Habits you learned "foreign" and can see yourself using for the rest of your life.

Jimmyhologram

Pace2008 wrote: »

How is that any more, if even as, efficient as the Irish system? You walk into a shop, grap your victuals, and make your way towards the counter. If there is no one waiting to be served you proceed to the counter and complete the transaction. If there are people being served you stand behind them. You know who's next ahead of you because you're standing behind them. In my 24 years in this country I have yet to see this system fail, and I cannot see the flaw in it, yet alone how how it could be described as ridiculous.

I'd have to disagree with you here.

Most people in the shop situation you describe will recognize and abide by the queue (it's really not that difficult, as you yourself rightly observe), but from time to time you get one oddball/ignoramus/chancer who will linger, waiting to leap ahead. Obviously, you can hold your ground or issue them a verbal barracking, but this can be quite tense.

The beauty of the ticketing system is that after you get your ticket, you can relax and even wander around looking at the displays after you sort out your ticket.

pontia

was in middle east for a while,dont leave home without a backpack full of dynamite now

Pace2008

Jimmyhologram wrote: »

I'd have to disagree with you here.

Most people in the shop situation you describe will recognize and abide by the queue (it's really not that difficult, as you yourself rightly observe), but from time to time you get one oddball/ignoramus/chancer who will linger, waiting to leap ahead. Obviously, you can hold your ground or issue them a verbal barracking, but this can be quite tense.

The beauty of the ticketing system is that after you get your ticket, you can relax and even wander around looking at the displays after you sort out your ticket.

I was referring to the latter "Hai guize who's last?" system.

And I honestly can't remember seeing anyone in Ireland skip the queue before, which I find surprising.

Princess Peach

I only drink pints now! And good locally brewed beer

Dunno if I could ever feel right about wearing shoes inside the house again :eek:

Saying Eh at the end of a sentence is really handy to ask for a shared opinion.

And start every day with a tall fresh glass of maple syrup.

Funglegunk

I rub a brand new pair of chopsticks together to remove any potential splinters from my hands and food.

charlemont

I always call speed bumps Drempels.

teddybear178

Wibbs wrote: »

Never mind the beer and lemonade, what about that odd Spanish(in some areas) of coke and red wine. Kalimocho? IIRC. Tastes better than it sounds and I've been a bit hazy of eye on it more than once.

I have Greek friends and they drink red wind and ginger ale... nasty!

I have picked up the habit of kissing hello and goodbye once on each cheek from them.

teddybear178

Dangerous Man wrote: »

I eat poutine... yum. Lots of stuff.

Poutine is a french Canadian creation consisting of chips, gravy and cheese curds. Gourmet poutine shops have sprouted up all over Canada were they add foo-foo ingredients but the original is the best.

Is there poutine in Ireland? You have the chips, the gravy and some of the best cheese in the world.

Rabies

teddybear178 wrote: »

I have picked up the habit of kissing hello and goodbye once on each cheek from them.

Ya, same here. Great all girls I know with a kiss on the cheek, same for goodbye. Was weird at the start, normal practice now.

Jesus Wept

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

- I always stay on the right hand side of an escalator after living in London and now here. In London it was kind of bet into me after getting shouting at repeatedly for not doing so. I do it out of fear...

Why the right? Makes no sense. We drive on the left, pass out on the right.
I stand on the left for the above reason, it makes sense.

Princess Peach

teddybear178 wrote: »

Poutine is a french Canadian creation consisting of chips, gravy and cheese curds. Gourmet poutine shops have sprouted up all over Canada were they add foo-foo ingredients but the original is the best.

Is there poutine in Ireland? You have the chips, the gravy and some of the best cheese in the world.

NO! The cheese curds have to be from Quebec and they have to squeak!

teddybear178

Rabies wrote: »

Ya, same here. Greet all girls I know with a kiss on the cheek, same for goodbye. Was weird at the start, normal practice now.

If you meet a Dutch girl, kiss on each cheek and then once again on the first cheek. The Dutch seem to do it three times for some reason.

gara

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Was having a nice glass of lemonade and beer tonight otherwise known as a "Clara" here in Spain. I love it...but being Irish, can't believe I'm mixing beer with anything. The Irish often drink shandies, usually during the summer -no-one wants to peak too soon at a wedding..

- When I walk into the reception of anywhere, I greet everyone with a "Buenos Dias" as is the done thing here."What's the craic"(rural)/"Story bud"(urban)" -different language, same sentiment

-In London it was kind of bet into me after getting shouting at repeatedly for not doing so. I do it out of fear... We have a strong tradition here of beating things into people and instilling fear, it's called the Catholic Church

- I send short, to the point emails to bosses with no flowery language. Look, in Ireland everything is grrrrannnd so we don't bother replying at all, how's that for short and to the point?

- I protest fairly regularly You've clearly never been to Abrakebabra on a Saturday night if you think the same doesn't happen here

- I think the queuing system we have in Ireland, UK and America is ridiculous Most Irish people share that view

- I gesticulate all the time while I'm talking. So does every guy in Coppers. Usually because he's too baked to stand up straight

- I can't drink pints anymore Neither can we since the recession

- I'm probably a bit more blunt than I was. No-one cares

- I eat my dinner at 10 at night We have that too, I believe the technical term is "soakage"

Conclusion: What's your actual point? :pac:

teddybear178

Princess Peach wrote: »

NO! The cheese curds have to be from Quebec and they have to squeak!

I agree with the squeak part. I was actually going to use the term 'squeaky cheese' which is the term my sister and I use for cheese curds.

Do they absolutely have to come from Quebec? :eek:

Rabies

teddybear178 wrote: »

If you meet a Dutch girl, kiss on each cheek and then once again on the first cheek. The Dutch seem to do it three times for some reason.

Most girls one kiss, french girls two.

Seaneh

For about 5-6 weeks after getting home from south america I was still putting bog roll in bins in bathrooms.

My brain would just forget I was home, I'd pinch one off in a cafe/pub/restaurant/wherever and then get to wiping and without thinking I'd put the dirty bog roll in the bin because it had been bet into me.

Got over it though, eventually.

Rabies

I remember doing that in greece.

teddybear178

Andy Carroll wrote: »

Why the right? Makes no sense. We drive on the left, pass out on the right.
I stand on the left for the above reason, it makes sense.

Most people are right handed and can grip the siderail more firmly with that hand. I think that is why they stand to the right.

HalloweenJack

Seaneh wrote: »

For about 5-6 weeks after getting home from south america I was still putting bog roll in bins in bathrooms.

My brain would just forget I was home, I'd pinch one off in a cafe/pub/restaurant/wherever and then get to wiping and without thinking I'd put the dirty bog roll in the bin because it had been bet into me.

Got over it though, eventually.

Yeah, this is taking me a long time to adjust to. Find it totally disgusting, tbh, but I understand why they do it.

I've become more touchy-feely and open with people I don't know, big Brazilian thing.

I do the no-shoes-in-the-house thing now. I have a Finnish friend I met when I lived in Madrid and he always called me a "British pig" when I went to his and had to be told to take mine off. When I visited him in Finland, he wouldn't let me into his flat 'til I took them off. When I went to the Czech Republic, my Romanian flatmate told me in no uncertain terms never to wear shoes indoors. Stuck with me after that.

I also do the talking-with-hands and double-face-kiss (though only with girls).

An odd thing is my default curse for when I drop something, bang my toes or whatever is the Czech word "kurva", especially odd as I never lived with a Czech person.

I also do the Czech toasting thing of staring at the people who I'm touching glasses with then banging my glass on the table before drinking.

retalivity

pouring someone a drink with two hands.
Shoes off in the house.
rubbing the chopsticks together that was already mentioned.

Martyn1989

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

No, but I drink it all the time....that's the point.

so do english people...... OMG!!!

Straight Flush

Not using toilet paper anymore and using a toilet hose instead.

Pushing my way inside a lift before letting others leave first.

Staring at people who look 'different'.

Jumping queues.

Wearing long trousers and a hoody when it's 32C and sunny so my skin stays white.

Never admitting that I'm wrong so that I don't lose face.

Always turning up late.

Spitting on the pavement.

Throwing rubbish on the ground.

Only marrying virgins.

Never doing any cooking, cleaning etc. (because I'm a man)

JustAThought

teddybear178 wrote: »

Dangerous Man wrote: »

I eat poutine... yum. Lots of stuff.

Poutine is a french Canadian creation consisting of chips, gravy and cheese curds. Gourmet poutine shops have sprouted up all over Canada were they add foo-foo ingredients but the original is the best.

Is there poutine in Ireland? You have the chips, the gravy and some of the best cheese in the world.

Mmmm; you've got medreaming of cheese at 5am!!! No; never heard of it here; thou you re right about the cheese!!!
Eddie Rockets does a " new" line in " wet chips" ; turns out this is chips IN gravy!! I've no doubt they would oblige & put some fake " cheese out of a tube " on top of that for .50c extra ( horrors!) not quite the gourmet you spoke of!!!

For me; occasionally I have rice for breakfast ... because I " can" ... SE Asia

Those flaming hot chilis in anything cos I miss them from time to time

And a memory of the sun; that makes me rage at our " weather"

But mostly; because strangers have gone out of their way to rescue me & make me feel welcome; I do that sometimes for visitors here too ; pick up disillusioned wet Asian hitchhikers; give out of the way lifts to bewildered tourists looking for public transport on bank holiday Monday's from boreens; chat to yanks looking for their roots/ the friendly Oirish. Trying to keep the side up & pass on the goodwill - there-for-the -grace-of-God-go-I ... that kind of thing!

Eve_Dublin

Andy Carroll wrote: »

Why the right? Makes no sense. We drive on the left, pass out on the right.
I stand on the left for the above reason, it makes sense.

Ask the English...

Eve_Dublin

Pace2008 wrote: »

How is that any more, if even as, efficient as the Irish system? You walk into a shop, grap your victuals, and make your way towards the counter. If there is no one waiting to be served you proceed to the counter and complete the transaction. If there are people being served you stand behind them. You know who's next ahead of you because you're standing behind them. In my 24 years in this country I have yet to see this system fail, and I cannot see the flaw in it, yet alone how how it could be described as ridiculous.

Because making a long line behind each other seems pointless when you can simply find out whose last and continue browsing, have a smoke or whatever. Standing in a line, particularly in a busy shop, is boring.


They don't use the system in supermarkets....they queue in supermarkets.


Believe me, come over here and you'll see it works better.

ronjo

I am another one who will always take shoes off at the door now.

Wibbs

Rabies wrote: »

Drive in my bare feet

:eek: NO waaaaay could I do that. I walk in bare feet a fair bit, I can drive wearing wellies or flip flops, but bare feet. *shudder*

Oranage2

I drown everything in curry sauce, it's bloody masso!

Sunnyisland

I kiss females on the cheek when we are introduced.

Nailz

An interesting variation of the Clara/Shandy/whatever in Spain is where they put a fruity variation of white wine (they wouldn't tell me what type) in with the lemonade and beer and it's rather refreshing. I forget the name as it's morning and I'm tired, worth a try though.

opinion guy

teddybear178 wrote: »

Poutine is a french Canadian creation consisting of chips, gravy and cheese curds. Gourmet poutine shops have sprouted up all over Canada were they add foo-foo ingredients but the original is the best.

Is there poutine in Ireland? You have the chips, the gravy and some of the best cheese in the world.

Did someone ask for a definition ???! What are you, Google ?

HalloweenJack wrote: »

I also do the Czech toasting thing of staring at the people who I'm touching glasses with then banging my glass on the table before drinking.

I would consider that a German thing, no ? They certainly do it in Germany. They also have the superstition that if you do a toast and if you don't look the people you are toasting in the eye as you clink classes, then you will be cursed with 7 years bad sex!
Anyhow I tend to look people in the eye when I toast !

Shoes off in the house. I do this. But as much because I live in a ground floor flat with wooden floors and if its anyway wet or dirty out me floors would be wrecked in no time

fishy fishy

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Was having a nice glass of lemonade and beer tonight otherwise known as a "Clara" here in Spain. I usually drink it when I don't want to get gee-eyed on a work night and make a small can of beer last. I love it...but being Irish, can't believe I'm mixing beer with anything. I used to actively scoff at people putting blackcurrant in their Guinness but now I'm doing something similar! What's happening to me!

Following on from the load of emigration threads we've had recently, I'd be interested to hear what things people picked up from living or spending time abroad. Keep it light-hearted pleeeease! My other ones are as follows:

- When I walk into the reception of anywhere, I greet everyone with a "Buenos Dias" as is the done thing here.

- I always stay on the right hand side of an escalator after living in London and now here. In London it was kind of bet into me after getting shouting at repeatedly for not doing so. I do it out of fear...

- I send short, to the point emails to bosses with no flowery language.

- I protest fairly regularly.

- I think the queuing system we have in Ireland, UK and America is ridiculous.

- I gesticulate all the time while I'm talking.

- I can't drink pints anymore

- I'm probably a bit more blunt than I was.

- I eat my dinner at 10 at night.

Loads more but that's to get the ball rolling....

You?

don;t tell me you've never heard of a Shandy? :rolleyes:

LittleBook

Andy Carroll wrote: »

Why the right? Makes no sense. We drive on the left, pass out on the right.
I stand on the left for the above reason, it makes sense.

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Ask the English...

Or Wikipedia

Capt'n Midnight

Kitchen roll. Now I can't imagine how I lived without it.


But when I'm getting off a bus abroad I thank the bus driver.

Eve_Dublin

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Because making a long line behind each other seems pointless when you can simply find out whose last and continue browsing, have a smoke or whatever. Standing in a line, particularly in a busy shop, is boring.


They don't use the system in supermarkets....they queue in supermarkets.


Believe me, come over here and you'll see it works better.

Haha, come over here and you'll see it causes chaos.

A day in Dublin city centre will show you in no time the effect of the Spanish inability to queue. They stand in a big group in the shop waiting for the till to free up and looking around confused and then when they finally go up to the counter they haven't even taken their wallets out. Not to mention how they feel it's grand to just stop walking in the middle of the street and block the path for everyone. At first I used to think it was a holiday mentality but I know by now it's just Spanish people. You'd swear no one in the city had anywhere to go the way they congregate in the most inconvenient (and if I'm honest, seemingly also ignorant) ways.

I've nothing at all against Spanish people, but the queuing thing is undeniably a very unfortunate cultural trait when they come over here. As for your argument for their "system", tickets will cost the shop money and "who's next" is ridiculous. At least when people queue they have the time to take out their money by the time they get to the till. In any shop where I've worked there are five stages of a Spanish customer giving you their money: they wait for you to scan everything in, then tell them the price, THEN they put their bag up on the table, root for their wallet/purse, then get their money, and then do the whole rigmarole all over again before moving away for the next customer. I can only assume it's because they must be used to wandering around the shop like you mentioned instead of waiting in a queue.

BraziliaNZ

Have to agree, the Brits and Ires are good at queueing, the Spanish and Italians etc are just all over the place.
I haven't picked up any habits from being abroad, apart from liking some foods I may not have discovered at home.

conserving water after living in spain
not to any mad degree, just small things you would hardly notice after a while

mashling

From my time in France/Germany - chips dipped in garlic butter.
Heaven...

Eve_Dublin

true-or-false wrote: »

Haha, come over here and you'll see it causes chaos.

A day in Dublin city centre will show you in no time the effect of the Spanish inability to queue. They stand in a big group in the shop waiting for the till to free up and looking around confused and then when they finally go up to the counter they haven't even taken their wallets out. Not to mention how they feel it's grand to just stop walking in the middle of the street and block the path for everyone. At first I used to think it was a holiday mentality but I know by now it's just Spanish people. You'd swear no one in the city had anywhere to go the way they congregate in the most inconvenient (and if I'm honest, seemingly also ignorant) ways.

I've nothing at all against Spanish people, but the queuing thing is undeniably a very unfortunate cultural trait when they come over here. As for your argument for their "system", tickets will cost the shop money and "who's next" is ridiculous. At least when people queue they have the time to take out their money by the time they get to the till. In any shop where I've worked there are five stages of a Spanish customer giving you their money: they wait for you to scan everything in, then tell them the price, THEN they put their bag up on the table, root for their wallet/purse, then get their money, and then do the whole rigmarole all over again before moving away for the next customer. I can only assume it's because they must be used to wandering around the shop like you mentioned instead of waiting in a queue.

The "who´s next" system is not ridiculous when you see it in action. Really! Maybe because they tend to have one person serving a million people. Crisis n all da! You could literally be standing in the queue over 30 minutes otherwise (in banks, for example). I suppose it works here but maybe not there...there´s rarely any chaos.

You´re right though, when the Spanish have to queue, they´re useless.

opinion guy

mashling wrote: »

From my time in France/Germany - chips dipped in garlic butter.
Heaven...

Chips dipped in mayo from my trip to Holland

Eve_Dublin

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

The "who´s next" system is not ridiculous when you see it in action. Really! Maybe because they tend to have one person serving a million people. Crisis n all da! You could literally be standing in the queue over 30 minutes otherwise (in banks, for example). I suppose it works here but maybe not there...there´s rarely any chaos.

You´re right though, when the Spanish have to queue, they´re useless.

I've never been to Spain so maybe it is just a case of different strokes, I'll take your word for it anyway!

Sleepy

Wibbs wrote: »

Never mind the beer and lemonade, what about that odd Spanish(in some areas) of coke and red wine. Kalimocho? IIRC. Tastes better than it sounds and I've been a bit hazy of eye on it more than once.

The fuel of the bull run in Pamplona, love it!

paintitblack wrote: »

love that stuff, they put sugar in it too sometimes, tried recreating here but its just not the same!

Try using Spanish wine. A cheap rioja is best in my experience.

If you're feeling like really pushing the boat out, serve it in a hollowed out galia melon for the really authentic Basque Kalimotxo.

carlmango11

+1 on the standing on the right on escalators. It's such a simple but brilliant idea and now I actually get irritated when people don't move to the side when I walk up one. Especially when it's one of those escalators that goes 2 fcuking metres an hour.

Moi, I fell in love with short coffees. They're far better than those watery american cups of crap. Much more flavour, you can actually taste the strong coffee flavour. For those who don't drink them it might take a couple before you get accustomed to the stronger taste but once you do it's much better.

It irritates me the way we adopted the american version of coffee culture than the continental. People see this crap on TV and assume it's the best. But no ranting today.

Odats

Was working in Haiti for a year and when talking on a mobile putting the phone up to your lips to talk into it and then put it up to your ear to listen to the reply. Crazy but quite common.

Also greeting a female by kissing on both cheeks.

confusticated

Go to Ranting and Raving, whole thread devoted to queue-skippers and nonrespecters of queues of all kinds. :mad:

I swear in French a bit, and drink way more wine than I would've before moving there. Also I picked up lots of their facial expressions and things that I can't seem to shake.

Kev_2012

bb1234567 wrote: »

Hahaha same here:D no fun bein a sleepy irish person in a city like london, oh the londoners on the tube werent happy with me..

I was in London for a day and a half back in may and I am still doing that! Makes so much more sense than idiots blocking others!

Kev_2012

Dangerous Man wrote: »

After a few visits to London I definitely do the 'standing to the right' thing on the escalators now. The first time I saw those signs on the underground I thought it was just an example of how uptight the English were (and it probably is, in fairness) but it really does make sense. It drives me nuts when I'm trying to get past people on the escalator and they stand there like pigs.

As for where I live now, I don't call the toilet the toilet, I call it the washroom. It's just what it's called here. I tip barmen. I eat poutine... yum. Lots of stuff.

Canada so good choice!

I remember visiting there back in March and not one person understood me when I asked where the toilet was. Actually, someone in south dublin didnt understand the same question when I was there a couple of years ago!

AnonoBoy

I have several Mexican gentlemen who tend my garden regularly. I pay them little and threaten them with the INS if they get uppity - a little trick I picked up after my trip to California.

BraziliaNZ

I'm beginning to think most of the boards users these days live in Canada

OneArt

My ability to put on a South African accent at will.

You can get fined 20 quid or get points on your license for crossing the road at a red light in Germany. I'll forever be looking around for a police car when I jaywalk, wherever I am.

I usually drink small beers over here if I'm only going out for a few (1.60 for 0.3 of a liter I end up spending less as well). Can't really do it in Ireland though because you're better off buying a pint.

An "early night" usually ends at 2 am.