10 Things You Might Not Know...

[jake-the-peg]

about India

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22772391

What should I put in the list of 10 things you might not know about Britain for my Indian staff?

[heathfield]

How to use a British toilet? (Apparently, during WWI, Indian officers arriving in France had to be shown how European pan toilets were meant to be used!)

[Milvus]

I think that's a made up story heathfield. France were very late adopters of pan toilets. I would think they were very rare in WW1.

[ludwig]

Our national dish is chicken tikka masala.

[tiggerblue10]

Can we have number 8 in the UK please.

[TheWinner]

We Brits like to queue very patiently and take our turn (and woe betide anyone who pushes in).

[Graham-W]

In Britain the Memsaab is always right.

[emmie]

that we are not as bad as some paint us.

[gingejbee]

We don't REALLY like talking to people in their call centres....

[FredPuli43]

France has pan toilets? Blimey,that's new. My wife had to teach our young daughter how to use the hole in the ground with two footstands toilet in a restaurant right opposite the Eurostar terminal, and that was only a few years ago. At least two bars in Antibes still had them a year or so ago and they are still common in less wealthy areas. In 1914-18, the pan toilet would have been unknown beyond the Ritz and other rich haunts.

[emmie]

i second that ^

[emmie]

crossed posts again, that was for gingebee

[ludwig]

We stole their biggest diamond to put in our queen's crown.

[voulezvous]

It would only be right and proper to scotch the myth that we don't shower regularly!
We do! Everyday! Tell em! lol

[emmie]

that our weather really is as bad by and large that we moan about

[gingejbee]

...yes, voulezvous, but not in the local river...

[ludwig]

Hardly anyone here likes Cricket.

[ludwig]

The Isle of Wight is tied to the mainland with a big rope to stop it floating off.

[voulezvous]

I think No1 for your staff should be that we will immediately hang up if you call us.
Sad but true.
Do tell them not to work for call centres.............

[FredPuli43]

Surprises for foreigners? Some, from talking to foreigners : 1) British people will form a queue of one; themself and nobody else; at a bus stop, standing obediently by the sign.

2) Jumping the queue is met with a chorus of tutting and remarks to be overheard as "Some people have no manners!". It is rare for the offender to be confronted; they are meant to be shamed out of continuing
3) Nothing anybody English says is to be taken literally, it is anything but, from simple irony to self-deprecation and understatement ("I did swim a bit when I was young", may = I won gold at the Olympics; "I have a place in the country= I own Chatsworth" etc).

4) British men will introduce male friends with abuse "This is Tom. He's a right c***" means "He's my best friend/brother"

5) There is an invisible queue in pubs. The staff are expected to know who is next. If they get it wrong, you are expected to say "No, this lady/ gentleman is first". You will never understand how this works.

[society]

We use deodorant and they should practice using it too.

It's healthy, and in their best interest to observe proper hygiene.