30 year old female yoga teacher and writer living in Brighton

Question 1. Give your reasons and analyse your motives for living in the district where you do live.

I chose Brighton because I had friends (also from South Africa where I come from) who had moved here. I like living by the sea, I grew up by the sea in Cape Town, and I liked the liberal, artistic 'vibe' of the city, it's much less conservative than the rest of England. I like being able to walk most places and not be dependent on transport. It's also close to London where a few friends live. I chose Hanover, the neighbourhood I live in, because I have a lot of friends here, it's above the thick of the city with nice views and yet central enough to be convenient, and I love its quaint colourful houses. It also has great parks very close to my flat. It's a family friendly neighbourhood and I have a child.

Question 2. In what ways do you consider yourself different from your neighbours?

I am a single mother whereas mostly I'm surrounded by families. I'm South African while most of my neighbours are English. I am renting while most people seem to own their houses.

Question 3. When you go into pubs, which bar do you use and why?

I very rarely go to pubs but when I do I usually go to the Earth and Stars in the North Laines.

Question 4. What priced seats do you use at the cinema and why?

The standard price seats - on a low income.

Question 5. What forms of food, drink or amusement are thought “infra dig”* or not quite the things in your circles? * Infra dig means something that is unbecoming of one's position or beneath one's dignity.

Food: junk food, meat. Drink: fizzy drinks. Amusement: obsession with sport, dog racing.

Question 6. Are you sensitive on the subject of accent and have you made any attempt to change your own?

I would say I am sensitive to it, although I am still learning the regional accents of this country. I can broadly tell North from South and that's about it! I think I'm pleased that I've lost most of my South African accent although it wasn't a deliberate attempt, still, other South Africans I've met have held onto theirs. I don't like to be identified as a foreigner.

Question 7. Do you make a habit of using the following words and phrases? If not, what is your reaction when they are used by others?

I say 'okay' and 'okidoke' occasionally, and sometimes 'ta'. I'm not English, I'm South African, so 'not half' wouldn't come naturally. I've never heard of 'Tooleoo'. My reaction when people say 'not half' is to think they're of a lower social class or education level. When they say 'ta' or 'Cheerio' I think it's just quite an English thing to say, quite friendly.