| The British are said to be reserved
in manners, dress and speech. They are famous for their politeness,
self-discipline and especially for their sense of humour. British
people have a strong sense of humour which sometimes can be
hard for foreigners to understand.
Britain is a country of mixed cultures. London has the largest
non-white population of any European city and over 250 languages
are spoken there. Therefore not all British people are White
or Christians.
If you are invited to someone's home for a meal, you may wish
to take a small gift (flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine
are the norm), or you could invite them to your flat/house
in return. It's a nice idea to bring some small things from
your home country or some photographs to show to friends or
guests - British people will be interested in these.
If your culture does not allow you to drink alcohol, you may
be worried if you are invited to go to the local pub (public
house or bar). Pubs are popular social meeting places and
sell soft drinks as well as alcohol. Both men and women may
visit pubs if they are over the age of 18.
You will find that British men and women mix easily. British
women are independent but, although they mix freely with men,
this does not imply a willingness to enter into sexual relationships.
Race Relations Act - there is a law in Britain which makes
it illegal to discriminate against anyone because of their
colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins. If
you think you have been discriminated against, you can take
legal action to secure redress.
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