Saw university and was very impressed, much grander than i was expecting i think i will be very happy there though courses dont restart till 25 th but gives me time to realy settle in and look at set projects. Finished rrading Planet of the Apes yesterday and was annoyed that i was still suprised by the ending as it is different from the film. I considered how it related to my expereince in a new culture. I was got an email from a student at NSAD asking about cultural identity which i took some time over so ill thought id post it here

English; In a world so obsessed with being politically correct England has lost any cultural identity in one way but simaltaneously we have become much more multi cultural. There is no longer a stereotypical 'English' even the monarchy arent english, english. I guess when forced to give my perception of what a English person is and this is under obligation, i would have to say White middle class person, perhaps because of my own up bringing thus assosciating myself as English both hereditory and geographically. Loooking at English cultural Identity in the thrid person ie as someone from Lisbon i would have to say we as a nation must come across ignorant, every other nationality person i have met has had to talk to me in English i gues a lot of that is down to the British colonial period and has just stuck every other nation must bow to our demands. All that said i am immensely proud of my English nationality, it was only the other day when i was in London looking at the Archecture; The Natural History Museum, V&A Tower of London etc and was in awe and felt proud of Englands great achievements, in all areas. You can take the boy out of England but you wont take England out of the boy.

Scottish; I have much less to say about Scottish as for one i have never been there. My preconceptions are unhealthy diet, love to deep fry anything they can, aggresive and very patriotic. The last point being the most interesting, im not sure why i say that but i get the impression they are indeed very proud perhaps its the bagpiper dressed up in his national costume, the kilt which best sums up this thought.

Welsh; I believe their cultural identity to be largely assosciatted with agriculture particularly of the sheep kind. I think its other parts of the British Isles feels the need to patronise the Welsh. There is something very humble almost twee abouth the Welsh that means you have to love them.

Irish; Ill have to be careful here as Jo is here and being partly Irish ill hold my tongue. As with the Scottish i think there is much more patriotism with the Irishthan with the English in fact i think all the other British Isles are more proud of their country but i think that its a a feel of inferiority to the English that has created it, ill probably be despised for saying that. I think Ireland comes across very traditional, that it has always has been and always will be the same. I think Ireland is always shown in a bad light because of the fighting but that at the core they are very moralled.

British; I dont really think Britain really exist anymore and if it does it no Longer 'great' Britain enjoy the pun. Instead its just a collection of the different isles. I guess people would percieve Britain as an all powereful land due to its past.

Its alway good to consider things.

I miss my own kitchen but i hope once i settle in more ill start cooking again. I spoke to a girl here about cooking and its relationship with art and is a thought id like to return to. Speaking of food had lunch at school canteen, it was great value for money 2 euros pronounced aeros for a massive lunch which is reassuring. Everything is so cheap over here, im going to live like a King over here and my exchange partner is going to find everything so expensive.

I had an after thought for the cultural identity, I considered how perculier it is having a Portuguese Italien meal or Portuguese Indian, im not sure why i found it so disconcerting. I was also shocked by the amount of shops which are the same here; H and M, Subway, MacDonalds of course, and how such shops represent how the world is getting smaller and how large companies are capitalising the world.