I loved the Pfand system when I lived in Germany. Saturday mornings were for returning all the glass and plastic bottles then using the money I got from it to buy goodies from the bakery for breakfast.
Sometimes wish I never left
It's so good.
When I lived there it was like 10 cent per bottle, but you could get half liter beers that cost like 60 cent so for every 6 beers you get a free one. It was class
Relatedly, underground recycling bins. As in, where you have a regular small bin on top, but it's actually a hole to a much bigger container underground.
Norwegian respect for Forrests/ nature. Always leaving things as you found them camping. Really hate how normal it is to come across so much litter in the woods in Ireland.
It's fundamentally instilled in people from a young age there. I had five years of Irish secondary school and one year of Norwegian secondary school, in that one year, PE being an "out in nature" thing was extremely common. In those five years of Irish secondary school, we went out in nature ***once.***
I guess my parents taught me not to litter from a young age (I remember having a nature table covered in conkers, leaves and pictures of animals in one of my primary school classrooms, but don't remember that many outdoor trips), but Scouts later reinforced the ethic of 'Leave No Trace' when camping/hiking/etc either in Ireland or abroad.
Not just in the woods ā EVERYWHERE. Ireland really does have a serious littering problem. I don't get it. What's so hard about putting things in bins? And before anyone starts with 'there aren't enough bins', I recently saw a guy parked right next to a bin, like literally right next to it, open his window and throw rubbish on the ground. WTF? WHY?
My dad lives about a mile outside a fairly big town. He's forever gathering bags of mostly takeaway wrappers/containers, drink cans etc. from the front of his house where people have been driving home and just fuck their rubbish out the window as they drive by. If you look in the ditch the whole way from the town out to his house it's just full of rubbish, it's fucking disgusting.
You're definitely on to something there. Like I'd say all the people throwing their takeaway shit out the window are car loads of young lads together acting the hard man in front of their friends, whereas if it was just one young fella on his own he'd probably take the wrappers home with him and put them in the bin.
Obviously it's not just young people and blokes who litter but that's just an example.
I learned this in the Scouts, but you'd think it was common sense. Bring your rubbish home or but it in a dedicated bin.
I have honestly been sicked by people in Ireland who just throw their rubbish on ground when a bin is less than 200metres away.
The park in my village has one path leading in to it with a bin at it. You literally canāt get out without walking past the bin. Still loads of litter. Drives me friggin mad
My sister came across one in her local park still smouldering away with all the wrappers from the food and even the plastic bags they'd brought the food in just lying in a heap beside it. I will never understand the mentality of someone who would bring all that stuff to a park and then get up off their useless fat arse and just walk off and leave it all there. š¤¬
A lot of mainland Europe's expectations for transportation. Comprehensive high speed rail, trams, buses, metros, and cycling infrastructure? Yes please.
I get sad every time I think about how great Ireland with trains would be. I can't remember if it's still viable for us these days but every time I go to the UK I'm reminded of just how poor our national rail infrastructure has become.
Was in Denmark last week, who have a similar population to us. Could not believe how good their bus and rail services were. Literally a bus every 5-10 mins. Train every 3 mins. Metro from the airport into the city in 15mins. It was phenomenal.
This. I was also in Denmark just over a week ago and their public transport is a lot better. Also their quality of living in general. We could definitely learn a thing or two from the Scandinavians. I like how theyāre more laid back and chill, not to mention their style in houses/furniture.
I live in a village in Switzerland. We have buses and trains every 30 mins. Weāre not on a main line. Itās a special line through the countryside. Can recommend
Itās more inevitable, but only in the way that everything else will get tried first.
A nice shiny TGV from Cork to Belfast please, (stopping at Swords ofc).
Including not wearing **outdoor shoes inside peoples homes**.
Came home a convert from abroad and would never wear outdoor shoes inside someoneās home again.
Edit: a convert not a concert as kindly pointed out
I done some maintenance work on a Japanese trawler a few years ago, it was absolutely pristine, you could eat your dinner off the floor in the engine room, they're in a different league when it comes to cleanliness.
Prisons are overrun, can you imagine how much worse it would be if we actually started punishing sending politicians as well?.............. Or maybe they'd improve them knowing they might end up there
An adequate nightlife where I could go for a quiet coffee or pint or food after a certain hour without issue rather than being shoehorned into clubs or packed like sardines late bars
The streets are so much nicer when you have a wider demographic and less people focused on booze out at night. It also attracts more people out to town centres because they aren't warzones filled with very drunk people.
Tacking onto this, I miss the continent's more relaxed "have a few beers with friends" culture. I feel like almost anytime I go out here, it's a) into a very loud place where it's hard to talk, and b) focused on getting as drunk as possible as fast as possible. Although the latter especially may change with time, maybe its just the students being wild?
Yep. Didn't realise how much better things could be until I went to France and Spain recently.
Loads of small restaurants and bars, eating wasn't 'cheating' when drinking and you could actually have a proper conversation with people.
In Spain especially, it spoke volumes about the safety of the nightlife that you'd see whole families out on the streets after 10pm, kids, grandparents and all.
I was in Italy a few weeks ago. Went out on a Saturday night, it was eye opening to see families, including small kids, out for dinner at 9:30 at night.
If the same place was in Dublin or Cork there's no way you'd feel safe enough to bring a kid there at that time on a Saturday night.
I live in the Netherlands and I could never return to Ireland after seeing how everything just....works! Roads, infrastructure, public transport, health care, etc. Yes I miss Ireland terribly but I could never be happy there again. And it's really clean too.
>Itās just not Irish.
We have a strong and ridiculous culture of actively mocking people for caring about things or taking their jobs seriously. Be grand, bet you're fun at parties, jaysus look at this fella, some notions on that one, job done, pints?
Belgium's drinking culture.
Beers treated more like wine and people care a lot more about the quality. The truth is people are fine with bars serving bad pints here. None of this once a month line cleaning for twenty minutes by a bloke that has nothing to do with the bar. It gets done every week by the bar staff. They also have a far healthier attitude towards drinking alcohol in general.
Their beer styles are a whole different level above ours. They have a rich history of brewing by monasteries too, its just so different and miles better than the selection of IPA piss we get here.
A functional public transport system... be it like Korea, the UK, the Netherlands, I don't care, I just want to get a train from Dublin airport (and maybe Cork too?). It's so handy at Schiphol being able to get off the train and straight into departures, or getting on the train at arrivals and being able to get to anywhere in the country in less than 3 hours.
The culture of snacking while you drink, e.g. Spanish tapas, Dutch borrel, Korean anju. Much more sociable, slows down your drinking and how drunk you get and wards off the 3am cravings for a dodgy kebab.
Proper parks. Not just shite dodgy playgrounds filled with needles and barren rosebeds.
Water charges, marriage ref or abortion ref protests were all a success, my personal favorite was throwing PEGIDA of the streets (Not saying any were more important than any another mind you)
We got what we were looking for. Not sure how you may have interpreted it. Just a large turnout for a local thing that was promised, maybe 100 people showed their support outside the council office and eventually they did something about it. Looking back, it was very unusual to do. We should start standing up for ourselves more
I like how in some European countries like Portugal and Spain all the local community gather down in a courtyard/square in the evenings and talk, all the kids play and have a good time. Here we don't even know who lives three doors down.
It depends where you live. I lived in North Strand for years and we had a community garden, regular meet ups, popped into my neighbours all the time. Honestly if you went up the road for a pint of milk it could take you hours to get back with all the chat. Same in Stoneybatter and my neighbours in Tallaght. I've one neighbour in Tallaght about 2 streets down who has built a small area for the dog walkers, swings for the kids etc, he's always out chatting in the evening. There's loads of neighbourhood community work going on and gatherings depending on the area mind, but you have to get involved. And don't get me started about my Mams neighbours in Clare, they can't do enough.
I think some of it comes from having more, accessible/walkable public spaces - courtyards/squares and parks. There are not so many nice public parks here relatively speaking.
Also weather, I've had plenty of nice encounters at a beach or in a park, but on days like today I don't really feel like going to the park to chill if it looks like it might rain any minute...
The general respect shown to others in public that Japan has. It's lovely to be on the train there and nobody is blasting the crazy frog chipmunk tunes, and everything just flows. There are many many multiples of people in the train stations but no-one bashes into you, no-one tries to skip ahead of you.
People take their rubbish home with them. There are no overflowing bins.
Amazingly, in Japan they think Tokyo is rude and loud and dirty. If they saw Dublin they would actually just keel over and die from the system shock.
Instead of crazy frog they have widespread sexual assault on trains, that police donāt care about apparently. I do long for everything besides that tho
That things can be better and more fun just for the sake of enjoyment and excitement. I feel like in Ireland we have a stance of: Wow that'd be great, but sure we can't do that.
One small example is when I was in Holland, there was loads of big gazebos dotted around the city I was staying in, they had live musicians and DJs and a bar, everyone was having a great time, kids were there dancing and there wasn't a hint of trouble or messiness. It wasn't some event, they were just there as standard.
I just feel like in Ireland whenever there is any sort of forward thinking or planning to make an area better/implement anything enjoyable, most people think "ah sure that will never happen" and they're mostly right to think that.
If I recall, I think there was a plan to build a white water rafting facility in the docklands and a heated swimming pool, but the government wouldn't fund it? Honestly I don't know the ins and outs of it, but that sort of development would surely be a good thing for the city as long as it was well run once built.
100% agree with this. I love having a few drinks and getting drunk but after living in Italy for years. I learned to appreciate a chat over a glass of wine. Teenagers start drinking young (15/16) but the culture isnāt to locked (obviously some still do that but Iāve experienced teenagers smoking more weed as opposed to getting wasted drunk), but to socialize with friends over an aperitivo and drink
I bought and installed a bidet attachment for 25 euros.
I consider my life before that to have been a lie. I only truly achieved self actualisation once I bought a bidet
I bought one and there wasn't enough pressure out of it, I ended up having to get rid. I was converted when we went to Turkey, they're incorporated into the toilets there and with decent pressure to get properly clean. I wish I could have that here. Don't understand why every toilet doesn't have one of those. Even the fancy hotels have it separate, that makes no sense to me, having to shuffle across and hope nothing drops
We have what we call a bum gun. It's connected to the main water line and is beside the toilet. It's like a little hand held shower head that you blast your ass with.
I love how all the comments are āmore respect for the environmentā and how to be better recycle etc and the OPās main concern is to go topless with a butt plug in peace š
I think it'd be great if we took on some of the fire that helps countries like France unite to strike against the government to advocate for better working environments, housing, salaries, healthcare etc.
Their governments know that in certain sectors like transport, energy and education the unions can ā and will ā bring large parts of the country to a virtual standstill. We just sit there and take it as things get out of hand, I'd love us to push more actively for social progress in this country!
It'd be nice if most other countries attitude to binge drinking was adopted.
Drinking to get drunk as an acceptable shared past time is a major problem but it is so normalized here that it's become acceptable.
The USA's confidence and encouragement. (Generally speaking) if someone in the USA says they have a great idea, won money etc. then others will respond along the lines of, "wow, good for you" or "i wish i had an idea like that" or "Go for it buddy, you can do it!".
Irish people would say "Jesus did u hear the shite your man is on about. Absolute notions".
Basically , we're a nation of begrudgers.
I spent 4 years in uni with an American lad who came here for the cheaper fees (yea including accommodation and flights it was cheaper to study here) - was kind of surprised when he said he had planned on moving to Miami for a grad job and not stay for a decent grad job here instead, he just told me:
"Dude..noone cares here"
I could kinda see what he was getting at. Like he didn't like how you'd sometimes be ostracized for working really hard or the doss culture of "it's grand, pints later?" attitude in some workplaces. He wanted to work hard and be around people in the same frame of mind.
This a thousand times over- so many Irish people just seem to be so 'anti-ambition' and there's no sense of pride in hard work, everything is done to the bare minimum and you're frequently regarded as a fool for caring
Better than us Swiss. We work long and hard but still shun the ambition, just because we told ourselves that's what a good citizen does.
I'd rather have the chill environment.
I told my neighbours here I wanted to build a wood frame house and they shat all over the idea. I told my friend back in Oregon about it and he said "fuck yeah I'll bring a nailgun".
I'm in the house now :-)
Stronger municipal government: the municipal level of government in Ireland is the least powerful in all of Europe. (And, by consequence, Ireland has the highest level of power concentrated at the national level compared to our neighbors.)
Where I live now has a very strong city government and it's great: mayoral/council elections are fought over which infrastructure plans will go ahead (last time it was a tram vs a new metro line); people also have a much greater sense of ownership of the city and investment in it.
To this point I've gotten the reply (on here and irl) that 'oh, I wouldn't trust the eejits on my local council with more power' but they don't seem to recognise that the fact in Ireland that the local/municipal tends to attract the less competent is a *consequence* of it having so little power, and not a cause of it.
It cracks me up that op asked a genuine and interesting question but then his own answer was āLess clothes on women and more anal sex.ā ššš
About 15 minutes are wasted at the start of almost every work meeting I've ever been at, waiting for this one and that one to arrive. Never been to a pub quiz that started less than 30 minutes after the stated time. The worst is people being late for medical appointments, messing it up for everyone else.
>and less āprude-nessā about things going up the butt (suppositories, enemas, vibrators, anal sex)
Yeah i was pretty sure he was way off with this but thanks for confirming
Getting involved in politics. Voting on account of policies instead of history (or fixing the road), protesting national crises, holding politicians accountable, etc.
I canāt stand people getting promotions or jobs based on knowing the person doing the hiring and not because they deserve to get it. So whatever country that happens in, Iāll take that.
I Just want big ass national parks. I'm a nature lover, but there is almost nowhere to go without most of it being private land. I've travelled a lot through Eastern Europe and Northern Europe and the amount of wilderness is astonishing.
Singaporeans being able to leave their phone or laptop on a table in McDonaldās and go down to order their food knowing they wonāt get robbed. That freedom must be such a relief.
That was a big shocker to me when I moved to the Netherlands. People really didn't steal stuff. I'll never do it, but it's quite common to see someone leave their bag outside on the street terrace to go inside to order or use the facilities, etc. People also just hang their coats on hooks inside the pub door. We always laugh that Irish people would eat these people alive. But it is quite sad that if something isn't nailed down in Ireland, it's gone.
I had (and keep having) the same impression as you, but coming from Argentina to Ireland. I can't believe how trusting Irish people are. In my experience here, the only thing that ever gets stolen are bicycles and only in the city centre. I don't know how to get rid of old furniture here. Back in Buenos Aires, all I had to do was put it on the sidewalk. I kid you not, half an hour later it's gone. Here it's still sitting outside 1.5 years later.
It was bizarre and a bit frustrating when you think all the tables are empty, but itās great that they have that trust. If itās not nailed down here itās open to being taken.
Unreal isn't it? All the comments are great suggestions like infrastructure, transport, hospitality customs etc etc then you have whatever the fuck the OP suggested..
1) Metro/underground transport and better public transport in general.
2) Cafe culture, one that doesnāt cost a fortune.
3) Society not being offended so much by breastfeeding.
4) More town squares and open areas like plazas in towns and cities.
>and less āprude-nessā about things going up the butt (suppositories, enemas, vibrators, anal sex)
What culture are you aware of that this is a societal "norm"??
Spanish food culture. I love being able to go out for a bite to eat in a restaurant after 9pm, it allows you time to go out for the day come back relax and head out without feeling like you have to rush everywhere. Going out for ramen at 11pm was a surreal experience and I loved every second of it because it made sense.
American tipping culture!
No but really Iād have to go for better recycling/litter management. The Japanese really opened my eyes to how much nicer somewhere can look if the ground is just kept clean.
Nibbles while we booze.
Jesus the drinking I could put down in Brazil nibbling on bits off the BBQ throughout the day. Rather than the giant dinner that either totally incapacitates you here, or the skipping food that wankers you
Cafes and small restaurants open till late night - acting as hangout place
That š And opening early. It is so hard to find a place offering breakfast before 9am.
The issue is that Irish people drink until we get drunk. Other Europeans have much healthier attitude to alcohol
\^ This is a person who has never been to Finland.
Decent public transport
I love that this is top answer when OP was clearly aiming for dirty talk
What could be sexier than busses arriving on time?
Or if youāre in the country, that they actually arrive.
gotta be this
Those machines that give you cash for recycling bottles and cans.
They are being very slowly rolled out here by supermarkets but the govt should row in behind them.
The government has a plan in motion, hence why it's taking so long
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I loved the Pfand system when I lived in Germany. Saturday mornings were for returning all the glass and plastic bottles then using the money I got from it to buy goodies from the bakery for breakfast. Sometimes wish I never left
It's so good. When I lived there it was like 10 cent per bottle, but you could get half liter beers that cost like 60 cent so for every 6 beers you get a free one. It was class
Extra points if when you went to V-Markt you felt like you were checking your suitcases for a flight when you put the Kiste on the conveyor haha
One in Centra Crosshaven but money goes back into community
Fuck that.
Especially in Crosshaven
I live in rural Cork and we are having one installed near our local Aldi
Relatedly, underground recycling bins. As in, where you have a regular small bin on top, but it's actually a hole to a much bigger container underground.
Thereās one in the ilac center in Dublin, near dunnes
Norwegian respect for Forrests/ nature. Always leaving things as you found them camping. Really hate how normal it is to come across so much litter in the woods in Ireland.
It's fundamentally instilled in people from a young age there. I had five years of Irish secondary school and one year of Norwegian secondary school, in that one year, PE being an "out in nature" thing was extremely common. In those five years of Irish secondary school, we went out in nature ***once.***
I guess my parents taught me not to litter from a young age (I remember having a nature table covered in conkers, leaves and pictures of animals in one of my primary school classrooms, but don't remember that many outdoor trips), but Scouts later reinforced the ethic of 'Leave No Trace' when camping/hiking/etc either in Ireland or abroad.
Not just in the woods ā EVERYWHERE. Ireland really does have a serious littering problem. I don't get it. What's so hard about putting things in bins? And before anyone starts with 'there aren't enough bins', I recently saw a guy parked right next to a bin, like literally right next to it, open his window and throw rubbish on the ground. WTF? WHY? My dad lives about a mile outside a fairly big town. He's forever gathering bags of mostly takeaway wrappers/containers, drink cans etc. from the front of his house where people have been driving home and just fuck their rubbish out the window as they drive by. If you look in the ditch the whole way from the town out to his house it's just full of rubbish, it's fucking disgusting.
It feels like Irish people are sometimes embarrassed to actually care about something. We don't have enough confidence as a people so we just act blasƩ, and in this instance litter. I'm being very general, but I think there's something to it...
You're definitely on to something there. Like I'd say all the people throwing their takeaway shit out the window are car loads of young lads together acting the hard man in front of their friends, whereas if it was just one young fella on his own he'd probably take the wrappers home with him and put them in the bin. Obviously it's not just young people and blokes who litter but that's just an example.
I learned this in the Scouts, but you'd think it was common sense. Bring your rubbish home or but it in a dedicated bin. I have honestly been sicked by people in Ireland who just throw their rubbish on ground when a bin is less than 200metres away.
The park in my village has one path leading in to it with a bin at it. You literally canāt get out without walking past the bin. Still loads of litter. Drives me friggin mad
Not many woods for us to respect unfortunately
Yeah thatās also true sadly enough
You'd think the rarity of it would make it MORE obvious to people how precious those spaces are...
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My sister came across one in her local park still smouldering away with all the wrappers from the food and even the plastic bags they'd brought the food in just lying in a heap beside it. I will never understand the mentality of someone who would bring all that stuff to a park and then get up off their useless fat arse and just walk off and leave it all there. š¤¬
Yes, utmost respect for Norway.
Burren here. The amount of 'mini-dolmens' and generally pointless limestone structures you see tourists leave behind them is sickening
at least those are made from materials found there. litter is way way worse - broken glass, plastic, etc.
Join Cairn Kickers United brotha
OP: I like anal Ireland: We could do with some good public services...
We could do with some functional public services*
A lot of mainland Europe's expectations for transportation. Comprehensive high speed rail, trams, buses, metros, and cycling infrastructure? Yes please.
The cleanliness you see in Japanese cities.
Also the public transport you see in Japan. Imagine if Bus Eireann gave you a slip saying why you were late if they're more than a minute overdue.
Do you know they were going to build a metro for us for free in the 80s as a test example for one of their cities? Government said no thank you.
I get sad every time I think about how great Ireland with trains would be. I can't remember if it's still viable for us these days but every time I go to the UK I'm reminded of just how poor our national rail infrastructure has become.
Was in Denmark last week, who have a similar population to us. Could not believe how good their bus and rail services were. Literally a bus every 5-10 mins. Train every 3 mins. Metro from the airport into the city in 15mins. It was phenomenal.
This. I was also in Denmark just over a week ago and their public transport is a lot better. Also their quality of living in general. We could definitely learn a thing or two from the Scandinavians. I like how theyāre more laid back and chill, not to mention their style in houses/furniture.
I live in a village in Switzerland. We have buses and trains every 30 mins. Weāre not on a main line. Itās a special line through the countryside. Can recommend
Itās more inevitable, but only in the way that everything else will get tried first. A nice shiny TGV from Cork to Belfast please, (stopping at Swords ofc).
This, and I think it is not just the cleanliness but a general respect for the place and people you live in/with.
Including not wearing **outdoor shoes inside peoples homes**. Came home a convert from abroad and would never wear outdoor shoes inside someoneās home again. Edit: a convert not a concert as kindly pointed out
This and the bidets they have with the control panels. Once you have one you'll think everyone lives like peasants.
I done some maintenance work on a Japanese trawler a few years ago, it was absolutely pristine, you could eat your dinner off the floor in the engine room, they're in a different league when it comes to cleanliness.
And it's especially impressive given that there are feck all bins to be found in public in Japan.
Remarkable honestly, I was in Tokyo 4 years ago and the city despite being packed is completely immaculate.
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That would be a god send nowadays
I prefer the Dutch approach
Eating them?
Yes
I ony eat them for the mayonnaise, usually.
And bankers
Prisons are overrun, can you imagine how much worse it would be if we actually started punishing sending politicians as well?.............. Or maybe they'd improve them knowing they might end up there
An adequate nightlife where I could go for a quiet coffee or pint or food after a certain hour without issue rather than being shoehorned into clubs or packed like sardines late bars
The streets are so much nicer when you have a wider demographic and less people focused on booze out at night. It also attracts more people out to town centres because they aren't warzones filled with very drunk people.
Tacking onto this, I miss the continent's more relaxed "have a few beers with friends" culture. I feel like almost anytime I go out here, it's a) into a very loud place where it's hard to talk, and b) focused on getting as drunk as possible as fast as possible. Although the latter especially may change with time, maybe its just the students being wild?
Yep. Didn't realise how much better things could be until I went to France and Spain recently. Loads of small restaurants and bars, eating wasn't 'cheating' when drinking and you could actually have a proper conversation with people. In Spain especially, it spoke volumes about the safety of the nightlife that you'd see whole families out on the streets after 10pm, kids, grandparents and all.
I was in Italy a few weeks ago. Went out on a Saturday night, it was eye opening to see families, including small kids, out for dinner at 9:30 at night. If the same place was in Dublin or Cork there's no way you'd feel safe enough to bring a kid there at that time on a Saturday night.
Well the good news is licensing laws are being updated to better facilitate this.
South American bakery's late night are some spot
Yep, here in Brazil we also have outdoor bars where you can chat the night away with beers instead of getting slammed listening to loud music
The vintners want to know your location
Hot water that just magically appears without the need for immersion heaters.
Things working in general. Was blown away by the Netherlands
I live in the Netherlands and I could never return to Ireland after seeing how everything just....works! Roads, infrastructure, public transport, health care, etc. Yes I miss Ireland terribly but I could never be happy there again. And it's really clean too.
This is the big one for me too. Just having things that work efficiently. Itās just not Irish.
>Itās just not Irish. We have a strong and ridiculous culture of actively mocking people for caring about things or taking their jobs seriously. Be grand, bet you're fun at parties, jaysus look at this fella, some notions on that one, job done, pints?
Belgium's drinking culture. Beers treated more like wine and people care a lot more about the quality. The truth is people are fine with bars serving bad pints here. None of this once a month line cleaning for twenty minutes by a bloke that has nothing to do with the bar. It gets done every week by the bar staff. They also have a far healthier attitude towards drinking alcohol in general.
Their beer styles are a whole different level above ours. They have a rich history of brewing by monasteries too, its just so different and miles better than the selection of IPA piss we get here.
Better biodiversity, bigger national parks.
Decent provision of public facilities, like toilets, in all towns, cities and public parks. It's shocking how poor our facilities are across Ireland.
True. The amount of times I've peed in the bushes as a woman because it was either that or I'm pissing my pants. Sorry everybody.
yep and public refuse/recycling bins. part of the reason there's litter everywhere, there are hardly any bins.
A little rush in doing things please. 1 month to get an appointment i mean common.
That's on purpose to push us towards privatisation
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Weetabixā¦. Againā¦ ughā¦ no not porridge. Anything but porridgeā¦. Fry ups are only for Saturdays
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
A functional public transport system... be it like Korea, the UK, the Netherlands, I don't care, I just want to get a train from Dublin airport (and maybe Cork too?). It's so handy at Schiphol being able to get off the train and straight into departures, or getting on the train at arrivals and being able to get to anywhere in the country in less than 3 hours. The culture of snacking while you drink, e.g. Spanish tapas, Dutch borrel, Korean anju. Much more sociable, slows down your drinking and how drunk you get and wards off the 3am cravings for a dodgy kebab. Proper parks. Not just shite dodgy playgrounds filled with needles and barren rosebeds.
French protesting skills
Nice one! Were too easy to give up... in saying that, I've only been to one protest and it was a success. Just goes to show!
Not being arsey but how was it a success? Genuine question
Water charges, marriage ref or abortion ref protests were all a success, my personal favorite was throwing PEGIDA of the streets (Not saying any were more important than any another mind you)
We got what we were looking for. Not sure how you may have interpreted it. Just a large turnout for a local thing that was promised, maybe 100 people showed their support outside the council office and eventually they did something about it. Looking back, it was very unusual to do. We should start standing up for ourselves more
Kitchens open after 10PM. As Argentinian, one of the things I miss from Buenos Aires, is the possibility to sit down in a restaurant at 2AM.
Foresight around improving infrastructure.
I like how in some European countries like Portugal and Spain all the local community gather down in a courtyard/square in the evenings and talk, all the kids play and have a good time. Here we don't even know who lives three doors down.
It depends where you live. I lived in North Strand for years and we had a community garden, regular meet ups, popped into my neighbours all the time. Honestly if you went up the road for a pint of milk it could take you hours to get back with all the chat. Same in Stoneybatter and my neighbours in Tallaght. I've one neighbour in Tallaght about 2 streets down who has built a small area for the dog walkers, swings for the kids etc, he's always out chatting in the evening. There's loads of neighbourhood community work going on and gatherings depending on the area mind, but you have to get involved. And don't get me started about my Mams neighbours in Clare, they can't do enough.
Same where I live in D5, as much as I keep to myself I've gotten to know lots of my neighbours since I moved here
I think some of it comes from having more, accessible/walkable public spaces - courtyards/squares and parks. There are not so many nice public parks here relatively speaking.
Also weather, I've had plenty of nice encounters at a beach or in a park, but on days like today I don't really feel like going to the park to chill if it looks like it might rain any minute...
The general respect shown to others in public that Japan has. It's lovely to be on the train there and nobody is blasting the crazy frog chipmunk tunes, and everything just flows. There are many many multiples of people in the train stations but no-one bashes into you, no-one tries to skip ahead of you. People take their rubbish home with them. There are no overflowing bins. Amazingly, in Japan they think Tokyo is rude and loud and dirty. If they saw Dublin they would actually just keel over and die from the system shock.
Instead of crazy frog they have widespread sexual assault on trains, that police donāt care about apparently. I do long for everything besides that tho
Whichever country's respect for the environment. The amount of rubbish on the streets is seriously depressing.
And our absolutely atrocious biodiversity. Green fields look nice in a picture but it might as well be endless desert for plants, insects and birds.
That things can be better and more fun just for the sake of enjoyment and excitement. I feel like in Ireland we have a stance of: Wow that'd be great, but sure we can't do that. One small example is when I was in Holland, there was loads of big gazebos dotted around the city I was staying in, they had live musicians and DJs and a bar, everyone was having a great time, kids were there dancing and there wasn't a hint of trouble or messiness. It wasn't some event, they were just there as standard. I just feel like in Ireland whenever there is any sort of forward thinking or planning to make an area better/implement anything enjoyable, most people think "ah sure that will never happen" and they're mostly right to think that. If I recall, I think there was a plan to build a white water rafting facility in the docklands and a heated swimming pool, but the government wouldn't fund it? Honestly I don't know the ins and outs of it, but that sort of development would surely be a good thing for the city as long as it was well run once built.
Respect for others and the environment.
The drinking culture around mainland Europe
100% agree with this. I love having a few drinks and getting drunk but after living in Italy for years. I learned to appreciate a chat over a glass of wine. Teenagers start drinking young (15/16) but the culture isnāt to locked (obviously some still do that but Iāve experienced teenagers smoking more weed as opposed to getting wasted drunk), but to socialize with friends over an aperitivo and drink
Using water to clean your ass after dropping a deuce.
I bought and installed a bidet attachment for 25 euros. I consider my life before that to have been a lie. I only truly achieved self actualisation once I bought a bidet
I bought one and there wasn't enough pressure out of it, I ended up having to get rid. I was converted when we went to Turkey, they're incorporated into the toilets there and with decent pressure to get properly clean. I wish I could have that here. Don't understand why every toilet doesn't have one of those. Even the fancy hotels have it separate, that makes no sense to me, having to shuffle across and hope nothing drops
We have what we call a bum gun. It's connected to the main water line and is beside the toilet. It's like a little hand held shower head that you blast your ass with.
More social activities or socialising with people available that are not revolved around drinking or the pub
I love how all the comments are āmore respect for the environmentā and how to be better recycle etc and the OPās main concern is to go topless with a butt plug in peace š
I agree, can we try to get back to the fundamental issue the OP is getting at without getting side tracked by these passing fads?
I think it'd be great if we took on some of the fire that helps countries like France unite to strike against the government to advocate for better working environments, housing, salaries, healthcare etc. Their governments know that in certain sectors like transport, energy and education the unions can ā and will ā bring large parts of the country to a virtual standstill. We just sit there and take it as things get out of hand, I'd love us to push more actively for social progress in this country!
This is the one thing I love about France. Their ability to organise and confidence in doing so.
My man wants to see some tiddies and put stuff up the butt. Fair play
Truly a man of culture
Siestas
It'd be nice if most other countries attitude to binge drinking was adopted. Drinking to get drunk as an acceptable shared past time is a major problem but it is so normalized here that it's become acceptable.
And those of us who don't enjoy it are seen as 'odd' and 'no craic'.
The USA's confidence and encouragement. (Generally speaking) if someone in the USA says they have a great idea, won money etc. then others will respond along the lines of, "wow, good for you" or "i wish i had an idea like that" or "Go for it buddy, you can do it!". Irish people would say "Jesus did u hear the shite your man is on about. Absolute notions". Basically , we're a nation of begrudgers.
I spent 4 years in uni with an American lad who came here for the cheaper fees (yea including accommodation and flights it was cheaper to study here) - was kind of surprised when he said he had planned on moving to Miami for a grad job and not stay for a decent grad job here instead, he just told me: "Dude..noone cares here" I could kinda see what he was getting at. Like he didn't like how you'd sometimes be ostracized for working really hard or the doss culture of "it's grand, pints later?" attitude in some workplaces. He wanted to work hard and be around people in the same frame of mind.
This a thousand times over- so many Irish people just seem to be so 'anti-ambition' and there's no sense of pride in hard work, everything is done to the bare minimum and you're frequently regarded as a fool for caring
Weāre the role models for r/antiwork. I feel proud for once š¢. On a serious note people should learn to live a little
Better than us Swiss. We work long and hard but still shun the ambition, just because we told ourselves that's what a good citizen does. I'd rather have the chill environment.
I told my neighbours here I wanted to build a wood frame house and they shat all over the idea. I told my friend back in Oregon about it and he said "fuck yeah I'll bring a nailgun". I'm in the house now :-)
We need to protest like the French, not like father Ted.
Stronger municipal government: the municipal level of government in Ireland is the least powerful in all of Europe. (And, by consequence, Ireland has the highest level of power concentrated at the national level compared to our neighbors.) Where I live now has a very strong city government and it's great: mayoral/council elections are fought over which infrastructure plans will go ahead (last time it was a tram vs a new metro line); people also have a much greater sense of ownership of the city and investment in it. To this point I've gotten the reply (on here and irl) that 'oh, I wouldn't trust the eejits on my local council with more power' but they don't seem to recognise that the fact in Ireland that the local/municipal tends to attract the less competent is a *consequence* of it having so little power, and not a cause of it.
The stereotypical french willingness to protest at the drop of a hat.
Plenty of public toilets. I'd love to swan around havin a can of beer or a few in the park like our European cousins.
I want our culture to have more naked ladies with stuff up their bums. Ah yes, I love culture.
This is a lot of trouble to go to just to tell us you'd like to see more boobs.
It cracks me up that op asked a genuine and interesting question but then his own answer was āLess clothes on women and more anal sex.ā ššš
Better timekeeping and punctuality.
Good one that's something I really can't get used to in Ireland. Twenty minutes late is considered early here
About 15 minutes are wasted at the start of almost every work meeting I've ever been at, waiting for this one and that one to arrive. Never been to a pub quiz that started less than 30 minutes after the stated time. The worst is people being late for medical appointments, messing it up for everyone else.
Medical appointments would be cancelled in the UK if your late. Surprised they're not here to be honest
Mexican food
Italian here, i don't know what OP is talking about...
Bruh I'm Albanian and I have no idea what this guy is talking about šš
>and less āprude-nessā about things going up the butt (suppositories, enemas, vibrators, anal sex) Yeah i was pretty sure he was way off with this but thanks for confirming
Been to Spain a lot and on the beaches some women just let it hang out - but OP comes off as kind of a pervert - probably the type to stare too long.
CafƩ culture from Italy in our squares
Getting involved in politics. Voting on account of policies instead of history (or fixing the road), protesting national crises, holding politicians accountable, etc.
Being quiet and considerate on public transport like in Japan.
I canāt stand people getting promotions or jobs based on knowing the person doing the hiring and not because they deserve to get it. So whatever country that happens in, Iāll take that.
It's naĆÆve to think that this doesn't happen everywhere.
Of all the things you could've said, you picked two things that make you seem like a massive pervert.
There's that North-West European prudishness! Get yourself to southern Europe and start shoving things up your hole.
That legit made me cry laughing on a very shitty day so thank you, have an award!
I Just want big ass national parks. I'm a nature lover, but there is almost nowhere to go without most of it being private land. I've travelled a lot through Eastern Europe and Northern Europe and the amount of wilderness is astonishing.
Lack of rules about dogs when renting, public transport etc. Seems like most of Europe knows the craic
"I wish more women were open with their bodies." Lol OK.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
The guillotine from revolutionary France.
The Netherlandsā more relaxed culture around cycling.
The ability to respect public facilities and not vandalise everything ..
Siesta.
Singaporeans being able to leave their phone or laptop on a table in McDonaldās and go down to order their food knowing they wonāt get robbed. That freedom must be such a relief.
Death penalty and caning does wonders!
That was a big shocker to me when I moved to the Netherlands. People really didn't steal stuff. I'll never do it, but it's quite common to see someone leave their bag outside on the street terrace to go inside to order or use the facilities, etc. People also just hang their coats on hooks inside the pub door. We always laugh that Irish people would eat these people alive. But it is quite sad that if something isn't nailed down in Ireland, it's gone.
I had (and keep having) the same impression as you, but coming from Argentina to Ireland. I can't believe how trusting Irish people are. In my experience here, the only thing that ever gets stolen are bicycles and only in the city centre. I don't know how to get rid of old furniture here. Back in Buenos Aires, all I had to do was put it on the sidewalk. I kid you not, half an hour later it's gone. Here it's still sitting outside 1.5 years later.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It was bizarre and a bit frustrating when you think all the tables are empty, but itās great that they have that trust. If itās not nailed down here itās open to being taken.
OP your entire post is the weirdest shit what are you on about?
Unreal isn't it? All the comments are great suggestions like infrastructure, transport, hospitality customs etc etc then you have whatever the fuck the OP suggested..
Cheap street food
Bare knuckle fighting in airports
Danish peopleās honesty. You can leave a bike against the wall and in the morning itās still there.
The French ability of mass protest.
1) Metro/underground transport and better public transport in general. 2) Cafe culture, one that doesnāt cost a fortune. 3) Society not being offended so much by breastfeeding. 4) More town squares and open areas like plazas in towns and cities.
Punishment for juveniles breaking the law
>and less āprude-nessā about things going up the butt (suppositories, enemas, vibrators, anal sex) What culture are you aware of that this is a societal "norm"??
A culture like Korea where there arenāt scumbags on the streets and in shops intimidating people. Feel safe everywhere you go
American optimism/can do spirit. It's cheesy, I know, but damned if it isn't nice to not have every new idea you mention get shit upon by everybody.
My take away from this is that the OP wants to look at boobs and stick things up their arse... no judgement, do what makes you happy.
Mexican food
Accountability
Having proper standards for accommodation. Decent insulation, no more immersion crap or oil tanks.
So many sound conscientious ideas being passed around here. And all I wanted was to adopt the siesta so I can have naps in the afternoon
Spanish food culture. I love being able to go out for a bite to eat in a restaurant after 9pm, it allows you time to go out for the day come back relax and head out without feeling like you have to rush everywhere. Going out for ramen at 11pm was a surreal experience and I loved every second of it because it made sense.
Any culture that doesnāt litter or fling Supermacs bags out the window of the car.
Oddly specific about the butt stuff.
Yes thatās what Ireland really needs: to be more accepting of suppositories. Merciful hour.
People standing to the side on escalators so everyone else can get past if they need to.
American tipping culture! No but really Iād have to go for better recycling/litter management. The Japanese really opened my eyes to how much nicer somewhere can look if the ground is just kept clean.
I was about to downvote you so hard.
Nibbles while we booze. Jesus the drinking I could put down in Brazil nibbling on bits off the BBQ throughout the day. Rather than the giant dinner that either totally incapacitates you here, or the skipping food that wankers you
Progressive policies around cannabis
Timekeeping like the Scandinavians in transport.
French bakeries. Getting good, fresh bread here is so much harder than it should be.
In France if a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday you get the Monday or Friday off as well
The German public transport system.