You need to wise up on the concept of 'reality tv' - yes it is a contradicition in terms, but it's massively popular here now. As a result, the cult of 'celebrity' has reached an all-time low, with pop groups created via tv shows, and the Christmas Number One single predicted - correctly - almost three months in advance! The ongoing issue of immigrants and 'assylum seekers' continues to grow apace, and public services are deteriorating at an alarming rate. Sorry, I'm not trying to put you off returning - it's just that the doom-and-gloom and nonsense are the two major factors of most people's conversations, so really, only the subjects have changed in your absence, the famous British pessimisim is alive and well!