45 South African Observations of the UK

These are observations based on very newly experienced life in the UK, they might alter or change but for now they are my truth. Definitely not fact.

1. Its COLD
2. People will call it mild, its not mild, its cold.
3. Your South African "winter" clothes/socks/shoes, will not be warm enough.
4. People love animals here.
5. Eating out is expensive.
6. The pizza is awful.
7. It will rain...

   

   Rain on the left, dry on the right

8. Even without clouds.
9. The grass is greener here, because it is wet.
10. You will be asked many many times whether you are from Australia or New Zealand.
11. After hearing you are from South Africa, you will be informed that they know someone from Nigeria/(NAME THAT AFRICAN COUNTRY). 
12. I still don't know what the correct response is to the above.
13. When the sun makes a rare (and short) appearance, the people of the UK will use this time to wear shorts/skirts/tank tops or even just underwear, even though it is still only 14°C
14. People will push you right over on the Tube.
    
    

    

    Mind the Commuter

15. Always keep right on the escalators when travelling on the tube.
16. A South African Matric is only valid in the UK if obtained before 2009.
17. You WILL miss biltong.
18. The Welsh are so very friendly and helpful.
19. The Irish are so very funny.
20. The English are so miserable.
21. It is almost impossible to make eye contact with people on the Tube, and when eye contact is made it was because of a brief lapse in concentration.

    

    Found this on the Tube

22. Rooibos is known as Redbush, not surprising, but somehow does not do it justice.
23. The informercials are AWFUL.
24. There are many singing cats in said informercials...
25. and singing grapefruit.

    

    Satsuma Loans Advert

26. Public toilets are disgusting, even the ones you pay to use, but they will always have toilet paper.

    
    

    Warning notice on a toilet seat

27. Public transport works, its amazing.
28. "First World Problems" has become an almost catch phrase to me.
29. The horizon is on the wrong side.
30. The people of the UK are so very polite... when they get into there cars.
31. You can not call traffic lights "Robots"; people will look at you funny.
32. You can only say Pardon twice before just agreeing when you have no idea what has been said to you.
33. When asking for a flapjack you will get a crunchie.
34. You make tea in a teapot, even for one person.
35. Your Rands are less than worthless.
36. My husband picks up accents within minutes of arriving and changes to meet the standards of the places we go. (I feel like I live with the cast of My Fair Lady.)
    
    

    

    Mr Jones with his English Cousin

37. Waiting for your dogs to arrive will feel like an eternity.
38. Shops do not maintain their climate control, you will have to remove useless South African "winter" clothes as not to boil in stores.
39. The postal system works.
40. You will be asked in a business meeting how you feel about the Pistorius case.
41. You will also be asked if he is guilty.
42. It is not common practice to give gratuity in restaurants.
43. You will be asked many many times "Why on earth would you move here?" 
44. People will apologise for the loss of Africa's president Mandela.
45. The only correct answer to the question do you have a pet lion is "No, not anymore, he ate my neighbour".

Keep up,

Mrs Jones

P.S. Feel free to leave your comments or questions just below this... we'd love to hear from ya!

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All photos are the property of Mr and Mrs Jones and the Just Keeping Up blogspot http://thejonesesareus.blogspot.com

February 2014 - Joneses move hemispheres

Mrs Jones always told me,

"We will never move to England! It's too cold and miserable." She would say. 

We are moving to England. I blame Mrs Jones for the move. Perhaps she could have said,

"We will never move to the Maldives!"

I might be bobbing on a 'floaty thing' sipping a cold cola right now. Instead we are dealing with zero degree temperatures and the even colder personality of the British people.

But it is not all that bad. The British just are not used to how warm and social-able us Africans are. Something I am proud of really. The Brits just need a good whack on their heads to crack the warmth within them.

Also I know God is really the culprit behind why we are here anyway. That is comforting, because He has a better clue then any of us.

we left this...

...for this...not too bad. Still freezing.

I am sure we will tell you all more of how we wound up on the island that when it is not foggy it is raining. Mrs Jones did a cracking job of getting us here, packing our lives up and throwing us in a bag or two. I love this lady next to me in this photo. Amazing team-mate for this big game of life...

Mr and Mrs Jones

Mrs Jones and I will keep in touch with our goings on of two Africans in ol' Blighty (common nickname for this foggy island). Keep up with the Joneses. I have no idea what we will put on here. Probably a mix of everything...stuff to 'pin' that is of interest and all that pun-age ;)

Keep up,

Mr Jones

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All photos are the property of Mr and Mrs Jones and the Just Keeping Up blogspot http://thejonesesareus.blogspot.com