Things that baffle you about another country

[Soubriquet]

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

@Annedunne181, I asked earlier on, but why do you visit Ireland every single year when you find it such a cruel and backward place? Are you aware there are other countries you could go to?

Which is why in bathrooms sockets are mid wall, to prevent that. I’ve had old bathrooms without sockets but modern standard is sockets so you can plug in an electric toothbrush and a prepared spot for a washing machine if you want one (water and electricity connections).

[quote Annedunne181]@InsideOfEmptiness I didn't "spell it out to you". I didn't talk to you at all! Wow you have such an ego.

This thread is titled "what do you find baffling about other countries".
If your huge ego is going to be that offended if your country is mentioned, then maybe don't come on here.

I have also said what I have found baffling about the UK on here. No people from the UK were offended. Did you notice?

So take your nastiness and aggression and put it away[/quote]
Yikes. Okay then.

I'm really very open to debate. I'll willing discuss the way women have historically been fucked over in Ireland. Not with someone who repeatedly accuses me of having a 'huge ego', and being aggressive and nasty for daring to disagree with them though.

Look, clearly you don't want conversation. You want to tell the world how awful you think Ireland is. What your reasons for that are, I don't know. But if it's making you feel better, go at it. We can cope with your disdain.

@LaceyBetty

I'm obsessed with the washing bowl. I would love someone to explain how it is actually used and better than just the sink. Really not being goady, I don't get it. Also it was a huge shock moving here and having the washing machine and tumble dryer (if lucky) in the kitchen!

I pour a small amount of hot water into my bowl, wash the cleanest items (ie glasses etc) first, then rinse with hot water as I go, so the bowl fills and I get a fair bit done in cleanish water. Tip the water away when it is less fresh. My bowl is much smaller than the sink, so I waste a lot less doing it this way.

@Annedunne181, why won't you answer the question? You've posted a succession of posts which suggest you deeply dislike Ireland. Fair enough! I'm just baffled why you then holiday there year after year?

@Highfalutinlootin

So much xenophobia on this thread, my goodness.

On America and guns: I know Europeans always struggle to understand just how vast and truly wild America it's because Europe is so densely populated and built out that it's hard for Europeans to imagine living anywhere you might actually need a gun for survival due to wildlife threats and being too remote to receive police assistance. There are many places in the U.S. where there are bears, elk, mountain lions, wolves etc. that can and will kill you on your property if you don't have a gun to defend yourself. Why guns? Because that was the history of life on the frontier, which was many Americans until fairly recently. Just because it's not a reality in Europe doesn't mean it's no longer a reality in other countries. Do some reading.

I vaguely understand this, but I don't understand how machine type multiple round guns are necessary in this situation.

@beingsunny

When Australians refer to 'next weekend' they are actually referring to 'this weekend'.

It would make sense if they said 'the next weekend' but they don't

Omg this explains why I 'forgot' that I had an interview for a nanny job 🤦🏽‍♀️. Australian family living in the uk. Spoke to the mum on a Friday, lovely woman. Arranged to meet 'next Sunday'. I was lying in bed on Sunday (2 days after talking to her) when she rang to ask if I wasn't coming anymore. I did go, albeit later 😂

[quote Annedunne181]@WagnerTheWehrWolf again I can ask you, why are you getting so offended on a thread that specifically asks "what do you find baffling about other countries".

Every country has been talked about.

Yet it is only the Irish people that I see getting defensive. Isn't that very immature of you?[/quote]
Well no, not 'every' other country has been talked about. But the ones that have, have generally been discussed with baffled fondness, eg 'why do you use washing bowls', 'why do you have toilet shelves', okay, gun control in America could be a slightly contentious topic, but it was still talked about in a fairly polite and respectful manner. I don't think any other country was told of their cruelty and women hating ways, and all lumped together and stereotyped the way you did with Ireland.

What on earth is immature about responding to that?

Anyway, you're ignoring anything you can't reply to, so whatever

Anne, I've a hunch that your four aunties and all your cousins would be delighted to hear you'd chosen to go to Corfu instead one year.

Grow up and get out there and see the world

Yes, the washing up bowls goes back to a time when people only had one sink (no 1.5 sinks) in the kitchen. If you'd filled the sink to wash up and then had a pot or cup with liquid in it that needed throwing away, there was nowhere to throw it. The washing up bowl allowed things to be tipped down the side of them that woukd go down the plug hole.

It is simply a throw back and people haven't stopped using them although most houses now have 1.5 sinks to allow for that tipping away.

@Soubriquet

I think they have kettles that go on the stove but electric kettles cost too much too run

You can get electric ones but they are hard to come by.

@InsideOfEmptiness but Ireland does have a long history of cruelty towards women.

If you get defensive, because the truth hurts, that is your problem.

Three exclamations marks. Have I hit a nerve?

I like washing up bowls. @WombatChocolate

Was hoping the rest of the thread would be more funny quirks but the thread is almost full and most the the last comments are literally the same 2 people bickering. Can't you start a separate thread for that?

No, Anne. Because you said it was the 'strangest' and 'cruelest' country and your posts show that you have no affection for the place. So it seems to me that only a very weird person would spend their time and money going on holiday there year after year when there's a big world out there full of lovely places where they might actually enjoy spending time.

@Pinkblueberry Well... Using that logic we'd only serve dry bread and water, because then no-one would eat very much, and we'd save on our food bill.

Plus isn't the current advice to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds?

I would love to have a top - loading washing machine. I wonder if I could fit one into my house.

@Mulletsaremisunderstood, re your point upthread, I am sure that part of the catholic church’s power in Ireland came from the fact that Catholicism was a point of contrast to the English/British and a rallying point for Irish identity as Ireland was coming out of a colonial situation with England. English subjugation of Ireland was in part based on the fact of Irish Catholicism. Now that colonial memories are receding ( I don’t know Ireland that well but I suspect they still lie below the surface) it probably seems less dangerous to distance from the church. Obviously the Magdalene laundries and sex abuse scandals haven’t helped either.

[quote Annedunne181]@InsideOfEmptiness but Ireland does have a long history of cruelty towards women.

If you get defensive, because the truth hurts, that is your problem.[/quote]
And I believe that I have acknowledged that. Repeatedly in fact. I have spoken about how terrible and shameful it is. So how on earth am I defensive? Because I dared to point out that it's no longer the case?

@ohbygolly isn't this a thread entitled "things that baffle you about other countries"

Am I missing something? Are we allowed to mention every country except Ireland?

There's a huge difference between on one hand asking why there are gaps around toilet doors in America, why toilets in some countries have a shelf in them, why some countries don't have kettles and on the other hand labeling another country cruel.