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Things that baffle you about another country

999 replies

Soubriquet · 31/01/2021 18:00

America:-

Why are the gaps in the toilet doors so wide? Do you really enjoy an audience?

Why can’t tax be included in the price? If I want to buy something for a dollar it should be a dollar! Not dollar plus tax!

Australia:-

Still weird that you have Christmas in summer.

Wonder if they have different Christmas songs there.

Can’t see walking in a winter land being a big hit.

More like hiding from a hot heatwave Grin

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
orangenasturtium · 01/02/2021 13:04

Re: the ‘oddness’ of Christmas traditions in Australia. The odd thing is us in the U.K. what’s the connection between snow and Christmas? There’s nothing in the bible about snow, Jesus almost certainly never saw any. It’s probably only snowing on Christmas Day in about 2% of the world (made up statistic)

Jesus almost certainly did see snow @medebourne. It snows in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, it's just rare for it to lay, except at high elevations, like the city of Safed in Galilee.

My first "white Christmas" was in Jerusalem. We'd just left the Church of the Holy Sepulchre when it started snowing as we walked out of the covered bazaar into the open plaza below Temple Mount by the Western Wall. It was rather magical. It melted within minutes though.

You're totally right that snow has nothing to do with the biblical Christmas story, of course, and is just an American/European tradition.

doris9034 · 01/02/2021 13:04

@Prokupatuscrakedatus

Do people not using bowls or plugging the sink actually turn on the tap and waste an incredible amount of water and energy washing up?
This!!! I mean, a couple of mugs fair enough but do people seriously do the washing up for a family of 4 after a Sunday dinner, with the tap running the whole time Confused
TheOtherBoelynGirl · 01/02/2021 13:07

@doris9034 My husband does and it drives me insane. Such a waste of water and nothing is actually properly clean afterwards. All greasy and filmy.

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 01/02/2021 13:07

A nice post which should be lighthearted yet some couldn't do that

Nonamesavail · 01/02/2021 13:07

@MolyHolyGuacamole

America - guns, god & glory Also the mad patriotism, flags flying everywhere

UK (and I think maybe a lot of Europe, at least the few countries I've visited) - the lack of fans/air conditioning in the MONTHS that heat now lasts. I will never understand this and it puts me off staying anywhere but my own home in the hot months, and no one else seems to be bothered by the heat and are just happy to sweat? Or have just one fan for a whole house? And staying in a hotel with no AC and a duvet, omg I could cry. Everyone goes on about global warming, but you mention a fan and suddenly no one needs to own one as apparently it's only hot 2 weeks of the year Angry

It does get horrible but its literally a couple of weeks a year and thats it. So not worth it?
TheGravelRoad · 01/02/2021 13:08

You don't have a water metre then, I assume

I do but ... never noticed particularly high water bills.

I don't have a bath though. Maybe that offsets it!

banivani · 01/02/2021 13:09

As a Swede:

Sweden - hotels with kingside beds and two single duvets?
@Ginmaker

Sweden generally doesn't do double duvets. That's just how it is. I'm not sure why, but it wouldn't surprise me if it is connected to the fact that in the 40s-60s when a lot of work was put into creating standard sizes and measurements for different things it was common for couples to sleep in separate beds in the same room. Or possibly it's just been seen as more hygienic or something. Basically, each person has their own duvet. The duvet, and the duvet cover, was of course another revolution in simplifying bedding and making things easier for the housewife. Anyway, single for all, standard size for duvet + covers 150x200 and for pillows 50x60 (cm). This size is relatively easy to handle as well, it's not too hard or heavy to change the bedding for example. Think of the housewife etc.

It can genuinely be difficult to find a selection of double size duvet covers. Ikea has had to get a lot of special sizes in for foreign markets for example that we don't at all get here in Sweden.

@ChangeyNameyTimey Sun
Why do you so strongly oppose any kind of parenting? Adults should make decisions for their children and parents having at least some control of their children is a good thing.

You give no examples so I have to guess. Swedish parents wouldn’t agree that they don’t parent, but generally Swedish culture permits children to be very independent and the idea is that you have to show children and their opinions respect. There are pros and cons, and on Swedish parenting forums there is plenty of discussion about when you have to lay down the law and when to compromise. From a Swedish perspective British parents will almost seem to not like their children and Britain can seem a very anti-child culture. Separate mealtimes, super-early bedtimes, school with uniforms at a very early age, not enough outdoor play and not enough independence.

@GreenlandTheMovie Oh, and in Sweden, why is so much harassment of women tolerated? In the street or wherever. I literally drove there from Denmark, over the bridge, went to a petrol station to refuel near Gothenburg and looked up and two men were hanging around my car. So I went to an off road scenic parking spot to eat my sandwiches and a man almost immediately pulled up next to me in his car, opened his car door and and started staring at me. No other cars there.

It was a residential school sort of thing. My friend was followed home to her apartment and had to make sure get taxis or be accompanied in the future. Shouted at in the street. We went on a camping trip to Varmland and two men were hanging around the women's toilet block propositioning women. We complained to the camp owner and she reported them to the police, who hauled them off. It was apparently the third time it had happened that summer and it was only July. Same blokes.

This I don’t recognize – the toleration thing. I agree that generally Swedish people are shit at intervening and getting involved, so that can def be seen as tolerating. (I mean, it is, “if you stay silent you agree” as the saying goes). But I don’t recognize it as being a big problem actually in that way – a bit surprised at your experience in Värmland tbh, I have family there and have not seen this. Sweden is not at all as woman-friendly as Sweden likes to think of course, the idea that it’s a feminist haven is simplistic.

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 01/02/2021 13:10

I couldn't afford the water bill to have water running whole time I washed up
I have a dishwasher for most but wash up the rest in bowl
Greasy pans i put wadhing up liquid and hot water from kettle in to soak first , after wiping up as much as poss with kitchen roll.
I pay £70 for water as it , can't afford anymore

TheOtherBoelynGirl · 01/02/2021 13:11

"A nice post which should be lighthearted yet some couldn't do that"

Luckily we have you here to tell us how to act. Hurrah.

borntobequiet · 01/02/2021 13:13

@Puzzledandpissedoff

On the GMT thing, I'd always wondered myself how global time came to be based on it; apparently the argument was that it benefited the largest number of people at the time and it's stuck ever since

The display the the Meridian's a disaster though - a tatty LED strip you can stand over, some ancient charts and a boring clock collection. How much better a job the Americans would have made of it, with interactive displays, accessible info and all the rest ...

A reliable marine chronometer was invented by John Harrison in Britain in the 18th century after the government offered a prize. That probably explains why the meridian chosen from which to measure longitude went through London - Greenwich, which was the Naval College.

The book Longitude by Dava Sobel is a very good account of Harrison’s achievement.

SleepingStandingUp · 01/02/2021 13:13

baffled too as to why so many kids are put to bed so early. I think the parents just want them out of the way yup, us Brits just hate out kids...
Think is we have to be out the house at 8 for school at 8.45. so we're up at 7 to be ready. If he's going up at 9 and not getting to sleep until closer to 10 that isn't enough sleep. If you've got to drop them at the child minders at 8 so up at 6, again they need to get enough sleep

Camomila · 01/02/2021 13:14

Why do they seem so placid/well behaved?

My theory is that parents only have a set amount of parenting energy to care about stuff, so my DS1 is good at sitting quietly in mass/public transport/restaurants and isn't a fussy eater...but by the time it gets to bedtime I have no parenting energy left and both my DC go to bed late and end up in my bed every night.

All the Italian people I know are very impressed by English 7pm-7am sleeping children/self settling babies.

Disclaimer: there are also plenty of well behaved English DC and naughty European DC!

Nancydrawn · 01/02/2021 13:15

In terms of electricity, it's significantly cheaper in the US. About half as much as it is back home. (To clarify, I'm British but live in the States.) The use of tumble dryers is a combination of class marker, comfort/convenience factor, and a sense of privacy.

Many places have sidewalks, particularly in cities/older suburbs. They're less common in places that used to be 'country', even if they've now been swallowed by a city. And they're less common in the south than in the north, in part because it's so bloody hot that no one walks anywhere unless necessary/they're going for exercise (which usually happens at an ungodly early time to avoid the heat/humidity). It's comparatively uncommon for people to walk to work, even in the north; while it's done, especially in cities, it's much less common than in the UK. However, it's impossible to imagine the sheer sprawl of things here unless you've lived here. I hate it, actually--one of the things I miss most about the UK when I'm over here is a sense of compactness.

In terms of front fences, a short picket fence is considered fine and even charming. A high fence is considered hostile and unneighbourly.

And in terms of garbage pickup, it varies from town to town. In some places, it's part of local property tax. In others, it's a city service you pay for separately by the month. In others, you pay the city by load of trash (usually by paying for special trash bags at $5/pop or special small bins that all trash must go in). And in still others, there's no municipal trash at all and you have to contract out to a private company.

My favorite strange American fact: you cannot pump your own gas in New Jersey; by law, the gas station attendant does it for you. (And yes, if it's quite cold, you should tip him.)

snowliving · 01/02/2021 13:15

Why does everyone carry guns and why is restricting them such a big deal?

Everyone doesn't carry guns. The state I live in has strict laws about carrying and I've only seen policemen with guns.

There are definitely guns present, there is horrific gun violence but it but it is quite location and situation specific.
Ordinary people don't own guns usually.

In rural areas hunting is popular and there are firing ranges out of the city. Both of these activities are quite controlled.

In other states there are very different laws and different ownership patterns. It varies a lot.

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 01/02/2021 13:21

Luckily we have you here to tell us how to act. Hurrah.

Don't think I told anyone what to do just put my opinion down.

I looked at this as op said lighthearted

mewkins · 01/02/2021 13:23

If we had sockets in bathrooms we would have a lot of people electrocuting themselves while they charged their phones and ipads and used them in the bath.

woodhill · 01/02/2021 13:23

@donewithitalltodayandxmas

I couldn't afford the water bill to have water running whole time I washed up I have a dishwasher for most but wash up the rest in bowl Greasy pans i put wadhing up liquid and hot water from kettle in to soak first , after wiping up as much as poss with kitchen roll. I pay £70 for water as it , can't afford anymore
Plus it's bad for the environment to have the tap continuously running
BaggoMcoys · 01/02/2021 13:24

@cerisecherries

Britain. I don't understand your garden centres. They are crazy. In my country we go to buy plants and garden supplies at the garden centre. In the UK, you seem to go for meals, soft play, there are farm shops, indoor furniture, cosmetics, household items, and quite a bit of clothing. It's a whole other world for me!
Haha I'm born and raised British and garden centres are a whole other world to me too! My family didn't visit them when I was a child - maybe it's a class thing, not sure but we were not well off when I was young. Since having my dd (and now living in a richer area if that is relevant), I overheard some mum's talking about this brilliant garden centre not too far from us that they all take their dc too and I was fascinated! I still am yet to visit but apparently it has a zoo and in the winter it has an ice skating rink!
Hardbackwriter · 01/02/2021 13:24

Europeans -
Do your kids really have 10pm bedtimes?
Do they really eat as late as 9pm?
Why do they seem so placid/well behaved?

Big generalisations about 'Europeans' here! In southern Italy kids do go to bed and eat late compared to British ones but they are definitely not well behaved and placid!

GreenlandTheMovie · 01/02/2021 13:27

@donewithitalltodayandxmas

Luckily we have you here to tell us how to act. Hurrah.

Don't think I told anyone what to do just put my opinion down.

I looked at this as op said lighthearted

The OP doesn't specify "lighthearted" in it. Perhaps its ordained somewhere else in the thread, but not having scrolled through it for instructions, posters might have missed it and tended towards being sardonic on occasion.

How terrible!

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 01/02/2021 13:27

Plus it's bad for the environment to have the tap continuously running

Yes this as well ,
Also I can't see difference between plastic bowl or sink.
Bowl keeps my sink scratch free and I anti bac it after every use so not less hygienic ?
We do tend to colour match them with our kitchens as well

RaraRachael · 01/02/2021 13:29

I'm confused about the washing of dishes. My mother used a bowl within the sink. I scrape food off the plates, rinse the really dirty ones, then fill the sink with hot water and fairly liquid and wash all the stuff.
Is this wrong because I can't think of any other way to wash dishes - I don't have a dishwasher?

GingerGill · 01/02/2021 13:30

‘UK’ is not over populated! Other home nations might be but Scotland less densely populated than USA!

BaggoMcoys · 01/02/2021 13:31

This!!! I mean, a couple of mugs fair enough but do people seriously do the washing up for a family of 4 after a Sunday dinner, with the tap running the whole time

I wash with running water, but I turn the tap on and off between items. So I get everything wet first, then scrub everything and then rinse each thing individually, turning the tap off in between so it never runs for too long (I hate water waste, plus it gets too hot). Might be a bit weird but I was never taught how to do washing up and I've never understood how to wash things if they're all soaking in a sink/bowl. My stuff is always sparkling clean though. I once lived with housemates who used a bowl and their stuff always came out really grimy.

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 01/02/2021 13:31

I'm confused about the washing of dishes. My mother used a bowl within the sink. I scrape food off the plates, rinse the really dirty ones, then fill the sink with hot water and fairly liquid and wash all the stuff.
Is this wrong because I can't think of any other way to wash dishes - I don't have a dishwasher?

I think a lot have double sinks in other countries so they wash and rinse, or some just seem to wash with continuous running water .?
Not usual to have doubel/1.5 sinks here ( getting a little more common and on mumsnet prob a bit higher )