Today’s Listography is so full of possibilities, I want it to be a recurring one. Kate Takes 5 went with 5 Reasons I Know I’m… a Mother in celebration of Mother’s Day, but you can add anything you want. So today, I give you 5 Reasons I Know I’m French living in the UK.
- I don’t stop wearing long sleeves and jumpers until it’s over 20 degrees Celsius MINIMUM. Just because the sun is out doesn’t mean it’s warm. Why Brits suddenly behave like it’s August in the South of France and wear short sleeves and shorts in the middle of February is beyond me.
- Whilst we are in the subject of the weather, summer starts in June, not April. Next time I hear someone say summer has started and is basing it on the fact that we’ve had a couple of sunny days and there’s a little warmth in the air, I’m going to get a bit stabby. Global warming might be messing things up a bit but there is such a thing as seasons. If you are confused as to what a season is, here’s the definition.
- I rant in my head every time I hit the vegetable aisle of the supermarket because of the individually wrapped avocados, potatoes in plastic bags, pre-cut onions (why, WHY?) and anaemic orange-coloured tomatoes that don’t smell of anything. It’s unnatural, is all.
- I spend an inordinate amount of my time thinking about cheese.
- After nearly 14 years in the UK, I still forget which side of the road to look at before crossing so now I look everywhere. After 14 years, I have to do the same in France. Yes I am that confused.
afrogatlarge.wordpress.com 
and have you noticed how windows open inwards in England and outwards in France?!!
Windows!!! Oh, don’t get me started on windows. What puzzles me the most is all these windows that either don’t open at all or that only open a little bit so it hardly makes a difference whether they’re open or shut. I assume it’s for safety reasons but why not just place them higher so kids can’t reach them?
Since when did that happen? Windows always opened outwards in ENgland when I was a child – they had to as the window sills were full of ornaments.
I think you’re right about the windows, it’s the other way around, they open inwards in France as there are no window sills. I have bashed my head on them often enough that I should know this. The good thing about that is that you can clean them in and out even if you’re two floors up, and you can open them wide!
Eeeek. Our supermarkets must look disgusting compared to all of the beautifully fresh produce you get in France.
I’m from Newcastle, and often get odd looks when I’m walking around where I live (in Scotland) in a T-shirt in the middle of February.
I’m not claiming it’s summer, but if it’s a bit warmer then I try to make the most of it! ;-D
Donna
Not at all! I have a lot of love for British supermarkets, just not for a few aberrations in the veg section. It’s a funny one, the lack of clothing in cold weather. Actually it reminds me of one time I was in Italy in October, and the locals were all wearing jumpers whereas it still felt very warm for us. The body must adapt I guess. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t look wrong!
I am with you on 3 and 4. The house I grew up in has windows that opened up and down, if that is any help to Anglo French relations? But, that is in Ireland….
Best,
Conor
As long as the windows open wide enough, we’re good :-p
My best friend is married to a Frenchman and we recently had an unusually long conversation about cheese. Hmm? Must be a French thing.
I was once in London in May and while I wore a heavy coat, locals were running around in shorts. Odd.
yep to the cheese thing, it’s ingrained in our brain.
I really enjoyed your post. I can totally sympathise regarding the vegetables. Nothing worse than under ripe flavourless tomatoes.
It always tastes so disappointing!
I love this 🙂 We Brits are (to use a Northern Irish expression) buck daft when it comes to the sun. A few weeks ago we had a nice sunny spell down in the South West and even though it was February there were families out having barbecues and girls walking round in shorts and flip flops. The mind boggles!
I have to make a confession here – I buy frozen chopped onions……..!!! I never use a whole one and no matter what technique I use (and I have used many) half an onion will ALWAYS stink my fridge out whether it is wrapped, sealed, soaked, whatever. It’s to minimise waste…. honest!
The mystery of who buys the onions is resolved! Maybe we need to find you really small onions so you can avoid leaving one in the fridge. I rarely have this problem because we’re addicted to onions in my house, I use one every day or couple of days.
After reading your list I think I must be French too. I agree with everythink you say, even about forgetting which way to look when crossing road as I live in Israel. Oh how I hate those plastic tomatoes – we are even getting them here now.
eheheh 🙂 Sorry to hear about the tomatoes, it’s a terrible thing.
Tiens, I’m beginning to think that I must be French without knowing it because I’m will you on all of those!
It sure feels good to have so many agreeing with me! Thanks for commenting.
Hi, this is my first time visiting (via listography).
I like your list. I am an English woman living in Spain and I too never know where to look when crossing the road – here or in England. This annoys my sister, who lives in Germany, and has always had this worked out. But then she was a dancer and is super co-ordinated. You take care on the roads now.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! I’m not even sure it’s to do with coordination. Sadly for me, it’s about the basics, like remembering left and right…
I’m a Brit in Spain and I’m with you on the climate thing, these days its jumpers and long sleeves until its well over 25 degrees – seeing tourists wander around in swimming costumes and varying degrees of burnt skin in February and March while I’m still wearing a scarf is always amusing though!
Mmmm so it is an evolutionary thing then 🙂
haha, I spend a lot of time thinking about cheese too!
LOL I’m a Brit but totally agree with no 1 and no 2 but living abroad for many years has probably messed with my body temperature! I also get confused crossing roads but I have issues with remembering my right and left! Great list 🙂
🙂