'I'm a Canadian living in the UK – some culture differences really confuse me' – The Mirror US
A Canadian residing in the UK has opened up about her "biggest culture shock" since making England her new home.
While many aspects of British life may seem charmingly mundane and normal to people across the pond, they can appear downright peculiar to those hailing from abroad.
Take for instance, the country's classic comfort foods like beans on toast or bangers and mash, which might raise eyebrows among foreigners. The presence of separate hot and cold taps in bathrooms – a staple in the UK and much of Europe – is another feature that often puzzles those from North America, where such fixtures are less common.
And while American bathrooms frequently include power sockets, British regulations impose stringent rules on their placement. Britain's vibrant pub scene, unique slang, and its trademark dry wit add to the list of cultural idiosyncrasies.
For someone moving countries, even when there's no language barrier, the transition can be overwhelming. Canadian Bronwyn Edgell, who now calls the UK home, has encountered one particular aspect that she finds utterly baffling.
In a hit TikTok video, Bronwyn shared her bewilderment: "One culture shock about living in the UK that I will literally never understand is the fact that most rental flats don't come with a tumble dryer."
She humorously lamented the British weather and quipped: "So then, you're in arguably the wettest country in the world, waiting seven to 10 business days for your laundry to dry and then when it does dry, it smells like mould."
Commenters quickly dived into an energetic debate. One Brit said: "Hey, tumble dryers are massively bad for the environment. I usually dry my clothes on a clothes horse with a 30 quid dehumidifier and they dry in a day."
Someone else emphasized: "You are drying your clothes wrong if they smell of mould and take that long to dry. Open windows and get a dehumidifier."
Many seemed to misunderstand Bronwyn’s humorous comment about her laundry taking "seven to 10 business days" to dry, mistaking her levity for earnestness.
She clarified: "Please understand hyperbolic speech! It doesn't actually take that long to dry lol." Another helpful tip shared was: "If you let your clothes fully dry before putting them away, they will not smell like mould, that only happens if you try to put them away when they are still damp."
And another said: "It's most of Europe – we don't want to waste all that electricity. Would recommend opening your windows every day," while others hailed the virtues of a heated drying rack and dehumidifier in the UK.
A supporter of Bronwyn's stance reflected: "Yeah you're not wrong. It does get difficult in the winter especially if your flat is always a bit damp. I've just invested in an electric clothes horse and it's helping!"
And yet another eco-friendly voice advised: "You need a dehumidifier! My laundry takes more than a day to dry, and it uses so much less energy than a tumble dryer. Cheaper and better for the planet!"
