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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:
AntigoneJones · 29/04/2017 21:44

they should take 6 million tbh.

Toffeelatteplease · 29/04/2017 21:45

But imagine taking in one million, and at least some of your population feeling that it's no big deal, just what needs to be done.

Many Britons do feel this (even some who voted for Brexit!!)

lastqueenofscotland · 29/04/2017 21:45

I've lived in 6 countries and there are a few things that when I came home I thought, god we are lucky

The NHS, I fell very ill and basically no one would see me till my insurance company confirmed they'd pay.

I think we are much more liberal than several other countries

Hell hath no fury like a French motorway service station...

Original poster
clogdance · 29/04/2017 21:45

I agree about the UK being generally more tolerant of difference - I dread to think what would happen if you went out in the street wearing pyjamas in Germany. Also about the sense of humour.

NB suggestions of where to move to post Brexit and with little money would be welcome Smile.

OP posts:
CheeseQueen · 29/04/2017 21:45

CheeseQueen - health care is not free - we all pay for it.

Oh well duh, obviously it's paid from taxes and such.
Way to focus on the semantics!
Obviously I meant if anyone needed instant access medical assistance, they'll more than likely get it.

Hassled · 29/04/2017 21:45

Antigone - yes, probably naive. But still, that was my perception. Of course I know there has always been racism and homophobia and all the rest of it - but it wasn't as overt as it is now. Maybe I'm just more aware now - or maybe it's because it's reported more now.

WelliesAndPyjamas · 29/04/2017 21:45

I think you might benefit from trying, or at least witnessing, life in other countries, first and third world, before writing off the UK. (Meant in a constuctive way, btw).

A thought in response to previous interesting comments: One of the things that struck me the last time I returned from living abroad was how very much British people complain about everything, and have little perspective on how fortunate they are compared to others.

Salmotrutta · 29/04/2017 21:45

As far as I understand it "all those countries" with better health care and better support for people with children etc. seem to pay more in taxes?

The UK citizens keep voting in governments who cut taxes.

I'd happily pay more tax if it meant better Health care/Education/Social Services etc.

LynetteScavo · 29/04/2017 21:45

I think the UK is do close to bring brilliant, but we have our faults, and they only seem to be getting bigger.

We really need to get our act together to survive post Brexit, but I don't have much confidence that will happen. Sad

And language teaching is woeful here... but our DC don't need to learn to speak when German children do so well at learning English Hmm

Original poster
clogdance · 29/04/2017 21:50

User - this kind of aggression towards people who don't agree with you is one of the things that I dislike about the current UK - appears to be getting worse.
For what it's worth I have in fact lived outside of the UK for substantial periods of time, both on the continent and in Asia.
The comparison is with countries like Germany and Scandinavia, not with every country in the world. Is that allowed? Are we not allowed to criticise things in the UK until we have fallen to the level of Syria?

OP posts:
AntigoneJones · 29/04/2017 21:50

Language teaching is not great is it?
Not in state schools anyway.
I believe my DC did French for several years and just did the same lesson over and over again, (singing etc)

maialady · 29/04/2017 21:50

Born and raised in UK and have been living in Portugal for 3 years now. I like to go back every 6 months or so. I miss lots but I notice a lot more intolerance, high prices and lots of stress. My partner is Portuguese and he is obviously to me treated very differently until they notice he's with me. It really aggravates me as I have always felt so welcome here. Of course all countries have negatives. We left as despite having a good job I wanted a baby and living in U.K. Was just not affordable ( I worked as a social worker ) or family time friendly. Unless your fairly comfortable well off it's very tricky in U.K. Imo

Yika · 29/04/2017 21:54

Health care is free in the UK. You get health care whether you pay for it or not. That said I think health care is now better in most European countries - where there is also full coverage of the whole population even if funding models differ.

Housing quality is unquestionably better in Germany.

Great pity about language learning in the UK but kind of understandable with English being the lingua franca for travel and business.

I live on the continent and see many things that I like better in my country of residence. More social solidarity and less consumerism, and in general a better quality of life. But the countryside in the UK is unbeatable! So beautiful. I miss it. Also radio 4. No equivalent here.

Original poster
clogdance · 29/04/2017 21:55

I said that the UK was a bit crap, not that it was a hell hole. Would you prefer a North Korea like regime where no-one is allowed to criticise anything, you just have to pretend that our country is the best in the whole world and everyone else is envying us?!

OP posts:
cdtaylornats · 29/04/2017 21:57

The problem with languages in the UK is which one do you learn? Standard in schools is French/German which just means they are living in the 50s - most people would like a foreign language for holidays - so teach Spanish, for people who are business minded - Mandarin or Hindi.

Within 10-20 years it wont matter your tech will do it.

thecatfromjapan · 29/04/2017 21:58

I love the UK very much. I suspect that a lot of the pro-Brexit vote came from people who think the UK is crap. Sad I love tolerant, modern, future-looking, open UK. I feel deeply worried that the UK I love has been stamped on by people who want to turn it into a world backwater because they are bitter about the modern world.

I think that you are looking at the German student and watching a version of the UK slip away. It's sad.

Phineyj · 29/04/2017 21:59

I don't know much about living in Germany but my best friend emigrated to Switzeland before having children and while they have fantastic quality of life, the overt racism, highly traditional view of the role of women and numerous petty rules about every aspect of life (which people actually obey!) are rather striking. When friend arrived she and her DH were given free travel cards and notice that in the event of nuclear war, as foreigners they wouldn't be allowed admittance to the neighbourhood nuclear shelter.

No doubt there are weird things about the UK too that I don't notice as I'm used to them.

UppityHumpty · 29/04/2017 21:59

Have you lived in France or Germany? No, then shut up.

The UK is fucking fantastic which is why Europeans like to come here. It's more open, flexible, far far more female and ethnic minority friendly. Germany might have more refugees but it makes no effort to integrate them - the UK does!

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 29/04/2017 22:00

But imagine taking in one million, and at least some of your population feeling that it's no big deal, just what needs to be done.

There are some in this country that feel the same.

There is a lot of objection in Germany to it.

Germany is one of the least racist countries in the world too.

Well maybe that has something to do with their not so distant history!

AntigoneJones · 29/04/2017 22:00

hm it is kind of true I am afraid, that in Germany, refugees are housed in ex army barracks.. like camps.

Phineyj · 29/04/2017 22:01

Switzerland.

The housing quality is fantastic there too from what I've seen (although perhaps the population density in both countries is somewhat lower?)

Epipgab · 29/04/2017 22:02

YABU. I like a lot about Britain's heritage, sense of humour, countryside, buildings, radio stations, Marmite, the coast, music, universities, the custom of queueing, James Bond, real ale, 50p pieces, baked potatoes, freedom of speech, films, tea, Bonfire Night, even the weather on the whole!

Some things I'm less keen on, but I'm sure that would be true of anywhere. Each to their own, but to me Britain is home and there's nowhere else I'd rather live.

I'm tired of being told England is a shit country.

Me too Smile

UppityHumpty · 29/04/2017 22:02

Germany is one of the least racist countries in the world too.

No, it's really not. Racism is endemic there. You clearly haven't lived there and/or are white.

grasspigeons · 29/04/2017 22:02

Goodness -poor OP. Yes there are lots of amazing things in this country that I love and am grateful for, but there are good things we could learn from elsewhere. Plenty of places have better healthcare and our language learning is rubbish. German houses are really well built. I'd rather be here than any where else but I still think some things are a bit crap ( lack of social mobility )

OhYouBadBadKitten · 29/04/2017 22:03

why are we so shit at teaching languages? I just don't understand it. 5 years of learning French should actually mean people can speak Frenchat the end of it.

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