These words are now often found floating around inside my head.

You know I’m not really homesick but there’s something about hearing that British twang, or a Northern Irish lilt, that just makes me a bit happy! That reminder of home, of family, of our beautiful country.

Even on TV – I’ll take that. Don’t get me wrong Canada, and Canadians, are pretty lovely but I’m definitely proud to be British. Now we’ve had problems and are still definitely not the model country in a lot of ways. Despite that though, do you ever stop to think about how awesome the UK is.

I bet you don’t.

I think most of the time we end up, maybe especially the English, being a bit ashamed of what we’ve done. Of course it’s important to recognise the errors of our forefathers – but it is also vital that we distinguish that we are not our forefathers.

In fact, by even noticing they did stuff wrong we’re already one better!

Anyway, back to why the UK is so wonderful.

• we have variety
• we are a nation of migrants and immigrants
• it’s awesome that we are a multicultural nation
  • really wonderful
• we have beaches, forests, moors, dales, lakes, islands, mountains (or really big hills)
• we have distinct cultures under one sprawling roof
• we think we’re sprawling but we’re really not (that isn’t just me right?)
• our diversity makes us great – it doesn’t dilute who we are
• colonialism wasn’t all bad
• Pioneered infrastructure and schooling systems
• elevenses
• invention and industry
• our long, long, history
• our history is also why we are a conglomerate of so many cultures
• our buildings – I know I’ve studied architecture but still – some are blooming lovely
• our heritage and history not only have implications but it’s interesting
• the development of our societies is fascinating
• which also reminds me how wonderful rural villages can be (most of the time!)
• fruitcake and a slice of cheddar
  • I know it’s weird but it’s also wonderful
• pennies – just our money system in general
  •  now I know quarters might be simpler  but you don’t have penny sweets
  • (so there!)
• penny sweets (or the lack thereof nowadays – sob :s)
• The Tube
  • okay maybe a bit cliché but despite the ramming and general grumpiness it makes London pretty wonderful
• canals – if you’ve not you really should go on a canal holiday
• The Queen
  • I do love that we have a monarchy
• Queen Elizabeth II is also pretty phenomenal as monarchs go
• The recognition having a monarch without representing the people is not good
• democracy
• our government and voting system might suck but at least we have one
• woman’s suffrage
• NB the above all being covered by free speech
  • so, you know, our government might not suck
• university
• the fact that there is more to life than going to university
• free education
• free healthcare
  • very nearly forgot the NHS there – accessible healthcare is a blessing
• a sensible drinking age
  • forgot the binge drinking issues for one moment and consider the logic of not putting legal access to drink so far away that you can still be an adult about it
• Cream Teas
• Toad in the Hole
• food called things like ‘Toad in the Hole’
• Full Fry’s
• some literary greats
• really, some wonderful poets and writers have come out of the UK
• Accessible travel options – I mean Central Europe is right there
  • I know world geography isn’t exactly down to the UK
  • …well
  •       ( … we’ll just stay away from The Empire for now. )
• Strong female leaders – now I’m not exactly avidly outspoken about women’s equality but it is pretty cool that we’re had a female PM and several female Monarchs
• traditions
• some of which are really odd – like Tar Barrel runs
• the ability to confuse other nations (… cheeky Nandos anyone?)
• compassion – so this is probably not totally unique to the UK but I do believe that when we need to we are great at coming together and supporting others
  • I just wish our government would do more rather than seemingly less – but that’s another can of worms
• the fact that we use expressions like can of worms
• phrases that I understand and you might not include “what’s the craic” & “sommet for nowt”
• pies
• oh – and gravy
• afternoon tea
• and the fact that everyone will welcome you in and offer tea (even if they don’t really drink it they’re bound to have some in the cupboard)
  • or is that just me… I turned up at uni with tea and coffee just to be social
• it’s uni not college and 6th form too… although you could go to college instead, or I guess as well as… there are multiple possibilities
• my last point – that alone
• the wibbly wobbly timeywimey stuff
• the BBC
• 90’s music
• Devonshire musicians
  • Chris Martin, Ben Howard, James Bay – just saying
• Yorkshire
• County rivalry
• cheese
  • again, not strictly just the UK who do good cheese, but we do do good cheese
• C.S. Lewis
• Tolkien
• Robert Burns
  • back to the literary greats
• multiple excuses for tea, biscuits and cake
• the fact that afternoon tea is a sampler of all the good stuff
• free museums
• we’re not so small you can cross in an hour but not so big that seeing the breadth of our beautiful nation isn’t feasible
• and yet there is always more to see
• we found a king under a car park (… a long dead king don’t worry)
• queuing – although I have say I’ve been places that are even better at it
• traditional etiquette might not be vastly common but the values are still around
• our innate Britishness
  • like how we interact with strangers – but only a little
• Thank You cards
  • even if I’m slow at it I tend to always write one – getting them to a postbox is another story though
• Post Boxes which serve about 2 farms, and the Londoner’s house down the road
• supporting the underdog
• becoming incredibly patriotic about sport even if you aren’t a year round supporter
• you’re either favour football or rugby – it’s not often equal between the two
  • and you’ll argue to the nth why one is a ‘proper’ sport compared to the other
• those who live in the countryside accept that journey time increases based on factors including: a tractor, escaped livestock, cattle being moved, horses or tourists in the lanes
• The Jaffa Cake Debate
• we have different looking money for home nations
  • ‘that’s legal tender’
• the British Isles – and how it’s not Great Britain, or the United Kingdom
• Crown Dependencies – which are also different
• Accents
• Cockney
• the fact we’re not all from London – and yet can explain where we are from using London as a reference point
• British humour and witticism
• English
  • and how great it is while also being silly
• with words like nonetheless where we eliminated spaces
• live and live
• our variety of language and vocabulary
• words which can be a cover all and mean many things
  • cheers, naff, foolhardy,
• Northern Ireland
  • because it’s a wonderful place
• …and Scotland and Wales…and Gibraltar…and all the other bits of the UK