Something a lot of people do not seem to understand about the UK, who are not from here—even myself before I landed in Wales and despite my attempts to learn ahead of time—is the distinct cultures of Wales, Britain, and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland, in particular, is often described as the most complicated culture; more research on my end is needed, and perhaps it will be the focus of an upcoming blog post. Each of the countries is ultimately quite different from one another.
For instance, Scotland is not the same as Wales, and Wales is not the same as Britain. There are significant tensions between all of them, similar to the tensions that exist between states in America, such as California and Texas.
The point I want to emphasize is that when you visit the UK, it’s crucial to understand the regions and cultures of the natives you are interacting with. Before you comment something like “Oh, aren’t you British?” (especially while you are in a pub in Wales), be aware that the reactions to this ignorance might not be so kind. There is a deep cultural history behind it. This topic will be the driving force behind my next major blog post, scheduled for publication by Sunday at midnight.
