By anishag22
Tomorrow marks my one month since arriving in England. As I'm finally starting to settle into more of a routine with my classes, I thought I would discuss one particular class that keeps me thinking about US/UK cultural differences every time I leave. My intro-level class called "Sacred Scripture and Popular Culture" examines the relationship and intersection between religion and pop culture, and it couldn't be more interesting. We've already watched clips from films like "The Passion of the Christ" and "Ben-Hur," but what I find most intriguing about this class is the fact that almost every single pop culture reference is American. And surprisingly, my British peers seem to be familiar with all of it.
It's hard to explain how it feels to be the only American in the classroom as the professor makes comments like, "In America, gun control is a big issue.." or "How many of you have American friends on Facebook?" The fact of the matter is that American pop culture is British pop culture, and I never realized that before coming to England. As I sit in that class, I feel like some sort of expert on American pop culture topics (and yes, the professor has consulted me about various topics mid-lecture).
In my time in Bristol, I've realized that American pop culture has not only "hopped across the pond," but has truly become another facet of British culture. Every movie that my British flatmates watch when we're hanging out is American. Their favorite singer? Likely Beyonce or Katy Perry. Several times, I have thought to myself: "British pop culture is non-existent." To be honest, these copious American pop culture references have made me feel more patriotic and American than I've ever felt in my life.
It will be interesting to trace my personal journey and American self-identification through the course of this particular class. I wonder if, by June, I'll feel differently about British pop culture. In the meantime, I'm enjoying learning more about England through not only cultural differences, but similarities.
Until next time -
Xx, Anisha