Queen Elizabeth II has been head of state from 1952 to 2023 and has thus been the longest reigning monarch on the world. The land has a moved history and up to this day you can feel the remnants of the folk stories in many rural areas. It doesn’t rain as much as people like to tell, but wellies are still a standard for every English person. England is home to 17 UNESCO world heritage places, which you can find all across the green island. And, England is regarded as the birthplace of football.

The young people in England don’t only love football, bus also cricket, golf, and rugby. They often meet each other and watch the games of their favourite team on the television. Other activities include going to the movies and to concerts. Both the music and cinema culture is very diverse and each year a lot of new talents are discovered.

AFS Youth exchange in Great Britain

People and community

The people in England seem to be a bit restrained at first. But you’ll see that their typical dry humour will make you the best of friends. In the big cities you’ll find a lot of different cultural influences. In rural areas the old knight stories are still very present. One thing you should never forget is queing. Apart from that the English are very relaxed and live by their unofficial motto keep calm and carry on.

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Ein Beitrag geteilt von England (@england) am

Language

English isn’t only the official language of England but also one of the most spoken and learned languages in the world. Through England’s history the language is influenced by French and German.

Food

The English cuisine is almost as infamous as its weather – unjustly so. The daily meals are rather simple with potatoes, meat and local vegetables. More diverse is the typical full English breakfast: sausages, beans, mushrooms, eggs, bread and bacon. At the numerous street food huts you can try fish and chips and in the afternoon enjoy tea and biscuits with your friends and host family. If you’re in for something more international you’ll find Japanese Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Thai or South American dishes almost anywhere.

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