Cuppa tea?

So, today I'm going to talk about tea. Everything you've heard is true, and it's the nicest tradition!

Brits drink a lot of tea. They drink coffee as well, but usually that's sort of first thing in the morning, and after that it's tea. Tea is always served with milk, but sugar is optional. If you drink it without milk, you had better tell the person making it, because they will default to adding milk!

In an office, you always ask everyone else if they want tea when you are going to make some for yourself. It's rude not to. And, if there are enough people, then you make a pot. The beauty thing is that because the power voltage here is higher (220 as opposed to 110), the kettle heats up much faster and the water boils faster. The tea should also be very strong, so you would put one tea bag per person in the pot. I, personally, take mine white with 2 sugars, as does young Will (I call him that sometimes, but he's only a bit younger than me).

I bet I have 3-4 cups of tea a day, at least. Sometimes more, and sometimes a cup of coffee besides. Tea is my favourite drink, though, especially prepared this way.

Philosophically, I think it's so nice that you make tea for everyone. In Canada, when you go to get your coffee or tea from the kitchen, you just get yours - you don't really think about anyone else. Even when I was in a small office, we didn't do that. And it's so nice when someone makes and brings tea to you, as well!

The other interesting thing about tea is that people always seem to have time for tea. When Ron (IT) brought my printer for my home office to my flat, I was going to just take it from him at the bottom of the stairs so he didn't have to carry it up. But, as we were standing at the bottom of the stairs, I suddenly realized that it would be rude not to ask him in for a cup of tea. Which he accepted, brought the printer up and set it up. And we had a great little chat over tea when he was finished!

Another experience I had when I came over in November last year for my recon trip, was when Kevin brought me down from his lovely farm north of London, where I had spent the evening with him and his family on a real, English farm. He drove me down to Chiswick to stay with Jane Stevenson, who had invited me to stay the night and attend a concert by her choral group singing The Messiah. We found the house, and Jane wasn't there, but her husband, Bernard, was. Neither Kevin nor I had met Bernard before, and we appeared on the doorstep with my suitcase (Bernard was expecting me, however). Anyway, Bernard invited Kevin in for tea. I expected Kevin to decline, since he was only dropping me off and didn't even know Bernard. But, he surprised me by accepting, coming in and we all stood in the kitchen and had a quick cup of tea and a chat.

The thing I've learned from all of this - the Brits very rarely refuse a cup of tea, so keep that in mind when you're only being polite!!!