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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Perceptions of the UK from MNetters abroad...?

92 replies

HarryHarry1 · 27/09/2020 18:54

Just curious...

I’m from the UK but I’ve lived overseas for a while. My only real connection to my birthplace now is through Mumsnet. From reading people’s posts on here I’ve started to notice real cultural differences between British people and say, the people where I live. I’m thinking especially of the amount of complaining I’ve seen on here about the coronavirus - about having to wear a mask, or people not wearing masks, or not being able to see family or friends, or places being shut, etc. I’m not saying people don’t have the right to complain - it’s a shitty situation for everyone. But I’ve noticed that people where I live now seem to be just getting on with it without making a fuss. They have accepted the new rules are just part of their lives now. They seem to have much more of a stiff upper lip about it than we do. Obviously they might be going home and complaining on social media too but I don’t think so somehow.

Anyway it made me wonder what other cultural differences (real or just perceived) people overseas have noticed about Britain from reading Mumsnet.

OP posts:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 27/09/2020 19:58

Why do you think it's just the UK that is doing this? There have been anti lockdown protests in plenty of other EU countries. Hmm

FreshFreesias · 27/09/2020 20:28

People all around the world are rising up to protect freedoms that governments are taking from them - not just the UK.

Toilenstripes · 27/09/2020 20:33

I had noticed this even before the pandemic. In general the British seem paranoid about being taken advantage of but they’re also rather stingy. And they complain about the entitlement of others while insisting they have a right to at least 2 holidays a year, even if they cannot afford them.

SherryPalmer · 27/09/2020 20:33

I agree Harry. It feels like the U.K. would rather be in lockdown than follow some simple hygiene protocols. On the plus side it’s really helping with my homesickness!

HarryHarry1 · 27/09/2020 20:38

I haven’t said anywhere that it’s just the UK doing this. Please don’t try and argue with things you think I’ve said just for the sake of it. It’s really tiresome when people do that on Mumsnet.

OP posts:
Grilledaubergines · 27/09/2020 20:54

No good comes from this type of thread. Anything asking about perceptions of the U.K. from broad is an invitation to pile in and suggest we’re hateful cunts with bad dress sense, bad teeth, bad attitudes, unwelcoming etc etc.

Shetoshe · 27/09/2020 21:04

The main thing I notice is the...em... "frugality" with money? Where I live people are mostly over generous with money. Stinginess is a huge no-no culturally. I think the British attitude to money is very different. That's not to say everyone's a tight-arse obviously Grin but there definitely seems to be a cultural divide in that respect.

Grilledaubergines · 28/09/2020 22:21

@Shetoshe

The main thing I notice is the...em... "frugality" with money? Where I live people are mostly over generous with money. Stinginess is a huge no-no culturally. I think the British attitude to money is very different. That's not to say everyone's a tight-arse obviously Grin but there definitely seems to be a cultural divide in that respect.
No I think you have just been unlucky to mix with tight people!
adawong · 28/09/2020 22:32

This is MN where the loony left rule.
Most people just follow the rules.

Costacoffeeplease · 28/09/2020 22:35

We’re in Portugal. My husband went back to the U.K. in August, during the short time there was an airbridge, for a funeral. He was shocked at the lack of mask wearing and general hygiene standards. His hotel still provided a buffet breakfast with all guests using one pair of tongs to pick up individual items. He was very glad to get back home

Greysparkles · 28/09/2020 22:39

What country are you currently in?

dreamingbohemian · 28/09/2020 22:47

I just moved back to the UK from Germany. I can assure you loads of Germans are complaining about the rules, not wearing masks, and having big drunken parties. So YABU.

sst1234 · 28/09/2020 22:47

Yes we are complaining about the madness that is going on all around. An infection that has death rate of 0.0005% of the population in total, where deaths are recorded as anyone having dies within 28 days of testing positive for he virus (even if they die because they got run over). How can it be right that this madness is being accepted?

Holdingtherope · 28/09/2020 22:49

Try being in trumps America

HEYAhhhhhhhhh · 28/09/2020 22:49

@HarryHarry1 I think lots of prople like to moan in the UK. It's very draining!

HEYAhhhhhhhhh · 28/09/2020 22:49

*people

giantangryrooster · 28/09/2020 23:09

I'll bite (feeling courageous) I'm foreign and a bit of an anglofil, but holy shit you are a winy lot Grin. Don't know if it's just mn, the brits I've known have seemed much more stoic.

You refer to stiff upper lips and being tough during the war, but there is always something to whimper about when you read here, you seem to enjoy competing in misery, Adrian Mole style.

Don't pile on me, I do think you are lovely and where I'm from there are pearl clutching/always hard done by women gallore, too Grin.

And some of you have a lovely, lovely sense of humor.

giantangryrooster · 28/09/2020 23:12

Bloody spelling, sorry.

Davros · 28/09/2020 23:14

Are you on the equivalent of MN where you live (if such a thing exists)? I'd say, don't go by what you read on MN, it's really not reality

giantangryrooster · 28/09/2020 23:23

Davros no sadly an equivalent doesn't exist here. There used to be something similar, it was not whiny at all and very straightforward.

I've actually looked up much statistics because of MN. I simply couldn't understand you should be so much poorer, having so much more child diagnosis' etc., being so hard done by compared to the rest of eu.

DeliciouslyFemale · 28/09/2020 23:24

You refer to stiff upper lips and being tough during the war, but there is always something to whimper about when you read here, you seem to enjoy competing in misery, Adrian Mole style.

That’s so true, it’s embarrassing. I look at what people went through growing up during the troubles, with being blocked into your own streets by the British army/police for a full day, so an orange band can go by, checking under your car for bombs, because you were working in certain areas, closing the curtains, before you turn the light on in case you’re a target for one side or the other, people being lifted and held for days without charge, losing friends and family to both sides, etc.

I then listen to people around me now, complaining about their freeedom, civil liberties, face nappies, it’s only the vulnerable, etc and want to tell them to stop being so fucking pathetic and to go home and delete all their ‘be kind’ crap off their Facebooks. You’re being asked to wear a mask, keep your distance and wash your fucking hands. How hard is that. Yes, I know it’s also about jobs, money, etc, (I’ve been crippled by this financially, but I get on with it) but the main complaints is this nonsense about civil liberties and masks.

Don't pile on me, I do think you are lovely and where I'm from there are pearl clutching/always hard done by women gallore, too grin.

And some of you have a lovely, lovely sense of humor.

Wimp! 😂

FOJN · 28/09/2020 23:29

giantangryrooster

holy shit you are a winy lot

I'm British and I agree. MN does give the impression that life is endless misery for many but IRL (in my experience) people just get on with things mostly.

giantangryrooster · 28/09/2020 23:34

DeliciouslyFemale 😂
I'm so sorry about you being in financial troubles. You are right, but those 'they shouldn't tell me what to dooo, I can make my oown decisions' are unfortunately rife here, too.

And yes I'm a wimp, I would like to keep just a little of my skin (and my username) 😂.

DeliciouslyFemale · 28/09/2020 23:36

@giantangryrooster

DeliciouslyFemale 😂 I'm so sorry about you being in financial troubles. You are right, but those 'they shouldn't tell me what to dooo, I can make my oown decisions' are unfortunately rife here, too.

And yes I'm a wimp, I would like to keep just a little of my skin (and my username) 😂.

Well, to be fair, you were brave even speaking up,........

........from behind the sofa. 🤣

workhomesleeprepeat · 28/09/2020 23:36

@Shetoshe

The main thing I notice is the...em... "frugality" with money? Where I live people are mostly over generous with money. Stinginess is a huge no-no culturally. I think the British attitude to money is very different. That's not to say everyone's a tight-arse obviously Grin but there definitely seems to be a cultural divide in that respect.
Lol! I do think this is true. I don’t think English people are tight per se, but there is definitely less of a ‘competitive generosity’ vibe than in the countries I grew up in. Not necessarily a bad thing just different. Though I live in the south, maybe it’s different up north?