What do people think about your country or culture that just isn't true or is inaccurate?

[NwaNaija]

I read a funny thread somewhere else on the myths/misconceptions about different countries. What are yours?

We're loud - Ok, Ok yes we are, especially when on the phone. This one's not a myth but not everyone is.

We all speak one language and understand each other - No we don't.

In addition to the many misconceptions about the U.S. (some of which have shown up on this very thread!), I have encountered a lot of inaccurate and/or outdated ideas about Russia. My DH is Russian and I used to live there as well. People in the U.K. seem to think it is always cold in Russia, that the food is terrible, that people have to wait in long queues for basic items, among other patently false notions.

@Windy1234

I am loving reading about Nigeria. I would love to go one day.

@Windy1234 I'm sure you'll love it once you have someone who'll show you around.

I lived in Lagos years ago, @NwaNaija. Crazy, noisy, smelly, vibrant, hot, humid, absolutely full of life. Fantastic music - saw Fela Kuti play. The spiciest and hottest soup I’ve ever eaten, delicious suya picked up on the way home after a long night, jollof rice, groundnut stew. Nigerian food should be better known!

In contrast, Abuja was awful - dull and soulless. Ibadan was like Surrey, very sedate, and Kano and Kaduna had a very different feel again - much quieter. I am not sure I would go back - too old to keep up!

Thanks to all the media reports about 'Singapore-on-thames', a lot of people think that Singapore is a kind of Ayn Rand liberatarian paradise. Nothing can be further from the truth. yes taxes are very low and no capital gains/inheritance tax but singapore citizens are made to save 20% of their income (employers contribute an additional 16%) in a government fund that can only be used for housing, healthcare and retirement. If that isn't government intervention, I don't know what is.

The state literally builds housing for people, 85% of singaporeans live in government built flats but it isn't like the soviet union either, you have to save a deposit and get a mortgage like in any other country, but the difference is that the government doesn't sell for profit. Healthcare is also subsized (50%-80% depending on your situation) and primary/secondary education is free or very cheap.

So when they are talking about deregulation post brexit, we are talking about UK adopting singapore tax laws without the benefit of CPF (government savings and pension fund) or HDB (our socialized housing). These 2 factors mean that singaporeans have 92% home ownership and also savings for old age which make a big difference in how much state support people require. None of the articles ever mention this.

@Blyatiful Yeah the popular opinion is that Lagos is Nigeria's London or New York City (a big melting pot of everything and everyone. It's also the former capital of Nigeria) while FCT Abuja (the new capital) is like...I don't know the opposite of that and less crazy.

Funnily enough, I prefer the peacefulness of Abuja to Lagos but definitely Lagos when the hustle and bustle of a large city life calls.

Oh Suya! please don't tempt me! Miss it so much. Never had groundnut stew. You must have spent a lot of time with Hausa people because it's mainly theirs and you mentioned some Northern states as well. They're the kings of suya. Glad you enjoyed your time there.

I'm Indian... misconceptions are

• That we eat oily curries everyday. Sorry but the majority of UK Indian takeaways we wouldnt touch with a bargepole and not every Indian dish is a curry! And most British Indian families eat a mix of Indian and non Indian food during the week.

• That we all have arranged marriages and that this means you only meet once or twice before the wedding. I know nobody that this has happened to. Nowadays 'arranged' simply tends to mean that the couple were introduced perhaps by friends of the family etc but they can take all the time they want to get to know each other. I personally didn't have this as met my DH at uni, but I'd rather be introduced to 'vetted' people than suffer going on endless dates with twats from online dating apps.

• That we all love Bollywood and it's music etc. Can't stand it.

• That we all have massive weddings... actually this is generally probably the truest stereotype 😂

That we all love Bollywood and it's music etc. Can't stand it.

Oh but I love bollywood and it's music! They were very popular among Nigerians back then. In fact, there's a new bollywood/nollywood film that people have been raving about because it's a fusion of their two favourite movie industries. It's called "Namaste wahala". Haven't seen it yet because I know it will be cheesy but it's supposed to be on netflix.

@Loopyloututu2

however when I was younger I was on holiday and people asked me to get up and do an irish dance like from riverdance

That’s hilarious, but yes offensive!

I have had this too. I also have had work mates say 'top o the mornin to ya'

That all French women (half French, in my case) are slim, stylish and soignée. Usually in the context of meeting me and being confused by the gap between stereotype and reality

Some people from other countries have this bizarre idea that, whenever somebody in a pub or school canteen drops a plate or glass and it smashes on the floor and makes a big mess, instead of dignifiedly silently commiserating with them or offering to help clean it up, we (Brits) actually all just cheer and applaud loudly instead.

Hang on, wait a minute....

Must be such a weird concept to other nationalities - except for the Greeks, maybe

@Firstbellini

I reckon international knowledge and U.K. knowledge about the workings and culture of the USA are probably more accurate than they are for any other country in the world.

No, we don’t have an anthropological level knowledge of the US but compared to knowledge of Poland, Taiwan, Argentina or Iran, I reckon we’re doing pretty well at knowing about life in the US.

Bless your heart.

I'm from Scotland and often hear that Scottish people supposedly hate the English. This just isn't true. You get the rare bigot who does seem to, but it isn't a commonly held belief at all imo.

@NwaNaija

That we all love Bollywood and it's music etc. Can't stand it.

Oh but I love bollywood and it's music! They were very popular among Nigerians back then. In fact, there's a new bollywood/nollywood film that people have been raving about because it's a fusion of their two favourite movie industries. It's called "Namaste wahala". Haven't seen it yet because I know it will be cheesy but it's supposed to be on netflix.

It's fucking awful. Don't bother

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll I'm half Greek - the plate smashing is just for tourists these days. They used to smash a plate at the beginning of each new song at a wedding, but now they open a new bottle of champagne instead .

@mindutopia

I get what you mean (also American but spent a lot of time living abroad). I think there is a type of US “polite conversation” which would be read by a British person as someone trying to make friends but actually is just “polite conversation”. I found this very hard when I moved back to the US as an adult because I could never figure out if someone wanted to get to know me better or was just being polite.

I had the disconcerting experience earlier this week of being in an online training with a large group of people. The training provider had based an important argument on a very ubiquitous misconception about a social institution in my country, and spoke about this at length with gravitas and conviction, while everyone nodded appreciatively. I was squirming, as what they were describing absolutely is not the way it is! But as it was being used as an example to underpin a rather lovely idea of best professional practice, and as it would have made the training provider look silly, I couldn't bring myself to put them right.

I also have had work mates say 'top o the mornin to ya'

I once worked with someone who used to randomly regale me with dialogue from The Quiet Man. Smiling in pity seemed a bit wet.
Colleague Woman-of-the-house! I have brought the brother home to supper!
Me Wipe your feet

[not accurate but the best I could muster up]

She was actually a lovely lady if quiet horse mad but I do remember her asking what county of Africa I came from. (Not a spelling error, not a slip of the tongue - she thought Africa was a country and it had counties)

I'm from Scotland and often hear that Scottish people supposedly hate the English. This just isn't true. You get the rare bigot who does seem to, but it isn't a commonly held belief at all imo.

@Rae34 absolutely agree. I live in England now, married to an Englishman and my kids were born here but I still have people say to me 'you hate the English really, don't you'. 😂 No!

@Rae34

I'm from Scotland and often hear that Scottish people supposedly hate the English. This just isn't true. You get the rare bigot who does seem to, but it isn't a commonly held belief at all imo.

Agreed! I’m Scottish and it really gets to me when folk say we’re ALL anti-English. I’ve met one utterly horrible bigot in my life, I worked with him and he was really nasty towards english and catholics?! But other than him I don’t know anyone else who’s anti-English

@shamalidacdak Oh wow! That bad, is it? I read where some Indians and Nigerians were teasing that all the bollywood/nollywood acting stereotypes would be present. Good to know I've not missed anything but I may still watch for the cringe factor alone. Lol

@Itsjustricemichael

She was actually a lovely lady if quiet horse mad but I do remember her asking what county of Africa I came from. (Not a spelling error, not a slip of the tongue - she thought Africa was a country and it had counties)

She's definitely not alone in that widely held belief. It doesn't help that everyone and the media (including some Africans, most times for ease of communication because it's so rampant) never mentions the country they speak of (or atleast say 'a country in Africa') when talking about it. They just say Africa like it's one single destination.

Agreed! I’m Scottish and it really gets to me when folk say we’re ALL anti-English. I’ve met one utterly horrible bigot in my life, I worked with him and he was really nasty towards english and catholics?! But other than him I don’t know anyone else who’s anti-English

@AColdDuncanGoodhew I'm the same, I've only met a couple of really anti-English people, just like I've only met a couple of anti-Scottish people down here. Not long after I moved here, someone in my new workplace told me that I should go home as I was taking an English person's job. He very quickly got his arse handed to him by my work colleagues and it made me realise that on the whole, wherever you go, most people are actually really lovely and that you just get the occasional arsehole. He wasn't being an arsehole because he was English, just because he was a twat anyway.

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll I was going to say...
But was ready to accept I'd been mistaken since it's other people's misconception.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

That all French women (half French, in my case) are slim, stylish and soignée. Usually in the context of meeting me and being confused by the gap between stereotype and reality

After living in France (my DH is French) I started thinking that 90% of stereotypes about the French are really just about Parisians! And not even all Parisians....