Yes, they speak English in England. But you may experience a bit of a culture shock when you arrive and find it difficult to understand the quirky accents, regional dialects, and colloquialisms. There are 18 different words for “muffin” (for example). The BBC's “The English We Speak” program or ours “How's your English? Videos are good starting points for regular classes.
White Teeth by Zadie Smith Zadie Smith's first novel is a comedic vision of life in North London. It follows Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal, friends from the Second World War, an unlikely couple, as they explore marriage, parenthood, religion, and much more in the racial context of late-20th-century London. The Night Watch by Sarah Waters This work of historical fiction takes readers to London in the 1940s and tells the lives of three women and a young man and their secrets, loyalties and demons. The thrilling novel takes unexpected turns against the backdrop of World War II.
The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro, sit in the shotgun seat on a road trip through the countryside of England in the 1950s with Stevens, a professional butler, as he reflects on his decades of service, an unfulfilled love, two world wars and the time he has left. Waterland by Graham Swift Waterland tells the family story of four generations and the disturbing past of Tom Crick, a 52-year-old history teacher who was forced to retire, through his fragmented narrative. The Buddha of the Suburbs, by Hanif Kureishi, described as “charming, provocative and original”, this comedic novel full of colloquialism begins in an English suburb in the wake of Thatcherism. Almost autobiographical, it tells the adolescent life of Karim, the son of English and Indian parents, as he traveled through the suburbs of New York and London in the 1970s.
The Girl Next Door, by Ruth Rendell, The mystery begins in 1944 with a group of children playing in a network of underground tunnels they have discovered in Loughton, Essex, England. Seventy years later, construction workers discover that same network of tunnels, along with some bone remains. The children come together to help discover the truth behind the buried bones. Are you an Anglophile? Do you need persuasion? Peter Spiers, of Road Scholar, has compiled a list of 11 reasons why he loves England after having lived there in his youth.
Try to book in advance and look for cheap upfront rates. While they're not as fast as train travel (and certainly not as romantic), buses like National Express and Megabus offer much cheaper prices when traveling around the country and are highly recommended for those on a budget. Some credit cards come with travel insurance, but it's worth researching what it covers and what doesn't. Medical expenses abroad can be very high, and travel insurance usually also covers the loss and theft of personal items.
US citizens traveling as tourists or visitors have the right to stay in the UK for up to 6 months without a visa. Citizens of many English-speaking countries don't need a visa to travel to the UK for tourism purposes and can usually stay up to six months without a visa. Travel requirements may change, so check the links I've provided to make sure you get the most up-to-date information before you travel.
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