Stranger in a Strange Land By a Bloke from Stoke Darren Sant

I first moved to Hull from Stoke-on-Trent in September 2001. Romance and then a job offer in the area and I was on my way. After moving to good old 'Ull I soon learned some important lessons. I discovered that local people found my pronunciations of the words "book" and "cook" more hilarious than a Monty Python sketch. I learned that a "fern" is not only a plant with feathery fronds but also a communication device that you speak into. A mobile "fern" is not a plant in a shopping trolley, much to my disappointment.

Other differences soon became apparent. White telephone boxes for one thing. Hull's chip shops are as fine as any in Stoke but when I asked for a (suet) pudding and chips they looked at me like I was from Mars! On the plus side I discovered the culinary delight that is chip spice. Sandwich shops are also a source of potential cultural faux pa for me. I had heard of barm cakes, stotties, batches but never "bread cakes". In Stoke we call them "baps".

I like Hull. Her people are down to earth and friendly. Hull's ample bosom has welcomed me and there are few things as welcoming as an ample bosom! The Humber Bridge is a marvel of engineering and a symbol of the uniqueness and the pride of our fine city and its people.

Of course I love Stoke-on-Trent the city of my birth and home to friends and family, but I find that these days the word home makes me think of Hull. I am no longer a stranger in a strange land.

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