Us: What was the first cultural difference you noticed when you moved to London?
Katarzyna*: (yyyyy) It must have been "How are you" - the phrase and how people react to it. I will never understand (let's be honest, I will learn and obey but will never understand why would people say or do that) why people ask you how you are when they don't want to hear how you are. You start telling them how you really are and then they look at you in a funny way.
And the other thing is: why would you talk about the weather when you are sitting in the same room and everyone can see what the weather is. It is clearly not about stating your opinion, as they always have to agree with each other... Every time they start talking about the weather I feel like an idiot talking about such an obvious thing.
Us: I'm sure it must be difficult to know what to say not to offend anyone...
Katarzyna: Oh, yes - you can say that the weather hasn't changed since yesterday and this way you will just finish the conversation [laughing]. On the other thing you try to say something about it but can't just go with the same "yes indeed" all the time and you just need to say something creative (I don't know why - perhaps that's just minding my father's words "if you don't have anything wise to say, just don't say anything") . I already tried the names of clouds in Latin and weather forecast for the following day judging on the colour of the sky plus the wind and each time I ended up as a person who tries to show off.
Us: Do you mind if we continue this interview tomorrow? Actually, let's be honest - not tomorrow - any time in the future.
Katarzyna: As if I had a choice. Yes, sure any time in the future.
*Just in case - Katarzyna is a fictional character standing for all stereotypical views about British culture. She was created to..., well she was created because she could be created. Just between you and me - I think she is a mixture of the authors experiences and insecurities.
