Scotland & England (lighthearted)

[chocolatecakemakesmefat]

Not really an AIBU but thought I'd post in here for traffic , we have in laws who come from England and Wales , they were here visiting and we got onto the subject of differences ie they'd never heard of buckfast or Irn-bru didn't have a clue what the orange walk was and the education seems to be different ie they say there 'going to school' at 3 when here it's nursery and year 1 year 2 etc , we have p1,p2 etc , I found it weird that there so many differences when we're only a few hours drive away anybody else ?

Orange walks also happen In Dunbartonshire and other West coast towns. I'm down south this now and got asked if I was Welsh. Nearly choked into my tea. Eh no that'll be a broad but slightly posh Glasweigan accent.

Oh and you only have to look at MN every October to see multiple threads taking about Halloween as a recently imported American tradition.

Oh this^^ annoys me too! It's not bloody American, it's Celtic.

The history bit is interesting. I was not taught much history about the other parts of the UK at school - it was 'English history' followed by UK history but ignoring the issues with Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland. I've only learnt that myself and I suspect that I might not be seeing all sides.

We need to learn from history or history will repeat itself.

Many, many, moons ago when I left the bosom of the motherland to attend university in England I knocked on my hall mates door to see if she was ready to leave for lectures. She had a telly in her room and This Morning was on. They were talking about some spooky nonsense and I ask "Oh, what's this about?"

Hall mate then explains the concept of This Morning to me. I was to say the least.

To be fair people in Scotland don't know what goes on in England and/or Wales either. It goes both ways.

And don't forget about poor Northern Ireland, everyone forgets about them and few people from the UK mainland know what goes on over there.

XiCi my parents are in Spain Infact they should be on there flight back home just now I'll ask exactly where they were once I see them tomorrow , I don't think they were looking for takeaway or restaraunt type things I meant sandwiches , chocolate etc snack things from the supermarket to take back

It's not just the different countries of the UK. People have different notions about the regions even within a country. Coronation Street has a lot to answer for.

furiosa I find it interesting to read the news/speak to family and find out what's going on down there probably too nosey for my own good where they live the street lights are off permanently but there streets are impeccably clean because they have road sweepers going in and out all the streets it seems bizarre

I lived in Aberdeen for 2 years and was amazed at the differences in language/culture. The money, the accent, "playgroup" I think is a different thing up there - had no idea how different Aberdeen would be till we got there. We are living in North west England now and it's like another universe (I find the people much more open and friendly here than I did in Aberdeen). Still, I miss the long summer days.

I think it goes all ways, although probably less now with people moving around for jobs and university, more regional TV shows etc that let you pick up some differences.

Will always remember at the start of uni my English friend commenting "I thought there are supposed to be loads of sheep in Wales but I've been here two weeks and haven't seen any! "

We were living in the centre of Cardiff

Surprised at not knowing iron bru though, I've seen it in pretty much every home bargains & similar I've ever been in. And the diet version!

Long summer days rain rain and more rain you mean

I've seen orange walks in Edinburgh and Manchester.

Aberdeen was surprisingly dry compared to the west coast!!

Had the misfortune of seeing an orange walk at the weekend. I'm from elsewhere in Scotland where they don't exist.

Aberdeen is the driest city in the uk.

It just feels bloody miserable all the time because of the granite.

I love Aberdeen, to be fair. It's my birthplace. Don't live too far away now. My DS has asked for an Aberdeen FC strip for his birthday. Good loon.

Without looking at a map and based entirely on a notion I have that the west of anywhere is rainier, it stands to reason that Aberdeen would be dry. Certainly dryer than Pembs or Cornwall.

ntirely on a notion I have that the west of anywhere is rainier

You can blame the Atlantic and the hills.

Aberdeen must be cold though. All those Northerly winds off the North sea.

giggly,when I started college in London I was asked if I was going back to Ireland for Christmas! I suppose the three years I'd spent at university in the south of England must have done something to my also slightly posh Glasgow accent.

Oh and Irn Bru is my guilty pleasure!

Did you know that 'outwith' is a uniquely Scottish word? My English colleagues look at me as if I'm daft when I say it.

I'm from Edinburgh but living in the Deep South. We drove past the Buckfast Abbey en route to Plymouth and I just about wet myself with excitement.

Yes it was windy some days. It felt very fresh up there. NW England is pretty grim though. I loved the fish and chips (fish supper?) And Aberdeen itself had some great restaurants. I just found it very hard to meet people and strike up conversations easily.

Is that a city thing, rather than an Aberdeen thing though, Pixie ? I have friends who moved up here from England who can't believe that people actually stop and talk to you in the street here. We're in a village not far from Aberdeen.

When I was at school in the arse end of nowhere in the Highlands we had a special assembly where the head told us all about his trip to Glasgow and how the neds all wore their tracksuit bottoms tucked into their white sports socks. We were all so amused/amazed/aghast. It seemed like he was talking about another world.

People stop and talk to you in Glasgow all the time. I think that's a very glaswegian thing though, to stop and pass some time with a random person then both just carry on with your days. I have lived in Aberdeen too and don't remember it happening there.