"Y'all come on over!"

[winterbadger]

A recent posting on one of the US-UK communities I read came from an American going to study in Cambridge for an advanced degree who was sort of panicking at the last minute--about having never actually visited Cambridge and quitting his/her job to go to grad school--and needed reassurance. One of the replies read

"Dont forget that Cambridge is actually full of Americans, as the main USAF bases are about 40mins down the A14. Myself and my husband used to visit Cambridge all the time. Some great places to hang out there, and Chili's is right next to the main shopping centre lol. You'll have a great time! Relax"

Now, I'm sure that was terribly well meant, but it did cause a considerable shudder when I read it. Even though the original poster was sounding a bit nervous about making a big change and starting to accumulate massive debt, I can't imagine the thought of being inundated with American service personnel and the news that there is a Chili's nearby was really the sort of reassurance that a scholarly Anglophile was looking for.

But then, I know I'm a snob. Chacun a son gout.

Comments

[silme.livejournal.com]

There is a Chilis at the Grafton Centre -- a shopping mall on the outskirts of the centre city proper of Cambridge. *sigh* I've never been in it, though, in neither the Chilis nor the Grafton Centre. Trust me, there are enough good eateries and other shops in Cambridge proper. But then I despise shopping malls in any country. :) (The last time I was in Cambridge proper, earlier this month, I had lunch at the street market -- Thai noodles with chicken and veg cooked for me. :)

We actually did go to a TGiF in the Southampton area once simply because it was all that was available. And it was awful. I was reminded of how awful that chain can be that day. :(

There are several large US bases in the Cambridge area; I have SCA friends who work there, either in the US military or for the US military. The sad thing is that a lot of the folk working there rarely leave base. Those who live on base often don't leave it. They're paid in US dollars, not in pounds, so they complain about it when they have to shop 'on the economy', as they term it, since the dollar is so worthless compared to the pound. They do grocery shopping on base. There's a Target-style shop on base. There's a book store. There's a cinema. A rec/sports centre. Etc. It's a treat for me when my friend who teaches up there signs me on base; she's able to pick up US goods for me every now and then. But it's mindblowing to realise that so many people there never leave that Little America.

Even my friend, who merely teaches there and lives off base, rarely goes into Cambridge even though she only lives 15 miles away. She does her shopping, eating out, etc. on base. We went to an exhibit at the Fitzwilliam in Cambridge last December. She'd lived there for 1-1/2 years then, and it was only her second visit to Cambridge. I'd been there more often even though I'm three hours away; I knew my way around better! It was really weird.

I think I found a soapbox... ;)

[carolinab.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's so sad. I always just skim over the visa questions as there are so many of them and they don't apply to me! My friend's husband was stationed in the UK and they hated that there were no non-Americanized restaurants on the base. It's a very insular little community there, I guess.

[peaceful-fox.livejournal.com]

Gaaaah. I'm with you on that. I have American friends here but I also seek out natives to do thing with and native places to go/eat. But that wasn't even the point of this person's anxiety. A town full of Americans isn't the answer. ;-)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hedgewytch_/]

no I agree with you.
Bless him though - sounds like hes never been away from his home town
he will be fine xxx