Anyone find the continentals strange?

partyguinness · 01-04-2019 1:59pm

Seanachai wrote: »

A friend from Wolverhampton used to say to me that London can be like a different country to the rest of England, I'm sure there are some great people there but I know what you mean about the coldness there.

TBH all big cities are cold. If you have ever been to Wolverhampton I promise you will be on the first train back to London.

meeeeh · 01-04-2019 2:12pm

Edgware wrote: »

Irish Republican values are miles apart from the Republican views of France.
Eliminating Protestants in Fermanagh South Tyrone and Armagh because of their religion does not classify as Republicanism

I'm not sure poster was thinking of IRA when making those comments. Brits show a lot bigger deference to royals and other nobility while most of Europe (even countries who still have royal family) would mostly ignore old titles. It manifests itself in less divided society, more egalitarian outlook and different political system.

There are countries in Balkans that are about 50 years behind the rest of Europe but in some ways there would be quite a few similarities with Ireland (disrespect for authority, cursing, fondness for drink, great sense of humour...).

Anyway continentals are not uniform group. There are different national traits and then there are different personality traits. The biggest bore I ever met is Irish and I had great fun with some Swedes on one of the holidays.

Sam Quentin · 01-04-2019 2:15pm

We're here for a serious time not a long time!?

Edgware · 01-04-2019 10:49pm

meeeeh wrote: »

I'm not sure poster was thinking of IRA when making those comments. Brits show a lot bigger deference to royals and other nobility while most of Europe (even countries who still have royal family) would mostly ignore old titles. It manifests itself in less divided society, more egalitarian outlook and different political system.

There are countries in Balkans that are about 50 years behind the rest of Europe but in some ways there would be quite a few similarities with Ireland (disrespect for authority, cursing, fondness for drink, great sense of humour...).

Anyway continentals are not uniform group. There are different national traits and then there are different personality traits. The biggest bore I ever met is Irish and I had great fun with some Swedes on one of the holidays.

Balkans "great sense of humour" Thats a good one

partyguinness · 02-04-2019 1:44pm

Edgware wrote: »

Irish Republican values are miles apart from the Republican views of France.
Eliminating Protestants in Fermanagh South Tyrone and Armagh because of their religion does not classify as Republicanism

I think you are conflating Irish republicanism and the military campaign. Plus republicanism in France was not about fighting off a colonial oppressor- overthrowing the monarchy.

completedit · 03-04-2019 6:14pm

Tbh I doubt any of you have a clue tbh. Probably only interaction with foreigners is in Irish soil. People are people but in general Irish people have a warmth and a fun about them. We have our faults too but there clearly is somewhat personality traits that are common amongst nations of countries especially very homogenous ones lik Europe,

It seems Spanish and South Americans get the Irish idea of fun and having a carefree relaxed attitude to life, the Eastern Europeans are very plan focused and take themselves very seriously. Nice but just not like us

sbsquarepants · 04-04-2019 8:47am

completedit wrote: »

It seems Spanish and South Americans get the Irish idea of fun and having a carefree relaxed attitude to life, the Eastern Europeans are very plan focused and take themselves very seriously. Nice but just not like us

Completely racist....but I agree with you:D

I've worked with a lot of both over the past decade or so and of the maybe 100 eastern Europeans I know, all bar one is as tight as a ducks arse. They'd step on each others throats if there was a quid to be made.
Now I get that they've come here to make money and not to party their lives away, but Jesus Christ - I just couldn't live like that.

The one who wasn't came from a well to do family so that's probably the difference. She was also red hot so I tended to forgive a lot of her foibles.

Edgware · 04-04-2019 9:37am

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Completely racist....but I agree with you:D

I've worked with a lot of both over the past decade or so and of the maybe 100 eastern Europeans I know, all bar one is as tight as a ducks arse. They'd step on each others throats if there was a quid to be made.
Now I get that they've come here to make money and not to party their lives away, but Jesus Christ - I just couldn't live like that.

The one who wasn't came from a well to do family so that's probably the difference. She was also red hot so I tended to forgive a lot of her foibles.

Did you get a chance to check out her foibles?

sbsquarepants · 04-04-2019 10:09am

Unfortunately not. I'm sure they were quite lovely however;)

average hero · 04-04-2019 10:25am

For me, the continentals are a great bunch of lads. Of course every country/region is going to have its oddities.

Since returning from the continent a few months ago, I have noticed that there is more and more of a serious/work every hour attitude coming into Ireland. Things aren't as 'casual' as they might have been a few years ago. This is a good thing though in some respects. In comparison to our continental neighbours, we are still wild though!

With regards to craic, I find the Germans and Italians in particular to be good fun. While there are more 'strange' people in German and they can be a bit colder at first, I find them to be good fun once you get to know them. Italians are pretty cool too. Polish, French and Spanish are cool too. People from the Nordics and the Baltics can be hit and miss for me. Generally nice people but quite serious or dour. Must be the weather!

Seanachai · 04-04-2019 10:30am

average hero wrote: »

For me, the continentals are a great bunch of lads. Of course every country/region is going to have its oddities.

Since returning from the continent a few months ago, I have noticed that there is more and more of a serious/work every hour attitude coming into Ireland. Things aren't as 'casual' as they might have been a few years ago. This is a good thing though in some respects. In comparison to our continental neighbours, we are still wild though!

With regards to craic, I find the Germans and Italians in particular to be good fun. While there are more 'strange' people in German and they can be a bit colder at first, I find them to be good fun once you get to know them. Italians are pretty cool too. Polish, French and Spanish are cool too. People from the Nordics and the Baltics can be hit and miss for me. Generally nice people but quite serious or dour. Must be the weather!

Zorya · 04-04-2019 10:31am

Edgware wrote: »

Balkans "great sense of humour" Thats a good one

I love the Balkan sense of humour, very droll. I like the way they don't plámás either, just straight up people (who have seen some sh!te in their time).

Electric Sheep · 04-04-2019 5:28pm

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Completely racist....but I agree with you:D

I've worked with a lot of both over the past decade or so and of the maybe 100 eastern Europeans I know, all bar one is as tight as a ducks arse. They'd step on each others throats if there was a quid to be made.
Now I get that they've come here to make money and not to party their lives away, but Jesus Christ - I just couldn't live like that.

The one who wasn't came from a well to do family so that's probably the difference. She was also red hot so I tended to forgive a lot of her foibles.

Maybe they are in Ireland to make as much money as they can, and then go back home. Much as many Irish people who emigrate do. I've known many who want to make enough money to buy a house, or at least get the deposit, and move back to Ireland. It was their only reason for emigrating, and they concentrated all their attention to it.

ghostfacekilla · 04-04-2019 9:39pm

I've worked in Sweden for nearly 3yrs and never once have I been invited to do anything outside of work with them. I've lived in quite a few countries and generally by the first Friday at work, your invited out to the pub for a drink or whatever. The expats stick close to each other, of all nationalities.
A sober Swede is as much fun as an AIDS diagnosis.
They make the Germans look like world class stand up comedians.

riffmongous · 04-04-2019 11:16pm

partyguinness wrote: »

TBH all big cities are cold. If you have ever been to Wolverhampton I promise you will be on the first train back to London.

5th worst city in the world

Greentopia · 05-04-2019 1:22am

I find I often have more in common with them than I do other Irish people. I hate cold draughty houses here and the crap building standards, the acceptance of mediocrity in so many areas of life and the "sure twill do" attitude, the drinking culture, how no-one ever turns up on time or keeps appointments (builders!), the political incompetence and acceptance of poor standards in public services like our healthcare system and public transport, the greed of landlords... but I love my friends here and the genuine warmth of the people and sense of community, and how many Irish people will do you a good turn and not expect anything back.

I once found a pair of gloves on a bus here and found a way to get them back to their owner. My fiancee (German) found it odd I would go to any effort to do such a thing and said that would never happen over there as people are too busy and wouldn't go out of their way to help. If you lose something well you were careless so you deserve what you get being the attitude. Having lived there I think he's right. Germans are a lot more punctual and organised than we are. A LOT more. Drives my guy nuts if I'm even 5 minutes late so I learned to be on time there. They're also clean freaks which I appreciate. It's lovely to be able to go for a walk there without seeing rubbish and stepping into dog **** on the streets, and I love how people keep their houses so clean and well kept inside and out. So many Irish houses and streets look grotty and filthy when you walk by in comparison. I've seen rented places here that would be condemned in Germany as unfit for human habitation...love their high standards for so many things. We could learn a lot from them. Oh and East Germans in particular have a great sense of humour and are so kind.

I definitely think we have more in common with countries like Spain and Italy, especially when it comes to the importance of family and the Mammy. I like that about the Italians.

In Sweden I noticed they had a much narrower idea of what family life is-your immediate family of partner and kids and your parents. Extended family was not so important it seemed as it is here.

But then I had more in common with them and felt more at home there at times than I do here. Sweden was a perfect country for me in many ways- clean, safe, efficient, well organised as I like it. I'm an only child, an introvert who likes my privacy, don't drink much, I like my work and comfortable lifestyle and love good design, and good planning and organisation so I fitted in well there. Only thing I didn't like was how long the winters was. Takes a lot of getting used to.

Oh and they leave you alone. No drunken fools accosting you on the street or strangers wanting to talk to you when you just want to get home or get from A to B.
Great country, lovely gentle, peaceful people. And they're not boring. You just have to make an effort to break the ice with them and they will open up. I'm buying a summer cottage there when I retire.

Always Tired · 05-04-2019 1:39am

Electric Sheep wrote: »

Maybe they are in Ireland to make as much money as they can, and then go back home. Much as many Irish people who emigrate do. I've known many who want to make enough money to buy a house, or at least get the deposit, and move back to Ireland. It was their only reason for emigrating, and they concentrated all their attention to it.

In fairness I think compared to the East Europeans that move here, Irish people are much more likely to become part of the communities in the countries they emigrate to, and are much more likely to settle and buy a house in those countries. They became a huge part of the fabric of America through their work in construction, the police etc. The Irish endeared themselves with their characteristics of manners, openness, sense of humour, music, storytelling, etc. That's why they celebrate Paddy's Day the world over and you never hear fug all about Polish saints.

Greentopia · 05-04-2019 1:52am

ghostfacekilla wrote: »

I've worked in Sweden for nearly 3yrs and never once have I been invited to do anything outside of work with them. I've lived in quite a few countries and generally by the first Friday at work, your invited out to the pub for a drink or whatever. The expats stick close to each other, of all nationalities.
A sober Swede is as much fun as an AIDS diagnosis.
They make the Germans look like world class stand up comedians.

Did you learn the language? that helps a lot, even if you just make an effort to speak it will be appreciated and it's easy enough to learn. And no they won't invite you if you don't make it known that you would like to go somewhere outside work. Swedes value their privacy above almost everything else and see it as good manners to not impose on others time or private space. If you want to do something just ask!

The last thing you should do is stick with an Irish expat community if you really want to integrate into life there and make new friends.

I loved Swedes and made a good few friends there. And when you make friends with a Swede you have a really good friend you can rely on 100% and a friend for life. They don't do the Irish thing of calling acquaintances friends and saying they'll contact you and then don't, and they will only call you a friend if they really know you well. Same as Germans actually. They take friendship seriously. I like that. It has depth and honour.

They're also a nation of introverts and can be quite shy so don't mistake that for being boring or uninteresting. The majority would call themselves middle class (even the few who would call themselves working class have a middle class lifestyle by Irish standards), they're a nation that love moderation in all things -lagom är bäst

, they hate confrontation, and they like their comfortable safe routine and nice middle class lifestyles. It's basically a whole nation of accountants, or nowadays IT programmers

So if none of that appeals to you I'm afraid you are indeed in the wrong country.

NSAman · 05-04-2019 2:03am

completedit wrote: »

Americans are so strange and foreign to me unless they are from California or Deep South or something. I just like the Californians I’ve met mindset. People from the Midwest are the worst, zero divilment, zero charm.

You forgot, zero sense of humour, zero education and tell you their whole life story and bore you to tears over farming talk (e,g. How they changed their tractor tyre in graphic detail for 4 hours).

New Yorkers are rude and very much fun.

The average Irish person leaves the average American in the shade education wise, personality wise and travel wise.

Californians are imho, just plain stupid.

Wibbs · 05-04-2019 8:46am

Greentopia wrote: »

They're also a nation of introverts and can be quite shy so don't mistake that for being boring or uninteresting. The majority would call themselves middle class (even the few who would call themselves working class have a middle class lifestyle by Irish standards), they're a nation that love moderation in all things -lagom b , they hate confrontation, and they like their comfortable safe routine and nice middle class lifestyles. It's basically a whole nation of accountants, or nowadays IT programmers

So if none of that appeals to you I'm afraid you are indeed in the wrong country.

Sounds like somewhere I'd love to visit, but to live there would be a purgatory for me. Too much introversion does my head in. I'm definitely more "Latin" in that regard and feel far more comfortable around them.

meeeeh · 05-04-2019 9:45am

Always Tired wrote: »

In fairness I think compared to the East Europeans that move here, Irish people are much more likely to become part of the communities in the countries they emigrate to, and are much more likely to settle and buy a house in those countries. They became a huge part of the fabric of America through their work in construction, the police etc. The Irish endeared themselves with their characteristics of manners, openness, sense of humour, music, storytelling, etc. That's why they celebrate Paddy's Day the world over and you never hear fug all about Polish saints.

Irish are more open but I think this is slightly romantic view. Irish migrants were leaving in a lot larger numbers and to countries that speak the same language. You don't hear about great integration of Irsh into let's say German society.

completedit · 05-04-2019 9:53am

Irish people who moved to the new world spoke Irish, they might have had some English not majority would have been Irish speakers.

The presence and place of Irish people in America is down to the first wave of emigrants with the famine and the decades after it. By like 1920, I reckon that the Irish in America had solidified itself and any Irish after that were just in drips and drabs,

meeeeh · 05-04-2019 10:10am

completedit wrote: »

Irish people who moved to the new world spoke Irish, they might have had some English not majority would have been Irish speakers.

The presence and place of Irish people in America is down to the first wave of emigrants with the famine and the decades after it. By like 1920, I reckon that the Irish in America had solidified itself and any Irish after that were just in drips and drabs,

In huge numbers. Did any European country have such a large migration outside the wars? My ancestors are of german origin on my mum's side but you could also say that they integrated so well there is nothing to distinguish them from any others except mum's maiden surname. If anything Irish in America still distinguish themselves as Irish that would imply certain inability to totally integrate and be overrepresented in certain professions.

Seanachai · 05-04-2019 12:58pm

meeeeh wrote: »

In huge numbers. Did any European country have such a large migration outside the wars? My ancestors are of german origin on my mum's side but you could also say that they integrated so well there is nothing to distinguish them from any others except mum's maiden surname. If anything Irish in America still distinguish themselves as Irish that would imply certain inability to totally integrate and be overrepresented in certain professions.

It seems to be stronger in places like New York, Boston, Philadelphia etc, there are people of Irish ancestry in the South and California who don't place such an emphasis on it. They come across as being a lot more American than a colony or tribe that just happens to live there and speak with the accent.

meeeeh · 05-04-2019 1:32pm

Seanachai wrote: »

It seems to be stronger in places like New York, Boston, Philadelphia etc, there are people of Irish ancestry in the South and California who don't place such an emphasis on it. They come across as being a lot more American than a colony or tribe that just happens to live there and speak with the accent.

I think Americans have huge desire to belong somewhere. I suspect those with Latin American or Italian roots in certain areas would also stick to their traditions.

Edgware · 05-04-2019 1:51pm

meeeeh wrote: »

In huge numbers. Did any European country have such a large migration outside the wars? My ancestors are of german origin on my mum's side but you could also say that they integrated so well there is nothing to distinguish them from any others except mum's maiden surname. If anything Irish in America still distinguish themselves as Irish that would imply certain inability to totally integrate and be overrepresented in certain professions.

I thought your ancestors of German origin were more inclined to go to Argentina/Brazil/Paraguay. Very popular in the late 40s I believe

zapitastas · 05-04-2019 1:58pm

Greentopia wrote: »

Did you learn the language? that helps a lot, even if you just make an effort to speak it will be appreciated and it's easy enough to learn. And no they won't invite you if you don't make it known that you would like to go somewhere outside work. Swedes value their privacy above almost everything else and see it as good manners to not impose on others time or private space. If you want to do something just ask!

The last thing you should do is stick with an Irish expat community if you really want to integrate into life there and make new friends.

I loved Swedes and made a good few friends there. And when you make friends with a Swede you have a really good friend you can rely on 100% and a friend for life. They don't do the Irish thing of calling acquaintances friends and saying they'll contact you and then don't, and they will only call you a friend if they really know you well. Same as Germans actually. They take friendship seriously. I like that. It has depth and honour.

They're also a nation of introverts and can be quite shy so don't mistake that for being boring or uninteresting. The majority would call themselves middle class (even the few who would call themselves working class have a middle class lifestyle by Irish standards), they're a nation that love moderation in all things -lagom är bäst , they hate confrontation, and they like their comfortable safe routine and nice middle class lifestyles. It's basically a whole nation of accountants, or nowadays IT programmers

So if none of that appeals to you I'm afraid you are indeed in the wrong country.

Are you sure about the confrontation part? Maybe not confrontation but I had always found that they can be blunt to the point of being insulting. A lot like the Dutch in that respect. On the one hand you know their opinion on something, on the other hand it can come across as abrasive

storker · 05-04-2019 2:06pm

I watched a YouTube video recently of a Swedish lady listing some things that are weird about the Swedes. One of them was that they don't do small talk and she claimed that a Swede intending to go out of their apartment will check the door peephole first to see if any neighbour is already waiting for the lift...so they can wait until the neighbour is gone so they don't have to talk to them.Sounds like my kind of place - apart from the cuisine (Ikea meatballs excepted) - that's where my Latin side comes out.

And speaking of Latins, I never saw beauty spots littered in Italy the way you so often see it in Ireland. This country is a disgrace in many ways.

Seanachai · 05-04-2019 2:08pm

storker wrote: »

I watched a YouTube video recently of a Swedish lady listing some things that are weird about the Swedes. One of them was that they don't do small talk and she claimed that a Swede intending to go out of their apartment will check the door peephole first to see if any neighbour is already waiting for the lift...so they can wait until the neighbour is gone so they don't have to talk to them.Sounds like my kind of place - apart from the cuisine (Ikea meatballs excepted) - that's where my Latin side comes out.

And speaking of Latins, I never saw beauty spots littered in Italy the way you so often see it in Ireland. This country is a disgrace in many ways.

The litter situation has gotten ridiculous where I'm from, people are putting up wildlife cameras to try and get reg plates.

meeeeh · 05-04-2019 2:09pm

Edgware wrote: »

I thought your ancestors of German origin were more inclined to go to Argentina/Brazil/Paraguay. Very popular in the late 40s I believe

And some landed in Ireland. You can jog off with that insinuation. One of my grandfathers was imprisoned by Nazis and spent war in forced labour in Germany and the other one was imprisoned by Italians and later on forced into Italian army. Where I come from war wasn't called emergency and quite a few of my grandparents relatives were either killed displaced, imprisoned or wounded in the war.

Anyone find the continentals strange?

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