I’m beginning to feel like some sort of cartoon character. The person they think I am — based entirely on stereotypes — has no relation to who I really am as a person. And I’m not imagining this — they really do tease me a lot. One girl in the class told me that earlier this week, she told them to stop it! So you see, I’m not making this up.
The moral of this story is: British people are mean.
But I get them back by talking in my British accent…which they say sounds like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. One woman, who tells me all the time that she is from Essex (as if I am supposed to understand the connotations of this) said: “Every time you open your mouth and talk like that, you sound like you just stepped out of the East End.”
Well good. Now that I know they don’t like it, I’ll keep doing it!
Anglofille said @ 11:12 pm | london & uk |
- Comments RSS | TrackBack URI
-
Hey, I’ve been reading your blog for a while now (btw I’m British ;))Most british are mean! but not all! I’m now feeling sorry for my american friends because I do the same thing…Oh your from Florida etc! Also coming from essex isn’t necessarily a good thing…if you have a tv look out for such programs as Essex wives or footballers wives (does this women have fake tan and brassy blond hair by any chance??)!
You almost making me feel homesick for the uk….
Emily xx -
Lillie Says:
April 28th, 2007 at 1:45 amThe first time I visited London (1998)while waiting for a friend to stop by, I turned on the TV. The first program I saw a Jerry Springer type show, and the topic was “I want to be an Essex girl”. I had no idea what that meant. Once my friend arrived I asked him what it meant (he was very posh, BTW) and his response was “As you americans says, they’re girls that are a bit rough around the edges”.
-
Ang04 Says:
April 28th, 2007 at 3:58 amOh, I think they’re secretly jealous that you come from such an exotic place like Southern Cal, the land of eternal sunshine, O.C., and beaches with hunky men. Don’t you agree, now that you’ve lived abroad? Now that I live in NY, I am tad jealous of my friends back home. Well, of the perpetual sunshine (sunny days), anways. They are a bit “desperate housewife”-ish.
So, I’m happy to abserve from afar, most of the time.
-
Great posting!
I guess it’s better for them to believe you are from California as opposed to “the place that cannot be named!”
Can you imagine the teasing you’d get for that one?
-
BTW: You won my book contest!
-
Lillie Says:
April 28th, 2007 at 7:11 amOh goody!
What did she win?
-
Emily: Sorry to make you homesick! The teasing is all very good-natured, so I don’t mind that they tease me. But I do think they have a total misconception of who I am based on these stereotypes.
Lillie: This Essex woman I know is definitely rough! But she’s proud of it.
Ang: People definitely think it’s exotic, that’s true, mainly b/c of movies and TV. And I was born in Palm Springs, which makes it seem even more exotic. Yesterday someone asked me about the OC. I’ve never even watched that show!
William: You know, I thought of that too. If they knew I had lived in “The Place,” my life would really be hell. They will NEVER find out!!! [And I'm so excited I won the book contest! I knew I would!!!]
Lillie: I now get my novel published by Random House and I get a 6-figure advance. William is quite a powerful figure in the publishing world. [Actually, none of that is true. I think my prize is a box of Lucky Charms. And if I can't have the book contract...I'll happily accept Lucky Charms!!!]
-
One of my favourite overheard quotes at my local. “He proposed to his girlfriend in bed. He’s such an Essex boy.”
-
Lillie Says:
April 29th, 2007 at 7:56 pmLucky Charms? Are they your favourite?
You do know that they’re magically delicious..
