Baked Beans

This is no joke. In the news this past week was an announcement by Branston, the food manufacturer, that it was going to implement a loan scheme for students to encourage more sales of canned baked beans. It seems that baked beans are not as popular as they once were, with consumption dropping 20% in the past 5 years. So Branston is offering students free cans of beans over 3 years with interest-free payments deferred to whenever student starts working. Another feather in the cap of today’s debt-ridden society!

Baked beans have always been a British favorite and diet mainstay since they were first introduced in 1904. All you have to do is visit any grocery store and you’ll see just how popular they are. There is practically an entire aisle dedicated to baked beans and you’ll usually always see a few tins in nearly everyone’s trolley. Hell, they are even sold in 6-packs.

Baked beans on toast is a British delicacy, and you’ll always get served baked beans alongside your bacon and eggs with your British fry-up breakfast. Personally I don’t care for them all that much. They are much sweeter than the American varieties. More like Campbell’s pork and beans that I ate as a kid. The Brits don’t know what they’re missing with some good ole’ Southern-style baked beans. But then again, seeing as the Brits buy 97% of the world’s baked beans, perhaps they know something the rest of us don’t.

Education in the UK

Today we started “clearing” at the university where I work. This is a new phenomenon to me. I had never even heard of the term before going to work in a British university. Of course, the entire British education system is new to me. Nothing is the same as it is in the US. I’ll try to explain:

School in the UK begins with Primary School from ages 5-10, and continues with Secondary School (also known as Upper or Comprehensive School) from ages 11-16. British schools don’t operate on a grading system like the US does. Kids do make “grades” on tests and projects, but these do not count towards a final passing grade. Instead, all kids advance to the next level regardless of their performance.

At age 16 students then take their GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) exams in a variety of subjects. These exams are NOT mandatory and students not wishing to pursue higher education are not required to take them. Everyone is basically free to leave school at 16 if they choose and are not awarded a “diploma” or anything of that nature for their achievements.

However, if anyone wants to pursue higher education, they must first attend “Sixth Form College” between the ages of 16-18. To gain entry to these schools, they must have passed a minimum number of GCSEs. Upon completion of 2 years at Sixth Form College, they are then eligible to take their A-level (Advanced Level) exams, which are required for university entry. Students must attain a passing grade (A, B or C) on at least 5 different A-level tests in subjects of their choosing.

Students normally apply to their universities of choice at the beginning of their 2^nd year of Sixth Form studies. If they do not pass their A-levels or do not make good enough grades on them, they may not gain entry places in the universities of their choice. This is where “clearing” comes in.

Clearing is the process whereby all the universities list vacancies for undergraduate courses – starting on the same day (this year it was Aug 16^th). Some have clearing for a day; others carry on for a month or until classes start. Students are free to call in to the various universities during clearing to try and gain entry to specific courses based on openings available. As long as students are flexible and willing to take courses that might differ from what they wanted to take, they can normally gain entry to at least one university willing to take them.

In other words, clearing is a big thing for both the student and the university. The student – because they gain entry to a university even if it’s not their first choice. And the university – because they are able to get the income for a seat that might have otherwise gone unfilled.

King's Square

Back to King's Square. I’ve already written a little before about this area that I walk through to and from work every day. King's Square is very typical of London living. It’s an area covering the size of a few square blocks and is comprised of several high-rise apartment buildings (called ‘tower blocks’) surrounding a nice park that is full of lush green trees and wide open grassy areas, loads of benches (I go here often on warmer days to eat my sandwich at lunch), a playground for kids, and even a separate water park full of in-ground sprinklers for kids to enjoy during the hotter months. There’s a church outside the park and next to it a square of shops that mirrors most British high streets. Here you’ll find a pub, a German delicatessen, an off-licence (selling alcoholic beverages) and mini market, a newsagents, a sandwich bar, a betting shop, a hairdressers, a bakery, a laundromat, and a fish restaurant (selling fish & chips too of course). All of the must-have conveniences for most Brits.

All across London you’ll find hundreds of these little mini-communities. But it’s the park within the community that I find so impressive. The perfect place for residents and non-residents alike to escape from the busy hustle and bustle of city life all around.

Motorway Service Stations

We just got back from our trip to Scotland and thankfully most of the 11 hour journey each way was on the motorway, otherwise it would have taken us two days to get there! One of the best things about driving the motorway system here is having service stations to stop at. These service stations aren’t what I’m used to back home. For starters, they are all well-marked on road maps, so you can always see how far the next one is going to be. Plus the signs posted along the motorway show how far not only the next station is, but the two after that one.

These service stations offer an all-inclusive one-stop center for everything you could possibly need. Toilets are the biggest attraction I suppose. And there are normally plenty of them. I counted 20 stalls and nearly as many sinks in the ladies’ at one stop. I’ve never had to queue up for one, that’s for sure. And they are normally spotless with round-the-clock cleaners doing their jobs properly. And that’s not all. There are showers too!

You’ll also find (under the same roof) at least one eatery, always a cafeteria offering hot and cold meals, but also usually a fast-food joint like Burger King or Wimpy’s (burgers). And always a convenience shop selling sandwiches, drinks, maps, and other travel necessities. There are plenty of tables and chairs both inside and out for people to sit at, and loads of greenspace for walking your dog. A lot of the stations have hotels attached to them as well, so if you are really desperate at least you have most of your conveniences nearby.

All of these things are impressive enough. But the one thing that blew me away was seeing a Ladbrokes (betting shop) at one of the stations. Good grief. So now compulsive gamblers can get their fix too so they don’t miss out on the big match of the day. More on this subject later.

London Parks

Not many people realize that London is the world's greenest capital. Over 1/3 of the city is green park land. Parks are EVERYWHERE. There are the really large and famous ones, like Hyde Park or St James Park, and then there are the smaller obscure ones strewn about on nearly every block in the city. Most residential areas (like tower blocks, etc.) all have a shared park for its tenants. All of the parks are especially nice in the spring with all the flowers and trees in bloom, the warm weather, and for just sight-seeing and watching all the people, children and dogs.

On my normal walk from Old Street station to work every day, I pass through 3 such parks. This is a photo of King's Square Garden (and St Clement Church) early in the morning.

One of my favorite London parks is Hampstead Heath, probably the largest park in London. It covers nearly 800 acres and sits just 4 miles north of the city (just north of Islington where Paul's dad lives). From Parliament Hill (the highest point in Hampstead Heath), you can get spectacular views of the city. It's wonderful.

British Cars & Trucks

Today we had to take our car in to have a new tyre put on after we had a blow out yesterday. It’s amazing how many differences there are between the UK and US when it comes to types of cars and trucks and the parts of the car. For example:

American	British
Tire	Tyre
Hood	Bonnet
Trunk	Boot
Windshield	Windscreen
License plate	Number plate
Blinker / turn signal	Indicator
Muffler	Silencer
Gear shift	Gear lever
Oil pan	Sump
Fender	Wing or mudguard
Vehicle	Vehicle (“h” is silent)
Station wagon	Estate car
Rental car	Hire car
Sedan	Saloon car
Mobile home, trailer or RV	Caravan
Truck	Lorry
Tractor-trailer truck	Articulated lorry, juggernaut, or HGV (heavy goods vehicle)
Dump truck	Tipper lorry
Garbage truck	Dustbin lorry or dustcart
Tow truck	Breakdown van
Milk delivery van	Milk float
Moving van/ truck	Removal van
Fire truck	Fire engine
Old car	Banger
Gasoline	Petrol

I’ll cover driving and road signs, etc. another day. The differences are endless.

Easter Holiday

Easter is a big treat here, mainly because everyone gets a long weekend break. Good Friday and Easter Monday are national holidays (or “bank holidays” as they are called, since the banks are closed). And if you’re lucky, as we were this year, the weather will be nice and sunny and warm. The roads and airlines become jam packed with people flocking towards tourist destinations such as the coastlines of England, France or Spain. It’s the perfect weekend to just stay at home!

Easter itself is celebrated differently here in England. Where I come from, kids get Easter baskets filled with all sorts of goodies (chocolate eggs and bunnies, jelly beans, dyed eggs and other treats) from the Easter Bunny. Children normally participate in Easter egg hunts and go to church in their new Easter outfits. Families gather for a special Easter dinner.

Over here, chocolate Easter eggs are the big thing. The Easter Bunny doesn’t make an appearance, but people give each other chocolate eggs, either the cream-filled variety or the really big hollow ones filled with all sorts of individually-wrapped chocolates. You don’t see Easter baskets or other types of sweets – only these Easter eggs. And no Easter egg hunts (that I saw or heard of).

People also get very excited about Hot Cross Buns, which they normally eat on Good Friday, but at my work place they were eating them all week long.

As for church, well, very few people even go to church in England. Certainly not nearly the number of Americans who go. Although families do gather for a special Easter dinner, which is nice to see.

Ladies Footwear

I haven’t quite figured out the footwear of choice amongst female London commuters. Women tend to wear either extremely uncomfortable (but very stylish) high heels….or they wear shoes for walking in. These walking shoes tend to fall into 3 categories:

1) “ballet-style” flat shoes: at least they’re more comfortable than high heels, although they still don’t look very comfortable to me;

2) flip-flops: seen mostly on warm days, although I did see a few idiots wearing them in the dead of winter. I’m sorry, but I don’t understand the logic behind doing a lot of heavy walking in flip flops (even if they ARE very stylish flip-flops!);

3) sneakers (or “trainers” as they are called here): this is more like it and is now my choice of commuter shoes to wear after my first day on the job when I wore my work shoes and my feet ended up covered in blisters. The sneakers may not look very stylish, but at least my feet don’t hurt anymore!

British Sandwiches

British sandwiches don’t even come close to American ones. And if you’re accustomed to those normally found in New York delis, forget it. You’ll go mad with these sandwiches over here. British sandwiches are mostly bread with very little filling. And the bread is usually spread with butter, NOT mayo. Believe me, when you’re not used to a sandwich with butter, it will make you gag. Especially when you’re not expecting it, like on a tuna sandwich. Yuk.

In fact, mayo is not all that commonly used here. The Brits don’t know what they’re missing. Speaking of which, I miss Dukes Mayonnaise. The only name-brand mayonnaise I’ve seen here is Hellmans. At least it’s something.

Packaged sandwiches are very big here and people eat a LOT of them. You can find them in most corner shops, cafes, coffee bars, just about everywhere. You’d make a killing if you opened up an American-style sandwich bar with some nice deli-style sandwiches piled high with meats and cheeses!

Bits & Pieces

Bits & pieces is another commonly used expression here in England which basically means “miscellaneous stuff.” You’ll occasionally hear other variations on this, such as bits & bobs or odds & sods. But bits & pieces is the most commonly used. I guess the only thing comparable in America is perhaps “odds & ends” or “this & that” and you rarely hear those here.

For example:

• I need to run to the store to pick up some bits & pieces.
• I’ve got some odds & sods to sort out before I can leave work.
• Can you take care of those bits & bobs lying on the counter there?

Tea, tea, everywhere tea...

I’ve already written about how much tea the Brits drink. But I don’t think Americans would believe just how fanatical they are about it. It is a WAY OF LIFE here. Literally. Today we went for a haircut and (as always) were offered a cup of tea as we sat down in the chair. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but how in the hell do you manage to drink a cup of tea while getting your hair cut or colored or whatever?

This past week we had to go to the hospital for a routine consultation visit for me. And the waiting room we were sitting in actually had a “tea bar” and was serving tea in china cups (not paper or plastic or styrofoam). I was in awe. Also, Paul’s dad has been in the hospital the past 2 weeks, so we’ve made numerous trips there to visit him and witness the hospital worker coming around with a tea cart to serve patients and their visitors tea, at all hours of the day.

It just boggles my mind how much tea these people drink. And yet everyone makes fun of ME for NOT drinking it. My colleagues keep saying they’ll know when I’ve really become “British” when I finally take them up on an offer to get me a tea. They keep offering and I keep declining. For now anyway.

Getting a drivers license in the UK

Today I also went to apply for my provisional drivers license (although here they spell it “licence”). My Florida license enables me to drive in the UK for just 12 months after arrival, so my time is almost up. Even though Paul has been doing most all of the driving, I still need to get my UK license before the one year is up. Otherwise I’ll be required to go through driver education and I definitely don’t want to suffer through that. Not only does it cost a small fortune and take many weeks to complete, but you are required to take lessons in a car emblazoned with big red “L”s all over it (meaning you are a LEARNER). No doubt people definitely steer clear of the learners on the road and for good reason!

Anyway, the whole process of obtaining a drivers license here is laborious. For starters, I had to go in person to the closest DVLA office (some 20 miles away) to make the application. This is because I hold a non-British passport and they have to confirm my identity. Otherwise, had I held a British passport, I could have gone to any post office, showed them my passport, and they could have confirmed my identity and sent my application off to Swansea (in Wales) where all new license applications have to get processed. Instead I had to hand over my passport, which had to be sent along with all my other paperwork and a photograph to Swansea. It can take up to 7 weeks to get my passport and provisional license sent to me. (Let’s just hope I don’t meanwhile need to leave the country urgently!)

Once I have the provisional license in hand, I can then book an appointment at the nearest driving testing office (even further away than the DVLA office I went to) to take the “theory test” (or written test). It is comprised of multiple choice questions along with a real-time hazard test whereby you watch hazardous road situations on video and identify the hazards. This theory test takes about an hour to complete.

Once you have successfully completed the theory test, you can then apply to take the “practical test” (or driving test). This too takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Once you pass this test, you can then apply for your permanent license. The whole process takes months to complete, but at least you are home-free once you have the license in hand!

Now you can see why I have procrastinated for so long on getting my UK license. (Not to mention I’ve been a bit nervous about manipulating the roundabouts!). Oh well…stay tuned to see how this one turns out.

Healthcare in England

Today I had my first visit to a NHS hospital for a routine exam. I’ve already been to my local GP on a few occasions, and to the dentist several times as well. I’ll have to say this. Having come from America where healthcare will bankrupt you, the NHS (National Health Service) in England is utopia!!! Yes, it is a socialized system and yes it does have its problems. But at least you are guaranteed healthcare should you need it, unlike in America where only those who can afford it stand a chance. What a difference.

For starters, you pay for the NHS via income taxes, same as you would pay for Social Security and Unemployment Tax in America. But then, when you require medical treatment, you simply go to the doctor, hospital or dentist, and pay NOTHING (or very little) for the visit. That in itself makes it worthwhile to me. I’m used to paying on average $100 for most doctor and dentist visits in the US, and that’s just the consultation fee … before any lab work, etc. is done. In the UK, most regular GP exams and lab tests cost NOTHING. Prescriptions cost £6.65 each AT MOST, regardless of the type of drug, and all regular dental visits (with hygiene treatment) cost a mere £15.50 each. In fact, the maximum charge for a complex course of dental treatment (such as one or more crowns) is an astounding £189.00!!! In America, the average crown cost around $800-$1000 each!

The downside to the NHS is that you sometimes have to endure waiting lists. But this normally only occurs with specialized treatment, and generally with non-life-threatening type services, like physical therapy. It only took me a couple of weeks to get in to see the local breast specialist about my breast treatment. And here it took me 2 months to get my last mammogram scheduled in America and that was after I had found a lump!

You do have the option for private healthcare in the UK. Some of the better employers do offer supplementary health insurance programs (or you can buy insurance yourself) to cover private treatment. This generally means you can get in faster to see a specialist, but doesn’t always guarantee treatment. You still have to go through your local GP to get a referral.

One thing that has struck me as light years ahead of America in terms of healthcare is the use of electronic records here in the UK. With the exception of x-rays, most medical records are kept electronically. Even when you’re sitting in the doctor’s office getting examined, he/she makes notes on the computer, not on paper records. Any paper documents received by your doctor are actually scanned into the computer and kept as an attachment to your personal record. Talk about efficiency! I don’t EVER remember a doctor or dentist in America using this method of recordkeeping.

Oh yea. Another thing. Over here the nurses do pap smears (called "smear tests"), not the doctors! And they cost NOTHING.

Happy New Year

Paul and I rang in 2007 with a toast of some Bucks Fizz, or Mimosa as it’s known in America. It’s a mixture of champagne and orange juice (grenadine is optional). It’s quite good. Actually, the Bucks Fizz predates the Mimosa by 3 years. The Bucks Fizz was named after London’s Bucks Club where it was invented by a barman in 1921. The Mimosa was reported invented at the Ritz Hotel in Paris around 1925.

We also celebrated the New Year with another British tradition called First Footing (foot in), which is reputed to bring good luck in the new year. Basically you ring in the new year outside your front door, then when you first step through the door in the new year, you must carry with you (in addition to the drink you just toasted with), some bread (to ensure you always have food), some coal (to make sure your house always stays warm), some money (to ensure you always have money), and some greenery (to assure a long life). We carried all these items with us through the front door, so hopefully 2007 is going to be a GOOD one for us!

We finished off the evening watching the London Eye fireworks display on the BBC. What a show! Up until London rang in the new year in 2000 with the new London Eye, fireworks had never been a part of the annual traditions. Previously, the crowds would gather at Trafalgar Square (as they do in Times Square in NY) and wait on Big Ben to strike midnight. (In fact, Paul and I spent my first New Years in London in 1996 at Trafalgar Square and it was the coldest New Years on record for like 10 years or so!! I remember it well!!!). Anyway, the crowds do still gather in Trafalgar Square, but most people line up along the River Thames to watch the ever-growing fireworks display. It was indeed awesome. Even Tiny was entranced by it all as she sat on the ottoman in front of the TV to watch.

We celebrated New Years Day breakfast with one of Paul’s family traditions – bacon and mushrooms served in a butter/milk broth with some bread for dipping. It’s quite rich, but very tasty. And for our New Years dinner, Paul did my traditional southern feast of pork roast, greens, black eyed peas and cornbread (with some roast potatoes to round it all off). It was scrumptuous and something even Gordon Ramsay would be proud of!!!