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AIBU?

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Original poster

People from other countries - they’re just better than us, aren’t they?

483 replies

PebbleDashedDoor · 31/05/2026 14:12

I’m on holiday in the Balkans and like everytime I go overseas, it’s difficult not to conclude people from other countries are just better than us.

Immaculately kept, litter free, great service in bars and restaurants by experienced staff, polite well behaved kids eating out in restaurants, not a screen in sight. Everyone generally better looking, better dressed.

Or do I have rose tinted holiday goggles on?

OP posts:
footbeds · 31/05/2026 17:24

@MrsHattie I don’t think other countries are as obsessed with class, new money, knowing your place etc.

RosesAretheNewBlack · 31/05/2026 17:23

x2boys · 31/05/2026 14:18

Massive generslisation.

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Definitely. When we were in Spain leaving a restaurant through a little gate with my 2 young dcs who were walking nicely, a child shoved past us bolting out into the carpark. A Spanish woman came up behind, and started shouting at us in Spanish and swearing. Apparently it was my responsibility to watch "her" child while simultaneously having eyes in the back if my head!

YABU op, good and bad everywhere.

BigElderflower · 31/05/2026 17:23

My Norwegian friend left Norway because she found it a very closed, narrow-minded culture. She much prefers London.

BigElderflower · 31/05/2026 17:22

Scarlettjune · 31/05/2026 16:52

Yes. There's definitely a coldness, arrogance and sense of entitlement that you see in many English people that you don't see in other cultures.

It has been handed down from the colonialism days

Yes. There's definitely a coldness, arrogance and sense of entitlement that you see in many English people that you don't see in other cultures.

Have you ever actually been to Paris? 😆

MrsHattie · 31/05/2026 17:21

footbeds · 31/05/2026 17:19

The one thing that stands out in the U.K. is its tall poppy syndrome/ anti success attitude it’s unique to the U.K. and in my opinion leads to lots of problems.

I always thought this was tied into the class system

I’m not sure where it comes from, but other countries simply don’t have it. It’s unique to the U.K.

JMSA · 31/05/2026 17:20

likelysuspect · 31/05/2026 17:17

Thats the sort of family who go on that sort of holiday though, I think its very different if you mix with locals in cities and view their kids in bars/restaurants.

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Oh do fuck off. Such bullshit snobbery.

footbeds · 31/05/2026 17:19

The one thing that stands out in the U.K. is its tall poppy syndrome/ anti success attitude it’s unique to the U.K. and in my opinion leads to lots of problems.

I always thought this was tied into the class system

PeachOctopus · 31/05/2026 17:18

Scarlettjune · 31/05/2026 16:52

Yes. There's definitely a coldness, arrogance and sense of entitlement that you see in many English people that you don't see in other cultures.

It has been handed down from the colonialism days

That’s just bigoted stereotyping, you could go through any country and do this but it’s glib and simplistic.

likelysuspect · 31/05/2026 17:17

lazymaw · 31/05/2026 16:53

on my last all inclusive holiday a foreign family with two kids gave their kids screens for every meal, so I would disagree on that front alone. I have seen many foreign families do the same, it’s not just the UK 🤣

Thats the sort of family who go on that sort of holiday though, I think its very different if you mix with locals in cities and view their kids in bars/restaurants.

HoskinsChoice · 31/05/2026 17:17

The mumsnet staff are getting really desperate. They're chucking out the same threads over and over again. We've had this thread already this week, surely they can be a bit more creative!

vauxhallallegra · 31/05/2026 17:16

Spent a lovely week in Sicily visiting the various beautiful UNESCO cities etc. Full of stylish locals and tourists, lovely bars and restaurants etc. In one, as soon as we stepped over the bridge to the ‘proper town’ was full of boarded up shops, drugged up people, pasty, badly dressed people and litter and graffiti everywhere. Was quite reassuring- different country, same problems.
Even in Croatia, driving from the airport to Split was quite surprised at poverty and rubbish everywhere.
Have spent the last week travelling round the UK on a bit of a university town tour- York, Durham etc. Gorgeous weather, fabulous castles, Cathedrals and scenery and great food and drink. Haven’t been a tourist here for a while and it’s a totally different vibe, much like being on holiday abroad.
But- as a nation we do seem to like to wear as little as possible in the hot weather and as a complete generalisation I do think we lack a bit of style compared to our nearest continental neighbours ..

likelysuspect · 31/05/2026 17:15

We tend to stay in the non touristy areas of European cities when we go away and go to local places. Theres often quite a lot of litter, there are always long term interminable building works that are there year after year, theres always some long fangled faffy way of doing something simple like buying a ticket for something, hardly any public loos (just like the UK), graffiti is huge and they dont seem that bothered so dont clean if it, I suppose that saves money. Public transport is usually dreadful once outside a city, similar to here really. Lots of things really.

Wingedharpy · 31/05/2026 17:14

ChalkOutlines · 31/05/2026 17:02

Paris is filthy.

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I thought so too.

MrsHattie · 31/05/2026 17:13

The one thing that stands out in the U.K. is its tall poppy syndrome/ anti success attitude it’s unique to the U.K. and in my opinion leads to lots of problems. My OH family always joke about this with Brexit, the U.K. leaving the EU so it can tax its children’s education! They simply can’t get their head around it, but they do joke in fondness.

footbeds · 31/05/2026 17:10

Thing is we are excellent at queuing, try getting on buses in other countries.

WonderingWanda · 31/05/2026 17:08

I don't agree but do often think that service and cleanliness is often much better.

bumblefeline · 31/05/2026 17:06

MrsHeathcliff26 · 31/05/2026 17:01

Waiting for someone to point out something good about the US 🫢

The Great Smoky mountains, I'm off there soon can't wait.

SmashThePatriarchy · 31/05/2026 17:05

Overtheatlantic · 31/05/2026 15:32

There was the Balkans War in the 90s that redrew maps and renamed countries.

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The Balkans was an area before that. Anyway, it was meant to be a joke that clearly wasn’t funny.

Paperbackwrither · 31/05/2026 17:03

MrsHeathcliff26 · 31/05/2026 17:01

Waiting for someone to point out something good about the US 🫢

Beautiful national parks.

ChalkOutlines · 31/05/2026 17:02

mumofoneAloneandwell · 31/05/2026 15:56

I so wish I was Parisian 😌

The chic kind, not the endless riots kind

Paris is filthy.

MrsHeathcliff26 · 31/05/2026 17:01

Waiting for someone to point out something good about the US 🫢

Beachtastic · 31/05/2026 16:58

Are they fuck. Try living abroad, you'll see what I mean 🤣🫣

Scarlettjune · 31/05/2026 16:58

WirralWool · 31/05/2026 16:56

I’m in France and customer service is non-existent! Routinely wait 20-30 minutes to get drinks orders taken and the same again for them to arrive. If you have a problem with anything you’re met with a shrug and told that nothing can be done. People push onto the metro in front even though they can see I’m visibly disabled and never offer a seat.

It’s just their culture. I do love this country and there is so much about it that is streets ahead of the UK, but it also makes me appreciate the good things about home too.

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I have to disagree. I was in paris last week and the customer service in restaurants I went to, was excellent,

I was thinking how it was much better than the restaurants in my city in the UK. In there, they just glare at me, hand a menu and never speak

ElenOfTheWays · 31/05/2026 16:58

SocialistMummy · 31/05/2026 16:36

Just a shame what the person who invented Harry Potter became

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Ah yes a huge philanthropist who has given over 200 million to charity. Started several charities of her own for orphans, women and MS sufferers. Fully funds a rape shelter and advocates tirelessly for women's rights.
Just awful, such a damn shame. 🙄

Scarlettjune · 31/05/2026 16:56

wizzywig · 31/05/2026 16:55

Love living here and im born and bred here. If theres a lot of brits who dont like where they live then that shows in how they live. Glass half empty folk

I like the country. The people make it difficult.

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