What do other nationalities think of the British

[Baggingarea]

For non UK MNers, what are your general impressions of the British?

I was watching a documentary recently and a Spanish man said our houses are all dirty. I'd never heard that before but can see why someone might think that with muddy weather etc etc.

What do you think about us? Promise I won't be offended (no racism/sexism/general bigotry though please). Can't vouch for others though.

When we used to go on package holidays to the Costas in the early 90s my mum used to wash her sandy feet in the bidet. Yes, we were/are complete phillistines.

I never knew people thought British homes were dirty.

But why do Germans put their washing machine in the bathroom? An American person once asked me why British people put their washer in the kitchen? 😂

I am British and I am totally fine with not getting to the point straight away. It's in the psyche.

At a push I can see how you might get shit on your hands, but how the devil would it get onto your face? Are you acrobatic in your toilet habits?

Was example of course. You would not wipe shit with a paper anywhere else on your body. Thats my point.

The washer in the kitchen is weird to me too. Your laundry where you prepare and cook food? Makes no sense to me.

If you want to fool them all, say you're Welsh

That won’t work. I’m Welsh and whenever I’ve been abroad the locals ask where Im from as “You speak English but it’s different. You are not English”. I’m sure they would know Scots and Irish are not English too.

'I have always wondered why the British put a wash up bowl in the sink. Why not just use the plug?'

I'm British and dont use one as think their pointless!

'Why everyone has to take their shoes off to enter a house.'

To keep the house clean and not bring mud and outside into the house...

they're *

These stereotypes make me laugh as they're crazy

There is nowhere else to put the washer, The house's are small. Many do not have a utility room or a garage or outhouse or indeed anywhere else but the kitchen to site a washer.

@MillieEpple

When i did my french exchange for we had to ask our hosts what they thought of the English specifically. The family i was with had lots of friends over. They really thought we were mainly football hooligans and my hosts were taking a risk housing me. They also thought we were obsessed with front gardens and drank both a lot of alcohol and tea.

So they were racist, they assumed things about you based on your race?

@SeaEagleFeather

After Brexit and Covid ... euhm .... the respect for the UK government is non-existent. You probably don't want to know the rest

Lovely countryside.

Unable to look outwards and move on.

Some good TV, some good universities.

Yes to dirty I'm afraid, it's not the mud it's the general level of hygiene.

Sorry to be negative.

So you are being racist , they assuming things about people based on their race? Correct?

This thread has amused me no end! Thank you OP!

"Everyone wants to live here". They really don't! If that was the case we would have had the whole of Europe here, with all other countries empty, when freedom of movement was a thing.

I'm British (though utterly ashamed of this, and I don't think I've ever written that statement before in my adult life), but I wanted with most of what has been said. I think you have to live abroad for a significant amount of time to really get a view of Britain compared to other countries. When I came back from living abroad the things that really struck me were:

• we drink too much and lots of us aren't pleasant drunks. I hadn't encountered groups of hideously drink n people for two years, and when I came back I found the atmosphere of Saturday nights out really quite threatening.
• we aren't very educated about politics, philosophy, and the wider world.
• we don't value education as much as many other countries.
• we are embarrassing when it comes to languages. People think I'm some kind of geeky swot because I speak two other languages - but in many countries this is just normal.
• our shops are shit.
• we have a good sense of personal space.
• we hide our racism better than other countries. We like to be seen as accepting and open-minded but scratch that surface and it's pretty ugly.
• most people don't value the arts.
• we have far too many overweight children and this is just inexcusable.
• we cater really well for vegetarians these days.
• we have really good TV, but not such good films.
• there is too much tolerance for toxic masculinity.
• our public transport outside of cities is dreadful.

'The washer in the kitchen is weird to me too.'

Some people have a utility/laundry room so this isn't always true. Keeping it in the kitchen though makes sense if no utility room and drying washing outside though don't you think? It is noisy so you wouldnt want it anywhere else if no utilty room.

I've been in countries where they have been kept in the garage which was similar I suppose to a utility room and also where they have been upstairs in a bathroom which worked if tumble drying but a pain for hanging out unless on the lower floor. There is no right and wrong and just what works for your accommodation.

UK theatre is world class though. I hope the industry bounces back.

I got used to the washer in the kitchen and take the points raised. It's just that anywhere else I've lived, and where I grew up, they're in the bathroom if there is no utility room. It will have to do with layout and size of houses, for sure.

Haven't read the full thread I'm from the north of ireland so Irish but half or more/less of the population see themselves as British so my opinion would b biased even due to being here religious reasons although I'm from mixed religion marriage both sides but raised catholic and Irish

So to me I'm a foreigner looking in to English(British) depends on area iv visited many areas through work years ago but I found the lower class were more generous and willing to speak to u than the middle class and u didn't even get to look at the higher class (I worked door to door for a charity and I'm from lower class in n ireland)but looking at me dressed in an office they would embrace me but because I was at they're door different
Never judge a book by its colour they are known for they're tea and crumpets with they're pinky up but they're the ones u wouldn't see they best ones r at home raising they're kids living and surviving on wat they have and having they're tea in a mug from Lidl
And as for dirty houses defo not something I would think from all classes
he must have been watching a show like Kim and aggy or hoarders lol

Isn't it strange that not many people in the world like us Brits (English even less) yet most people want to come and live here.

I think your imagination has run a bit wild there.

I'm half English but always lived elsewhere.

These are my perceptions, not necessarily what is accurate!

Pros: great dry sense of humour (and therefore comedic media), great music, fascinating history.

Cons: utter stupidity re: Brexit and voting for BJ. A bit bleak due to weather, poverty, industrial cities. Parochial.

Just odd: overly apologetic and self effacing.

The 'how often to do you bathe your self/children?' threads on here freak me out and aren't helping your international reputation for being soap dodgers!

This is an utterly horrible thread full of horrible, judgemental people.

Ha, ha - have you ever read any of the threads with UK posters giving their views on the USA, Australia, NZ etc? This is tame by comparison.

Views from downunder - the English are known as whinging poms and the weather is terrible. Have to add they can't take criticism, but are more than happy to give it.

I’m English but live abroad. I think I understand the dirty houses thing. My first thought when someone mentioned it was “What? That’s not true!” but when I think about it, one of the reasons I don’t want to move back to the UK is because I don’t want to live in a cold, damp, poorly insulated house where there might be mice, woodlice, etc. Even thinking about the house I grew up in now makes me shudder.

The teeth thing is also kind of true. I’ve been watching GBBO recently and I’ve become sort of fascinated by how gross everybody’s teeth are in comparison to where I live.

I think British hygiene standards are more or less average. It does baffle me that people generally don’t take their outdoor shoes off when they go inside but I don’t think that’s unique to the UK.

Regarding the NHS, I think it’s the idea of it that we’re proud of, more than the thing itself. It represents us at our kindest and most compassionate.

I don’t accept the bad food one though! I’ve lived in many places around the world and I really miss the quality and variety and freshness of the produce back home. In some places I’ve lived I’ve been amazed at the lack of vegetables in the local diet.

Well if ever there was a reason for voting Brexit, this thread would seem to provide it. Why would anyone want to be part of a club in which all of the other members had nothing but revulsion and contempt for you ? I say this a remain voter too , although it's not just the EU countries who are repulsed by us, it seems everyone is.
Come on then people, give your top 5 countries and the reasons why.

Apparently other countries DON'T have gurning competitions, I wonder why?!

Too busy with hog calling, I expect.
www.vice.com/en/article/bn37z8/hip-hop-hog-calling-at-the-iowa-state-fair-v23n8

I know that Americans often perceive us as having bad teeth, so I assume most of the teenagers get braces, because they all do seem to have beautiful smiles!

I assume it’s free dental care for kids? If so then I find it ironic that they have a health are system that wound turn away people with no insurance (who would potentially die) yet as long as everyone has great teeth, who cares..... priorities and all.

Perhaps I’m misinformed but that’s my perception.

@TableFlowerss
It costs $3,900 for the full orthodontic treatment around here. Insurance sometimes covers it but people sometimes stump up the cost out of pocket. You can get braces on Medicaid too, but wait times are significant. Medicaid is free medical (and dental) care, a means tested programme for people under 65.

(Also, medical and dental tourism is a big thing in many eastern European countries.)

I think, as an English person, rather than getting offended this thread should perhaps serve as a reminder of the inaccuracies of stereotypes - whoever they are applied to. I've lived in 5 different countries and all have had good and bad points, but none have been particularly as one would expect based on their stereotypes. Stereotypes always err on the negative side and are usually quite outdated in my experience.

British are strange to me sometimes. Lots are very proud, nationalism. But then lots are embarrassed m