To ask overseas folk what British quirks they think are weird/funny?

[Burntmybiscuits]

Us Brits are always on our high horse, making light humour over the habits of other countries (particularly the U.S!), so I thought it would be funny to see what people overseas find 'unique' about us!

Ladies and gentlemen suffering from too small space to add sink to the toilet room. Let me present...
(Some are even so economical that hand washing tops up the cistern)

creme

Who the hell doesn’t rinse their dishes? Do you mean people just leave them to dry with all the suds on? That’s grim.

I've never heard of anyone rinsing their dishes, that's just weird.

I find the washing up bowl weird too - we use the sink in NZ.

Oh yes - the school uniforms!! Wee children in shirts and ties, and little girls having to wear skirts.

As well as being impractical to play in, how do you keep them clean and tidy? My children wear old clothes to school and look like they've been dragged through a hedge backwards when they get back from school, they would ruin a formal uniform!

@Thegreymethod dyed boiled eggs are normal in the US. Dying eggs with the kids is tradition. I’ve lived all over the US and been standard Easter fare everywhere. We used to hunt for colored hard boiled eggs in the late 80’s/90’s. That’s been replaced with stuffed plastic ones. Probably safer that way! Ha!

Can’t find the article in Guardian but a Danish writer applauded the uk for sneakily stretching out Christmas across the year by our habit of eating roasts every Sunday. 😀

Funerals being held weeks after someone died

I can't get my head around that one either.

Being Irish I find funerals the biggest difference. Always open casket here
The misconception about funerals is to do with being from a small community. In the UK Jews get buried very quickly and everyone goes to every funeral. I think Muslims do the same. My jewish sister in law attended a shiva this week online! The wider community is much more diverse, spread out and large so fast funerals with the whole town in attendance doesn't happen.

Weird? What, being hygienic? Not rinsing the foody soap suds off is absolutely minging.

We seem to be a fairly healthy bunch here - never heard of anyone getting ill from not rinsing the dishes

The attitude towards the NHS, it’s like a national religion. It’s also no where near as good as you seem to think it is. You keep calling it the envy of the world. No one in a developed nation would want your healthcare system except maybe America (although I’d rather take my chances with their system tbh).

Birthday cake - why do you put it in party bags? And why don’t you open presents at the party?

The weird moral superiority about using stare schools. You are literally forcing other people to meet your financial parenting obligations. You should only be using a state school if you can’t afford to pay your way.

Washing machines in kitchens - just why? They’re noisy and having laundry in the kitchen is weird. Why would you not put it in the bathroom like a normal person?

‘But where are you really from?’ - Don’t you realise how racist this question is? It’s not polite curiosity, it’s exclusionary, your basically telling people they’ll never be truly brutish because they look a bit different.

Your obsession with class - just why? Being born working class doesn’t prevent you from learning how to speak properly or how to use cutlery. Why do you keep insisting that it does? It’s like a national excuse for not trying harder just blame the upper classes for conspiring to keep you down (even though they pay for everything from your healthcare to your education).

Trees - why do you not plant trees along your roads. It’s weird and makes your towns and cities really depressing.

Roundabouts - why the fuck do you have them on major a roads?

Banging on about winning the war - you do realise that you would have lost if America hadn’t stepped in right?

The obsession with the EU. It’s not the root of all evil. Nor is it the centre of the civilised world. Why did you all go so mental over brexit? It’s really not a big a deal as you seem to think it is, the rest of us we’re never part of the EU and while it is different it’s not like the world can be divided into the Eurozone and everywhere else.

Union jacks, why do you keep putting your flag on stuff? It’s weird.

@Davros can’t speak for Jews but for Muslims it’s more of a customary thing, you bury ASAP (I assume it started out as a hygiene thing). You wouldn’t wait a week for a funeral so kids could attend for example. If they’re not nearby that just though luck and you go to the 40 day thing instead.

I am American, and while I LOVE Mumsnet, I've never been to the UK. What I know, I know from here. I love the posters, I love the views from there, and from all over the world, and mostly love the way we all seem to have the same problems in every family, all around the globe, and everyone helps each other. Most people here genuinely wish each other well, and that keeps me coming back. That said, there are some things that seem strange to m.- 1-I understand that homes have to be small because of so little land, but it still seems odd to me. I have a small lot, small house (about 1500 sq ft) and have room for flowers and trees and birdfeeders and can't hear my neighbors talking. 2-I know everyone there looks down on our medical systems vs the NHS, but I was shocked to hear that you give birth and sleep in a ward with other people! My son was born in 1989, even then everyone had a private room and bath, and Dad's can always stay overnight. They have chairs that turn into single beds. Labor, delivery and post-birth are all private, and the room is quiet. 3-I still don't understand the thing about an electric meter? You pay ahead and use what you paid for, and then you don't have anymore until you pay more? We just get a bill every month for what we've used. The last thing I couldn't believe, and had to read further on to wrap my brain around, is that you pay to watch TV. We can choose to pay for cable, but we can always put up an antenna and watch networks for free.

@Harakeke it’s never been an issue for us. The school uses washable paints and obviously all food/mud is washable too. They gone home looking a little bit rough some days but that would be the case regardless of what they wear. They’ve also got separate kits for PE so the worst of the mid which happens at Forrest school goes on there instead of the usual uniform.

I love this thread and in only one page 1.

Would be great if people pop on what country the come from so we can see how strange we are viewed around the world?

@MadCattery a lot of the houses are stupidly small for no reason, it just happens because British people don’t know any better. Same goes for healthcare (it gets far far worse than shared wards. It’s normal to wait a couple of weeks to see a GP and you’re not allowed to see a specialist unless you’ve convinced your GP you need one and they tend to be quite stingy with referrals ime).

Re utilities, most people get a bill. The prepated meters tend to be for people who’ve not paid in the past.

They make you pay for tv to find the BBC.

@madcattery Electric meters are for poor people. A lot of people use electric or gas and then pay their bill. Meters are for those who struggle to pay bills.

My mum was totally shocked when I told her how long it was between my FIL dying and the funeral. Especially when I said that was fairly normal. For ages she went on about how inhuman it was to make close family wait that long for the funeral.

@Reginabambina Bit unfair to say houses are small because British people don't know any better. Houses here are ridiculously expensive, that is why they are small. People in the main can not afford larger houses.

Funerals being held weeks after someone died

That surprised me when I heard about it. We used to have funerals within a week but I think that's unheard of here except in some religions.

Apparently we are the only country in the world that forms queues to get on buses etc.

No you're not the only country to do that

Forgot one, the obsession with snacking. I am used to a culture of 3 meals a day and snacks being rare. But here everyone seems to snack all the time and expect children to snack all the time.

Not saying; I have my period. But instead saying things like, I'm due on etc

Yet Americans talk about Aunt Flo

@MadCattery
No one gives birth in a shared ward. It’s always an individual room. But afterwards you will be moved to a shared ward with your baby.

We have a washing up bowl. We have a nice Belfast sink and I don't want it to chip. We always rinse our dishes.

Bucket in the sink

Not rinsing the dishes AND from the bath!

Windows opening out

Cake at parties

Yes to supermarket league table

Bringing snacks when child is invited over to
Play.

But also... the fear of people looking into your home! Hence net curtains and the whole house sealed shut the minute the sun goes down.

Not a thing in the med but so lovely in Sweden were all windows have a light on and no curtains.