British people=friendliest, nicest people

[Whyislifesocrapnow]

They honestly are.

I'm English, but live overseas, have lived in different places and travelled most of the world.
I was recently back in the uk for a month and once again i'm bowled over by the friendliness, helpful attitude and just general kindness and positive attitude-not everyone of course, but so many people.
Live in a beautiful place, but the people aren't like this, it starts to bring you down.
Coming home always heals the soul

Anyway, just wanted to say this!

Does anyone agree?

The friendliest people I’ve met were Neapolitans. I went into a shop to buy something very specific and I didn’t know the word for it in Italian, also had zero phone signal so couldn’t translate on there. I made loads of gestures for it, tried the word for it in French because who knows, French may be closer than English. She went way out of her way to figure out what I was trying to say, tried to get her Alexa to work but same issue with the internet.

Eventually we gave up and I left. She then chased me down the street a few moments later because she’d had a lightbulb moment I guess and figured it out. I just thought it was lovely. It wasn’t expensive so not like she was just doing it for loads of cash. Always remember it as a moment of kindness.

Yeah exactly. Honestly if I had the money I’d move back to London.

I actually went to London recently for a work thing and I’d popped to a local Waitrose cafe in zone 4.

The way the two staff at the cafe were so chatty and friendly to me and then a random woman who I sat behind had made brief friendly conversation with me too and said goodbye when she left, really made me miss London.

I don’t usually get those interactions in my local coffee shops 🤷🏻‍♀️and the last time I did it was a POC woman with her child who was waving at me.

I think we are a bit uptight to be honest. Terrified of saying the wrong thing, disapprove of over sharing or displaying emotion, prefer to be keep away from children and teenagers and obsessed with please and thank you. No.wonder people talk about the weather so much and prefer the nonjudgmental company of dogs.

It’s definitely Canadians.

I think there are a lot of friendly countries in the world, but I do agree that the UK is a far nicer country than we give it credit for, and we shouldn't run it down as much as we do.

I follow a couple of Americans who have travelled extensively in the UK (one of whom has now settled in Spain) and their observations always brings a smile to my face. They notice a lot of peculiarities that seem uniquely British and it's lovely to hear an outsider speak so positively about our culture. They travel way beyond London, too, which is a refreshing change (I love London, but we all know there is far more to our country than just the capital).

Every day I see examples of helpfulness and kindness - just small acts - which I've never paid any heed to before now because it's just 'normal'.

Speak for yourself.

Aw really? That's so lovely to know. ☺️🙃

How so?

Absolutely not!! British people are distinctly not friendly as far as global culture comparisons go. Probably the only cultures who are more reserved and suspicious are the scandi ones lol.

Gosh I'm sorry you've experienced that. I have always got the impression that nobody chatted casually in London. I'm a Northerner and find that the further North you go, the friendlier people/strangers are.

That sounds interesting. Would you be willing to share some examples? I have family in Eastern Europe and when they come here they always remark how friendly us Brits are...

Is that North West? 🤔

Wouldn't agree that the British are the friendliest but the British have a great sense of humour which is hard to beat. The sense of humour was the thing I missed most when I have lived in other countries.

We’ve been holidaying in Scotland every year for about 13 years and always found the Scots we’ve met very friendly and hospitable. But I find people are nice everywhere.

Yes, the satire. I would miss it!

I don’t think it’s anything to do with good looks. I think if you look smiley and generally happy to be somewhere people will respond well to you.

I think British people are very friendly. I live in France and everyone is polite always say hello when they enter a shop etc but it's not the same. When I come back to the UK I'm always blown away about the openness and friendliness of people. I'm originally from the North East and everyone speaks to you, sitting in Greggs, or on a bus, people always pass the time. I usually come back to London for the odd weekend and am always surprised by how many people just pass the time of day - I worked in London for 10 years and I don't remember it like this. I think when you're in the UK full time it's just part of the norm and you don't notice it, but when you return after a period of time away it is extraordinary how friendly and chatty people are, I love it.

Not necessarily. Quite a few cultures don’t do ‘social smiling’/walking around with a cheerful expression as a lubricant or an indication of being well-disposed or friendly. In some, smiling at a stranger would be viewed as a sign of insincerity, because smiles are for people you have a relationship with. A neutral face is a sign of sincerity/ good intentions, and being generally smiley would make you look idiotic or suspicious.

It goes back to the point that we all read certain things as ‘friendly’ and our own culture will fit us best. We might read a serious or neutral expression as ‘unfriendly’ because there’s no smile.

I think it depends where you are in the UK. I've moved about five miles down the road to the suburbs and everyone is much friendlier. Was more in the town before. I used to just think the county I lived in was generally unfriendly, but maybe it is just town life.

I say hi to people out walking if they make eye contact.

I find American and NZ people love to talk and generally positive and friendly. They do bloody talk though! I find Southern Europeans very sociable too.

I think Brits are more inclined to be 'helpful' from what I have heard from German friends.

Yes, it seems many people on this thread don’t know how reserved and uptight we Brits down across to the world.

I can name at least a dozen coutnries that are friendlier than Britain.

@malware I would love to have everyone's picture on here and see if we could get a correlation going with how good looking you are and how friendly you think the UK is.

There is a thing called “pretty privilege” but in this context it doesn’t really make sense If someone is being ignored in certain northern towns on a Monday but being spoken to and given free coffees in cafes in London or being chatted to by every random in Glasgow on a Thursday , what do you think happened between Monday and Thursday?! I know for me (alas!) my weight, makeup, and overall looks doesn’t change that quick.

And honestly if we are going to go there let’s remember some people associate “good looks” or being “pretty” with looking more Eurocentric.

So this mindset can lead to someone quite plain with blonde hair blue eyes and fairly slim being well received in some areas whereas a stunning woman with brown skin and a hijab or black skin and afro hair may not be smiled at so much. So a lot of the time “good looks” is coded.

I think that if you are in the culture you were born in, and grew up in, you are automatically more comfortable, and you both give and take the social cues and understand the historical and cultural context effortlessly. So you're more relaxed, and at ease. You're friendlier, so to speak, and friendliness begets friendliness. I noticed this when I went home to NZ. God it's a relief!

Where is this mythical place you have been to?

blahdeeblah1I find your comment on Eastern Europeans interesting.
What countries were you referring to?
I am not having a go at you, i'm just interested.
One year when we were in Croatia (my favourite country, but I am British) and I appreciate Croatia isn't classed as Eastern Europe officially. I met a shop owner who was by far the scariest and most rude man ever. I asked him if he was from Croatia and he was.
That man scared me. He didn't talk, he shouted. 😀
Other than that the Croation and Romanian people I have met abroad have been lovely.