In England, there are a number of written and unspoken rules of conduct that should be followed by both locals and tourists. Portal "ZagraNitsa" has prepared a dozen recommendations that you will surely come in handy. What non-verbal gestures are better not to use, how not to say hello and why you can’t kiss on the subway - read in our material.
1During the greeting, men, as in most other countries, shake hands, but slapping each other on the shoulder is considered impolite. When greeting a lady, it is not customary to kiss her hand - it is better to bow your head in greeting or shake hands slightly. , greeting each other with kisses, their cheeks barely touch - it is better to refrain from ardent greetings.
2Raised up two fingers (index and middle), with a “V”, only with the back to the interlocutor, are considered an insulting gesture, comparable to a raised middle finger.
Photo: shutterstock 3 Do not raise your eyebrows too often - the British regard such facial expressions as skepticism.
In England, it is illegal to smoke in public places, including restaurants and pubs. Smoking is permitted on the streets, in designated areas, in smoking hotel rooms and at home. Moreover, since the beginning of 2014 in England it is forbidden to smoke in your own car if there are children in the cabin. Penalty for violation - 50 pounds. By the way, asking strangers for cigarettes is also indecent, in extreme cases - offer a nominal fee.
Photo: shutterstock In March of this year, the management of the casino of one of the most luxurious hotels in London figured out how to get around the anti-smoking law. They decided to place the tables on the roof of the hotel so that visitors could enjoy both the game and a cigarette at the same time.
An ardent display of feelings is also prohibited in England: kissing at railway stations and in the subway is not allowed. The first "know-kiss" law appeared in the North West of England, at the railway station in Warrington. The authorities claim that kissing creates crowds at train stations and in the London Underground. You will not be fined for tenderness, but you can get a remark from a policeman.
The British mentality and iron endurance are best manifested in the queues: at the bus stop, at the checkout, in stores - the British are calmly waiting for their turn everywhere. Leaking around is out of the question. Even if you ignore the queue, you are unlikely to get anything more from the British than sighs and displeased glances in the back: making a fuss is considered even more ignorant.
Sergei Dolgov
In Moscow, whoever squeezed into the carriage first left. In London, in front of the entrance to each car, a queue is lined up with a ruler. And all stand in it in good faith. I remember that during a concert near the O2 Arena, people could be observed even before entering the subway. I confess that for the first time I didn’t even think that it was a queue, and out of habit I stood right at the entrance to the car, because. there was an empty seat. In the carriages themselves, people are also in no hurry to snuggle up to each other so that more people can enter - twice as many Muscovites would fit.
At the end of last year, a football fan stood in line for tickets for the FA Cup for 17 hours - the fan got in line the day before the start of sales. Here is an excerpt!
When resting, do not turn your finished glass upside down - the British will take this as a signal for conflict.
London is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and everyone can find a lot of interesting things in it. But you should follow a few simple rules. This will help to spend time in the capital without misunderstandings and conflicts.
Don't stand on the left
If there is a golden rule in London, here it is: never, under any circumstances, stand on the left on an escalator on the London Underground. The left side is for walking, the right side is for standing.
Don't go to the Natural History Museum during school holidays
Known all over the world, but you have to pay for everything. If you want to see dinosaurs, don't try during the school holidays. Yes, dinosaurs are interesting. But they are not worth standing in a queue for many hours, and this is what you will do in the museum during the holidays. If you don't have much time to explore London, there are other interesting places to visit. Well, if you are not limited in time, leave and return when the children are at school.
Do not ask everyone: "Do you know the queen?"
The answer is no. "Oh, you're from America! Do you know Barack Obama?" - "No". The United Kingdom has over 60 million people and over 8 million live in London. On the map, Britain is small, but in real life it’s not like that at all. And although the Queen and the Royal Family are very attractive to tourists, most Britons do not pay much attention to them. The Queen occasionally appears on screen and everyone loves the way she pronounces one and that her pastel pink outfit looks like a cake. But to know her personally? No.
Do not buy tickets for attractions until you check the price online
To visit iconic London sights like The Shard, you must first buy a ticket. But if you look for a discount on the site, you can save a lot. Excursions will be cheaper if you book a ticket in advance. And if you buy a combined ticket, the discount will exceed 40%.
Do not stand at the entrance to the car
Londoners have a complicated relationship with the Underground. On the one hand, the metro here is the best in the world, on the other hand, the metro is hot, stuffy, there are crowds of people, and sometimes it’s faster to walk on the ground than to move under it. Therefore, any little thing that can make life easier is very welcome. For example, it is better to disperse along the platform, and not crowd at the entrance to the car. It seems elementary, but it is easy to forget about it if you have seven friends with you and each of them has a heavy suitcase.
Don't spend £10 onfishAndChips - better go to a local institution
In Britain, this is the national dish. But if you want to taste what the British eat, don't run to the pub in Covent Garden. Every city in the country has a small take-out shop (usually not very attractive from the outside) that sells fish and chips, as well as pies, sausages and Chinese food. Prices here are almost half the price. There are a lot of such places beyond zone one, but they cannot be found in tourist places due to expensive rent. So if you want real colorful food, go to Finsbury Park or Clapham.
Don't drive into Oxford Street
This is one of the most famous shopping streets, and walkers on Oxford Street feel like royalty. If you are a pedestrian, then appreciate this feature, but if you are driving, then you will not have to rejoice. You need to wait for the green light, stopping every 100 m, and when you finally can go, people unceremoniously cross the road right in front of the car. And the traffic jams here are just fabulous, so it's better to walk. But soon this life hack will turn into an iron rule, and here in general. So now you can enjoy the moment, although what kind of pleasure is there.
Do not buy a cocktail if there is no Happy Hour promotion
Sit in the capital with a cocktail − expensive. But bars in London offer mid-week Happy Hours, when drink prices are halved. If you decide to go out for a cocktail in the middle of the week, do it during the promotion, and if on Friday or Saturday − no big deal: many establishments offer discounts, especially not very late in the evening. Ask the locals where you can sit − it's always a win-win.
Don't go shoppingregentstreet
This is, of course, one of the most famous shopping streets in Europe, probably number two after Oxford Street, but everything is so expensive here that it is very difficult to buy anything other than an empty bag. Moreover, the same shops can be found in other cities of Britain, only without tourists and high prices, with which sellers, apparently, compensate for the cost of rent.
Do not use the subway if you need toLeicesterSquare inCoventgarden
The London Underground is so popular that we forget about more efficient ways to get around. Sometimes walking is much faster, and this is just the case. Leicester Square Station is a 6-minute walk from Covent Garden. If you take the metro, you will have to overcome escalators and tunnels, as well as steps in Covent Garden, if the elevator suddenly breaks down. The same is true for other stations, from Charing Cross to Embankment and from Euston to Warren Street.
Do's and Don'ts for Tourists in London updated: May 11, 2019 by: Margarita Makovetskaya
Hi all! Welcome to the channel. Zhanka the Englishwoman is with you. I'll start this video right now. I'll make a little announcement. I want to make a week, or maybe a few videos will be about the UK. Because they asked me a lot of questions and still ask me about what I would tell, make a video about England, about my life in the UK, about people, in general, in principle, about everything. So I decided to finally make video answers to your requests. Everything that interests you about life in the UK, of course, I will try to reveal in these few videos. In addition, I decided to do it right now, before my new trip to another country. Again, I won't tell you what country it is. There will be a little secret that I will reveal at the end of these videos. And I will tell you what kind of country we are going to next. Of course, it is very closely connected with the UK. I think maybe many have guessed what kind of country it is, but I won’t reveal it, stay in touch, as they say. Don't forget to come back to my channel to check out what this secret, interesting country is.
So, let's start with the fact that today's video I'll start exactly with how I got to the UK. Let's start with the fact that a long time ago, in some year 2000, I met a foreigner, an Englishman. How I met, I made the previous video, I told in detail how it happened. Therefore, I will begin to tell from the period when we met, what happened next. I will break them into several parts, because it will turn out to be a very long video if you do everything in one. Therefore, I will do it so that you do not tire, let's say, in one day. Of course, the first thing I did after living in the UK for a while...
We didn’t have Odnoklassniki then, they just appeared, I registered and none of my friends, classmates were there. But then, when everyone started to appear, we started talking. Of course, the first question was: "Do you really live in England?" I have written England, London. Yes, I live in England. "How did you get there?" - a question. How did I get there? Of course, the easiest way to get to the UK is to get married. Yes, I met an Englishman and got married.
So, from that moment of our acquaintance, it did not last very long before marriage. We met somewhere at the end of spring, in May, in my opinion, we don’t remember the specific dates, but it was around Victory Day. I met my husband on the Internet, we talked, then he came in June to get to know me, our beautiful country. We were in St. Petersburg. Before that, I had already been to St. Petersburg and already knew what to show him, my future husband, where. This is my fiancé, so to speak. All the museums, sights of St. Petersburg... Of course, this is the most romantic city for me, probably the most beautiful. And after that he came again, for my birthday, in August. And he made me an offer of marriage. Of course, I said yes. And after he proposed to me, we went, of course, to apply for a visa. I entered the UK already on a fiancé visa. Now I'll tell you a little story.
We arrived at the embassy in Moscow, the British embassy. We have such an interesting story there. All the documents were ready, but the officer, I’ll name the officer, I don’t know, an embassy worker, an Englishwoman ... They checked the documents, everything is fine, but some document was missing, some was missing. My future husband prepared all the documents. At that time, I still did not know all the features that were needed there, necessary. We have prepared everything, everything is as it should be. In principle, I can say that you really need to have all the copies. Just in case, make copies of all documents that you give them. You give them real, real documents, but make copies so that you have them. We didn’t have copies then, we didn’t know, we didn’t have anyone to tell, and they said that they couldn’t find one document, some very important one. I don't remember which one, it was a long time ago. My husband didn't argue with them. He started calling. Ask to be faxed. We were told that if you send it before such and such a time, until two o'clock, let's say, a fax arrives, then you will receive a visa. If it does not come, then you will have to bring the document next time. He tried to call the UK to send him a document by fax, something else, it didn’t work, we were all nervous, upset ... But again he decided to have a look, because it couldn’t be, he collected all the documents, brought everything. Yes, just imagine, it turned out that they decided to make an exception again, “well, you know, they did us such a favor, “we'll see.” It turned out that they simply (it was one piece of paper, an album sheet), a document, ended up in their trash. The table, under the table was a trash can. That is, he somehow inexplicably flew off the table and fell into this trash can. It was, of course, a shock, they apologized for a very long time, admitted that yes, indeed, this document somehow flew off the table. I am talking about the fact that many people say that they find fault in embassies, the attitude is something like this. I didn't really feel any kind of attitude from the British embassy, no. Everything went fine except for this incident. It was very strange that this happened to us. Although I can really say that yes, while we were waiting, my fiancé tried to call, find out. While we were waiting in the room, there were other couples, and a lot of couples came for the second, third time. Either one document is missing, or another document is missing. The problem was then. Then, I don't know how it is now. But then a little unpleasant situation was felt. But, fortunately, everything was found, all the documents were in order, that document was found. They made me a visa, put a stamp, everything is fine.
The visa of the bride is called, it was given then for 6 months. I don’t know what the rules are now, I can’t tell. If you're interested, you can always google it. If there are any questions, maybe I can look at something, answer if you have questions. Here is a fiance visa, it is given for 6 months, I was given this visa.
We returned home again, packed all the bags. Ready to ship. I quit my job, of course, and we were already flying to the UK. Of course, there were some strange feelings. Even doing this visa, it was my first visa. Before that, I had not traveled to any such countries where a visa was needed. That's why. This first experience was very interesting. Country too. On the one hand, I was scared, I had such a feeling, a new country, new people, they generally speak an incomprehensible language. Of course, I already had a vocabulary, I also told you how I learned English. I learned it, I knew some words, rules, I thought that, of course, I know English well. At least my husband told me: “Yes, yes, your English is very good, you won’t have any problems.” Well, it seems like I speak something, I know how, I know English, super. But it was a little scary, all the same. A new, unknown country, what will happen there, what the future holds there, far from the family. I had to leave work, family, as they say, everything. In such future uncertainty.
On the other hand, it was very interesting. I am such a very curious person. Even before leaving for the UK, I changed a lot of different types of work, I tried myself in many areas. Maybe I'll make a video sometime and let you know. And so, of course, interest overcame all these fears. Come what may, if anything, I'll be back. I mean, it was very interesting. Of course, I really wanted to see the UK, London. They always read these books, taught them, this is some kind of mysterious country, this is some kind of Kingdom, kings still live there, and there is a queen there. Although, of course, the Royal family, the royal family, somehow never touched me. The life of the royal family, Princess Diana, we knew all this, we watched. But the royal family somehow did not particularly attract me. But what is interesting is to look at this legendary country. Of course, legends. Most of all, I just love legends, of course, King Arthur, Sherwood Forest, Stonehenge. This kind of foggy Albion has always been interesting, Sherlock Holmes. How many famous people, works I read before, when I was still at school, I read the whole Agatha Christie. So, of course, I was interested to see what kind of legendary country it was. Moreover, I went there, maybe even live on a fiancee visa, as they say.
We weren't married yet, we came to the UK and we just had to organize. You never know what could happen, maybe something would not work out. So, of course, for me it was interesting to know what and how. I was confident in my future husband, somehow everything worked out well for us right away. Of course, there were difficulties. This will be the next video about the difficulties of life in the UK, what I had to face, some misunderstandings. But somehow I didn't think about it. While we were in Russia, we had no misunderstandings, everything was fine. And therefore, of course, it was very cool and very interesting to see this country. But, honestly, again, to live, somehow it didn’t fit in my head that I was going there to live, and not just to see. Because we always taught, read about England, what the weather is like there, it rains all the time, there is always fog, slush, some strange smog. That is, there were some such mixed feelings in me when we flew to the UK. These are the feelings I had.
If you are reading this portal, I would venture to suggest that at least once in your life you seriously thought about moving to another country. Especially for those who have not yet realized their cherished dream, I am writing this note. Because I know from my own experience how long it can take from the idea “It would be nice to live in another country” to a plane ticket and a long-term visa in your passport. The more radical the planned changes, the longer the preparation process in every sense - from the psychological attitude to the collection of documents. So I am sharing with you what I have learned.
Be prepared for the fact that you will need at least a year to move.
The sooner you start preparing, the easier it will be for you. Start right now. For example, after reading this article. The motives to say goodbye to the Motherland forever or for a short time are different, but the main dragon on the way to the cherished goal, as a rule, sits in our head. It can be unfinished business, obligations, a sense of responsibility for parents / children / business. This is the fear of the new, unknown, unusual, alien. Uncertainty in their abilities. This is a whole complex of sensations, quite justified, and it is not so easy to get rid of them. It takes time to put your thoughts and deeds in order, during which you will have time to watch more than one video and read more than one article about life in another country, weigh all the pros and cons, talk with experienced people, set life priorities. For those who have a very strong desire to live abroad, but it seems that the dream is too far and unattainable, there are specially trained consultants, coaches who help to reach the intended goal without turning off.
It is useless to try to force things.
Give yourself as much time to reflect as you need, but do not part with your idea in the face of doubts and fears. You still won't leave before you're ready. Better say to yourself - "I'll try!" A simple phrase that encourages you to take a chance, to try, but at the same time does not set the bar too high. Don't burn bridges ahead of time. It will be much easier for you if you leave yourself an escape route. I know people who received citizenship on the second or third attempt. Adaptation is much easier for those who first go to the country “for exploration”, gradually increase the length of stay: the first step is long-term language courses, then a study visa for several years, and then a job search. If studying is too old for you, do your skills allow you to work remotely for at least the next six months? In a world of rapidly developing technologies, there are many opportunities to transfer business to the Internet. Having a minimum income in your homeland, it is much easier to establish yourself in a new place. And you will always have time to sell the apartment and throw away the old passport.
You will inevitably lose something.
Of course, by crossing the border with the intention of staying on the other side of the red line for at least a year, you not only open the door to new opportunities and development, but also close the door to what could be waiting for you at home. It’s not worth dissembling here, no matter what age you leave, you always lose something - whether it’s a year of study at school / university, or a whole year of communication with friends who during this time will have time to give birth to children and get bogged down in family life. This could be a time when you could rise up the corporate ladder dramatically if you stayed with your company, and more. You will inevitably yearn for your loved ones and for what you left behind. Whatever one may say, you will have to do some psychological work and understand what you are losing and what you will gain, and whether you are ready for such sacrifices.
In fact, there are not so many long-term visas to Britain.
When the first question is resolved, you need to decide which way you want to move. Each country has its own visa policy, so if the previous paragraphs applied equally to any type of emigration, then I write specifically about moving to the UK. It is no secret that Britain is one of the most difficult countries for emigration. Year after year, the government promises to reduce the flow of immigrants, complicate visa procedures and cut off unwanted candidates. Being law-abiding citizens, options like “leave on a tourist visa and remain an illegal immigrant” are immediately dismissed. I will not consider investments in the economy in order to obtain a residence permit as the least probable. I have no doubt that people with such amounts can afford to hire a personal assistant who will thoroughly study this topic for them. As for us mere mortals, there are not so many legal ways to move: work, study, relatives, marriage to an EU citizen and all sorts of specific options like a refugee visa. I will not talk about each visa separately, I will dwell only on some points. And I'll start with a stereotype that for some reason many people believe, including the British themselves, who for some reason gave me such "bad advice".
Children do not automatically acquire British citizenship
A popular scheme in America to come to give birth in the country so that the child has a visa, in the U.K. does not work. A child born to non-citizens in the territory of the United Kingdom does not receive citizenship, but receives only a temporary visa, which is canceled when the child leaves for the first time abroad. Therefore, if you, for example, came to give birth in London, and then take the child home to show grandparents, you will have to get a regular visa back on a general basis. The second stereotype is the typically Russian idea of finding a handsome prince with a British accent. You can move on a fiancé visa, and such cases are not uncommon, but in this case you will have to show proof of love, including correspondence and bills for living together in a hotel. The embassy screens out fictitious marriages quite quickly.
At school it was necessary to teach physics with mathematics.
This is for those who decide where to send their children to study. Moving puts everything in its place. Believe me, there are so many economists, designers, photographers and architects here that even the British themselves have a hard time. In the UK, they are considered to be in a job crisis, with their own citizens first in line, then the rest of the EU, and only then everyone else. Even in immigrant countries such as the United States and Canada, categories of workers who are not too numerous always have an advantage - these are programmers, doctors, teachers, nuclear physicists and other specialists that the country needs. The lists of the most demanded workers who are allowed to enter the country are updated every year and posted on official websites. If you have found your profession or the profession of your spouse in them, you are already halfway to success. This does not guarantee a warm paid place, but it will significantly add points to you when applying for a work visa. Our traditionally strong technical background is still appreciated abroad. Not every company will be willing to act as a sponsor for your visa. This should be a fairly large organization that is in great need of such a unique specialist as you, and it will still have to prove that none of the Europeans will suit them for this position. But if you are worth it, the company will provide you with the necessary financial and legal support.
Transfer within the company: rely on the employer, but do not make a mistake yourself
Here I would like to mention such a fashionable way of moving now as a transfer within the company, that is, when your organization appreciates and loves you as an employee so much that it is ready to offer you a job in another country and take on all the expenses and all the paperwork for moving you together with the family from one office to another. We are talking about high-class specialists, and not every large international company is ready to do this. In addition to the largest players in the IT sector like Google and Microsoft, the famous consulting four are fond of transferring employees. Such an honor must be earned through hard work and high loyalty to the company. I know several people who chose their place of work precisely on the basis of the most likely prospect of being appointed to a post in one of the European offices. An absolute plus is the financial support of the company, you arrive at a ready place, sometimes they even help you find an apartment. Of the minuses - as with any promotion, you can wait for a convenient opportunity for many years, and there are many applicants for a place. In addition, you will be bound hand and foot by a contract with a corporation. Quarrel with the authorities and want to quit - you have to return home.
The easiest way to move is with a student visa.
Education not only opens up new opportunities in a foreign country, but also contributes to a softer adaptation. Students make friends more easily, get acquainted with a new culture, social norms, finish learning the language and leave the university almost on an equal footing with the British. And it doesn’t matter if you are 20 or over 30. It is not considered shameful to go to study at any age, especially for one-year programs similar to our Postgraduate or MBA master's programs. Studying is also the most fun way to move. It is enough to remember your student years. Now remember well, because this is how your life will look like in a new place. You are waiting for endless term papers, exams, early classes, a lot of coffee in the cafeteria and beer in the bars opposite, as well as the eternal lack of free money.
How much does it cost to study in England
All higher education in Britain is paid, but it is believed that it is worth it, as diplomas from leading British universities are highly valued all over the world. On average, a year of study at a university costs £6,000-9,000, which is more expensive than the average hospital in the US, but the master's program lasts only a year, and in the end it turns out to be more economical. Don't forget that you still have to set aside money for rent, accommodation, and tickets home at least once a year. Housing for students costs about 400-600 pounds per month (in London - from 600 pounds), which is about 6000 pounds per year, but you can, of course, find it for less money, depending on how modestly you are willing to huddle. And at least £300 a month for food, transport and other expenses. Considering that it is extremely difficult to study and earn money at the same time, before such a responsible decision, you need to understand whether you are ready to cut down on expenses for the sake of a diploma and tighten your belt for a year or two, forgetting about vacations at sea three times a year and buying expensive phones.
There are grants that pay part or all of the tuition.
If you feel that you are not ready to say goodbye to an imposing lifestyle, look around, suddenly there will be a rich relative who is ready to support your craving for knowledge with a ruble, well, or a sponsor with a grant just for your needs. Information about financial support will have to be scrupulously collected on the Internet. The most popular grants for Russian speakers in England are Chevening Scholarship and Erasmus. To win a scholarship, you may need remarkable abilities, as well as perseverance and brilliant academic performance. But such a scholarship can cover not only the cost of study, but also living expenses. Having entered an educational institution, you will receive a visa to live in the country from a year to 4 years, and in the future this process can be extended by continuing to gnaw at the granite of science. The path through knowledge to British citizenship is thorny, but remarkable in that students, as a rule, are helped in many ways. You will be able to use student discounts and special offers, have time to complete an internship in your specialty and even get your first work experience in the country. And after graduation, you will be entitled to a simplified procedure for reissuing a work visa.
Of course, there are still a lot of details that did not fit in my note, the topic can be developed endlessly. I hope for someone this article will serve as a "magic kick" to move to the UK. Believe me, everything is possible, and if your cherished dream is to live abroad, you need to take just a few steps towards it.
