"BREAKING THE ICE" IN BRITAIN

Whai is the most difficult thing for an overseas student in Britain? many will say that it is "breaking the ice" with British people. Unlike Americans who are open and friendly, British are reserved. They are quiet people, don't like intruding on another person's personal space, and value privacy very much. They are not very 'generous' with their smiles . in Indonesia, friendliness is expressed by smile. you are always surronded by people who do not hesitate to give you big smiles . Yet, there are some topics that can almost guarantee success in opening a conversation with British people. One common topic is talking the weather. If you say, "it's freezing (very cold) outside." followed by "winter came too early this year," this usually elicit at least a smile from another person. You may hear, "what is the weather like in your country?" to which you can reply,"Always warm and sunny". The British are often envious of people who come from place with pleasant wether. When the sun does actually apear, people are tempted to stay outside. they use the fine wether as an excuse to abandon their work. "It's too nice to stay inside" is the typical explanation. Football (soccer) and Cricket are very popular in Britain and these are popular conversation topics. these are always planty of things to say about these sports concerning the teams, players, and matches. Reserved as they say seem, the British are very hospitable. when you buy them a drink, they will insist on playing for the next. Making a friend or friends among British people during the first week is usually imposible. You need time to understand what they are saying. They don't speak with standard pronunciation. While we, Indonesians and other foreigners have usually trained our ears (listening comprehension) to understend pronunciation.