martyc

My kiwi husband says that in his 14 years in the UK he has never felt or been treated differently despite his kiwiness and accent.

Yet during my previous 3 years in NZ I did, on occasion, feel 'foreign'.

Never more so than when being interviewed for a job.

Mr C says that people he meets along the way, all across the country are always polite, friendly and show a genuine interest in his life before the UK. The only irriation is when he occasionally gets asked why he left 'Australia'. An easy mistake I suppose. But on the whole, totally accepting in every aspect.

This worries me a little about our return to NZ because I didn't really feel that same acceptance. Outside his family and friends I felt that it was hard to make my own friends other than a couple of expats for which I was very grateful. Beyond having to endure 'pommie' jokes from his friends there wasn't much interest in my previous life.

I'm hoping that by moving to a city that people with be more 'wordly wise' if that makes sense. We lived near Hamilton before.

hazeandsteve

Don't feel foreign, feel very well settled, but it bugs me when people assume I'll be cheering the pome in the World cup

barnsleymat

They can't understand my accent.

They expect Brits to have that 'British' accent, which is strange as they all seem to love Coronation Street. I get asked which part of Ireland/Scotland I'm from, there's only one reply, which part of Australia are you from.

hazeandsteve

if it weren't for Parky, most English couldn't understand your accent either...

barnsleymat

Eyup, Becky off Corra is from Barnsley and they watch her every night.

We disowned Parky years back for supporting other football teams when it's suits him.

rick78

dont feel foreign at all... but then its only been two weeks!

start work on monday (finally!) and although a fair number of us are british, a lots aren't, so it will be interesting

although saying that the type of work i do we tend to have lots of different nationalities working together (in my last job i shared on office with a french/polish lass and a greek bloke... and in the next office was a jamaican, hungarian and a coulple of asians).

So there we go!

DC10

The word "foreign" is interesting in itself. When I first arrived in the UK I was surprised at how casually it was used to describe people...

I think I'm correct to say that in most other countries that would be considered very rude

Genesis

I have a sense of humour and am very friendly.

Woodlea

being English and living in Scotland?

Bo-Jangles

I was going to say 'laughing out loud' and not taking myself seriously.seems to cause me no end of bother here.

The lack of good queuing technique and etiquette; having my toes trampled on by marauding crowds at checkouts and stuff, there's always someone who wants to get there before you, even if they obviously arrived after you did. The complete lack of sensitivity to one's personal space, standing toe-to-toe, leaning over you and breathing down your neck at the Eftpos or cash machines.

Bartering in established retail outlets.

Lunch and breakfast (particularly in work situations) but I might save that for another conversation.

Public toilets (again a work thing) - yeugh!! I'm not even sure I can bring myself to write about that topic publicly. So I'll hold that thought too!!

People selling stuff at the side of the road, from the back of a truck.

Saying my name and having to spell it out a dozen times, before eventually writing it down for them.

martyc

It is an uncomfortable word to use, strangely.

So is 'immigrant'. I take great delight in pointing out that my husband is one (albeit legally) after I hear someone talking them down. It is then lots of fun to see them back pedalling furiously.

DC10

Yes it's amusing when Brits (generally working class - oh there I go with my own stereotyping) confide in me, without irony, about the way "immigrants" have ruined the UK

Interestingly, I have found that neither "foreigner" nor "immigrant" is generally used to refer to "Antipodeans", and perhaps not to English-speakers in general. In British usage the words seem to refer more to a "foreign" language and/or skin colour

billingham

Exactly. And Jesus was a white man, from Oxford.

martyc

Yes, I agree. Where would we be without the immigrant population who work so hard to make a contribution. Some of them on pitiful wages that many British people refuse to work for as they are more comfortably off doing nothing.

Genesis

Being a careful, polite, considerate driver who knows the difference between dangerous and safe.