Life in Britain and in the USA

1) Great Britain

The British are very polite and have good manners - they are never tired of saying „Thank you“, „I am sorry,“ or „Excuse me.“ They like spending their leisure time at home with the family and pets in their houses. They have good table manners. They enjoy their breakfasts and most of all the traditional tea around 4 or 5 o'clock.

The normal working week has five days. Factory workers usually start at 8 a. m. and offices, shops and schools open at 9 a. m. Workers have 3 weeks holidays and professional workers (people with higher education) have usually longer holidays (a month and more). Except of these holidays they have public holidays: e.g. New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas day and Boxing day.

An average Englishman likes to live in his own house. Houses are made of red bricks, stone and wood. The houses usually have from 4 to 6 rooms, two floors, small front and back gardens. On the ground floor there is a hall, a kitchen, a living room with a fireplace and on the first floor there are parents' and children's bedrooms and a bathroom. The prices of houses depend on the area - the most expensive are the houses in London and South England (about 200.000 pounds), smaller houses in other areas may cost about 50.000 pounds.

Social Welfare - The national Health Service gives largely free treatment for everyone living in Britain. People can choose their family doctors. In case of emergency you can call the ambulance by dialling 999 from everywhere. Health centres are run by local authorities. About 7 per cent of hospitals, dentists and family doctors work as private.

There are about 130 daily and Sunday newspapers and a lot of weekly papers and magazines. The oldest newspaper is The Times. Other famous newspapers are Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Financial Times etc.

Holidays and anniversaries in Great Britain

New Year's day - January the 1^st - titles and decoration are conferred by the queen, It usually takes place on the Trafalgar square

St. Valentine's day - February the 14^th - a lovers feast. Young people send Valentine cards, usually without their sign and exchange gifts. The day was named after one clergy man who was executed

St. David's day - March the 1^st the patron saint of Wales

St. Patrick's day - March the 17^th the patron saint of Ireland. People often wear shamrock on that day, because it is the symbol of Ireland

All Fools day - April the 1^st , it is named after the custom of playing parricidal jokes and tricks on people and you can shout “April fool!”

Easter - is celebrated as in the whole Europe. Easter eggs, dyed and decorated or made of confectionery symbolising new life are given as presents

May day - is celebrated with dancing around Maypoles, the political parties of the left hold processions and public meetings

Mothers day - 2^nd Sunday in May

The mid-summer's day June 24^th ,there is sunrise ceremony at Stonehenge. Somewhere the midsummer fires are lit as pre -Christian times when this ritual was performed to give strength to the sun and drive out the devil

Official birthday - In June the Queen's official birthday is celebrated. It is a great ceremony with a parade of the Queen's guards and soldiers and ceremony of Trooping the colour at the gorse guards parade in London

Halloween - in Britain is celebrated only in the North of England and Scotland, but is generally celebrated in the USA and Canada. Children dress up in Halloween costumes of ghosts, witches, wizards etc. they go to the neighbours houses and they say to the people “Trick or treat.” The children are given the sweets, fruit or money. the most common trick is soaping the windows. People make a lantern from a scraped pumpkin with eyes, nose and mouth. Then a candle is lit inside.

Guy Fawkes Night - on November 5^th , ther was the unsuccessful plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 - it's called the Gunpowder plot - the consecrations were executed. It is celebrated with bonfires, fireworks and the burning of guys

St. Andrew's day - November 30^th, the patron saint of Scotland

Christmas - 25^th December, is family holiday in Britain

Boxing day - 26^th In the past apprentices and tradesmen collected money in boxes on that day. During Christmas time people sing carols and songs

2) The USA

The majority of population works now in some service profession (in business, at schools, in hospitals). 25 per cent of jobs are in manufacturing and construction and only 5 per cent of jobs are in agriculture, fishing and mining. E. g. Physicians and dentists are paid very well - about 100.000 USD yearly.

Housing - over 80 per cent of the population live in the cities. There are more than two hundred of metropolitan regions now. Some are so large that they have begun to merge together. This new urban network is called "megalopolis". The largest of these covers the area on the Atlantic coast from Boston, through New York south to Washington, D.C.

Social Welfare - the majority of Americans are neither rich nor poor. They belong to the economic category called "middle class". They usually pay insurance and there are many kinds of it. Other benefits for working people are provided by the companies they work for. There are also many government programmes which help people in need.

The Wall Street Journal, Daily News, USA today etc.

TV works on four major networks: CBN, NBC, ABC and CNN

Sport is very popular there. A long tradition is in school sports clubs - at high schools and colleges.

Important holidays in USA

St. Patrick's day - 17^th March, originally it was an Irish holiday. St Patrick is the patron of the Irish people. On this day everywhere is green colour. The symbol of the day is shamrock.

Easter - many homes organise “Easter egg hunt” - also the president

Memorial day - It is celebrated 4^th Monday in May. The American honour the dead of all wars

Independence day 4^th July, the birthday of the USA. typical of this day is the atmosphere and enjoyment, there are family beach party and the fireworks at night

Columbus Day - 2^nd Monday in October, This day commemorates Columbus landing in the New World

Veteran's day - November 11^th

Thanksgiving day - every 4^th Thursday in November. It is a family holiday

Valentine's day - the same in Britain

Halloween - the same in Britain

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