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Write a 300-500 word blog post describing your experience of differences in communication styles since coming to the UK. This could be related to language, culture or both. You can refer to theories or other texts but the majority of your writing should be a description of and reflection on your experiences. When you have finished, read and comment on the other posts. You may need to come back later in the week when more people have written their posts.

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I have found a lot of differences between the UK and Japan so far. One of them is a communication style. I personally think British people less hesitate to speak to people when they meet someone for the first time. They usually do not ignore people who make an eye contact, but greeting or even smiling, which I really like about the UK. Also, they are often joking. I see they like humor. Of course, Japanese are also joking, but not as much as British people. Moreover, I found the difference of apps used to communicate with others. In Japan, Instagram and Line are basically used, while people here use Instagram and What‘s Up, instead of Line. Since I started to use What’s Up, I have found that people who have used What’s Up type unique Emojis. For example, ××, meaning 🫶 or kissing in the UK, but it means “incorrect “in Japan. Very interesting! I would say they are very good at making conversation smooth. If someone is about to feel uncomfortable, they feel it and try to fix it somehow. Because this way of communication is similar to that of Japan, I can see how much British people try to read other‘s feelings. I can really relate to that!!

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A Typical Korean's Thoughts on the UK's Communication Style

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A Typical Korean's Thoughts on the UK's Communication Style

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I've noticed quite a few differences in communication between the UK and Korea. The UK is very indirect in how people speak and act, while Korea has a much more direct communication style. The most surprising difference was in restaurants. In Korea, it's common to raise your hand or call out to a server so that things can be handled quickly. However, in the UK, most people just make eye contact with a server to get them to come to the table. I heard that's just a typical UK attitude. But when the restaurant was busy, it was so hard to make eye contact that I had to wait for 20~30 minutes! It was really hard for me to control my hand from naturally going up. I also learned from my British friend that it's considered rude to ask someone their age when you first meet them in the UK. In Korea, since our language is divided into formal and informal speech, knowing someone's age immediately changes the way we speak to them. Because of this, it's very common to ask someone's age when you first meet them, as it helps us understand more about them. However, I appreciate the UK culture of not asking, as it shows consideration and respect for the other person. In Korea, I often feel that our way of questioning can be too aggressive and intrusive because we try to find out too much about the other person. While the table manner I experienced in the UK sometimes felt frustrating to me, I liked that the communication style prioritizes the other person over my own feelings and needs. Maybe because of this patient culture, I feel mind calm (kind of inner peace?) while I'm here in the UK. I am really looking forward to learning more about British culture!!

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Some Unique Points of British Communication Style

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Some Unique Points of British Communication Style

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Since arriving in Sheffield, I have found a lot of communication differences between the UK and Japan. When I used to go on a trip to some foreign countries, I would notice some differences but now since I am living here, I’ve gotten more!
One of my favorite unique points of communication styles here is smiling. When I came here, I was a bit panicked as I didn’t have any idea about how to greet someone who was passing by me. I was wondering whether I should try to avoid eye contact as people in Japan often do, or whether I should start a small talk about the weather or something. What happened to me in reality was people just smiled at me kindly in the roads, at supermarkets and the campus. I still feel a bit nervous when speaking to new people, but I realized smiling gives me a chance to show my kindness to someone and then to start a chat with them!
I think some points of how the British people communicate are different among generations. For example, in terms of speaking speed, students especially speak so fast that I just can catch only 50%.😅They also speak in a flat tone, so i give up taking hints from their tone. On the other hand, generally professors tend to speak more slowly and clearly so I always feel happy to be surrounded by the real British English, which I have always admired.
As for online communication, I have noticed that people here don’t seem to hesitate to send messages in a group chat. When I joined a new group of a  local volunteering team, I sent a message about how I felt on my first day and how happy I was to become a member. After that, I didn’t expect though, many members gave some warm and welcoming comments. I was so happy! In the case of Japan, it might depend on how close the people in a group are or how many people are there, but basically people tend not to want to send many messages and reply in a group chat. For instance, if someone suggests something in a group chat, the others would just push the reaction button instead of sending a reply message. It’s probably because Japanese people might try not to increase the number of notifications someone would get, or they might see group chats as public places in which particular members always send notifications and the others just read them, not actively respond to them.

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Culture difference and similarity in Everyday Communication

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Culture difference and similarity in Everyday Communication

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Since coming to the UK, I have noticed some big differences between communication here and in my home country, Japan. I used to think that Japanese people were very polite, but I was surprised to find that British culture is even more polite in daily life. For example, when I go to the supermarket, people always say “I’m sorry” when they pass by and “Thank you” after that.

I was also surprised that people in the UK are much friendlier than I expected. When I arrived at Manchester Airport, the trains had stopped, so I had to find a bus instead. Because it was my first time in the UK and I was tired after a long flight, I felt nervous, and my brain wasn’t working well.

As I stood at the station, several people came to talk to me, helped me carry my luggage, and even guided me to the right bus. One person asked the station staff about the bus schedule and waited with me until I got on. On the bus, an elderly couple started talking to me and kindly gave me some bread for brunch. I felt such a warm and kind atmosphere, which made me happy. During my first week in the UK, I was homesick and missed my family, friends, and Japanese food. However, thanks to the kindness of British people, I was able to stay positive and do my best.

On the other hand, I noticed that people in Japan rarely talk to strangers in public places such as trains or buses. Especially in big cities, everyone seems to be in a hurry and doesn’t pay attention to others. In contrast, people in the UK are more open and talkative.

At the same time, I also experienced the British indirect communication style. When I went to a café with my friends, a couple sitting next to us received the wrong order. They said, “Thank you” and smiled at the waitress, but later they quietly complained to each other. I realized that British people sometimes avoid direct confrontation, which reminded me of Japanese communication culture too.

Overall, this experience helped me understand that both Japan and the UK value politeness but express it in different ways. Living here has taught me how communication reflects culture, and I feel grateful to learn from both.

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When I arrived at Manchester Airport, I was in serious fatigue and nervousness, because I was alone abroad for the first time in my life. Then, perhaps from this exhaustion, I walked into a woman. “Sorry.” which spontaneously came out from y mouth was the first English word I spoke here. Thereupon she asked me if I was an exchange student with a calm smile. I felt bit bewildered, since it was not an ordinary behaviour in my country. With poor English, I told her that I was heading to the University of Sheffield, and she kindly respond as follows. “I know TUOS and it’s a nice uni. I wish this programme would be a great experience for you”. It was the moment when a ray of light shone into my loneliness. Using words like “nationality” is often dangerous. It would be very rude to evaluate someone with such biases and also narrow down our relationships. However, here I intentionally state that British people (or people in Yorkshire?) tend to be extroverted toward strangers. Of course this is relative tendency when compared to people in my homeland. Since I accidentally met the woman in the airport, it did not take a long time until I noticed that this tendency is not particular with her. On the day I arrived at my accommodation, I happened to share the elevator with a British student, and we immediately exchanged Instagram accounts. The following day, when I went out shopping, I found the supermarket closed. However, a passerby kindly told me on which days the store would be open and even recommended a few other places to shop. There is also a British classmate with whom I ended up having an animated conversation about anime, simply because we happened to be seated near each other in class. Merely in a month, I have had countless such experiences which would be quite rare in my home country. To be honest, I still have a certain fear. It’s the fear that stems from a kind of collective action problem. Namely, they are kind of fear that if I speak to someone, they might ignore me or respond coldly.But in this country, in most cases, that fear is probably unfounded. When I met the woman at the airport, I don’t think I managed to smile naturally. But from now on, I’d like to gradually embrace a bit more of the British attitude.

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What an Exchange Student Can Say About British Communication

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What an Exchange Student Can Say About British Communication

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(Subtitle:) A Polish-Belgian Student’s Struggle to Understand How British Communicate

As a Polish student studying and living in Belgium for half of my life, I already had to adapt to a different culture. But moving abroad to the UK opened a gate I didn’t know existed. The culture here is so different compared to what I am used to. It made me realize how similar Belgium and Poland are to each other. People there are far more direct with their needs and wants, unlike here where people will try their hardest to NOT say what they need. Instead, they often expect you to guess. This can be frustrating, especially when you just want to hang out with a new friend, but instead of simply saying “I can’t”, they’ll find all sorts of polite excuses, you know, the weather, the time, or something else entirely.

However, I’ve noticed that people love to overshare here. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing. In my first week abroad, I went to a store to buy an umbrella. It was a rainy day and the lady at the checkout desk started to ramble to me about the rain and the umbrellas and how her shoes were all wet from that morning. I found it very sweet and I had a nice conversation with her. In Belgium, all I would get would be a ‘good morning’ and ‘goodbye’. It was really nice to complain together about the rain and find something in common even with a stranger I won’t see again.

What baffles me the most though, is how nice everyone is to each other. The greetings heard on the street, the greetings to the bus driver, a ‘thank you’ when you get out. And it truly doesn’t sound fake. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a word from a bus driver in Belgium. They are always silent there. Brits also love to joke around. I find their jokes hilarious and love hearing a few jokes thrown around in the grocery store. The British are incredibly talkative compared to what I’m used to, but honestly, I like it. Talking to strangers makes me happy, and I feel genuinely good being around the British.

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Is my birthday the day when Santa Claus comes?

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Is my birthday the day when Santa Claus comes?

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I was going to learn about foreign cultures, but I didn't expect that the most surprising thing that I learned was about Santa Claus.

When I went to a birthday party of my friend, we talked about the date of our birthdays. My birthday is 6th December, so I talked about that to friends. Then, one of the participants from Hungary said, 'Then your birthday is the day when Santa Claus comes!'. When I heard about that, it didn't make any sense at all to me. For me, Santa Claus only comes on the night of 24th December. So at first, I thought that my listening ability in English was terrible and heard it wrong.

Then, when I asked her about it again, I could understand what was going on. She told me that St. Nicholas brings small gifts to children on 6th December in Hungary. In European countries such as Hungary and Germany, this day is called St. Nicholas Day, when Santa Claus comes. Also, on 25th December, people celebrate Christmas in a different way, often focusing on family, food, and religion. It was the biggest surprise because Santa Claus always comes on the night of 24th December in Japan.

This misunderstanding made me notice the importance of cultures in the context of communication. At first, I thought that the misunderstanding had happened due to my lack of listening ability, but the reason was the difference in culture, in fact. Since then, I have recognized that communication can be made not only by the ability of languages, but also by the curiosity and the understanding of cultures. So, when I talk with friends who are not from Japan, I make it a rule to ask about their cultures.

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When I first arrived in the UK, I thought my English was quite good. I had studied it for years and could understand films and TV shows easily. However, once I started talking to real British people, I realised that communication is not just about grammar or vocabulary, but about understanding how people use the language in everyday life.

My first communication problem happened in a small café in Sheffield. I ordered a coffee, and the barista asked, “You all right”? I replied, yes, I’m fine, thank you. Are you okay?” She smiled but looked a little confused. Later, I discovered that “You all right?” in British English is not really a question about how you feel, it’s just another way of saying “Hello”. I had taken it too literally!

This small misunderstanding made me think about cultural differences in communication. According to Hall’s theory of high-context and low-context cultures, people in the UK often use indirect language to sound polite, while in my country Spain, we tend to be more direct and expressive. What sounds polite in Britain might seem distant to Spaniard.

Another challenge was understanding British humour. People often use understatement or irony, which can be confusing. When someone says, “Not bad”, it often means “very good”! I used to think they were unimpressed.

Over time, I’ve learned that communicating well means more than speaking correctly it’s about interpreting meaning and adapting to cultural norms. Now, I pay attention to tone, body language, and context, and I feel much more confident speaking English.

The first café moment taught me an important lesson: learning a language is not only about words, but about connecting with people in their own way.

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Adjusting to Communication Styles in the UK

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Adjusting to Communication Styles in the UK

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Since coming to the UK, I have noticed several differences in communication styles compared to Japan. One of the first things that surprised me was how often strangers talk to me in public. For example, when I was walking in the city, a stranger casually said, “Your jeans are nice.” In Japan, this kind of small talk almost never happens unless you come across your friends. I come from a culture where we are usually cautious about unexpected conversations, because we are taught to avoid trouble or stay safe. It might take me some time to feel completely comfortable with this open style of communication. At the same time, I want to be able to reply more naturally and enjoy these short conversations instead of just smiling and walking away.

Another big difference I noticed is in the classroom. In lectures at the University of Sheffield, students ask questions without hesitation, even during the teacher’s explanation. The distance between teachers and students feels closer than in Japan. Many students call their teachers by their first names and speak with confidence. In Japan, students often stay silent because they worry about taking up other people’s time or feel embarrassed to speak in front of others. I realised that students in the UK seem to value active participation more than waiting quietly.

My English speaking ability also affects how I communicate. Even when I have an opinion, I sometimes cannot express it quickly enough. While I am still thinking of the right words, the topic moves on. I feel a bit frustrated, not only because of my language skills but also because I am not yet used to the cultural expectation of responding immediately. I hope that as I get more familiar with this communication style, I will be able to join discussions more confidently.

I also noticed differences in communication on social media. On platforms like WhatsApp or Instagram, many British people use shortened expressions such as “IMAO” or “idk,” and some of them are not common in Japan. I often have to search online to understand these words. It made me realise that understanding digital slang is necessary for me to communicate in the UK.

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Communication Differences Between British and Japanese

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Communication Differences Between British and Japanese

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Since coming to the UK to study, I have noticed many interesting differences in how people communicate. In particular, the way people interact face-to-face reflects clear cultural contrasts.
In Japan, it was not very common to bring new people to small gatherings, and usually everyone already knows each other. However, in the UK, when I go out for drinks with my friends, they often invite their other friends to join. The group gradually becomes bigger, and it’s easy to meet new people naturally. At first, I was quite surprised, but now I really enjoy this culture where social circles expand so easily.

On the other hand, there are also differences in online communication. One of the first things that surprised me was the difference in social media apps people use. In Japan, most people use LINE and Instagram, while in the UK, WhatsApp and Instagram are more common. Although Instagram is popular in both countries, the fact that the main messaging app is completely different was unexpected. I didn’t even have WhatsApp at first, so I had to download it right away to keep in touch with my new friends.

There are also differences in the way people write messages. My British friends often use abbreviations like “rly” for “really” and “u” for “you.” Besides. they use emoticons such as “:)” or “;;.” In Japan, we use kaomoji like “(> <)” or “(^^),” which are more expressive and look quite different. At first, I thought British-style emoticons were some kind of code.

Through these experiences, I’ve realized that communication truly reflects culture. Even small things, such as the apps people use, the way they type, or how they socialize, shows how people are connected in different ways. By adapting to these differences, I hope to understand British culture more deeply and become more open-minded. I’m looking forward to having more communication with people here in the UK.

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When I arrived in the UK, I had to run some errands for my room. I met some nice exchange students, I went with them on a trip to ikea. On the way back home, we ordered an uber. The uber driver asked us a lot of questions. Then he talked so much on different topics. My friends and I did not understand the subject. We just nodded our heads the entire time, hoping it was not a question to us. I am not sure if it was his accent or the speed of his voice.

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I am kind of a person who believes that people are people, no matter where I go. Of course I wasn’t nervous - making friends and living life cannot be all that different - when I first came to UK. Once I started living here, I realized things were quite different from Korea. Language was obviously one of the outliers in my expectation - I surely was not ready for real life British English. But putting that aside, biggest difference that I observed here is about where the politeness stems from. Both countries, Korea and UK, value politeness and respect toward others. As both are a kind of countries who would take ‘rude’ as absolute insult, two cultures pose a cultural importance on showing respect through words and actions.

In Korea, foundation of this whole ‘politeness culture’ is based on age and hierarchy from it. There are different words and expression to call an older person to be respectful. That is why one of the very first questions Korean ask when meeting someone new is “How old are you?” Knowing someone’s age helps you choose the appropriate speech, title, and was to interact. So this question isn’t just curiosity - it is a polite way to approach to a new person and a friendly gesture.

In Uk, however, politeness comes from respecting personal space - not only physical space, but also the space of thoughts. For example, in class, even when someone disagrees, they’ll say “I see it a bit differently” rather than “it’s wrong”. People also say “sorry” on a daily basis, in so many situations. At first, I found it surprising because in Korea, “sorry” is for situations that you did something wrong. But now, I’ve become that person who says “sorry” twice while trying to pass someone in the aisle of Lidl.

The cultural difference on politeness was definitely a part of UK that I needed to adapt to. But as someone who never liked excessive curiosity from strangers, I’ve come to appreciate this culture where a certain level of distance can itself be a form of being polite. The ways are different but I guess the heart behind is same - to be polite to each other.

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One of the most enjoyable things in the UK is spending time with my flatmates on Friday at our flat dining room. My flatmates are all from the UK, so I have been learning a lot about British communication from them. While I sometimes found their communication as I learned in the lecture, I also saw interesting ways of communication that I hadn't expected. As we learned in the lecture, British people don’t say honest opinions if it might bother others. I think that is true. Whatever I say, they agree with me and respond positively. I guess they sometimes have complaints about me (and that’s really normal!!), but they have never told me any complaints. I really want them to be honest if they have anything they wanna tell me. Still, this kind of indirectness is very common in my country, Japan, and I also did the same thing before(;^_^), so I really get that! And, I know they are just kind enough to make sure I can join conversations, which I really appreciate‼

The most outstanding difference of communication is even though someone is talking , they start to speak once they get something they wanna say. In Japan, people tend to  feel uncomfortable when their speaking is interrupted by others. So, that was quite an interesting experience to see people talking at the same time, which is actually very difficult to catch everything. Also, as we learned in the lecture, they, even young people, really like humor. In Japan, I feel like older people tend to be humorous. But, here, I hear humorous conversation every single day from every British person. For example, my flatmates said “the food called British food usually comes from different countries, well basically we are really good at taking something from someone”　Looking back, that was quite a dark humor. Because I haven’t gotten used to it, I often missed them, which makes me again feel disappointed and sorry for them that I couldn’t respond to them. I hope I can respond to it very smoothly with humor someday(*˘︶˘人).  Some readers may notice the Emoji I use in this blog. In Japan, we tend to use Emoji. But, I have never seen these Emoji here. Sometimes, they use ×× or :), but there seems to be less variety, which makes me realize how much Japan has Emoji culture.

Well, these are just a few of what I have found here so far– but isn't it fascinating?(^^)!

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My point of view as an exchange student of the British people 

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My point of view as an exchange student of the British people 

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The moment I have arrived here in Sheffield, I found out that communication is a little bit different than in France. Indeed here, people generally speak in a formal way whereas in France it's less commun. The thing that really surprised me was how gentle and welcoming British people are. I was use to get pushed when being in the train to go to Paris (since some of my friends live nearby) but here, people are taking their time, not really in a hurry which fits perfectly with my personality. The public transports are also way cleaner than the ones we got in France. I spent a weed in London before coming up to Sheffield to spend some times with my aunt and my cousins. That was one of the first thing I have noticed. They told me that it was a chock for them as well when they came to visit Paris. Here, I feel safe and well surrounded.

Another surprise was the closure time of the supermarkets and shops in general. Everything here close earlier than in France which surprises me at first. You have to get used to. I have discovered some British food as well and I have to admit, overall it's not good looking but the taste is pretty good. As they say, never judge a book by its cover !

Right now, another slight difference between France and England that I have noticed is the importance of Halloween. It's a famous event, even in France we used to celebrate it properly but I'm wondering if the older I get the less people are celebrating it in my home country. So i'm pretty much excited to buy my costume to celebrate it with my friends here as I shouldn't be able to do so in France unfortunately.

Overall, I'm so happy to be living here, even if it is only for a semester I have already learned a lot from the British culture. I will keep exploring new areas around, as I have planned to visit the city of York, Peak District and to go to Scotland.

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When “How are you?” Made Me Confused in the UK

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When “How are you?” Made Me Confused in the UK

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Since I came to the UK, I have many small problems about communication. I knew there will be language barrier, but I didn’t think simple greeting can also be difficult. The first time someone said “Hi, how are you?” to me, I thought they really want to know my condition. So I answered honestly, “I’m a little tired because I have many homework.” But the person already said “Good!” and walked away. I was so confused and a bit embarrassed.

After that, my British friend told me that “How are you?” is just a greeting and not a real question. It was surprising for me because in Japan, we don’t ask “How are you?” to people we don’t know well. We usually just say “Hello” or “Good morning.”

This small event made me think about cultural communication differences. In our class, we studied about high-context and low-context culture. At first, I thought Japan is high-context and UK is low-context. But in class, the teacher said British people also can be high-context because they use many indirect words or polite phrases, and we need to understand the meaning behind them. I realized it’s not always simple.

For example, when British people say “Maybe you could do this,” it sometimes means “Please do this.” But when Japanese say “Maybe,” it really means “I’m not sure.” These indirect expressions made me sometimes confused.

Also, I feel difference in using silence. In Japan, silence is normal and comfortable. It can show respect or thinking. But in the UK, silence sometimes feels awkward. When I stay quiet, people may think I’m shy or not interested. So now I try to speak more small talk, even I’m not so confident in English.

Through these experiences, I started to understand that communication is not only language. It’s also about culture, habit, and how people show kindness. Even when I make mistake, people are friendly and try to understand me, so I feel less scared to talk now.

I still answer “How are you?” too seriously sometimes, but I can laugh about it. These misunderstandings help me to learn not only English, but also how to connect with people in a different culture.

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Three Weeks in the UK: What I Learned About Communication

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Three Weeks in the UK: What I Learned About Communication

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Since I came to UK, I have noticed many interesting differences between how British and Korean people communicate. The way they speak, the words they choose, and even how they text online can be quite different.

The first big difference that I've noticed is how indirect British people are when they speak. In Korea, when we ask for help, we usually ask direct like 'Can you do this for me?'. But, in the UK, I have heard a lot of people say like 'Would you mind doing this?' or 'Is it okay if you do this for me?'. I think they try to respect the other person's opinion and give them a choice. This way of speaking can make the conversation more softer.

But interestingly, sometimes British people seem more direct than Koreans. Especially, when they call everyone by their names. It seems completely normal. However, in Korea, calling senior people by their names (without titles such as teacher) can be disrespectful and rude. We usually use titles instead, like 'teacher', 'uncle', 'aunt', depending on the relationship. I have always called my teachers 'seonsaengnim' which means teacher, so saying their names is quite guilty for me. I'm slowly getting used to it, but it still feels strange.

Last one is how people communicate online. The way British people text is much more simple than the one of Korean do. In Korea, we often use expression like 'ㅋㅋ' to show laughter, 'ㅠㅠ' to show sadness, ';;' when we feel awkward. We also use a lot of emojis and stickers when chatting with friends. But in The UK, people usually send plain text without emojis. At first, I felt strange because their messages looks so serious. Later, I realized that this is just the normal British way.

I've only been living here for about three weeks, so it's not easy to fully understand culture yet. But as I spend more time here, I think I'll be able to understand their way of communicating better. I'm looking forward to learning more about the culture.

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Studying in the UK has been one of the most valuable experiences of my life, but it has also come with many challenges. When I first arrived, everything felt unfamiliar—the language, the weather, and even the way people interacted. Although I had studied English for years, understanding native speakers in real conversations was much harder than I expected. People spoke quickly, used many slang expressions, and sometimes had strong regional accents.

Another major challenge was adapting to a different style of education. In Japan, I was used to memorizing information and preparing for exams. However, in the UK, students are encouraged to express their opinions, ask questions, and think critically. At first, I was afraid of speaking up because I didn’t want to say something wrong. But now, I realized that teachers valued effort and independent thinking more than perfection. This change in mindset helped me grow both academically and personally