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.

I really would have liked this thread to be different from how they normally runs, instead of just turning into a bun fight, but

Britain is full of not so attractive people (not women people), full of semi-attractive people and beautiful people - just like any other country, surely.

My maternity care was dreadful. Crash section under GA. Told to stop crying by doctor when they suggested white spots on my baby may be meningitis, no aircon, it was 27deg on the ward. No one helped me with breakfast. Another mum got mine. No one told me where towels and sheets were to change the babies bed. I got told off for not doing it. I was told the few contractions I had should not hurt.

I never had another.

I have to post something on this.
Generally non Brits believe that British food is unimaginative and boring.
I have learned how to cook in the UK ( I am a Delia girl- now you know my age) and frankly I have yet to master the joys of a perfect roast (I love it!).
Also, PLEASE put the baked potatoes back on the menu. They are a joy for the soul.
With baked beans.
The sink bowl is a mystery to me, but where I come from there usually are two sinks plus a sort of draining cupboard that hangs on top of the sink ( why why why you cannot find this useful item in the UK is again a big mystery to me).
And yes, the general perception is that British houses are dirty. It's just that the concept of "clean" is very subjective : my mother thinks that if you do not iron your bed sheet and your underwear you are a slob. Also, duvet covers are allowed but with a sheet underneath (some nation are complicated).
Standards differ and in the middle prejudice thrives.
Brexit: WHY? WHY?

The wide back is bad posture, which is true for many Brits. Me included.
I don't know why, but people slouch.

I really don’t get the whole ‘dirty house’ thing. Mum kept a large house spotless - and I mean you really could eat your dinner off the floor - clean and tidy, as did my grandmother. Scrubbed top to bottom 3 times a week and hoovered and dusted every day. Mum ironed everything - and that also meant pants and socks. Never had a washing bowl (apart from washing the small dog in).

As for slouching - maybe since we don’t have national service anymore?

Sounds like a bit of your don’t do it the same as me, so it’s wrong’ perhaps? I guess we all do it.

It's so easy to write here all the negative stereotype about the British.

But Italians don't just think about filthy houses when they mention England/UK/GB...

They also think:

• that the British are very polite and well mannered
• that their beers are fantastic
• that they are more cohesive and assertive as a nation
• that as individuals there is more freedom of expressing themselves (many people quoting the same example that you can go to the supermarket in your pajamas if you fancy and nobody would comment)
• that children have a better routine
• that children have more opportunities for outdoor activities, probably as parents are less anxious about the weather conditions
• that children are well behaved
• that there are more facilities for babies (baby changing rooms in every restaurant or cafe, baby chairs always available, children menus...)
• that the tea is of superior quality

That we smell of dairy.

My Italian friend used to say how well behaved the British kids were and what little hooligans the Italian ones are. Her kids are absolutely delightful!

@Rockpapershoot why would uk hospitals have air con we have a couple months of hot weather and most hospitals are old
The hospitals in uk i gave birth to were clean and yes you may have to wait for an epidural as we don't give them out as standard as in uk
Plus us is all private not so here
We also do seem to encourage not much time spent in hospital after for most unless needed but most mums i know want to
Whenever i watch us shows they always wheel the mum out in a wheelchair to the car which doesn't happen here as standard

** us not uk

People will defend the NHS to the nth degree but the fact of the matter is its care in many areas is extremely patchy and often substandard.

That isn't the fault of any individual one person, doctor, nurse, HCA etc, but a combination of underfunding, terrible management, inefficient systems and a lot of red tape.

@TeachesOfPeaches, that's not high tea, that is afternoon tea.

High tea is a meal eaten later than lunch and earlier than dinner. A typical high tea would be a ham salad followed by a pudding.

Air con has its pros and cons. Good for spreading viruses

I thought that other nationalities assumed that all things british were english.

apart from tartan of course... and whisky. But then Americans seem to assume they are absolutely Irish...

I find it really hard to comprehend that in the UK female hygiene products are now for people with vagina or something similar. I don't know if condoms also have become for people with penises, I haven't checked. How did we even get there?

@lazyfecker

One thing I don't get about the UK is why school kids can't shower after PE?

We could in our 1980s comprehensive in Scotland.

Same here @lazyfecker, I remember showers after PE in the late 70/early 80s.

@MaternityNurse007 as someone who worked in uk hotels i can tell you many leave hotels a mess of all nationalities bit vast majority of all nationalities keep them clean
Ugly due to inbreeding what on earth are you on about , technically going back many of our ancestors will be shared
Sausages aren't even just a british thing
What country are you from ?

@Mariola212

Don't think English hygiene so bad apart from not clean bum properly. I notice more other countries where lots men not even wearing deodorant and smell of armpit. Even some women. And UK men not looking greasy like some other places like Turkish men maybe.

Time it so you shower afterwards?

Since living abroad I've learnt to wash the dishes in the sink and use fresh water to wash each piece. With bowls you end up using the same dirty water to wash all the dishes. That doesn't actually clean anything past the first piece.

MikeUniformMike glad you said that. The only time I have come across high tea was at teacher training college (yes, some time ago) where the main meal was lunch, and then high tea was a smaller meal, served later in the day. However when I googled 'high tea' all the references were to Afternoon Tea. Maybe this is an example of how language changes over time, but I will stick to calling the meal with sandwiches and cake Afternoon Tea. 🍰

I have forgotten to mention the eyebrows!
Is it only in the UK or in other countries as well? Those ugly eyebrows and long eyelashes.

@FairFridaythe13th

My Italian friend used to say how well behaved the British kids were and what little hooligans the Italian ones are. Her kids are absolutely delightful!

Yes, this too, although unfortunately it’s changing (as in fewer well behaved British kids, not more polite Italian ones, although the ones I know are pretty polite)

I just asked a couple of friends about impressions, one is well travelled, the other less so.

Likes

• open mindedness and acceptance of people who look different. I had a friend who was a bit alternative visit me in Milan many years ago and walking down the street it was like the parting of the Red Sea with people gawping. It has got better here though.
• English sausages and mustard
• primary schools and no one being the dunce of the class (I had the same comment from French friends), lots of positive reinforcement
• the fact that museums are free
• U.K. television and cinema
• cakes
• nice cheddar
• beaches in Wales
• school uniforms

Less liked or not understood

• why people feed their children crap (kids meals in restaurants)
• children going to bed at 7pm
• so many people eating in the street at all hours
• very expensive transport
• lack of heating and draughty houses, even where people are fairly well off
• people being underdressed in the winter. They used to gasp when I took my DC out without a hat in February (it was a fairly warm day, but still February)
• obsession with bikini tops on very young girls. I remember getting tutted at by extended U.K. family and other randoms as my 4yo was just in bottoms. One of my friends had a similar experience and was surprised
• tolerance for bad wine

I’m sure if I ask others there will be more. Italians are Anglophiles on the whole so there is more puzzlement than criticism with the stereotypes. Although that has been somewhat dented by Brexit.

The "British/English girls are easy" comment seems to be recurring theme. Obviously this is a relative observation and I have to say, based on what I suspect is at the root of it, I'd rather that than live in a country where oppressive and misogynistic religious values are still hard-wired into the fabric of society.

Since living abroad I've learnt to wash the dishes in the sink and use fresh water to wash each piece. With bowls you end up using the same dirty water to wash all the dishes. That doesn't actually clean anything past the first piece

I never understood how washing dishes in one soapy bowl and then wiping them with a towel would make them clean. Now they sell washing up racks everywhere so I presume people wash, rinse and put the plates/cups/cutlery to dry.