England. Indepedence

[Vacamion]

The French are very similar to Brits, just like the Scots, same with the Germans. - same TV, same beer, same jokes, same sex ....

I am a fairly proficient French speaker and fluent in German.

I lived for a while in Germany. I have travelled throughout Eastern europe. I consider that my knowledge of European culture, history and politics is not shite.

The list of cultural norms I would cite which are utterly different from the UK are as follows:

1. Alcohol - The Germans drink a fair bit at home and consider people who visit pubs more than once or twice a week to be pitied or treated. We slug down beer as fast as we can, get pissed, fight, eat crap spicy food, brag about being sick in the street etc. The Europeans have an entirely different attitude towards alcohol to the UK. Their town centres are not like the town centre war zones between Cornwall and Sutherland every Friday night. Unless there are loads of Brits visiting.

2. Nudity - Germans get naked in front of strangers without a second thought. Germans will walk around with their dangly bits (male and female) hanging out for all to see, without embarrassment. Anglo Saxon culture was incensed and sensationalised by Janet Jackson's boob.

3. Politeness - Europeans I have met constantly remark that we Brits spend all our time offering needless apologies. I have on many an occasion watched Germans bump into into each other and react with "that was your fault" rather than the usual UK reaction "oh, I'm sorry".

4. Diet - Germans think there is nothing wrong with eating various versions of pork with every meal of the day, every single day. I have seen French and Germans gag on Fish and Chips with salt and vinegar on. I have gagged when trying to eat traditional rural foods in Europe, such as German Suelzwurst (made from pigs face) and Stinkkaese (really smelly cheese).

5. Fashion - When a thin moustachioed bloke with a curly permed mullet and green drainpipe trousers and pink trainers passes you, he might be a nutter. More probably, he is a European.

So yeah, they might drink coke and spend money on Mastercards and drive Toyotas, but my experience is that things really are quite different on the other side of la Manche.

[Guest]

I am a fairly proficient French speaker and fluent in German.

I lived for a while in Germany. I have travelled throughout Eastern europe. I consider that my knowledge of European culture, history and politics is not shite.

The list of cultural norms I would cite which are utterly different from the UK are as follows:

1. Alcohol - The Germans drink a fair bit at home and consider people who visit pubs more than once or twice a week to be pitied or treated. We slug down beer as fast as we can, get pissed, fight, eat crap spicy food, brag about being sick in the street etc. The Europeans have an entirely different attitude towards alcohol to the UK. Their town centres are not like the town centre war zones between Cornwall and Sutherland every Friday night. Unless there are loads of Brits visiting.

2. Nudity - Germans get naked in front of strangers without a second thought. Germans will walk around with their dangly bits (male and female) hanging out for all to see, without embarrassment. Anglo Saxon culture was incensed and sensationalised by Janet Jackson's boob.

3. Politeness - Europeans I have met constantly remark that we Brits spend all our time offering needless apologies. I have on many an occasion watched Germans bump into into each other and react with "that was your fault" rather than the usual UK reaction "oh, I'm sorry".

4. Diet - Germans think there is nothing wrong with eating various versions of pork with every meal of the day, every single day. I have seen French and Germans gag on Fish and Chips with salt and vinegar on. I have gagged when trying to eat traditional rural foods in Europe, such as German Suelzwurst (made from pigs face) and Stinkkaese (really smelly cheese).

5. Fashion - When a thin moustachioed bloke with a curly permed mullet and green drainpipe trousers and pink trainers passes you, he might be a nutter. More probably, he is a European.

So yeah, they might drink coke and spend money on Mastercards and drive Toyotas, but my experience is that things really are quite different on the other side of la Manche.

Well I've lived there and have many German acquaintances. They are very few differences in my opinion, I think your examples are false and petty (as in small nt a derogatory comment) I could equally list similar "differences" between the Scots and the English. As for the French I've been here for 20 years and French guys are basically English guys who can speak more languages (and that's basically any european). we think of sex, play and love sport, drink and eat, watch crap TV and laugh. French girls are basically English girls but better looking and generally less fat.

[flowwolf]

I am at a bit of a loss. According to all official paper work which asks what ethenticity we are there is no mention of that mythical land called England or any sutch creature as an Englishman.

How then can we become independant when our own government deny out very existance ?

[Guest]

I am at a bit of a loss. According to all official paper work which asks what ethenticity we are there is no mention of that mythical land called England or any sutch creature as an Englishman.

How then can we become independant when our own government deny out very existance ?

Perhaps you don't quite understand "independance"

[purpleronnie]

Perhaps you don't quite understand "independance"

[Deucalion]

Independence for Mercia !

Put right the wrongs of Athlestan !!

(Thought I'd start out with a bit of randomness)

[flowwolf]

Perhaps you don't quite understand "independance"

For someone who lives in France you don't have a say in it .--Splitter.