Stéphane Jouin, who 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”
A French expat living in the UK has named a particular aspect of British culture that’s left him “amazed”. Stéphane Jouin, who swapped France for the UK nine years ago, divulged his findings on his YouTube channel ‘A French guy in England’, which delves into the “cultural quirks” of both countries.
In his video, ‘6 Things I Really Appreciate as a French Guy in England’, Stéphane shared his observations from nearly a decade in Britain, touching on aspects such as our politeness and tendency to be “merciful”.
Among these UK insights, he highlighted his admiration for the British propensity for kindness, a trait he finds “amazing” and notes is even promoted by companies and organisations here. Stéphane expressed: “Number two is that people tend to be kind.”
He elaborated: “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 pointed out that British firms and groups are known for rallying people to join events they organise to raise money for charitable causes.
On the flip side, in May, a Brit living in France took to TikTok to share five reasons why life across the Channel is “better.” The expat, known as Alex or “It’s moi” on the platform, presented her “household edition” of insights.
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 there’s more; Alex also highlighted the convenience of having plug sockets in the bathroom, “square-shaped” pillows for extra headroom, and shutters on every window.
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”.
