Living with someone from another culture

[Joey Shabadoo]

What does kettle bilers mean?

A lot of Dundonian employment was in the jute mills. This was relatively well paid skilled work and it was mainly women who did it. Women in Dundee were often the main wage earners in the household, with men doing less skilled and poorer paid work. as a result they were disparagingly referred to as being only good for making the tea, kettle boilers.

This is of course a gross generalisation but it holds mostly true and (in my experience) women from Dundee are noticeably doughtier than from other areas.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

My wife's Dundonian - does that count? They have an entire language - circles, cundies n ingin anes anaw. Their society is quite matriarchal - men are called "kettle bilers" and they don't travel well. Something like 70% of native Dundonians don't have a passport.

A strange people, but likeable in their own way.

My wife was born in Dundee but grew up maybe 20 miles further up the coast. When she does her impression of "Dundae" she says "a cup a'tae, a mince pae, an' an ingin ane anae". I may be transcribing it badly but it sounds remarkably similar to your phrase.

 

[raleighnut]

I had a Finnish girlfriend for a few years, gawd can Finns drink.

 

[T4tomo]

I had a Finnish girlfriend for a few years, gawd can Finns drink.

Its dark for half the year and the men drive cars sideways in the snow for a laugh, that would drive most people to drink.....

 

[BrumJim]

I had a Finnish girlfriend for a few years, gawd can Finns drink.

I'm waiting for the follow-up comment:
We split up 6 months ago, although I only found out yesterday. She had been a bit quieter recently. Turns out when she said "It's over" she meant us, not the film. Thought she was being rather chatty that evening.

 

[byegad]

I've been married twice, divorced once and am convinced that the female of the species has no connection with male thought and vice-versa.

The first Mrs Byegad could sulk for Team GB, expected me to somehow know what had upset her without being told and ran off with an unemployed/unemployable arres-hole. He thoroughly deserves her.
Lady Byegad is far easier to live with, tells me if there's a problem and doesn't sulk!
However she worries about casual remarks, made by me or others and will overthink a casual remark into a crisis.

Maybe I should have been born gay?

 

[captain nemo1701]

I've had a Polish lodger for the last 12 years. Positive experience, we get on very well.

 

[JtB]

From my earliest memories I’ve always been privileged to have had good friends of different ethnicities. Similarly I’ve spent my entire professional career working with people from across the globe. Diversity has greatly enriched my life and helped me to understand that there is always far more that unites than divides people the world over. I guess therefore it was only natural that I ended up marrying someone from a different culture although this was not something that I specifically set out to do.

 

[Drago]

I had a Finnish girlfriend for a few years, gawd can Finns drink.

I too had a brief fling with a Finnish lass, my friends sister's au pair. To say she was rather uninhibited would be putting it mildly.

Shes now something pretty high up in the Finnish government, so clearly the experience did her some good

 

[Cycleops]

Most know that my wife is Ghanian. When she first came to the UK I did most of the cooking and gave her typical UK portions.
Years later she told me that when I gave her food she thought, ' what is this man trying to do, starve me?'
African servings are usually quite large, but she has now realised that smaller is better.

 

[Electric_Andy]

gave her typical UK portions

I think food culture is one of the most noticable. For example, we grew up with our food served on a plate, and that was your lot. Whereas lots of other cultures put the food in the middle of the table and you can help yourself until you're full. It was probably considered rude in the UK to reach over and dish out your own food, but I think it's a much nicer idea and makes for a more hands-on and engaging meal experience.

 

[Cycleops]

I think food culture is one of the most noticable.........and makes for a more hands-on and engaging meal experience.

That of course is the other main difference. Most people here eat without implements which may shock others from a western culture.
I remember it being reported that Oprah was shocked when she visited India I think it was when she saw people eating with their hands. Might not be true of course but I'm sure others might have a similar reaction.

 

[Arrowfoot]

I think food culture is one of the most noticable. For example, we grew up with our food served on a plate, and that was your lot. Whereas lots of other cultures put the food in the middle of the table and you can help yourself until you're full. It was probably considered rude in the UK to reach over and dish out your own food, but I think it's a much nicer idea and makes for a more hands-on and engaging meal experience.

When we go to a Thai or Chinese restaurants we do that. We order various dishes - 2 vegs, 2 different meats plus rice for two. Except for the rice everything is shared. So over time, you would have tasted various dishes from the menu. Each dish comes with a large spoon to place a portion on your plate.

 

[All uphill]

I love the variety, kindness, tolerance, direct speaking and warmth I have been lucky to experience with my Dutch and Irish families.

I have learnt that culture goes very deep in all of us, and that tolerance and compromise are very high virtues.

I feel very lucky to have seen my country's culture through a different lens; to understand that there is no single way of looking at things.

 

[Grant Fondo]

I was fortunate to share a flat at Uni with three fabulous cooks, all girls. Polish, Algerian and French Guianan. Still the best home-cooked food I have tasted, and that was 30 years ago