The moment you get off the plane and set foot on royal soil, you feel that no one cares. Coming from a highly judgmental country, I sort of did care. Why would someone wear a dress and sandals in the middle of winter, or flats in the rain, or why a man has a french manicure and engagement ring..?! Rather than admiring the architecture, fashion and famous touristic locations as I did during my first visit, the second time around I was free to observe the city from a different perspective. With the integration of so many cultures at it's peak, an hour long metro ride from Heathrow Station Terminal 4 on the Piccadilly Line will have you seeing and hearing colors and sounds, most of which your eyes and ears aren't acquainted to. People rush from one platform to the other, up and down the underground escalators, always keeping right and minding the gap between the train and the platform.
The London Underground transports 1.1 billion people around London each year, hence represents the best place to publicize and advertise. The Mayor of London along with Transport for London have made it their practice to cover the Underground walls with posters with messages for their Londoners. During my stay, they had a campaign - Poetiquette, picturing a series of poems written by London poets. The posters with depicted situations passengers have found themselves in many times, not only elicit a smile but reinforce social norms that this (and every other society for that matter) should adhere to.
The Westerners have a different way of socializing. They have these "go to" rhetoric questions that they use as greetings or throw into those silent moments during conversation. My friend Adi, an English man, keeps asking me during our meetings, "Ivana, are you ok?". The first time he asked this, I answered apprehensively, "Yes... Why??". "Oh, just asking". While he was "just asking", I had a nervous breakdown thinking my makeup must be running down my face or that I obviously didn't put enough of it on. I wasn't used to someone asking about my state of mind and automatically assumed there must be something physically wrong with me.
Crossing the streets in London sort of takes you back to your childhood. To the time your parents taught you how to cross the street. Tourists are left to battle with what they've learned and been implementing since they stood independently on their own two feet. To avoid accidents, the clever Brit's left reminders for pedestrians on each crossing. My brain tells me to look right because that's the direction traffic will be coming from, just like it has been for the past 26 years, but the message on the road states the opposite. You get this adrenaline rush each time you approach an intersection!
So to recap, what I meant by "no one cares" is that in London, people don't care how you present yourself. They do care, however, about ones well being and social etiquette.
Remember how freeing and empowering it was to sing, "I don't care!" to the Icona Pop song? Remember those words the next time you want to take a Viktor & Rolf runway look to the streets - or when your boyfriend decides to buy himself a colorful butterfly covered t-shirt :)
Remember how freeing and empowering it was to sing, "I don't care!" to the Icona Pop song? Remember those words the next time you want to take a Viktor & Rolf runway look to the streets - or when your boyfriend decides to buy himself a colorful butterfly covered t-shirt :)
On the plane ride home, I realized I won't be changing my current address. I love the idea of living in a multiethnic, multicultural environment but don't feel the need to share it with 13,709,000 others. I like my space and appreciate what a smaller town or city have to offer. The Balkan mentality is partially coded in my genes and I use it to my favor. But this does not make me ignorant to the fact that we can learn from our thriving neighbors (yes yes, this can even be applied to the person living next door to you). Apart from increasing our retail prices - I suggest we all simply be nice and do our own thing. This will make our communities vibrant, positive and progressive!
P.S. Take a look at some photos shot on film in 2009...