I can not forget this city, those quiet streets. Beautiful houses, friendly people.
In the courtyard was the month of March. Flying away from snowy Riga, where the drifts were sometimes with the height of an adult, I did not expect that England would take me to the bright afternoon sun. Arriving in coats and boots, I felt like a “penguin in the south”. All around went in thin jackets, or even in T-shirts. Flowers bloomed in the fields, and this city seemed like a paradise to me. Around me were fields, forests, meadows. The grass was so green that I experienced a light shock, especially after four months of a cold winter.
As a person who has never left his country, it was of course difficult at first for me to get used to the diversity of cultures and races of all the inhabitants of England. Women in a veil, men in long shirts and with strange scarves on their heads, I have never seen so many black people in my life. Of course, I looked at everyone at first very alert and with passion.
Strange, but I did not feel fear. A girl who did not leave for more than a couple of days from home. Suddenly she was alone in a foreign country, without knowledge of the language, and basic knowledge of this country. But with absolute certainty that everything will be fine.
I remember my first hour in this country while we were traveling from the airport to the city of Reading. I sat in the backseat of the car, and could not listen to the conversation in English from the front anymore, put the headphones in my ears and made the music louder. It seemed to me that it was generally impossible to understand what they were saying there.
At first I was experiencing culture shock. For three days I stayed at home, afraid to go outside alone. Everything was so alien, unusual. Gradually, I began to explore the nearest area. The benefit to the center was not far, about twenty minutes on foot. The path passed through the university and the river. It was a kind of embankment, with bridges and a huge number of swans. It was pleasant to walk on it, she was far from the road, and only rare couples interrupted this harmony.
In the center was a kind of “Broadway”, the main street of the city, which was decorated with pretty benches, flowers and lanterns. She was lively during the day, but at night lovers of club life appeared on it, which raged every day in England. Many shops, restaurants, cafes and just eateries were located so close to each other, that sometimes it seemed that they were just at every turn.
It was all unusual, not at all like our calm, regal Riga. There life was in full swing. Sometimes it seemed to me that local people are ready to have fun every day. A little far from the center there were shops for every taste, Russians, Polish, Pakistani, African, etc. shops filled all the main streets. It seemed that in one house could be located up to five stores. After all, there every self-respecting Muslim man considered it his duty to open his shop.
I was initially amazed at how people relate to the appearance of others. Everyone does not care what you will be dressed, shod. Fashion among young people, of course, was a peculiar, so-called street English style. He was distinguished by a certain chic that can only be understood after having lived in that country for a long time. Only a native Englishman would be able to pick up clothes in such a way that he seemed casually at the same time, but very stylish.
When I arrived in Riga, at first I felt uncomfortable, because people in the streets looked at you with an appreciative look. Here people are completely different, it is important for them to show that they are of themselves, beautiful clothes, decorations, exposing their material wealth to the fore. In England, people value you not for what you look like, but for what kind of person you are. After all, even rich people can walk around the city in absolutely ordinary clothes, and you can never guess what kind of wealth a person has.
As for the people in England, I want to talk separately, at first it seemed to me absurd how people politely behave with each other. The word - sorry, you will hear at every step, as well as - thank you. Having come to the store, the seller will always conduct a friendly conversation with you, showing you what a valuable buyer you are. I was even a little unusual when they asked you how are you at work, at children at school.
Coming in and out of the bus, you should always greet and thank for the trip. Once there was a case, I, seeing that I was standing at the bus stop, decided to run up to him, when I was already near him, the driver closed the door and began to drive off. Then he saw me, stopped and apologized all the way to me. I would be in the country, the driver would not only not stop, he also cursed you.
I will not say already that at work you are treated differently, you are an employee and the management adapts to you, and not you to them. Especially when you earn a good reputation. The attitude is very human, you can get sick, want to go on vacation, no one will blame you on this matter. The authorities will never dare raise your voice, or even scold you for something. It can only shake its head and smile sweetly.
England, Reading will remain forever in my heart, its changeable weather. When you go in shorts in April, and in a jacket in July. His friendly people, my work in the suburbs, houses similar to each other, parks, and love ... for this city, in which I will definitely return.
