To ask overseas folk what British quirks they think are weird/funny? Thread 2!

[Burntmybiscuits]

First thread is now full: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3874603-To-ask-overseas-folk-what-British-quirks-they-think-are-weird-funny

But I've had some requests for a 2nd one. Here it is!

Also, forgot to mention in the States you have the option to take food home so people will order bigger portions so they can have the leftovers for the next day.

Thank you for second thread! Am laughing at the cloud of foam with a bowl in it. 😂

Regarding laundry: in Scandinavia outdoor drying weather is even rarer than in the UK I’d say. So wherever the machine is, there is usually somewhere to dry clothes too - a tumble dryer or drying rack. If you live in a flat there is normally a communal laundry room you sign up to use and it’s normally very good. I’ve never had my own washing machine. My MIL has the laundry in the cellar of her house, with washing lines so clothes can dry in the winter, and a separate entrance straight into the garden for summer drying. That’s a big difference between Scandinavia and the UK (and Ireland for that matter) - the level of dampness you put up with would never be accepted here. They’d sooner tear the house down as deficient!

Washing machines in the kitchen is normal all over Europe though isn’t it. I’ve seen in it in France and Spain. The swedes think they’re all baffling.

@phoenixrosehere We do that here, too - it's called a 'doggy bag' (even though it's rarely for the dog!). What's it called in the States, or do you just ask for it to be wrapped?

Children as young as 4 being sent to school. Now that one is really weird to me.

Testing 5 year olds.

4-6 year olds shouldn't worry about writing and times tables, they should be very busy playing. I can't help feeling that the British like for their children to grow up quickly, and are robbing them off their carefree childhood.

HennyPenny4 what's the logic with not being able tohang washing out??

The term 'doggy bag' is a US import.

The bricks are red in areas where the clay is that colour. London brick is dark brown. In the east there is a lot of 'yellow' sandstone brick.

'Vinegar' on chips could be "Non-Brewed Condiment," made from petrol.

In Italy and my washing machine is in the bathroom. Did a quick scan of all the people I know and only one has hers in the kitchen due to space. Everyone else has theirs in the bathroom. We live in flats though so no lugging from upstairs.

Sleeping in a freezing cold room with the windows open all year round

Wearing shoes indoors - I just don't feel that comfortable in shoes

Aussie, having lived in UK 17yrs and also middle east.

Public transport is VERY expensive compared to majority of Europe and other places around the world, and stops at the slightest bit of weather.
Leaves on the line, line is too hot it buckled, line is cold and froze, a few snowflakes stopped the entire airport etc etc !

I’m English but worked in Spain for a bit when I was younger. My boss begged me to stop saying ‘please’ and thank you’ as apparently I said it so much it sounded insincere.

Have now been living in the Middle East for ten years and get teased a lot by my Arab friends for having my young kids in such ‘strict’ routines (by that they mean always aiming to have them in the bath by 6.30 and bed by 7ish) Here it’s not uncommon to go to a mall at 10pm and find it full of toddlers

I’ve seen a few London flats where the washing machine was in the bathroom.

I love vinegar on chips, it’s not a thing here, alas, and the vinegar is wine vinegar.

Things the Italians find odd about the Brits have already been mentioned by others:
Eating the evening meal too early
Early bedtimes for children. Primary school starts at 8.30 am here so it’s not as if British kids need to get up earlier
No plugs in bathrooms
Bathroom lights on a string
No bidet - I also lived in a flat with a minuscule bathroom but there was still room to wedge in a bidet
Milk in tea
Chips with pasta
Pasta as a main course
Impossibility of dressing your own salad when out in a restaurant. Here you are given your salad and the olive oil and vinegar etc to dress it with at the table. In the UK it either comes with a premade dressing or none at all. I tried to ask for some simple oil and vinegar so I could sort myself out but was met with much bafflement. Mind you, it is similar in France, everything arrives already dressed in vinaigrette, which I like but my vinegar hating DC doesn’t.

Fascinators. They just never look good and I don't understand the point of them.

We do that here, too - it's called a 'doggy bag' (even though it's rarely for the dog!). What's it called in the States, or do you just ask for it to be wrapped?

Called doggy bag too, but I hate the phrase. It wasn’t the norm when I moved over I should have added and most places seem to be adapting it more as time passed. They are definitely doing it now due to Covid-19.

I would get strange looks for asking or they would have nothing at all and have to find something. I actually ended up taking a dinner plate size salad home in foil because they didn’t have a container.

Just because we’re famous for it doesn’t make it true for the whole country

This could be said for the entire two threads about Brits so far, to be fair

Loving the second thread OP

I agree Chloe.

I do though think there’s a difference if you’ve never lived in the country before though.

I do think it’s different if you’ve never lived in the country though.

Lack of air con, or at the very least a fan in medical facilities, shops, public transport and restaurants. I realise the majority of the time its cold, but during the summer, the lack of any air flow or fans put me off many places.

I asked for a 'doggy bag' when I first move to the UK, to be told it was against the restaurants policy as it was a health and safety risk! If we took it home, and didn't reheat it properly, and got ill, we might sue them!!!

Written intended for 1st thread but I’m sure you’ll all follow my meaning.

“It was only then that we realised that yes, those are weird things!”

That’s the crux of the matter really. What we grow up with is our normal and we assume everyone else does the same when even in the same country that’s not necessarily true.

As an army brat we noticed it with many things from obvious things like different slang in different areas but also other things you wouldn’t expect - school dinners were different in different counties, as were how youth clubs and guides were run, and even non uniform days in school!

My first high school non uniform days had a special name and staff sort of joined in too but it was quite “dressed up” and people planned what they were gonna wear weeks in advance with loads of discussion including the boys, it was also a day when the girls were allowed to wear “noticeable” makeup and non uniform hairstyles. One friend of mine turned up to one practically in fancy dress as Madonna circa like a virgin!

But the next place we lived I completely misread their non uniform day and assumed it was similar and didn’t notice the lack of discussion on outfits etc. I went all out very “Sloane ranger” style inc big “fergie bow” and everyone else just tipped up in jeans and t-shirts! I felt a right prat and didn’t repeat the mistake.

And yet I still was completely bewildered upon spending my first Christmas not with my own family (couldn’t get home due to work shifts) and the friends I spent it with did things completely differently and it really threw me at the time (I was still quite young) and again when ex and I married our first Christmas at his parents was bizarre to me! He had the same experience with his first Christmas with my folk.

“We got crackers confiscated at the airport once for being explosive. Christmas ruined!” I’m now weirdly wondering about the effect of cabin pressure on crackers!

I agree takeaway portions are way too big, pointless me ordering just for me more than half will end up wasted. I find it kills my appetite too. One place local to me does kids portions and I order them.

@BelfryBat Ah, OK - thank you!

On a side note, I much prefer the US 'angry at' to the UK 'angry with.' Makes much more sense!

@Elouera wow - and yet we were brought up with the idea that it was the US that was the litigious culture! Pots and kettles!

Loving this thread (Brit here).

phoenixrosehere As a British-American my experience has always been the opposite.

4-6 year olds shouldn't worry about writing and times tables, they should be very busy playing. I can't help feeling that the British like for their children to grow up quickly, and are robbing them off their carefree childhood

Yes! And yet they also manage to really baby the children. It’s quite a special talent to do both at the same time.