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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:
Thecows · 02/06/2026 10:13

MaddestGranny · 01/06/2026 21:09

I totally agree with this. I've just come back from 5days in Prague - where ALL public transport for over 65s is free. People were so friendly, nice and polite. Most of them (so shaming) spoke excellent English. Streets spotless. Likewise public transport, which is vv frequent. Myriad cafes and restaurants to lounge, linger, eat in. Good prices, cheaper than UK. Better quality food.
In '21-22 I lived a year in Kõln. Better quality of life all round. Working class level of society having a much better standard than similar over here. Quality of food in supermarkets much more varied. Fresh fruit/veg better/fresher. Brexit has much to answer for.

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But you're talking about Prague not some scruffy little town in the middle nowhere, of course it will be lovely!

Scarlettjune · 02/06/2026 10:11

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Awfulinlaws · 02/06/2026 10:11

Rose tinted glasses and a holiday location.

Hinterla · 02/06/2026 10:09

Slightyamusedandsilly · 02/06/2026 09:47

Definitely. By a very long way.

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There's a poster here who on a thread about GCSE maths said "what's the point of learning the area of a triangle"

SlightlyAjar · 02/06/2026 10:05

Coffeeandbooks88 · 02/06/2026 09:53

I know that. My neighbour is Irish. He is great.

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Sigh. Whether Irish people are ‘great’ or not isn’t the issue.

The OP started a thread about how other nationalities were ‘better’ than British people. @Scarlettjune is agreeing, so why get upset with her?

Coffeeandbooks88 · 02/06/2026 10:02

This reply has been deleted

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Coffeeandbooks88 · 02/06/2026 10:01

Scarlettjune · 02/06/2026 09:56

So stop being so fu#*ing rude to people on here. Look at your own behaviour. You harassed me for a long time

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Do you not wonder why I am polite to him and not you? Have a think. At least he can push past colonial past and be nice.

Scarlettjune · 02/06/2026 09:56

Coffeeandbooks88 · 02/06/2026 09:53

I know that. My neighbour is Irish. He is great.

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So stop being so fu#*ing rude to people on here. Look at your own behaviour. You harassed me for a long time

Coffeeandbooks88 · 02/06/2026 09:53

SlightlyAjar · 02/06/2026 09:44

That makes no sense, unless you think it’s a characteristic of Irish people that they think English people are the Borg.

I’m Irish, I lived in various parts of England for over 20 years, and I can confirm that not all Irish people think English people are the same.

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I know that. My neighbour is Irish. He is great.

Coffeeandbooks88 · 02/06/2026 09:52

I admire how generous the maternity pay and leave is but obviously isn't generous enough because many Spaniards are leaving it very late to have children.

Mithral · 02/06/2026 09:50

fantam · 02/06/2026 09:43

Nerves have been hit on this thread and some don't like to be seen as others see them, not how they see themselves.

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I'm not English! Or from the UK. I like living here though and where I live now is so much nicer than the crappy town in Europe I grew up in.

I can be monomaniacal though I apologise. I'll back off.

x2boys · 02/06/2026 09:49

SlightlyAjar · 02/06/2026 09:44

That makes no sense, unless you think it’s a characteristic of Irish people that they think English people are the Borg.

I’m Irish, I lived in various parts of England for over 20 years, and I can confirm that not all Irish people think English people are the same.

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I know that my Dad is irish
But the pp seems to think all English people are the same.

Slightyamusedandsilly · 02/06/2026 09:47

Hinterla · 02/06/2026 09:40

I would say many of the East Asian countries are a lot better at maths education for example.

Definitely. By a very long way.

Slightyamusedandsilly · 02/06/2026 09:45

Having lived in 5 other countries (not all European), the ONLY one where I'd say the people are less civilised than us is the USA. Fuck me, a large % of that population is ignorant.

But otherwise, yes. Better citizens. Less entitlement. More appreciative & respectful of others. Treat their environment well. Value education. Don't all necessarily share my views but were respectful to me, as a foreigner. Less overt racism.

SlightlyAjar · 02/06/2026 09:44

x2boys · 02/06/2026 09:37

Well you are aking why a posters nationslity ie irish would mske any difference
And the pp seems to think every single English person is exactly the same.

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That makes no sense, unless you think it’s a characteristic of Irish people that they think English people are the Borg.

I’m Irish, I lived in various parts of England for over 20 years, and I can confirm that not all Irish people think English people are the same.

fantam · 02/06/2026 09:43

Scarlettjune · 02/06/2026 09:41

Why are you obsessed with me. Its weird. Plenty of other posters on this thread have given their comments. Go and harass them instead

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Nerves have been hit on this thread and some don't like to be seen as others see them, not how they see themselves.

Scarlettjune · 02/06/2026 09:41

Mithral · 02/06/2026 09:39

I don't think she is Irish anyway. Nobody Irish would describe themselves as from the UK.

Why are you obsessed with me. Its weird. Plenty of other posters on this thread have given their comments. Go and harass them instead

Hinterla · 02/06/2026 09:40

I would say many of the East Asian countries are a lot better at maths education for example.

HaddockDiem · 02/06/2026 09:39

Being on holiday in a country is very different to living there . I love Spain , I’ve lived there, I’ve learnt the language and have Spanish friends but …

there is massive youth unemployment, the summers in the south are now, in parts, unbearably hot, in the village we had frequent power cuts, water cuts without warning and flash floods, men often walked around with shotguns in hunting season and there were a lot of abandoned dogs and cats ….. a lot of villages are being depopulated and houses are crumbling and they too have a problem with the far right (VOX). Oh and don’t get me started on the level of bureaucracy

So what I’m saying is take your blinkers off because every country has pro’s and con’s

Mithral · 02/06/2026 09:39

I don't think she is Irish anyway. Nobody Irish would describe themselves as from the UK.

Scarlettjune · 02/06/2026 09:38

x2boys · 02/06/2026 09:32

The vast majority of us are not Royal and most of us are not educated privatley and other than on mumsnet no one really cares about class.

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No. But you live in a system that has them. You also have a house of
Iords in government, which in this day and age is very unusual. The system is set up to make people be cold and divided by class

x2boys · 02/06/2026 09:37

SlightlyAjar · 02/06/2026 09:32

No. Explain it to me. @Scarlettjune is agreeing with the OP that other nationalities are ‘better’. I don’t agree with her (as a foreigner who lived very happily in England for many years), but she’s entitled to her view, surely? Or was the thread intended only for people to row in and disagree robustly?

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Well you are aking why a posters nationslity ie irish would mske any difference
And the pp seems to think every single English person is exactly the same.

x2boys · 02/06/2026 09:32

Scarlettjune · 02/06/2026 09:29

I'm giving one example. I've heard it many times. There's a reason why you guys are cold. The system. The Class system, royal family, private schooling system are examples. It trains a lot of people in england to be cold from a young age. Try to think outside the system

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The vast majority of us are not Royal and most of us are not educated privatley and other than on mumsnet no one really cares about class.

SlightlyAjar · 02/06/2026 09:32

x2boys · 02/06/2026 09:28

Do you not see the irony in what you have written ?

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No. Explain it to me. @Scarlettjune is agreeing with the OP that other nationalities are ‘better’. I don’t agree with her (as a foreigner who lived very happily in England for many years), but she’s entitled to her view, surely? Or was the thread intended only for people to row in and disagree robustly?

WaltzingWaters · 02/06/2026 09:32

Having lived in and worked as a nanny for children in various different countries, no - I definitely don’t think other countries are better than here or have better behaved children/nicer people, as a generalisation.

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