There seem to be a lot of similarities between British culture and American culture in the city. The way people dress, their interests in music, and other aspects of daily culture are much like those I see in people back home. It is interesting to see that there are so many similarities between people’s behaviors and interests here; before visiting a foreign country, I had overestimated the differences in culture and entertainment. That’s not to say the British exercise there interests in the exact same way that we do, but there are definitely recognizable patterns that show up in both places. For example, pop music that I have heard while at shopping is very similar to pop music back home, and sometimes the same artists we listen to in the states appear to be just as popular here, if not more so.
Something I have noticed about family dynamics here is that there don’t seem to be a lot of fathers out with their kids. I have definitely noticed more mothers out and about than fathers. I wonder if this is because a lot of households assume the more “traditional” working-father, stay-at-home mother dynamic. Perhaps I just haven’t been observant. However, it does seem that the majority of the fathers that I have seen out with their families seem to be of the younger generation, or older and more established in life. Something else I made a note of is that mothers and daughters can often be seen out in pairs. They also frequently hold hands as they walk – even the older daughters do not seem ashamed to be seen out with their mothers, and you can tell they respect and care for them deeply. This is an interesting contrast to a lot of girls in the U.S. It seems that many youths today are embarrassed to be with their mothers in this manner, and try to avoid people perceiving them as friends with their moms.I was happy to see these types of connections on display amidst such a bustling culture. This illustrates one major cultural theme I have noticed here: People still make it a point to make sure they maintain and nurture their family and social connections in a variety of ways despite their hectic and fast-paced lifestyles. I admire their commitment to nurturing their relationships, and their ability to relax and have fun without being overly obnoxious.