If you want to learn English, what better place to come, than London? But is it enough to learn just the basic mechanics of a language? As a language teacher, I’d say the answer to that would be a resounding “No!” To get to the heart of a language, to really learn a language and appreciate it, you have to get to the heart of the culture. So, what’s it like to be a Brit living in the capital? What is the cultural story of London? Sona Lisa Bose, tries to get to the bottom of it:
Gladstone Park: The Epitome of Britishness
I can think of no other place in the world which is as cosmopolitan as London, and perhaps nowhere better encapsulates this idea than our very own Gladstone Park. Nestled into the innocuous residential suburbs of Zone 4 and as far away from the noisy bustle of the tourist-thronged West End as one can imagine, it is, on first appearances, one of the last places you would expect to act as a microcosm of the world. Yet, Dollis Hill’s residents are lucky enough to have the world, literally, on their doorstep.
Walking though the park on a summer’s evening sees the whole area illuminated with a tangible happy energy as the park-goers from around the globe who have adopted London as their home, fill the park with an excited buzz. It’s hard to count the number of different accents and languages you can hear as you take in your stroll. Towards the top of the hill, Central and Eastern European mothers entertain their toddlers with the beautiful flowers and butterflies that grace the park; Iranian, Greek and Spanish families picnic on the grassy knolls, Pakistani ladies in colourful salwar kameezs and wonderfully incongruous, white trainers go for power walks, while silk-sari-clad Indian grandmothers play footy with their grandsons. Americans and Japanese and Korean language students take short-cuts to the Tube, and English, Irish and French dog-walkers get taken for walks by their pets. Even the water-fowl seem to have embraced this cosmopolitanism, with Chang, the Chinese goose, annually acting as nanny to the Mallards’ ducklings in the pond, which was once a much-beloved thinking spot for the writer Mark Twain.
As you go down the hill, over the bridge that lies across the train-tracks and towards the flatter open fields at the bottom, the sports teams take over. From the Somali kids having a kick-about, to the Ozzie Rules footie-fanatics; from the Kiwis playing rugby, the cricketers, the hockey-players, badminton-players and joggers doing their rounds, not to mention the Chinese amateur hair-dresser treating her friends to haircuts opposite the carved Owl tree – all these people, from an incredibly diverse array of backgrounds, share the park with a multi-cultural exuberance. Add to this, the guys practising the Bongo-drums on their favourite bench, the birds gossiping their evening news, the excited squeals of children in the playground and the sun setting towards the west, and its easy to see why the Park sparkles with energy and emanates happiness.
But, that’s not to say that the Park can’t be quiet and peaceful as well. Mornings offer a tranquil repose, fresh air, gentle breezes and delightful birdsong for the Tai Chi practisers, exercisers and walkers. Seagulls, crows and pigeons have a daily morning conference on the grass before the footballers arrive, swallows practise formation flying, starlings guide their young on their fledgling flights, kingfishers and parrots play hide and seek with visitors, and squirrels, robins, magpies, sparrows and blackbirds (to name but a few) entertain humans with their songs and antics. The wonderful flower garden tucked away behind a secret-garden-esque wall is a haven of cheerful serenity and the overgrown managed-wilderness plays hosts to numerous species of wildlife.
The Park also offers stunning views, with the luscious green, tree-lined avenues stretching out in every direction. To the north lies the historical green-towered ‘Schweppes Building’ which housed a World War II bunker, and which is supposedly linked via secret underground passage-ways to the now depilated Dollis Hill House where Churchill held his War Cabinets in 1941. The new Wembley Arc rises up like a magnificent space ship to the west and a clear day affords views across to the London Eye and the South Downs, while Central London lies to the east, with the Post Office Tower dominating the skyline.
Many treasures are also dotted around the Park, including two children’s playgrounds, the Brentasauros, numerous fallen trees professionally carved into fun animals, tennis courts, and a mulberry bush by the pond and a tree with an open trunk both suitable for hiding in. All these places are accessible via beautifully manicured gravel paths and farm-style gates and are maintained by the poshest looking park wardens resplendent in shirts and ties while merrily carrying their litter-picking sticks and black bin bags.
There’s also plenty to do, with the Dollis Hill House committee organising events for all the family, including the Gladstonebury festival, and the Stables Arts Centre and Gallery exhibiting the work of recent art graduates from across the world. If you fancy a bit of a sit down and some refreshments, the family and dog-friendly Karmarama café, run by the friendly Yvonne is set in a lovely flower-filled courtyard. It provides numerous water bowls for dogs, fairy lights for atmosphere and sells delicious, locally-renowned cappuccinos.
So, having been away in New York for four months, it was with genuine gladness in my heart that I returned to my Gladstone Park, and as for the so-called cosmopolitanism of New York, all I can say is that Central Park pales at the comparison. With its ethnic, historical and natural diversity Dollis Hill’s Gladstone Park is a joy for all those lucky enough to be in its neighbourhood, and I can safely say that you would be hard-pushed to find a better epitome of Britain’s colourful, multi-cultural, nature-loving lifestyle.
