The 6 biggest misconceptions about the UK that foreigners still believe
‘The government assigns you a doctor,’ one person was told before they moved to Britain
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Your support makes all the difference.Foreigners living in Britain have revealed some of the biggest myths they face from friends and relatives about the UK.
A question posted on answer website Quora asked users: “What are some things foreigners believe about England that the English know are laughably way off?”
There was a massive response to the anonymous question, with most people focussing on six issues:
1. British food is terrible
“I believe British food was pretty indeed pretty dire until a couple of decades ago,” Richard Weiss wrote. “But since then Britain has truly transformed into perhaps the "best" food country in the world.”
He adds: “The diversity of restaurants and ingredients available, particularly in the larger more multicultural cities, is breath-taking and perhaps only rivalled by the US.”
2. It always rains
Mr Weiss also said he thought even Britons felt their weather was worse than it actually was.
3. The class system is still a force to be recognised (and we all sound like extras from Downtown Abbey)
Thanks to the “marketing effect of the royal family” most people still think of Britain being overwhelming “posh”. But, although some users noted there was still a “class problem,” it was in no way proportionate to people’s perception of the UK.
4.We all have horrible teeth
Apparently, the British stereotype individuals “like Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Elizabeth Taylor, Hugh Grant etc all have bad teeth” persists.
5. The National Health System
"‘The government assigns you a doctor’, I am firmly told, even though I chose my own clinic,” writes user Laurence Paulson, adding he’s also been told bureaucrats get to decide whether he has an operation.
“It's funny how some people regard Sarah Palin as a more credible authority on the British health service than people who actually live in the UK,” Mr Paulson notes.
6. And finally: we drink our beer warm
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