Assignment 4

Ungur Mihai Adrian

Political Communication Master, Year I

My Intercultural Experience

My story begins 1 years ago, !ith my "irst trip in the United #ingdom$ I !as going as a

 personal translator and interpreter "or my mom to meet the board o" a %cottish charity up in

&lasgo! and "urther 'orth$ As e(ery )omanian, bac* then, !ho !anted to (isit the United

#ingdom had to go through the excruciating experience o" getting the (isa so did I$ +ueuing at

a$m$ in "ront o" the Embassy, late -ctober, turned out to be .uite a thrill$ /ortunately, "or us

)omanians, .ueuing "or (arious goods had become national practice during the &olden Age and

a"ter the "all o" communism as !ell so I !as ready$ 0a(ing the opportunity to (isit the U# has

!orth the trouble$ I !as .uite na(e bac* then and understood the 2ritish culture "orm (arious

school boo*s$ 3he "irst blo! came "rom the o""icer at the embassy$ A"ter in.uiring about our plan

o" (isit, !hich !as %cotland, he said 5hat are you going to see there, sheep6$ A"ter loo*ing at

the charity7s ban* statement, !hich !as .uite a guarantee he sourly said I7(e got more money in

my poc*et6$ 0e7s attitude must ha(e been rooted in his admiration6 "or both the %cottish and us,

)omanians, sa(age East Europeans$

3he trip started on the !rong "oot but turned out to be one to remember$ 5e "le! into

0eathro! at the beginning o" 'o(ember, ready and e.uipped "or the 2ritish rain$ 5hile !aiting

in the lounge, I heard t!o English gentlemen, .uite concerned about the -89one layer getting

thinner$ I thought to mysel" 0m, !hen !ill I hear t!o )omanians debate on that6$ It seemed "ar8

"etched compared to our issues: no money in our poc*ets, no "ood on the table$ At out arri(al in

&lasgo! !e !ere greeted by the chairman o" the charity and escorted to a 2ed;2rea*"ast$ 3he

"ollo!ing days may perception about the 2ritish, especially the %cottish changed$ I "ound out

that the %cottish are not tight, they are .uite generous, much more than the English$ 3hey are

*ind and sympathetic !ith our nation, due to their past experience o" being oppressed$ 3ea is

consumed not at "i(e o7cloc* but any time, because o" the !ind and rain that induces the cold

right do!n to your bones$ -ne o" the many di""erences has to do !ith the t!o tap sin*$ 3he hot

 

!ill al!ays burn your hands and the cold !ill trigger pain !hile !ashing your teeth$ 3heir

ans!er, 0ey, people li(ing on an island can be .uite peculiar6$

I ha(e to admit &lasgo!7s centre is beauti"ul, "ull o" history and legacy but Edinburgh is

the cro!n o" %cotland$ 5ith its castle, the )oyal Mile, 3he Parliament and all the little %cottish

shops is absolutely breathta*ing$ 3heir accent is more English than %cottish !hich ma*es li"e so

much easier "or a(erage tourist$

All in all, my experience in the United #ingdom !as one to remember$ I7(e made "riends

!ith !hom I still *eep in contact$ I ha(e met ama9ing people !hose example I7d li*e to "ollo!

someday$ I recei(ed *indness and appreciation "rom genuine people !hich made return and li(e

there "or a !hile$