A French expat in the UK has named a specific aspect of British culture that’s left him “amazed”. Stéphane Jouin, who left his life in France behind and moved to the UK nine years ago, shared the revelation in a video for his YouTube channel, ‘A French guy in England’, which showcases the two nations’ “cultural quirks”.
In the video, titled ‘6 Things I Really Appreciate as a French Guy in England’, Stéphane revealed some of the observations he’d made in his near decade in Britain, covering everything from our politeness to the tendency to be “merciful”.
Among these positive insights, he detailed a certain British attribute that he finds it “amazing” that people in the UK “tend to be kind”. The Frenchman added that the expression of this particular quality is even encouraged by our companies and organisations. Stéphane said: “Number two is that people tend to be kind.”
He continued: “I’m actually amazed that people are generally ready to help. For example, if you’re stranded with your car on the road, and your bonnet is open – they call it ‘hood’ in the USA – they will come to ask you if you are okay, if you need any help. I find this amazing.”
Stéphane added that acts of kindness are “part of everyday life here.” He also pointed out that the UK is home to many charities that support people suffering from health issues.
He went on to highlight how British companies and organisations are known to encourage people to participate in the various events that they arrange to generate funds for good causes.
Conversely, in May, a UK expat living in France listed five reasons why living in our closest continental neighbour is “better.” Alex, who goes by “It’s moi” on TikTok, shared the “household edition” list on the social media platform.
First up was the revelation that people in France tend not to have their washing machines in the kitchen, instead opting for the bathroom or elsewhere, meaning you “don’t have the eyesore or the noise” in the kitchen.
But that’s not all; they went on to note that they had plug points in their bathroom, “square-shaped” pillows (apparently allowing for better headroom), and shutters on all their windows.
Alex said: “You don’t have to worry about blackout blinds or blackout curtains if you want to make the room dark. You just close the shutters, which is absolutely fantastic when you have children.”
Finally, Alex claimed that a “lot of the houses around here” tended to be detached rather than semi-detached. She said they didn’t have to worry about any “potential noise problems” from neighbours.
However, not everyone saw things the same way, with one commenting: “I’d hate to have a washing machine in my bathroom.” Another said: “How is square pillows better? Isn’t plugs in the bathroom dangerous?”
Some did agree with the TikToker, with one claiming that once you try using a square pillow, there’s “no going back”.
