Culture Shock

​        While at Coventry, I noticed that the older generations interact differently than the younger generations. The older generations are more formal in their greetings and interactions, while the younger generations are more informal and more likely to give you a hug upon greeting rather than a handshake. Being aware of age differences when interacting helped me when I would interact with other English people. I think this is similar to how it is in America, where being aware of the differences between generations is important when interacting. 
        As we spent more time in Coventry, I started understanding the English culture more. I had always known about the British culture because my grandfather grew up in England and has a lot of family who lived or currently live in England. But I was never truly taught about the culture surrounding public transportation, so spending time in Coventry made me more aware of public transportation as the main means of transport. I soon became accustomed with walking everywhere or taking the bus or even the tube (whenever we were in London). I think this helped me later when I was traveling by myself. There was one time in London; the Central Line tube was not working as it should, so I had to get off before my final stop and use different tube lines to get to my destination. Not only was I proud of myself, but I realized that I had become accustomed to the English culture surrounding public transportation.
        When talking with some of the students from Coventry, there were many opinions on the U.S. One student said that she had a negative image of Americans because she had only interacted with tourists who were not culturally sensitive or aware. Other students asked us about the events surrounding the president and the government, but also about our schooling, health care system, and even Disney. I think being aware of these perceptions of Americans helped me when I would interact with British people or encountered a certain part of their culture by being respectful in every situation and to every person.