South African in London: BBC Learning English London Life

BBC Learning English
London Life
South African in London
Jackie: Hello, I'm Jackie Dalton. You're listening to BBC Learning English dot com.
Today: what's it like to be a foreigner living in London?
Clips Lindsay
Jackie: We're going to talk to Lindsay, from South Africa.
Lindsay introduces herself
Jackie: There's a big South African community in London, with people who've lived
here for years and years and others who've just come to get a taste of London
Life. Lindsay grew up in South Africa, but she has a UK passport because her
father is British, that's part of the reason she came here. What are the other
reasons why she decided to come and live in London for a while?
Lindsay
It's my heritage, even though I've grown up in South Africa my dad has always instilled the
British pride in us and I just felt there was so much culture and so much history. I've always
been interested in the King and Queens. I still find it amazing that Big Ben goes off every 15
minutes. My dad used to phone me in South Africa and he used to play it for me over the
phone - it's almost like we're still living in the 1800s. The history really captivates me.
Jackie: Did you catch the other reasons? Lindsay said her father had 'instilled her with
British pride', which means taught her to feel pleased or proud that she has a
connection to Britain. She also said she was attracted by the culture and history,
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especially Big Ben – the famous giant clock by the river Thames. Lindsay said
London's history captivated her. If something captivates you, you are really
interested in it.
Voice: That book was really captivating – I couldn't stop reading it!
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Jackie: So, apart from all the excitement of the history and culture, what is it really like
coming to live here for the first time? Two expressions we're about to hear:
'Novelty' and 'to be homesick'.
Novelty – something that's interesting because it's new.
Voice: My son loved his new toy at first, but after a while the novelty wore off and he
got bored of it.
Jackie: To be homesick – to miss your own home or country and wish you were there.
Voice: I hate being away from my family. It makes me feel really homesick.
Jackie: Now let's listen to Lindsay talking about how it felt for her when she arrived in
London.
Lindsay
I think it's a process which I'm seeing a lot of South Africans go through. I think when you
move here first it's a novelty, it's exciting, everyone is interested in why you are here and
you're meeting so many new people. And then you go through- after three months you go
through a homesick period where you feel everybody you meet is new so I just got tired of
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meeting people that had only known me for like two months, I kind of missed the people that
really knew me.
Jackie: So at first everything was exciting, but after a while, the novelty wore off and
she began to feel homesick. How does she cope with homesickness and other
negative feelings?
Lindsay
So you go through a homesick period, but I think for me I've always remembered that this is
something that I've always wanted to do and I know there are 1000s of people back in South
Africa that would kill for this opportunity. So [I] keep my head up and remember the
positives.
Jackie: Did you get the answer? Lindsay copes with homesickness by remembering
that she is very lucky to be here because lots of other people in South Africa
would love to be able to come to London, but can't. She used the expression 'to
kill for'. If you say you would kill for something, it means you really want it.
Voice: I would kill for that dress, but it's just too expensive.
Jackie: Lindsay says she 'keeps her head up', which means to try to stay strong and
confident in a difficult situation.
Voice: I know you hate your new job, but keep your head up and do the best you can.
Jackie: The next expression Lindsay will use which we're going to looks at is 'open-
minded', which means to not have a fixed opinion or idea about something.

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Voice: I know you think you'll hate everyone at this party, but you should keep an
open mind. Not all her friends are horrible and you might meet some people
you really like.
Jackie: So, finally, back to Lindsay. What's her advice to people from different
countries coming to live in Britain for the first time?
Lindsay
I would say to be open-minded and to try and experience as much of the culture as possible.
If they just open their eyes and their minds to what these people have gone through and how
they live and how they've been brought up I think it gives you a deeper understanding of who
you are. Live the English way for a while!
Jackie: Good advice for anyone going to any foreign country – keep an open mind,
and try to live how they live!

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South African in London: BBC Learning English London Life

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BBC Learning English

Jackie: We're going to talk to Lindsay, from South Africa.

Lindsay introduces herself

London Life © BBC Learning English

BBC Learning English dot com

Novelty – something that's interesting because it's new.

Weekender © BBC Learning English

Weekender © BBC Learning English

Weekender © BBC Learning English

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