Becoming British

Yesterday, I actually caught myself humming the British national anthem. Probably because I sang it for the first time ever last week.
It made me wonder, though, what the Brits are going to sing when Prince William (let's face it Prince Charles will never become king) will be king. "God save our gracious King"? If you know the answer to this question and also how they are going to change all pound notes and coins, please let me know.

But I actually wanted to talk about the reason why I sang the British national anthem. My Canadian friend Miranda (name changed by editor) could apply for the British citizenship since she has lived X amount of years in the UK and last week the official ceremony took place.
How exciting, right? That's what I thought and came along.

During the ceremony you have to make an oath of allegiance (or you can make an affirmation if you prefer not to swear by God) and a pledge:

On the UK Border Agency website they say:
"You may wish to practise saying the oath or affirmation, and the pledge, before you attend the ceremony."
It's just one sentence, but it might be particularly difficult, if you don't actually speak English. Why would someone who just becomes British not speak English, you might ask? In fact, I did. Especially after my American friend Sam (name changed by editor, because I'm such a professional) had to leave the country a few weeks ago despite having a job, a flat, and friends here as well as being fluent in English.

I still can't really answer that question, but I guess there are other ways to become British. Miranda met a guy who used to work with her a few years ago. He was there with a lady who used to live next to their workplace. Guess what? They are married now. Guess for how long? 3 years. Ummm, interesting!

So, there are multiple ways of getting to attend this ceremony. After a couple of speeches, where I learnt that being British is "a blessing and a privilege", and the oath and pledge, the newly British citizens received their certificate and their welcome pack which included a commemorative gift (which was a not very exciting looking pen in this particular case). We then sang the national anthem and the participants could take pictures with the local speaker and of course the Queen:

It was an interesting experience and it made me wonder how the ceremony for becoming German might look like. Any suggestions?

Afternoon Tea

My favourite activity at the moment on a lazy Sunday afternoon is having Afternoon Tea. If you are not British, you might think Afternoon Tea is just having a cup of tea and eating a piece of cake. No, no, no! Afternoon Tea is a ceremony, it's like having a picnic indoors.

The ritual of afternoon tea dates back to Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford. In the early 1800s, it was common to have only two main meals per day - breakfast and dinner. Weakened and irritated by a feeling of hunger each day, the young woman decided to schedule time to take tea and a snack in the afternoon.

What the British understand by "snack" nowadays are tiny sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and strawberry preserve (jam), and pastries and cupcakes. It looks and tastes delightful!

I can highly recommend Afternoon Tea at the Tate Modern. It's only £4.75 and you get two scones and a pot of tea. Plus, you can stroll through the Tate before and afterwards. 

If you want a more playful and stylish atmosphere, go to Sketch: http://www.sketch.uk.com/
You can have 3 scones, 2 different jams, and a pot of tea of your choice for only £10.50. Bargain!

If you like it even more playful and stylish and you are a bit of a fashionista, you shouldn't miss out on the Berkeley London designer afternoon tea. Their Prêt-à-Portea (love it!) is inspired by the themes and colours of the fashion world. The menu is transformed every six months to follow the changing seasons in fashion. The current Autumn/ Winter 2012 collection sees "designers such as Manolo Blahnik, Yves Saint Laurent and Marc Jacobs grace the Berkeley's tea stand as Prêt-à-Portea adds a creative twist to the classic elements of the traditional English afternoon tea with cakes and pastries resembling the latest catwalk designs for the style conscious": http://www.the-berkeley.co.uk/fashion-afternoon-tea/

Carrie Bradshaw would be in heaven!
But what would Mr. Big do meanwhile? Well, he could enjoy the Gentleman's Afternoon Tea at Sanctum Soho Hotel. Head Chef Lisa Sutherland has created a sumptuous Gentleman's Afternoon Tea menu with ingredients such as Poached Oyster, Lamb Hotpot, Seared Steak, Smoked Salmon served with Jack Daniels and a cigar: http://www.afternoontea.co.uk/

Warning: Please don't blame me for inevitable weight gain!