LAL Torbay Guide: How to keep safe in Britain

	Further reading: Download English UK's guide to living in Britain. Safety First: Safety advice from the British Council for language students (PDF).
Your essential guide to everyday life in Britain Many things will be different in Britain from the way you live at home. You might find this exciting, or you might find it a bit frightening. We have adapted this information from English UK's 'Your Stay In Britain' guide to give you an insight into our island. Culture shock: feeling like a fish out of water The language barrier: don't worry if you don't understand everything The political structure of England, Britain and the UK Cultural traits: how the British behave Staying in line: queueing and good manners in Britain Sex, drinking and drugs: what you need to know Post: sending letters and postcards Using the telephone: from dialling codes, to calling cards and what you will hear Money: the currency and bureau de change services VAT: you may be able to claim tax back on your shopping Mine's a pint (yours is 568ml): converting to and from British measurements and metric. Electricity: voltage, current and square-pin sockets.
Culture Shock Culture shock is similar to the feelings we have when we are adapting to a new job or other environment, only more so. When people are surrounded by a different culture, where everything (including the language) is new and potentially confusing, they go through changes of mood and attitude before coming to terms with their new environment. These feelings of alienation can be caused by relatively minor things such as unfamiliar food, differences in routine, differences in travel arrangements and unfamiliar official procedures. They can be made worse by the deeper cultural differences in the family life or language. Many are initially very excited and positive about the new culture. However, as the reality of deeper cultural differences sinks in, this excited feeling wears away. We may then start to miss friends, family and places as we begin to have doubts about ourselves and our new environment. You should not let the differences distress you. Reserve should not be interpreted as unfriendliness as you will find that most British people are happy to help you if you have a problem or need some information. Language You may have difficulty understanding spoken English (particularly local Devonshire accents) no matter what level of proficiency you achieved in your country. You will be listening and speaking in English all the time and this is bound to make you tired. Misunderstandings and mistakes are easily made when you are tired and others are speaking too fast. Don't feel frustrated or depressed if you cannot contribute to conversations as you can in your own language. Using a second language all day takes a lot of effort and may sometimes seem too intense an experience. These feelings are perfectly normal and things will improve as you get used to your situation.
Political situation Torbay is in England, Britain and the UK. Confused? There are three different countries within Britain: England, Wales and Scotland. Together with Northern Ireland, these countries make up the United Kingdom. Each has its own distinctive character and identity. The population, particularly in larger towns and cities, is very multicultural. Britain has received many migrant people, either seeking political refuge or better work and education. The Queen is the Head of State but all the UK's laws are made by the parliament which consists of two Houses: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Lords does not have as much power as the 'Commons' and merely revises and amends laws. There are three main political parties in parliament, the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Cultural Traits The English in particular have a reputation for being reserved. This means that they are controlled in their public behaviour and keep their emotions private. For example, on public transport people do not usually talk to strangers. There will be many aspects of British behaviour which seem very strange to your culture. Within our own culture we feel secure as we can easily interpret the things around us. Unfortunately, this can result in judging outsiders by our own standards which in turn can give rise to prejudice and stereotypes. Keeping an open mind is essential to getting the most out of your stay.	Back to top...
Queuing It is a long-standing cliché that the British like to queue for everything, but it is important that you line up with everyone else if you are waiting for a bus or to be served. If you 'jump the queue' by pushing to the front of the line, you will appear rude and will be asked to go right to the back. Good manners "Manners make the world go round", and certainly help you to get along in Britain. Say 'please' if you want something and 'thank you' when you get it. If you want to interrupt someone, or walk past people, say 'Excuse me!'. If you bump into someone, (or even if someone bumps into you) you must say 'Sorry!', or this may be interpreted as an attack.	Back to top...
Smoking, Drinking, Sex & Drugs Smoking and drinking are popular vices in Britain, and both are legal over the age of 18. Controlled drugs, however, are illegal at any age. It is, unfortunately, quite common for British people to drink too much and lose their 'reserve'. In particular, do not respond to drunk people who become aggressive. If women become more flirtatious than in your country, do not assume that this is an invitation to have sex. Be aware of the following laws: Smoking is banned in many public places in the UK, and you must obey all 'No Smoking' signs. In particular, you cannot smoke in shops, pubs, clubs, bars or restaurants, nor on railway stations, on trains or buses or in taxis. You must be over 18 to buy tobacco or alcohol. It is illegal to have sex with anyone under the age of 16. The use, possession, purchase or sale of cannabis or any other controlled drug is illegal.	Back to top... The smoking ban: Information about the ban on smoking in public places.
Post & Mail Stamps are sold in Post Offices but are also available at some other shops, as well as at Reception at LAL Torbay. All overseas letters must carry an 'airmail' label. If you have any difficulty, seek advice from the school. The main Post Office in Paignton is in Torbay Road, and is open from 09.00 - 17.30 Monday - Saturday. There is also a small Post Office in St Michael's Road, a few minutes' walk from LAL.	Back to top... Airmail prices: Royal Mail's guide to the cost of posting mail overseas.
Telephones. You must not use your host family's telephone without permission and you must pay for all calls, including local ones. Calls are cheaper after 18.00 and at weekends. Calls to numbers starting 080- are free; numbers starting 09- are very expensive. The dialling code for Torbay is 01803, or + 44 1803 if you use a foreign mobile phone. Most countries can be dialled directly from any UK telephone, including payphones. To dial an international number, dial 00 followed by the country code, the area code (minus the first 0) and number. E.g., for Munich (089) 2525 2400 you would dial 00 49 89 2525 2400. To call abroad without using coins in a payphone or putting a charge on your Host's bill: You can reverse the charges by calling the international operator on 155. You may purchase pre-paid phone cards from the school's Reception. These can be used from domestic or public phones. You can pay for a call with a credit card by dialling 0800 032 0023. Payphones can be found in many locations. Some phones take coins (minimum 40p), others only take credit cards and pre-paid phone cards. Some phones can send e-mails and SMS text messages. What you will hear when you use a British telephone... The dialling tones in Britain will probably be different from the sounds you are used to hearing on the telephone. Click on the links below to hear Britain's telephone sounds: Click here to listen to the dialling tone which tells you that the phone is ready for you to dial a number. Click here to listen to the ringing tone which tells you that the telephone you called is being rung. Click here to listen to the engaged tone which tells you that the telephone you called is engaged (busy). Click here to listen to the fault tone which tells you that the number you dialled cannot be called. This may mean that you have dialled the wrong number, or the number you called is out of order (broken).	Back to top... International codes: British Telecom's guide to international dialling codes.
Money Britain's currency is the Pound Sterling. Euros cannot be used in the UK. You can exchange money or travellers' cheques at any bank or Post Office, and some large travel agencies have Bureau de Change exchange desks. International credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard are accepted by most shops and businesses, as well as by LAL Torbay. You may be able to get money from cash machines (ATMs). Students who stay for six months or more may be able to open a bank account; ask Welfare for advice on the best type of account. Banks in Torbay are usually open 09.30-15.30 Monday to Friday, and a few open on Saturdays until 12.00. Value Added Tax (VAT) VAT of 17.5% applies to most purchases. This is included in the price of goods: what you see on the price ticket is the price you should pay. If you spend £100+ in one shop, you may be able to claim tax back. Ask a shop assistant for details.	Back to top... Bank notes: Check your bank notes are up-to-date with the official guide. Tax back? A guide to claiming VAT back on purchases in Britain.
Weights & Measures A glance at our road signs or a glass of beer in a pub will show that metric is not yet universal. You are likely to see the following Imperial units: 1 mile (m) = 1760 yards = 1.6km 1 yard (yd) = 3 feet = 91cm 1 foot (ft or ′) = 12 inches = 30cm 1 inch (in or ") = 2.5cm 1 pint (pt) = 568ml 1 stone = 14 pounds = 6.4kg 1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces = 454g 1 ounce (oz) = 28g	Back to top...
Electricity The UK's supply is 220-240V, 50Hz (cycles) AC. You are likely to need an adapter for UK 3-pin sockets; you can buy adaptors from Reception at LAL Torbay. Sockets or adaptors marked 'Shavers Only' must not be used for high-power electrical items, because they will stop working. Be aware that British sockets often have switches to turn the electricity on and off.	Back to top...