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7/27/2019 Excessive Drinking, Bad Weather and Sarcasm_ the Most Commons Reasons Why Expats Hate Living in Britain _ …

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Excessive drinking, bad weather and sarcasm:The most common reasons why expats hate

living in Britain

Most foreigners enjoy liv ing in the UK, but there are common complaints

Almost half say Br itish dr inking cul ture is their least favourite trait

Others complain about sarcasm and Bri tish cuisine

By Steve Robson

PUBLISHED: 16:32 GMT, 28 August 2013 | UPDATED: 17:12 GMT, 28 August 2013

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Sarcastic humour, heavy drinking and miserable weather are among the most common complaints made byexpats living Britain, a study has found.

More than half of foreigners find British people fit their international stereotype to some extent - with manysaying a tendency to drink tea rang true.

While expats appreciate British manners and the ability to queue, almost half said the excessive drinkingculture was their least favourite trait in people and 31 per cent regarded British sarcasm as unpopular.



Bad habits: Britons' excessive drinking habits is one of the main problems expats have

with living in t he UK

The study, conducted by a visa application help website, polled 1,402 expats living in Britain who hadoriginated from various parts of the world, as part of research into opinions on the British way of life.

Downpours: Brit ain's damp weather was another popular moan among foreigners living

here

The expats were asked if they liked living in Britain and 68 per cent said they did, but almost a third said



they did not.

The most common reason for those who disliked living in Britain was the weather, with 38 per cent of expats agreeing on that.

Almost a third did not like British culture and more than a fifth said they did not like British cuisine.

Expats were asked for their opinions on the British populace, and the majority said that generally speakingthey did like British people.

The remaining 23 per cent said 'No, not really'.

Liam Clifford, from GlobalVisas.com, the website that conducted the research, said: 'Moving to a newcountry poses many challenges.

'You might think you know all about a place from holidays and previous trips there, but actually living in acountry puts an entirely different perspective on it.

'The majority of nationalities have stereotypes fitted around them and Brits don’t escape this.

'With our imperialist past, Brits have influenced many countries worldwide, which means our stereotypesare, if anything, more entrenched than those of other countries.

'People probably come here with a stereotype-based preconception of what to expect.

'It’s good to see from our survey though that, in the majority of cases, this reputation is actually enhancedupon living here.'

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Comments (95)

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Well if you dont like it......

- Poppy21 , South Yorkshire, 28/8/2013 22:23

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"3. The Brit abili ty for sarcasm is a national treasure and should be celebrated, not complained about." Not many foreignersunderstand sarcasm or irony because they are only ready for serious conversations. The Brits are always ready for jokes andthe throwaway line. Foreigners need three weeks notice for jokes too.



- ken mist , paris, 28/8/2013 22:21


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Returning British Expats think that too. In addition they hate the rip-off prices and the way the Daily Mail always mentions theprice of someone's house in their articles

- ken mist , paris, 28/8/2013 22:16


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If I decide to move abroad the reason would be the constant rain -- it just mucks up everything. The other thing is all thecountryside here seems to be private, or fenced off -- "Keep Out" signs everywhere. Mediterranean countries are more relaxedabout where you walk.

- Pete , Cornwall, United Kingdom, 28/8/2013 22:14


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Then when the British become ex pats they take the culture with them. My husband's friend has lived in Madrid since 1984 andspends all his spare time drinking in English or Irish theme pubs. Last time we were there we said let's go somewhere Spanishfor a change as we can't be done with al l that English pub rubbish on holiday and he was horrified we even suggested it. He'sfrom Yorkshire and goes on holiday to the resorts all the chavs go to like Magaluf.

- elgar61 , Fife, 28/8/2013 22:09


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OK! Bring on the red arrows!!!! But, although I am a Brit, and have lived in The Netherlands for the past 20 years, I unfortunatelydo find England to be somewhat behind the times in some things. And some people can be a bit naive in all manner of things. Mydaughter once told me that I was "so European". So what! I travelled Europe as an International truck driver for 12 years. Saw alot, and learnt a lot. Found the love of my life in Haarlem, and settled down here. I am now 68yrs old, and I don't give a toss thatsome people in the UK cannot find their way around an atlas, or even know which country they are in, or even where thatcountry is when they are on holiday. I rest my case!

- Grahame , Haarlem, Netherlands, 28/8/2013 22:05


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I would love to return to the UK to live but the house prices/rents are a joke so I cannot afford to come "home" I miss most of allthe British sense of humour, the food, beautiful countryside, the history, the niceness of Brits and yes....even the so called drinkculture. I hate the violence here in the USA. Sigh........

- Geoff , Miami, 28/8/2013 22:04


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This doesn't sound like it's about expats - they're surveying foreigners living in Britain! Well, I suppose they're expats fromSOMEWHERE. Don't like it here and don't like British people? Go home.

- NoName , Yorkshire, 28/8/2013 22:03


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Yes, do not bother to come here then.



- Sandy Brown , London, 28/8/2013 22:02


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That's funny. Many people from France, Germany, Eastern Europe and the Antipodes indulge in heavy frinking themselves.Where do all these upright teetotallers emanate from? Muslim countries? Considering many Muslims secretly drink, that seemsunlikely.

- Sceptical Man , Sittingbourne, United Kingdom, 28/8/2013 21:52


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