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’m Irish with no British blood that I know of, and my whole family is like this. At one family lunch out with slightly dozy staff, three different people paid the bill surreptitiously at different stages in the meal, each believing they were the only one, and once it was discovered, there was nearly a stand-up fight about who would be refunded. My mother aged about 70 ran along beside my aunt’s car trying to stuff handfuls of money through the passenger window. It was wild.

😂😂😂😂😂Would love to have seen that!!!!

@Pokerfaced OMG, that sounds amazing 🤣🤣🤣

You dont like outside of London, because theres 'lots of fat people'? and this is a normal thing to say out loud in your country without any shame?

British food has developed from the climate and what grows naturally (potatoes, apples) here, as well as the fact it's an island (fish). Of course it's different from, say, Mediterranean food where the climate is warm and it's easy to grow olives, lemons, peppers and ripe tomatoes.

Just imagining a gang of 'football hooligans' in their front garden enjoying afternoon tea

@NanyangParkway where else have you lived in the UK to form the opinions that everyone outside of London is fat? 😂 I mean actually lived, not visited?

We're all fat football hooligans and women dress really badly and there is nothing to see or do here in Northamtonshire - so please don't come and visit.

@Katgolde

British food has developed from the climate and what grows naturally (potatoes, apples) here, as well as the fact it's an island (fish). Of course it's different from, say, Mediterranean food where the climate is warm and it's easy to grow olives, lemons, peppers and ripe tomatoes.

culinary fusion, combining Iberian Jewish fried fish with Belgian fried potatoes. Kedgeree (adaptation of Indian Khichri)

Of course, every country's cuisine evolves from the local ingredients. But what's the deal with fish in the UK?

There's about three types of fish people consume here, as long as it's battered or processed to within an inch of its life. The rest is exported because give a whole fresh fish to your average Joe and he'll run a mile, scared by the eyes, the skin, the bones... The fish, basically. What's that about??

Are there no fat people in your own countries, posters?

You dont like outside of London, because theres 'lots of fat people'? and this is a normal thing to say out loud in your country without any shame?

🤣 This reminds me of another cultural difference. The amount of elderly Indian relatives who straight up told me 'I look fat now' after having a kid 🤣🙈🙊!!!

Or 'how much do you earn now?' after starting a new job(!), even from the ones I don't know that well!

@Mathanxiety - I was referring to the pps who said that when abroad people assume they are English until they are told otherwise whereupon they are treated in a superior way due to fact that they are Irish, Welsh or Scottish, largely because everyone hates the English.

@Stickygotstuck - another outdated stereotype- we eat many varieties of fresh fish delivered to our door fresh off the day boats, in all their scaly, heady, bony glory. You may as well say the French eat nothing but frogs legs, the Italians nothing but pizza, Germans nothing but sauerkraut etc etc. Lazy and boring generalisations which may be true of certain sections of the population but do not reflect how many British people eat today.

This thread would be far more interesting and far less upsetting if people could discuss the cultural differences rather than making rude, ill judged and personal remarks.

Keeping washing machines in bathrooms, having two hour, three course lunches, removing shoes etc would tell us far more about other cultures rather than saying that all English people are fat, ugly, ill educated and drink too much.

This thread has become ridiculous.

You can't honestly say British people only eat battered fish when there are fishmongers in every town, supermarkets selling all manner of fresh fish. Who is eating this then if we only have it battered from the chippy?

There is an obesity pandemic around the world, it's hardly unique to the UK.

I'm not one who takes offence at stereotypes, I listed loads of funny things up thread colleagues have said about brits but some of these comments are just stupid.

@Katgolde

Just imagining a gang of 'football hooligans' in their front garden enjoying afternoon tea

😂😂😂

@Katgolde

British food has developed from the climate and what grows naturally (potatoes, apples) here, as well as the fact it's an island (fish). Of course it's different from, say, Mediterranean food where the climate is warm and it's easy to grow olives, lemons, peppers and ripe tomatoes.

Thank God for British food! I can't eat citrus, peppers or tomatoes or spices as it gives me horrific acid reflux. I am Scottish and grew up on oats, fresh fish, game, root veg, in-season fruit. My BMI is 21.

Traditional British food is fine. It's junk-food that is the problem - worldwide!

@Katgolde

Just imagining a gang of 'football hooligans' in their front garden enjoying afternoon tea

Pinkies aloft as they sip their super-strength lager from fine bone china cups...

Wow so much hate and nastiness.

To be fair I don't think the 'Scots will deep fry anything', comes from foreigners but it's what is being said far and wide (perhaps someone else in your country did a number on you ).

Another thing and I know this will upset some, you are jealous that the Welsh and Scots are more liked. I don't think that is correct. In a lot of countries we are taught that inhabitants of uk are called English, we don't distinguish. It's when we meet you, we are enlightened to where you are from. I know this really upsets you, but most brits don't distinguish the Scandinavian countries, who have absolutely nothing to do with each other .

We always take our shoes off at home.

People see what they want to see. Xenophobia and racism exist in all nations towards all nations.

You can choose to see British food as being an exquisite range of rare apple varities, fresh strawberries, incredible cheeses, good bread, home made soups, hotpots, roasts, catch-of-the-day local fish, excellent treats of cake and scones. Or you can decide we all eat nothing but battered cod and white bread.

You can see us as a nation of independent thinking, world-leading writers, artists, actors, musicians, medics and inventors or a bunch of pisshead football hooligans.

Depends what company you keep, I guess.

@Pokerfaced

I’m Irish with no British blood that I know of, and my whole family is like this. At one family lunch out with slightly dozy staff, three different people paid the bill surreptitiously at different stages in the meal, each believing they were the only one, and once it was discovered, there was nearly a stand-up fight about who would be refunded. My mother — aged about 70 — ran along beside my aunt’s car trying to stuff handfuls of money through the passenger window. It was wild.

This is hilarious

@dolphinpose - absolutely!!

Still find it so interesting that so few posters have said where they live. Obviously they are in that country, what's it called, you know the one where

• Everyone is slim and beautiful with perfect teeth
• Everyone lives in immaculate homes
• Everyone eats top quality and freshly grown food for every meal
• The health and education systems are exemplary with no one ever having a less than perfect experience of school or hospital care
• All the towns and villages are exciting and cosmopolitan with affordable housing for all

These perfect countries also have no history of violence or occupation of other territories, no dark times in their past and are currently run by leaders of outstanding moral character.

Strange then that they have managed to raise so many judgemental people ..

😁 exactly

I find that a large section of British people despise British values and culture far more than other nationalities.