Everyday habits and habits of the British that will surprise Russians

The life of any person is made up of little things and special rules. This is what distinguishes one nation from another. There is even such a proverb: "Habit is second nature!" - and its meaning can be felt by looking at the life of other people who live far from us, Russians.

Take the British, for example. At first glance, they do not stand out at all from other people. Even if you closely follow them, you will not notice the differences either - it will be very difficult to detect any oddities in the behavior. But it is quite another matter to get into their homes, because it is there that any Englishman becomes himself and gives free rein to his habits and character. Therefore, you can fully recognize a resident of Great Britain only when you come to visit him. But what should you be prepared for? What awaits an ordinary Russian person at an Englishman's home? Let's see.

Separate hot and cold water supply

This is the first thing that may surprise you a little. The concept of "mixer" for the British does not exist. They have two taps both in the bathroom and in the kitchen - separate for hot and cold water.

Moreover, one gets the impression that the inhabitants of the country are experiencing some kind of wild fear of the flowing water. It is not customary here, like ours, to stand under the shower head, from which life-giving moisture flows. They even wash their hands according to some kind of blasphemous scheme: he closed the sink with a cork, took hot water, diluted with cold, washed my hands, drained the soapy liquid, collected a clean one (according to the same principle), rinsed arms.

What a strange feature this is - separate taps - is completely unclear. Indeed, in fact, it is practically impossible to wash the dishes or your own body normally without nerves - boiling water flows from one tap, and ice water from the other. But somehow the British have already got used to this and, perhaps, it is our mixers that will seem strange to them.

By the way, residents of Great Britain do not even rinse dishes normally. Sometimes they send it to dry in foam, just as, however, they do not wash off the shower gel after taking a bath.

Lack of central heating

Even in the 21st century, about a third of houses do not have central heating. Moreover, their owners are not even eager to acquire this very blessing of civilization. They are quite happy with electric heaters. And in some apartments you can even find gas devices, which is especially sad, because these terrible devices produce a terribly unpleasant smell, and are also not particularly safe in terms of fire.

In general, heating in Britain is very expensive, and saving is almost a national hobby.

If the room still has central heating, then the British use it very sparingly: in some houses it works on the strength of 2-3 hours, and at night it turns off altogether.

Perhaps there is some kind of logic here, because this significantly saves the family budget. But if you are going to visit an Englishman, then take a warm jacket with you. True, the people of Great Britain are quite hospitable and, perhaps, will turn on a fireplace especially for you.

Windows and doors

Another reason why the British at home are always cold - on the thermometer, you rarely see a mark above 18 ° C. And in winter, it goes down altogether.

"English window" - a usual square or rectangular opening, but... with one glass. Even in winter, the British do not really care about installing a second frame in order to at least slightly warm the room and keep the heat inside. The same goes for doors. It is difficult to imagine a heated house where the front door has a huge gap at the bottom. However, the residents of the UK are not confused by this. They believe that winter is a short time of the year, and therefore the inconvenience can be tolerated.

By the way, in many films we can see that the British windows have the same design as ours - on the side hinges. However, there are more common windows that rise vertically upward, moving on special wheels according to the guillotine principle.

Ventilation? No, you haven't heard

For us Russians, properly thought-out ventilation in the house is almost a duty and an important component of both the bathroom and the kitchen. We even put special grilles providing forced ventilation when natural ventilation does not work very well.

But in England this moment is not simply not provided for - they do not even think about it. In Great Britain, the hood we are used to is replaced very simply - with an open window. It is for this reason that in most English houses the most common problem is mold, since the premises are completely unventilated, from which dampness arises - the best friend for the fungus.

The most popular product in London's hypermarkets is anti-mildew products.

Fireplace, fireplace and fireplace again

The British are very fond of fireplaces. They can sit in front of him for hours and think about something of their own. True, if you remember that houses are often very cold and damp, then the prospect of being warm on the one hand and being numb from the icy air on the other seems like a so-so idea ...

Sometimes in houses you can find up to 5-6 fireplaces. True, they are often installed on the outside, which does not at all affect the heating of the house - this is such a strange feature. Considering all of the above with heating, the British for some reason still have not thought that a fireplace can also warm the premises a little.

Carpets

The English style in the interior often presupposes the presence of beautiful textiles. Perhaps this trend is directly related to the Victorian era. This also applies to gender. Carpets are everywhere - in the kitchen, living room, hallway and even the closet.

True, such a love for this type of coating does not always look pretty, because the carpet lies on the floor not just for years, but sometimes for decades. Naturally, the British are not pigs, and they are used to tidying up their homes, where cleaning includes cleaning carpets. But you must admit: over time, any coating will lose its appearance, even if you take good care of it. But the inhabitants of the country do not choose more durable materials (tiles, natural stone), but prefer carpet. It may even be in the bathroom. Moreover, if you see a hole in the cover and it confuses you, then the British do not attach any importance to this state of affairs.

Such everyday oddities can be found in the homes of Great Britain. Judge the British? In no case, because we are all different and it is from such little things (even if they are incomprehensible to us) that our character and mentality are formed.