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!

But some of the comments I got as an Irish person in England(Do we not still own you lot,technically?) and what people came out with regarding the border and Brexit baffled me
Sorry to hear that. It’s such a loaded thing isn’t it ango-Irish relations that you’d think people would know better 🙄 when I went to Ireland I was shocked by how little I knew about the how bad the troubles were there and how it’s still underlying in some parts. I also barely new anything about Ireland before I actually went there. You just don’t hear about Ireland in British schools or on tv which is so sad given the history, the geography of our countries and the historical ties both good and bad

And barbecues -- most Australians own gas barbecues. No smoke to annoy the neighbours and can be used regularly without great palaver.

@Ginnyrellas I genuinely just assumed it was some sort of curry that people used as sandwich filling if they had leftovers?

My bad!

[Still think it is strange though ]

Argh posted to soon. I prefer a bowl because it takes less water to fill than the sink.

Most sinks have that separate little tiny sink at the side for that reason don’t they? I think I’ve had it most places I’ve lived

This is a relatively recent thing in the U.K. Most sinks are one sink, one drainer by default. Even now, the default option is a single sink, not a sink and a half. This is why washing up bowls are a UK thing.

Bathroom?!
No no washing machines belong in utility rooms and at a push belong in kitchens if you don’t have one!
No😐
😂

My Polish friend says separate hold and cold taps and keeping the washing machine in the kitchen are bizarre to her.

Germans have told me that they think a lot of Brits have red hair, and they like that we don't try and talk to others on public transport

You and your students aren't in T'North, are you?

Oh and Portuguese friend says not having bidets in the bathroom is also bizarre!

Lack of mixer taps in kitchens & bathrooms.

Eh? These are common in Britain.
Everyone I know has them.

Oh yeah another one, you used to have carpets in the bathrooms. Shutters 🤮.

@longtalljosie

And they refuse to believe that every Christmas we don’t all sit down watching an obscure British film called Dinner For One. Because they all watch it every year and think we do too.

are you in Germany?
Conversely, we had a German friend here who got in a taxi from the airport - taxi driver kept doing the 'Don't mention the war!!' thing from Fawlty Towers - friend had no idea what he was on about!

Oh and another thing: no screens on windows to keep out bugs!! How has this not reached the UK yet as a standard feature?

Because we don't have solid clouds of mosquitos, or cockroaches the size of Volkswagens.

@deydododatdodontdeydo 10-14 degrees is warm.🤢 Lager should be 5-7.

My family is Italian and they find it really funny how awkward I find it to have strangers kiss me on the cheek and even to kiss my family members on the cheek

Lack of mixer taps in kitchens & bathrooms
Really? I have one on my bath and kitchen tap but I absolutely hate them.

10-14 degrees is warm.🤢 Lager should be 5-7.

Real ale should be 10-14 deg.
It isn't warm. Certainly not "warmed up" which is what she believed.
She thought it was like mulled wine, but with beer.

you used to have carpets in the bathrooms
Still do I’m afraid! Brand new bathrooms with cream carpet. Sorry

@mayfayner and @janejeffer - or anyone else Irish. With the funeral thing are you allowed paid time off work to go? Otherwise if you are going to that many funerals how do you afford to have so many days/half days off? How many funerals do you actually go to roughly per year? Are they a bit more cheerful than British funerals, which are generally depressing? If someone in your workplace dies, does the whole office/factory/school shut down so everyone can attend?

Sorry so many questions but I'm always interested whenever Irish funerals customs are mentioned on here about the practicalities....here I think most organisations begrudgingly give you half a day to attend the funeral of anyone other than immediate family (parents or children) but wouldn't pay you for it, and wouldn't be happy if you asked for more than one a year absolute max, particularly if you worked somewhere like a school where you can't really swap shifts or make the time up later.

@thinkaboutittomorrow
That's known as an irish goodbye lol

A german I worked with had been told that British people liked to talk about the weather, so the first thing he did when visiting our office was start an awkward conversation about the weather.
We never talked about weather when he wasn't there.

@SchadenfreudePersonified yes, you do. It just depends on where in the country you are. Tons of flies too.

@deydododatdodontdeydo
10-14 degrees is beach weather in UK 😂 so warm.

Maybe she heard about early modern English diy cures? It seemed to be boiled ale with stuff added.

@SchadenfreudePersonified You and your students aren't in T'North, are you?

No, the opposite end of the country!

PIL have no screens on any doors or windows. I'm always horrified walking in from May-Sep to find a constant stream of flies circling their kitchen.

No mixer taps. AHHH! You either burn your hands or they are freezing in the winter. To wash your face, you need to hope the bowl is clean and fill it, then you are re-using the same, filthy water to wash make-up off etc. YUCK!