I'd like to go to the lake district because I've heard a wealth of good reports. Never been that far north in the country. The farthest North I've been was York which was again, quite a nice traditional city. But there were still rough parts of that. I think most "university" areas tend to be a tad nicer because they tend to draw crowds from academia who aren't really as big on petty crime and bravado.

There are exceptions (see Wolverhampton and Coventry, two of my potential university destinations). I wound up at Stafford which whilst not the nicest place I've been to was a distinct step up from the West Midlands.

And yeah not trying to scare you away but I think it's easy to take away some of the stereotypical views of the English-folk, visit a couple of very nice cities/towns and be satisfied. For a more well rounded view, take a trip to Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Wolverhampton to name but a few.

The same argument can apply to most countries, don't get me wrong. I think everywhere has it's up and downs but strolling into some of the dingier establishments in Manchester and asking for a crumpet and tea in an accent deemed as different will likely result in a trip to accident and emergency.

It's best to just be wary.

And don't set foot in Tower Hamlets unless you think Allah is Great

That's the other thing, America still has freedom of speech, unlike Britain.

Roos @ 17/7/2012 23:27

Hate to say it but he's right, crumpets and shit isn't and never has been the English way of life apart from a few.

In retrospect, I can see how that post may have come across as ignorant.

While I was there, I lived in a small town in Oxfordshire with a retired couple, so it was pretty much the sort of lifestyle that stereotypes are made of. But what I essentially liked about it was that I didn't find it nearly as stressful as life in Canada. I'm well aware that England has it downsides just like everywhere else (and I'm well aware of what major assholes the people are capable of being).

Besides, I'm not liable to ask for crumpets in a restaurant. I'm well aware of how easy it is to get your ass kicked for things like that, which is also why I never got pretentious enough to start calling people "mate."

I find that people who say "mate" around where I live tend to be after handouts or my possessions.

And yeah, that sounds a sweet deal. We're mostly a nation of workaholics though. The continent is the stress-free side of Europe. Whilst they do have their stresses too, they tend to be more family oriented and less work driven.

Paulus @ 17/7/2012 20:30

And yeah, that sounds a sweet deal. We're mostly a nation of workaholics though. The continent is the stress-free side of Europe. Whilst they do have their stresses too, they tend to be more family oriented and less work driven.

I always read that North Americans are way more workaholics than Europeans. Granted I don't think they included England in this study.

Leaffan20 @ 18/7/2012 1:31

Paulus @ 17/7/2012 20:30 And yeah, that sounds a sweet deal. We're mostly a nation of workaholics though. The continent is the stress-free side of Europe. Whilst they do have their stresses too, they tend to be more family oriented and less work driven. I always read that North Americans are way more workaholics than Europeans. Granted I don't think they included England in this study.

We're not really considered "Europeans" for the most part because of the geographic separation and the fact we're not heavily EU involved. At least in some respects.

Paulus @ 18/7/2012 0:29

I find that people who say "mate" around where I live tend to be after handouts or my possessions.

Yeah, the only guy I ever "mate"d was a homeless guy asking for spare change. That day, I legitimately had no money because I'd just bought a box of pins that I used to stick up some highly-against-the-rules posters at the Bodleian, so when he asked me for money I just held the box up and said, "Sorry, mate. I could barely afford the tacks."

Suffice it to say, the homeless do not appreciate puns.

And, I'm more than happy living in a workaholic atmosphere. I was known for being the most ambitious guy in the Oxford program, and probably logged more hours in the Bodleian than the next two people put together. I'm primarily interested in the academics, because there's really nothing close to that atmosphere in Canada. The academic ambitions that most people have, especially in the humanities, are a joke. I'm going after a big-name degree, because the work I want to do is theoretical and will hopefully one day inspire the humanities to get their heads out of their butts and stop producing the trainwrecks that pass for art these days, and that kind of work needs to be backed by a good institution.

I want to go baaaccckkkk

ff_zero @ 18/7/2012 21:33

I want to go baaaccckkkk

To Romania?

Sure, I liked it in Europe. I wouldn't mind.

You should make a thread talking about your adventures.

Cruises are the best. I also want to travel by train around Europe.

I've never been on a cruise but it sounds pretty enjoyable. I'm a fan of boats though.