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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to feel the UK is really a bit crap?

401 replies

clogdance · 29/04/2017 21:08

We have a German exchange child staying with us. He has been learning English at school for 2 years, and is apparently not top of the class in it. He spent supper talking to me about the rights and wrongs of vegetarianism and veganism.
He also mentioned that he lives in an old house but that new houses in Germany are larger and more solidly built. Just like here then Hmm.
His family are very very pleased that they unlike us are staying in the EU. And that they, unlike us, are welcoming a very large number of Syrian refugees.
Being English feels pretty depressing.

OP posts:
derxa · 30/04/2017 14:26

You have no idea do you. Exactly skerry It does get very wearing after a while. MN is supposed to be populated by educated types Hmm

skerrywind · 30/04/2017 14:28

Very frustrating.

FreeNiki · 30/04/2017 14:30

I find it difficult to believe that the German boy was able to converse so well after only two years.

He wasnt able to. I met plenty of children there who having learned it for far longer than 2 years still struggled. One had an grandmother who spoke English as mother tongue living nearby and her English was still crap at the age of 14. Not to mention all the adults there who cant speak it.

The UK might not be great at languages but don't fool yourself that all Europeans are masters in that area.

scaryteacher · 30/04/2017 14:37

Littlekiwi Having lived in Belgium for a decade, I can't wait to move back to UK in 2019. I am tired of Belgium's 'quirks', tired of dogshit where owners can't be arsed to pick it up; tired of bureaucracy; tired of the shops being shut on Monday; of shops and banks being closed at lunchtime; tired of the crap and inconsiderate driving.

The health care is good, but pricey, the rents are high, food is expensive, I don't buy clothes here, there is 21% VAT on gas and electricity.

I will miss the bread.

RufusTheRenegadeReindeer · 30/04/2017 14:42

my honest opinion is that if you don't like our country or feel the need to slag it off then you can always fuck off else where

And another one Hmm

PrivatePike · 30/04/2017 14:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PhyllisNights · 30/04/2017 14:45

Christ. This has all started from a young German boy that is able to speak English. No need for people to get so tetchy.

We SHOULD all be able to speak other languages, but here we are, a different school system. And there is no country out there that is perfect.

Aderyn2016 · 30/04/2017 15:12

Not really pike. If she'd said UK all the way through, she would still be talking about England, because that is where she lives.

user1489179512 · 30/04/2017 15:27

The UK and Engerland are interchangeable only for the terminally dense.

user1489179512 · 30/04/2017 15:28

Carry on, though. You are beyond help - or education.

Bananagio · 30/04/2017 15:39

Have you read the thread title?

Yes middleaged I have but don't see describing something as a bit crap as meaning you don't like the whole thing. The OP goes on to qualify the specific things she is referring to - she doesn't go on an "everything in shit in the U.K." rant. I describe myself as a bit crap in certain things but doesn't mean I don't like myself - just there are things I wouldnt mind changing and that I think don't compare favourably to some qualities in others. In my opinion the only opinion stated on this thread that is really offensive is that tedious and intolerant "if you don't like it then fuck off elsewhere"bullshit we are reading more and more in the last year. The rest is just difference of opinion and anecdotal experience.

Aderyn2016 · 30/04/2017 15:45

So far as I can tell, being 'terminally dense' and not an 'educated type', Scotland is not the poor relation in its relationship with England. It has a devolved government and from the outside some advantages over other parts of the UK (uni fees for ex). So no, I don't 'get' it because life as part of the UK doesn't seem to suck for you. That said, if you want independence that is your prerogative. Although last time you were asked you bottled it declined to leave. If you feel that referring to Scotland and UK interchangeably would be wrong for you, or that people referring to England and UK interchangeably is massively offensive, (even though both countries are part of the whole) then that is also your prerogative and indicates that perhaps relations would be improved if we were to go our separate ways.

derxa · 30/04/2017 15:45

Carry on, though. You are beyond help - or education. Grin Grin

PrivatePike · 30/04/2017 15:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

derxa · 30/04/2017 15:49

And so the truth emerges Grin

PrivatePike · 30/04/2017 15:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RortyCrankle · 30/04/2017 15:58

I personally think the UK is a wonderful country but since you don't I suggest you move elsewhere, maybe then you will come to appreciate how great it is.

If I was less polite the above would have been worded somewhat differently.

histinyhandsarefrozen · 30/04/2017 15:58

I love the UK, and have - [blows own trumpet like several pp :)] - lived in several other countries too.

However, I feel it is going to shit - mostly because of people who think like this...my honest opinion is that if you don't like our country or feel the need to slag it off then you can always fuck off else where angry

Its not an attitude I like or respect but that's where we are right now.

colouringinagain · 30/04/2017 16:00

I think we genuinely have no idea how fortunate we are to live in the UK compared to many, many countries.

However as many have said there's always room for improvement and we can learn from other countries.

But the fact that 99% of research places our children near the bottom in happiness ratings shows that we're getting some stuff very wrong in my opinion.

cowgirlsareforever · 30/04/2017 16:03

We have our faults but people in the UK are generally very tolerant and funny.

skerrywind · 30/04/2017 16:07

Aderyn2016 you really have no idea.

Aderyn2016 · 30/04/2017 16:10

Well, so you keep saying. But instead of explaining, you were just rude and nasty.

skerrywind · 30/04/2017 16:15

It's not my responsibility to explain.
Go educate yourself.

Orlantina · 30/04/2017 16:15

But the fact that 99% of research places our children near the bottom in happiness ratings shows that we're getting some stuff very wrong in my opinion

This.

Orlantina · 30/04/2017 16:20

personally think the UK is a wonderful country but since you don't I suggest you move elsewhere, maybe then you will come to appreciate how great it is

Some of us can't move elsewhere and would like to live in their country of birth with families and friends but would like to see some things get better.

Like decent education funding.
Children who aren't really stressed out and unhappy.