Questions that you need answered: International version

[Timetogiveupnow]

I believe there are people world wide on this site so how about asking those questions that others can answer?
America mumsnetters: without kettles how do you have hot water bottles? Or instant hot chocolate? Is it true you make tea in the microwave?

I love these threads. I do find a lot of the answers about America unrecognizable, though!

There is always confusion on MN about our healthcare system. We have GPs, sometimes called family doctor. They're usually the first place you go with a problem. With good insurance you don't need a referral to specialist, but it's a good idea to start with GP because they can often fix the problem, or send you to the right specialist.

Two exceptions to this -- it's recommended to go to the gynecologist every year for the smear and "annual exam," so women have a gynecologist they know and see regularly, whereas I think it's more for specific pr ok blend in the UK.

The other exception is that children see pediatricians. Unlike the UK, the pediatrician is a GP for kids, not a specialist for unusual problems. That's where they have well baby checks, yearly school physicals and vaccines.

That’s so interesting re US children and teens - I’ve found exactly the same. Plenty of nice kids but NONE of them have manners

Where are y'all in the US who say that young children don't have manners? I'm in the South. For the most part, I would say that children and teens are well behaved here and know at least basic manners.

I was on the East Coast for a few years. Big cities. Serious backchat from kids, especially the younger ones. I think American kids are taught a lot of ‘confidence’ at an individual level which when they are very young can come off as arrogance.

I don't think it is rudeness, I just think the UK has a dc should be seen and not heard attitude. Where as confidence and speaking out are more valuable traits in the USA.

Are Americans as obsessively patriotic as in the films? And as for instant hot chocolate, it should be made in a pan with milk, not water. I'm in the UK

To anyone living in a country with poisonous creatures such as spiders or snakes, is it a daily worry? Can you relax and let your kids play out where they may get bitten?

I'm in Australia, in a city of 150,000 people. We live in suburbia, but near bushland (although we are on a normal suburban block with grass and a few shrubs). We have constant worry about snakes in summer. This year we've had a red belly black snake on our back verandah, another under the rubbish bin and and an Eastern brown snake in our front garden. Last year we had about 6 different snake sightings over summer. Two years ago one of our cats was bitten by an Eastern brown (but miraculously survived, $2,500 in vet bills later).

It sounds horrific, but we just need to be super aware of our surroundings in summer. Only ever go out in the garden when wearing boots, watch where you are walking, don't have lots of overgrown trees or shrubs or places for snakes to hide like woodpiles etc. It's a fact of life, they are native animals and were here well before us, so we are in their territory, not vice versa. We also have red back and funnel web spiders, but they much simpler to avoid!

Spot on @midwestspring and Americans just generally don’t say please, thankyou or sorry as much as we do

All the Americans I know are way more obsessed with telling me how awful their country and fellow Americans are compared to the brits! But they are ALL obsessed with Britishness, especially our accents and the royal family

Those in the commonwealth - genuinely what is the general feeling towards the U.K.?

I thought in the US that because people have guns some things such as making rude signals at bad drivers or shouting abuse out your car window didn't happen. You don't know the other guy doesn't have a shotgun over his front window.
A secretary of my DH went a long drive over 2 states and took a gun in her glove box for safety!
Also houses are farther apart in many cities so you can leave your pram outside but also if people have guns you will get few strangers turning up on your doorstep, or that was my impression.
Youngsters are often ferried about where here in towns they would be able to get the bus to town and hang around in a crowd. If the climate is hot no one is hanging about in crowds or if it's snowy!! Weather affects behaviour a lot imv. Eg walking - you don't walk when it's v hot.

Total indifference in the Commonwealth country I come from. Britain is no longer the top educational destination. The US and Australia are seen as more lucrative. I would say there was a time in my teens (I am 40+ now) when British TV or the Royal family had cache but not any more. When Cameron visited people didn’t bat an eyelid. Obama got adoring crowds and wall to wall coverage.

I would disagree about British tv. Ok there are series/ movies on Netflix ets c but sometimes you just want comedy or discussion.

...oh, and few adverts

When I’ve lived in the states me and all my friends and neighbours all had stove top kettles rather than electric ones.

@HelgaHere1 I live in a city infamous for its terrible traffic and terrible drivers - most drivers swear at, honk at, over and under cut each other constantly!!

In Australia where I live I would say people have a general friendly feeling towards the British, but it’s a very multi cultural area so nearly everyone I know has emigrated here.

Loads of the Chinese mums I know absolutely love British TV, especially things like the Crown, Downton Abbey etc - I suppose it’s so different to their experience. Certainly I personally have never come across anti British feeling even though the British are thought of as colonisers - but they don’t hold it against me personally (I hope!)