A Few of My Favourite Things: UK Edition

Nov 3, 2011 by cafebebemama

A lovely blogger suggested to me that I share some of my favourite things and/or praise of the UK in addition to the rants and criticism that I am quick to publish. She’s right, you know. In general, no one praises GOOD THINGS enough. We’re quick to point out fault and lay blame and shout when we feel that something is WRONG but we seldom take the time to CHEER the good stuff and give credit where credit is due. So, here are a few of my favourite things about the UK.

• Tea: I’ve never been much of a coffee drinker and to be fair, I drink tea the builder’s way: strong, splash of milk and 2 sugars. But I love the ceremony surrounding tea. Brewing a POT of tea (I rarely brew it in the cup) and enjoying it when it’s semi-hot is one of the great pleasures in life. I have found, when I’ve gone back to the US and even taken our favourite brand of tea (Twinnings Everyday Tea if you must know), the taste is never the same. Maybe it’s down to the milk or the water but one of the first things we do when we return home from a holiday is make a PROPER cuppa. Delightful!
• Appointments at our GP: Although I’m not overly fond of the capabilities of the GP’s at our local surgery, one thing is for sure, I’m always able to get an appointment either on the day that I ring or at minimum, within that week. Sure, I don’t always see my “assigned” GP but I get seen and get treated when I need it. This may be down to the area in which I live but it’s very helpful to be able to speak to a human at the other end of the line and get the services I am in need of.
• Our local village preschool/school: Ella’s preschool is literally a 5 minute walk away from us. We walk through the footpath at the end of our cul-de-sac, across the road, down a secluded, public footpath leading directly to the back of the school and we’re there. This makes the morning school run exceptionally easy and painless. When I had to pick up Ella early from school one day (she was poorly), I only had to dash out the door and I was there. No fuss, no muss. The childcare staff at Ella’s preschool are lovely, friendly and professional and always communicate what’s gone on in the day and how Ella is progressing. It’s the perfect transition to school and a different routine for us. Next year, Ella will go to the “Big Girl School” which is another 10 feet away from the existing preschool. I know her transition there will be a smooth one, thanks in part to the lovely staff and the brilliant experience we’ve had thus far.
• Family Time: I love how, in the UK, night-time and Sundays are Family Time. Shops shut at 5:30-6pm on the week nights and by 4pm on Sundays. This paves the way for families to be together and not have the lure (with the exception of Christmas shopping) of late night shopping every night of the week. Sure, it’s not always convenient but you learn to schedule yourself accordingly. In the US, most shopping malls, stores and groceries are open until at least 10pm (11pm-midnight during the Christmas shopping season) Monday through Sunday and many supermarkets are open 24 hours. Is this REALLY necessary? I think not.
• NHS: Yes, I am pretty critical of the care I’ve received with my pregnancies, however, I am so grateful that we have the NHS. We cannot afford private health insurance, full stop. The NHS is for everyone, regardless of income or circumstance. No, it’s far from perfect. But what is? The fact that we have FREE medical care and children, pregnant women and special cases get FREE prescriptions is pretty bloomin’ amazing. Thank you for being there when we need you NHS. We would never have the same treatment in the US.
• Weather: Call me crazy but I LOVE the weather in the UK. We live in the Midlands so it’s pretty mild here. I come from Wisconsin in the US. It can get many degrees below zero (Farenheit) regularly in the winter and the first snows can come as early as October and last until April or May. The ground FREEZES in Wisconsin. Autumn brings death…of grass, leaves, anything green mostly (except pine trees). Snow is something that is taken care of with GIANT SNOWPLOWS and school is never cancelled unless there is 3 feet of snow on the ground and windchill warnings from the Weather Service. I don’t have that here. I love the weather we have here. Don’t mind me laughing and giggling when more than one inch of snow is on the ground here…I do find the paralysation of the UK rather amusing with the threat of a few snow flakes!
• Bank Holidays: Bank Holidays are a thing of bliss and glory! They do not exist in the US. There are “national holidays” like Martin Luther King Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, etc but they are not always “days off” for everyone. Often they are, but sometimes they aren’t. Bank Holidays in the UK are plentiful and necessary. Come to think of it, the way the UK approaches holiday in general is far more healthy (albeit less productive economically) for employees and residents. In the US you are LUCKY if you get more than 2 weeks holiday (often unpaid) in the year. In most jobs you have to work for an employer for a set period of time (often a year) before you are even granted ANY holiday/vacation. Here in the UK it’s a minimum of 21 days which pretty much works out to around 4-5 weeks of (usually) paid holiday each year. And aren’t we all better off for it!

There! A few of my favourite things about living in the UK. I love living here and would not change our living arrangements for anything right now. Who knows though? There may come a day when we decide to (or have to) move to the US. There would be a lot of adjustment back to what I knew for so many years and I’m sure, Mark and Ella would find a whole new level of appreciation for some of the difficulties I have experienced here. We’ll cross that bridge if and when we come to it. For now though, raise your tea cup and give a toast to the UK. It’s a pretty brilliant place to live wouldn’t you say?