Topic: What do you hate about your home country? Read 3884 times

Cyanea · « **on:** January 10, 2020, 02:37:07 am »

Probably hate is too strong a word. But,... what do you dislike?

Just wondering.

Personally I hate the way the UK treats its own citizens (like garbage) while throwing freebies at immigrants. For example: you may be a British Citizen, but if you live outside of the UK for more than a few years then you have to pay international fees to be able to study again- that is to say double the regular price. Yes: a British citizen is treated like a foreigner if he dares to live abroad for a while. However, any immigrant who gets EU national status (ie millions of recent North African economic migrants) gets money thrown at them and favoured as if they were born and bred there. Additionally, they make it hard for UK nationals who marry foreigners to bring their wives or husbands home to live in the UK, with all kinds of regulations.

I dislike UK weather. I also don't like the general bossiness, the imploded imperialism, the know-it-all attitude, the obsession with football, the obsession with alcohol, the nanny state, the endless rules and regulations, the fact that everything is a well trod path, the career treadmill (get off for longer than a couple of years and you're gone), the lifestyle (TV + pubs is not really living). british 'cuisine" tastes ok but it is not really healthy and there is not that much variety.

etc.

VanIslander · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2020, 03:36:23 am »

Vandalism, gangs, homelessness, ticket-happy cops, heavy metal music, car racing on public streets, high taxes, the difficulty tuning out advertising, infrequent buses, expensive taxis and car repair, the long Christmasy season, snow piled up blocking walkways by snowplow trucks, pushy salesmen, the smell of marijuana on people, dog poo in parks, spiders galore, bad service at government offices, and the inconvenience of having to buy uncut, unwashed leafy veggies.

confusedsafferinkorea · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2020, 05:23:23 am »

Corruption, high crime rate, a government that has ruined what used to be a world class country and dysfunctional state departments. If you are outside SA and want to renew your passport it can take up to a year to get your new one if you are lucky, to mention just one example.

I could go on but what the heck it's Friday and it is nearly vacation time.

MayorHaggar · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2020, 05:28:07 am »

Restaurants in the US don't have the Korean genius button on the tables that let you summon the waitstaff for another beer or more kimchi. Instead the waitstaff come by and interrupt you every 5 minutes to make sure everything is ok and can they get you something. Heathens!

oglop · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2020, 05:31:07 am »

the uk

- shit + outrageously expensive public transportation
- the weather
- shit wages
- how hard it is to bring a non-EU spouse back to the UK
- jeremy clarkson
- chavs

stoat · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2020, 06:03:35 am »

Just got back from a long trip around the UK, which was generally great, so more positives than negatives

Positives

Trains not that expensive if you travel off peak and book online, plus it was nice to be in a few that were half empty for a change after Korea.
Having a pint in Weatherspoons for less than two quid.
Greggs, (obv)
supermarkets (obv)
Sharing quips/banter with people in the service industry, it does brighten up your day.
Every town or city having something different or interesting historically to see.

negatives

Hotels in London that resemble doss houses but charge up to a hundred quid. Depressing as hell and I'm determined to pay up next time or not stay there.

thunderlips · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2020, 06:19:11 am »

US
-unaffordable medical care
-willful ignorance based on political beliefs
-current administration
-consumerism
-drugs
-violence
-loose interpretation of the second amendment
- oligarchs
- citizens united
- hate disguised as national interests
- fossil fuel subsidies
- Starbucks

« **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2020, 06:55:18 am »

No way! Another negative whiny thread

Quote from: oglop on January 10, 2020, 05:31:07 am

- the weather

Living in Korea has given me perspective on this. When my dad was over for Christmas, he was here for one week and of the seven days, only one day had air quality below 100 by AQICN, the other six days were 120+. It's depressing and even my dad was surprised by it. So now when my family complain it's raining in England, I would take that over air that may kill me.

Quote from: Cyanea on January 10, 2020, 02:37:07 am

Yes: a British citizen is treated like a foreigner if he dares to live abroad for a while. However, any immigrant who gets EU national status (ie millions of recent North African economic migrants) gets money thrown at them and favoured as if they were born and bred there.

Always someone else's fault and would appear that most who voted for johnson would show the dim-witted, short-sighted nature of a large sawth of the British general public. Don't blame the immigrants. Why would they be trying to make a better life for themselves as opposed to escaping terrible regimes, war or awful living conditions in their home countries? Try stopping comparing yourself to others and what they have and do some work.

stoat · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2020, 07:16:47 am »

Not agreeing or disagreeing with him but he's quite clearly not blaming any immigrants, he's having a go at the government policies. It looks like you're pulling the old leftist trick of manipulating the argument to try and make someone come across as a racist.

« **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2020, 07:33:12 am »

Quote from: stoat on January 10, 2020, 07:16:47 am

Not agreeing or disagreeing with him but he's quite clearly not blaming any immigrants, he's having a go at the government policies.

Fair enough on your part Stoat. But using words and phrases like 'freebies' or 'any immigrant who gets EU national status gets money thrown at them' and 'born and bred' smacks of a daily mail reader and someone who blames the most convenient thing. As immigrants ourselves, we know this kind of rhetoric is wrong. How have others on this site felt by Koreans using language like this about us? Doesn't help. Much easier to go after the immigrants than the government.

Quote from: stoat on January 10, 2020, 06:03:35 am

Just got back from a long trip around the UK, which was generally great, so more positives than negatives

Nice to hear you had a good time. I'm off to England on Thursday for a couple of weeks. Waitrose, but not Greggs!

SPQR · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2020, 07:39:29 am »

Quote from: Cyanea on January 10, 2020, 02:37:07 am

(ie millions of recent North African economic migrants)

Dude, why don't you just use the "N" word? And, did you get these
facts from books? Did you burn them after?

stoat · « **Reply #11 on:** January 10, 2020, 07:41:56 am »

Quote

Fair enough on your part Stoat. But using words and phrases like 'freebies' or 'any immigrant who gets EU national status gets money thrown at them' and 'born and bred' smacks of a daily mail reader and someone who blames the most convenient thing. As immigrants ourselves, we know this kind of rhetoric is wrong. How have others on this site felt by Koreans using language like this about us? Doesn't help. Much easier to go after the immigrants than the government.

Fair point about the language I guess.

And sure enough we see similar kind of language coming from the other side.

Quote

Dude, why don't you just use the "N" word? And, did you get these
facts from books? Did you burn them after?

tylerthegloob · « **Reply #12 on:** January 10, 2020, 07:50:29 am »

whenever i visit home i find there's this air of aggression that almost everyone participates in. in 2 and a half years in Korea, i've run into a handful of "aggressive" people (mostly old people). in the US it seems to happen pretty regularly (mostly younger people). i used to be kind of acclimated to it, but korea has definitely made me soft. for example, my subway vibe has softened from "you can **** right off, my dude" to "oh dear, i really hope that drunk person doesn't start bothering me."

maybe it's a northeast US thing or a city thing or just a western culture thing,i have no idea... what i'm trying to say is i feel like i always need to have my guard up in the US in case i run into some bullshit situation and i don't like that

303lmc · « **Reply #13 on:** January 10, 2020, 07:55:49 am »

idk, i can't remember, but am visiting for 3 weeks in one week. I'll come back and comment.
But the MAIN and obvious stuff I remember would be
overpriced, forced to buy, for profit, shitty healthcare and
terrible public transportation

tylerthegloob · « **Reply #14 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:00:21 am »

Quote from: VanIslander on January 10, 2020, 03:36:23 am

Vandalism, gangs, homelessness, ticket-happy cops, heavy metal music, car racing on public streets, high taxes, the difficulty tuning out advertising, infrequent buses, expensive taxis and car repair, the long Christmasy season, snow piled up blocking walkways by snowplow trucks, pushy salesmen, the smell of marijuana on people, dog poo in parks, spiders galore, bad service at government offices, and the inconvenience of having to buy uncut, unwashed leafy veggies.

is your home country the 1980s?

shanebarry1986 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:01:32 am »

Ireland. I hate the politics. Full of cognitive dissonance. Too many nationalist idiots. They defend Irish nationalism, but if Israel or the USA defend and protect their borders? FASCISTS! If the UK declare sovereignty from the EU? RACISTS? Only politically and historically ignorant Irish idiots are allowed to be nationalists. I hate nationalism, but the hypocrisy is the worst part of it.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUDyoXrSO48

I'm a classical liberal, leaning towards libertarianism, and there is exactly zero representation of my political beliefs in any political party. Every party is either center-left, or nationalist socialists (which makes no effing sense).

I'm happier here, blissfully ignorant of the details of Korean politics. I can't even vote, so why bother with it?

Also I don't like sports and find Irish women too bigoted to get along with.

Datasapien · « **Reply #16 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:34:51 am »

Quote from: tylerthegloob on January 10, 2020, 07:50:29 am

what i'm trying to say is i feel like i always need to have my guard up in the US in case i run into some bullshit situation and i don't like that

Yeah one of the shitty things about the UK too. If you're out past 10PM on the weekend, got to be careful you don't come across some bored drunk pr*cks out looking for a fight / being lary. Whereas in Korea, never had a single incident in 7+ years.

If I had to make a list:

Positives:
+ Clean air (becoming a huge one for me)
+ Close to family (if not geographically, at least in the same time zone)
+ More beautiful countryside (or at least more variety - Lake District, Peak District, Dartmoor, Exmoor, New Forest, the Downs, rugged coastlines...)
+ British food (meat pies and good ale)
+ General convenience of being a citizen / English speaker (banking / investing / hospital visits / everything just simpler due to language)
+ Live music / fesivals (although I'm probs too old for this now anyway

)
+ British comedy / banter (being able to interact more with people on a daily basis must be nice

)
+ British summer (long sunny days, not too humid, not too many mosquitos ...)
+ No North Korea / geopolitics to worry about

Negatives:
- Expensive public transport* (not too bad if you book in advance, but otherwise 200GBP for a return to Leeds from London?

)
- Expensive housing (London is especially mental, don't know how anyone can live there if they're not a Saudi royal)
- Crime (been absolutely blessed living in Korea)
- Chavs / general anti-social behaviour (don't bother walking past a city center train station at night)
- British food (fish and chips)
- British media (might be better now that Brexit is almost finally bloody done with)
- Obsession with football (FOOTBALL)
- Royal family (couldn't care less)
- Weather* (put an asterisk as tbh I quite like rainy weather, but it does give us something to complain about!)
- Sports (every world cup, in any sport, England are going to win, and if they don't it's because of some lame excuse)

Will add more if I think of some extra ideas, but this'll do for now

stoat · « **Reply #17 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:42:35 am »

Quote from: shanebarry1986 on January 10, 2020, 08:01:32 am

Ireland. I hate the politics. Full of cognitive dissonance. Too many nationalist idiots. They defend Irish nationalism, but if Israel or the USA defend and protect their borders? FASCISTS! If the UK declare sovereignty from the EU? RACISTS? Only politically and historically ignorant Irish idiots are allowed to be nationalists. I hate nationalism, but the hypocrisy is the worst part of it.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUDyoXrSO48

I'm a classical liberal, leaning towards libertarianism, and there is exactly zero representation of my political beliefs in any political party. Every party is either center-left, or nationalist socialists (which makes no effing sense).

I'm happier here, blissfully ignorant of the details of Korean politics. I can't even vote, so why bother with it?

Also I don't like sports and find Irish women too bigoted to get along with.

I was in Ireland over the holidays too and my main gripe was Pay and Display car parks. Every deserted beach front, walking trail, ruined castle etc... there was the old pay and display sign. It's the west coast of Ireland (pop 4.8 mil) in Winter, you don't have to deter people to park their cars. Of course we ignored the signs at every opportunity but it's the principle.

Top tip for visiting the cliffs of Moher co Clare (Ireland's second largest tourist attraction after the Guinness museum) The cliffs are free (big deal) but the car park costs 8 euro per person in the car, so simply dump all your passengers down the road before you park up and meet them at the final destination! Worked a treat.

zola · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:52:13 am »

New Zealand

Random property crime
Abysmal public transport
Ridiculous rental/property prices
As others have said, a pervasive air of aggression especially anytime alcohol is involved
Inefficient/slow/overly bureaucratic and pedantic government departments. I can go into the local police station here in Korea and walk out with my official criminal check within 20 minutes. In English. Why does that take 6 weeks back home in country with a tenth of the population?

« **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:57:33 am »

Quote from: tylerthegloob on January 10, 2020, 08:00:21 am

Quote from: VanIslander on January 10, 2020, 03:36:23 am
Vandalism, gangs, homelessness, ticket-happy cops, heavy metal music, car racing on public streets, high taxes, the difficulty tuning out advertising, infrequent buses, expensive taxis and car repair, the long Christmasy season, snow piled up blocking walkways by snowplow trucks, pushy salesmen, the smell of marijuana on people, dog poo in parks, spiders galore, bad service at government offices, and the inconvenience of having to buy uncut, unwashed leafy veggies.

is your home country the 1980s?

Ha ha, good one.

I have dual US and Italian citizenship and I can't add much to the US side that hasn't already been said. Basically, every time I'm home I have a general sense of being ripped off at every turn - there's huge regional disparity in prices for everything and people have normalized absurdly high medical bills, utility costs and insurance fees, etc. Last time I lived there I couldn't get monthly broadband service for less than $45 a month, and a basic cell phone plan was like $60. I did my best to live a minimal lifestyle and still felt like companies were constantly reaching into my bank account. The legalized corruption that euphemistically takes the form of lobbying and campaign finance is another thing that Americans have normalized, very much against their own collective interest. Also, car dependency... I haven't had a car in years and can't imagine ever living somewhere that would require one. No thank you.

Regarding Italy, I could go on about several fairly obvious things (painfully slow bureaucracy, sloppy public services, organized crime, etc.) but a lot of it comes down to a national attitude of "furbo". This has no direct translation in English but actually has parallels with certain Korean behaviors. "Furbo" is an adjective used, usually with enthusiasm, to describe strategic rule-breaking, and often serves as a justification for pure asshole behavior. Someone who cuts in line, lies on their tax form, cheats in football, blasts through a red light at 80mph or pays a local functionary to look the other way is seen as a cheeky renegade who bucked the system and stuck it to the man. But if 95% of the population views themselves as lovable rogues, giving the finger to all the stiffs who play by the rules, this has a serious quality of life impact on the whole country.

Topic: What do you hate about your home country? Read 3884 times

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