Culture difference between England and Northern Ireland?

[Freshon]

What are the main differences?

I ask as a Belfast woman considering living in a rural part of England, about 30 miles from Birmingham. TIA!

[Freshon]

Anyone? just wondering if I am likely to find a culture shock or miss Belfast..I can’t go over to England much to suss it out due to covid and if I go then I will be taking a job and starting in March x

[nosswith]

It might depend which part of Belfast you come from, and which place near Birmingham you move to. That is not judging you on where you live now or intend to live.

Rural life in England can have very limited facilities, such as no evening bus services, perhaps only one bank in a town, and some places are not welcoming to non-locals. Worth checking what broadband provision is like too.

[Oddsocks2]

Hi, I’ve done the reverse and think there’s a massive difference. Slightly different in that I moved from London to rural NI. So here’s my list (in no particular order)
Everyone knows everyone in NI. Or their cousins aunty. Much more anonymity in England.
Nobody in England cares about Protestant/Catholic differences.
You will probably miss Tayto crisps and fifteens.
Generally people in England are more independent of their extended families & rely more on friends.
You will miss the beautiful Irish landscape.
Much more racial/cultural diversity in England, less awareness in NI of issues around race.
More people seem to care about having a spotlessly clean house in NI!

Obviously this is just my personal experience. I’ve enjoyed living in both places but it was an adjustment. Hope that helps

[TerribleCustomerCervix]

Huge difference.

My BIL moved to Belfast from England when he met my sister. He is constantly open mouthed at the “way we do things”- speedy funerals attended by everyone who ever shared a lift with the deceased, weddings that last into the next day, Sunday opening hours etc etc.

I think because we’re all part of the U.K. people underestimate how different the cultures are, but there is a real difference.

[whojamaflip]

I loved from NI to a very rural area about an hour and a half south of Birmingham about 20 years ago.

Tbh I haven't noticed many differences but that may be because I moved into a hugely farming area where everyone is related to everyone else and has farmed here for generations!

Main thing I miss is the food!

[user1471565182]

My DP is from Belfast and im from rural yorkshire so can maybe answer stuff. TBH apart from really embarassing middle class types saying 'up the ra' to her at work theres not much difference at all. I forget shes from somewhere else.

[user1471565182]

We're both women by the way

[alwayscrashinginthesamecar1]

I moved from a country town in NI, to Belfast, to London. I found NI and the UK very different, with the UK being more multicultural, less religion and bigotry, all sorts of differences really! I much preferred London, and have never missed NI, but that's a matter of personal taste really. I just never felt at home in the NI, even though its where I lived until I graduated.

[kleanex]

It’s hard to comment because England itself is quite diverse. Midlands will have a different vibe to down south. Generally though I do not notice much difference - the habit of saying wee all the time will confuse and I learnt to say eight mirror and shower the English way - I got bored repeating myself. Death is handled very differently.

[ReallySpicyCurry]

Fgs don't do what I did, and get on the bloody tube with a cheery "hello" and a wave at all who ride on her.

Fine on the hourly bus service from Ballysheepshagger. Not so much in London.