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Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Old Mar 29th 2007, 10:44 pm
  #31  
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Our concepts of distance and the impact that has on everything from my need to be able to walk to get a pint of milk to the importance of family relationships. And how we feel about broom cupboard houses!

Think the Netherlands has to be one of the only countries with a higher denisty of populous than the UK.
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Old Mar 29th 2007, 10:48 pm
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Originally Posted by Bob
roast tatties instead of mash for a start...the trimmings, the pud, the booze and crackers...
Oh well we're fine there. I don't want a repeat of thanksgiving dinner anyway.

So... I adore roast potatoes, think crackers are neat, and I'm the one who actually likes Christmas pudding - he wants his clootie dumpling.

What's different about the booze and turkey?
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Old Mar 29th 2007, 10:49 pm
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Originally Posted by haggerwood
My current wife is American and we had some issues with the whole pub thing since she associates beer with Satan.
ohhhh how true my wife thinks this too .
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Old Mar 29th 2007, 10:52 pm
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Originally Posted by britex
ohhhh how true my wife thinks this too .
Where are you guys finding these teetotalers?

I personally think it's impossible to eat a good pizza without at least one mug of beer.
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Old Mar 29th 2007, 10:57 pm
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

oh thank god people who are in a booze free town like me...well i mean there's no pub....they don't even sell anything over 4.5% at the stores i have to drive to go to the goverment run wine\spirits shop, which as i'm sure you've heard in norway is ridiculously expensive....

but i can now also see that brits will go to the pub at the drop of a hat, and lots of things are based around drinking...


as for cultural differences...after the initial hurdle of the language barrier, social differences and the homey comforst you can't get anymore....

just the same as the rest of the world...money and sex
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Old Mar 29th 2007, 11:24 pm
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Originally Posted by britex
ohhhh how true my wife thinks this too .
I have some female friends who like to drink but my wife says they are "skanks".
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Old Mar 29th 2007, 11:27 pm
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Originally Posted by haggerwood
I have some female friends who like to drink but my wife says they are "skanks".
what does she say about you then?
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Old Mar 29th 2007, 11:30 pm
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Originally Posted by welshviking
what does she say about you then?
What indeed.
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Old Mar 30th 2007, 1:38 am
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

You're living in the deep south dude, where most have to pretend they don't drink in case the pastor comes around and god forbid, catches a wine bottle in their kitchen....

You need to spend some time with her over there
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Old Mar 30th 2007, 2:55 am
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Well i live in the deep south i guess, Alabama to be precise and drinking is not really too badly frowned upon, its the drinking to excess that is. But usually if you dont stick your nose into other peoples business then they will pretty much leave you alone. Going to church here is like going to the Pub for us Brits, lol. I stay away from them most are full of hypocrits anyways. Thankfully my Wife aint into the church either, so im not dragged along unwillingly, not that i would allow myself to be dragged along anyways.
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Old Mar 31st 2007, 3:12 am
  #41  
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

In our case, quite a bit of adjustment was required. You see, in my culture, typical weekend activities for males include lying on the sofa, consuming food and drink from their original containers, and watching sports on TV. In her culture, the general expectation is that menfolk make use of such modern refinements as proper clothing, cutlery, dishes, combs, soap, etc. She's gradually coming around...
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Old Apr 1st 2007, 2:17 pm
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Originally Posted by Tracym
So what's different about Christmas dinner?
Everything! We don't have one thing on our menu that's the same as home. I did manage to find Christmas Crackers at TJ Maxx though.
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Old Apr 1st 2007, 2:20 pm
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Originally Posted by danfan
Everything! We don't have one thing on our menu that's the same as home. I did manage to find Christmas Crackers at TJ Maxx though.
My family didn't have any particular thing for Christmas dinner. So I cooked whatever my fiance wanted, which seemed a bit similar to our thanksgiving dinner.

Crackers are all over here lately at Christmastime, even the grocery stores.

Dessert is different, true - we make his Clootie Dumpling.
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Old Apr 1st 2007, 2:24 pm
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Originally Posted by snowbunny
The biggest differences are about the employment and welfare systems.

Hubby is simply not used to pimping himself for a job interview. The unions and the employers get along fairly well in the Netherlands and everyone has a fairly decent living even if their house is the size of a broom cupboard.

Not so here -- and the health insurance costs to buy his cover on my work-based policy are very high.

The fact that the government is so corrupt and in the pockets of Big Business is very hard for him to swallow as well. The Dutch government is less corrupt and more accountable to its people. On the other hand, its population is no more than 20 million. The brutal dog-eat-dog competition and lack of safety net here simply bewilders him. I don't like it either, but I have to live here.

The central air conditioner has picked tonight to die so .... the desperation meter just clicked up.
Politics was a big one for me. Being considered a socialist for believing in a welfare system/ employment rights/ maternity rights etc

Me bugging him to use a knife to eat (why do Americans only eat with a fork?)

The amount the Church comes up in conversation & that my Church of England beliefs make me non-Christian

Discipline of kids

The level of patriotism & the differences in belief that slagging of a president doesn't mean you hate the whole country and its people.
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Old Apr 1st 2007, 6:10 pm
  #45  
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Default Re: Cultural differences between USC (or other) and UK spouses

Originally Posted by haggerwood
I actually love interviews here. I rely on my old acting skills. I just go in and completely BS and act larger than life for an hour. I make up any old stories that sound like they'll fit the bill and it invariably works. In the UK they actually looked at tangible facts rather than letting you smooth talk them. I had one interview here that went on for 3 hours and ended in much merriment and laughter. Never had that in the UK.
but did u get the job? Merriment is great if u get a pay check a couple of weeks later.

I am used to the european way, contract and unless i die my feet are under the table. I complained a couple of weeks that a girl was chewing gum on the phone,and she lost her job. I was gobsmacked. Learn to keep gob shut in future. These people have it tough.

I am going to take ur advice tho. Bullshit my way into a job! Acting lessons top of my list.

I went to a temp agency and she asked if i needed a info sheet on how to present myself at a interview. I told her NO!! What u see is what u get. Maybe reading this post i wasnt so clever.

I was supprised tho u dont put ur age, marital status, or kids on ur cv!! They dont want to know sod all unless ur educated. And u dont send references to them.!! What is that about then?

I am getting too old for this.
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