Brits Abroad – My shameful countrymen

I never cease to be embarrassed by the behaviour of my fellow countrymen abroad. Unlike our continental counter-parts who cultivate an image of sophistication, friendliness or open-mindedness whilst abroad, our cultural ambassadors prefer to project an image of the beer-swilling, lobster-red, football hooligan variety. What is it about us Brits (or at least some of us) that we feel it necessary to make such a shameful display of ourselves whilst on holiday? 

Heading for the Med, Brits seem to flock there for two key things and the prospect of a third: cheap alcohol, free sunshine and some summer nookie. I recognize the attraction of cheap alcohol having paid three pounds for a pint in London this summer. I also recognize that licensing laws in Britain create restrictive drinking times that just don’t exist in Spain, Greece or Turkey, but why are we so uncontrollable?   

The drinking culture in England is such that by seven or eight in the evening you are putting them away before the eleven o’clock bell, but it is strange how we take it to such extremes when we are allowed the opportunity to drink into the small hours. Brits seem to regard it as the perfect excuse to get legless. Its warm and the alcohol is cheap so why not? It’s just that we always end up taking it to such shameful extremes. Vomiting, fighting, promiscuity. And it’s not as if other nations fail to notice such niceties. 

Yes it is cheap and yes the licensing laws are liberating, but this is true for other nations who don’t end up making headlines or seeing the inside of a Spanish police station. Are we simply hedonistic and taking this hedonism to extremes? In Britain people work hard and don’t usually go out during the week, the weather is not so conducive for being out and so the focus of partying is the weekend. Furthermore, drinking excessively is fairly acceptable amongst the youth in Britain, the same being true regarding the consumption of drugs and so when your holiday is one long weekend and it is ok to get obliterated, we do it. 

But when I observe how other Europeans enjoy their holidays or their free time I wonder if there is some underlying problem in the British in their need to get wasted. Other nations will drink a few drinks and enjoy themselves whereas for us this seems an impossibility. It is an embarrassment to know that almost every drunk person that I might meet in the Mediterranean will be British. 

Those who come to Belgrade from Britain are thankfully not to be found in this group but I am always ashamed when hearing stories of other nation’s experiences with Brits abroad. When we will learn to control ourselves I am not sure. Perhaps the new extended licensing laws will have an impact; perhaps global warming might allow us to keep our drunken exploits on our own island, but until then, sorry…

I’m off to console myself with a beer.