Interesting ways other countries see England

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Unicorn
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Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby Unicorn » Mon Jul 26, 2021 11:30 pm

I recalled today a conversation I had a few years ago with a Spanish lady. She was recounting how she used to watch a long running English series quite a few years ago that she was absolutely kept her gripped and gave a real insight into English life, relationships and manners.


Which one, I thought, could it be?

The Forsyte Sags?

The Pallisers?

Upstairs Downstairs?

Which one could it possibly be?


Well.

You know what it was?

It was...................


George and Mildred :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

BENIDORM
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby BENIDORM » Tue Jul 27, 2021 7:57 am

There are plenty of George and Mildred's in Spain, that's probably why they identify them as typical Brits.

Quite a few Europeans watch Coronation street and Eastenders, no wonder they have a rather warped vision of British culture ?.. :D .
I note that they like UK humour ...like PM's question time at the House of Commons... :crazy:

Saludos,
George and Mildred.. :wave:

olive
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby olive » Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:15 am

Introduce them to watching Yes Minister!

A series before its time.

The episode with the hospital with 500 staff and no patients and needing 200 more staff.

Yesterday as an aside, I concluded the only time a Spaniard hurries is when they are heading home.

katy
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby katy » Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:08 pm

When I lived in Sevilla for a year majority of Spaniards still thought all British men wore bowler hats!

Miro
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby Miro » Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:39 pm

olive wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:15 am Introduce them to watching Yes Minister!
No need to - they've been watching the real life version on the news since 2016.
Old article, but a Dutch journalist who lived 6 years in UK sums up what a great many Europeans probably think of Britain nowadays (certainly all those I know personally):
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... etherlands
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

katy
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby katy » Fri Jul 30, 2021 5:58 pm

Wouldn’t expect any different from the Guardian. Since this article over 500,000 Europeans have applied for permanent citizenship.

Pamela1
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby Pamela1 » Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:35 pm

Miro wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:39 pm
olive wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:15 am Introduce them to watching Yes Minister!
No need to - they've been watching the real life version on the news since 2016.
Old article, but a Dutch journalist who lived 6 years in UK sums up what a great many Europeans probably think of Britain nowadays (certainly all those I know personally):
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... etherlands
Just out of interest, how do you see England Miro? I understand that you lived in Spain in Torre for quite a number of years but since some time has passed you will now be well settled in...i do think when people have been fortunate to move and live around the world in different countries their view of how they see the Uk is quite interesting and quite often they notice more than those of us who live here, you could say that sometimes we can't see the woods for the trees.

Miro
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby Miro » Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:00 pm

How do I see England? Impossible one to answer concisely. That's a lengthy discussion over several beers really :D , but purely from the current political perspective I tend to agree pretty much with Joris Luyendijk (see link in my previous post). His article concludes saying "I still miss Britain every day. But I also know that this country I miss no longer exists". I could equally say the Britain I grew up in no longer exists, because there are aspects which I simply don't recognise. But perhaps it's just me that has changed? Living in different countries probably has partly contributed to that, giving me different perspectives. Nevertheless, I agree with Luyendijk and I have Anglophile friends from other European countries such as Germany & Sweden who feel the same, which frankly I find rather sad.
I wouldn't expect any different from katy, simply because the article appeared in the Grauniad, but I have read Luyendijk's books and think his opinions are worth reading. And yes, I am aware that many EU citizens have applied for UK citizenship - my niece's partner, who happens to be Spanish, is now a British citizen (at considerable expense, and inconvenience in order to also retain his Spanish citizenship and his EU rights). Why did he bother? Same as many others no doubt, and to quote Luyendijk again: insecurity over his rights and future status (viz Windrush). Again, rather sad.
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

Unicorn
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby Unicorn » Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:19 pm

Here is an article from last month. The stopwatch is on..... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit ... it-8052612

Pamela1
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby Pamela1 » Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:38 pm

Good post Miro, :) i too miss Britain and i have never left or lived in another country. Perhaps it's age or the fact that nothing stands still, modernisation changes many things including way of life. I guess the same could be said by people who live in other countries and they too miss the country they remember growing up in.

katy
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby katy » Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:55 am

Well summed up Pamela.
A good book La Rana Viajero by Julio Cambo. Famous Spanish Author. Much of it about the time he spent in London. Some about his landlady, Police etc. Also chapters on Germany and others. A humorous account of them all. May be available in English but think most on here speak Spanish. Was 1920 but lot still relevant.
Unless we continue with articles written by anti Brexiteers, plenty around.

Miro
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby Miro » Sat Jul 31, 2021 10:47 am

Like it or not, though, here and now in 2021 if you ask a forriner how they see England, they are more likely to mention the B word :shh: , than tell you that all British men wear bowler hats. Just saying....
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

katy
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Re: Interesting ways other countries see England

Postby katy » Sat Jul 31, 2021 12:00 pm

Yes but your article is dated 2018. :mrgreen: There is more to England and the English than Boris and Brexit. And in that context the 1920 book is spot on. Probably be considered Xenophobic in this woke world. Really easy to read Spanish too, still used in some A’level curriculums.


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