During my time in London, I have learned so much about how British people see the world. In learning about British culture, I have also learned a lot about American culture and more specifically how I operate as a person from New England in London. In the Unites States, we are very individually minded and we like to think of our country as being the land of opportunity and the home of the American Dream. We are all brought up thinking that if we work hard enough we can achieve anything. And it is true to say that with enough money in the U.S. you can do just about anything. However, in the United Kingdom, no matter how much money you have, you cannot just buy whatever you want to. In the United Kingdom, there is a sense of community action and responsibility that is expressed differently compared to in America. For example, people are relatively quiet on public transportation, because commuters do not want to disrupt the serenity of the commute. I am not riding bus to school; we are all riding on the bus together. Because of this, I am mindful of my Americaness, especially when I am talking on the phone in public. A common stereotype about Americans is that we are loud, and to be honest that just might be true.
Another perspective I have noticed while living here is the British perspective on scale and time.
