What cultural faux pas should I try to avoid making in Ireland?

"I had a clash regarding directness. The people here are not too direct and don't say what they mean. I on the other side want to know how things work. I was getting gas, but there was no fuel coming out of the gaspump. I was talking to an Irish customer about it and she said she didn't know why it didn't work either. I tried another pump, on the other side, and that one also didn't work. The Irish customer had moved up to the first pump I tried out, and she did manage to get the gas running! I went inside and asked a woman in the store why the pump wasn't working. She said that it was pay first then get gas. I was surprised and pointed out to her that for the other woman it worked without pre-payment. The woman in the store was a bit shocked and she said that she had not seen me stand there, so she didn't push the button for the pump to start working. She said that she would press the button now and that I could get gas. It was only later that I realised that the woman in the store and the customer both had lied to me. The woman in the store did not want to admit that she make the pump work for the other customer because she knew her and that she refused to make the pump work for me, because she didn't know me and I had foreign license plates. I understand she didn't want me to get gas without payment, but instead of just saying so, she made up a story about how she did not see me. And the customer knew all along why the pump did not work for me. I also had an experience where a shop owner said to me: great weather, isn't it? I looked outside and it was grey and it almost started to rain. I said: well, I don't like it at all. I would have liked to have sunny weather, because I am showing some friends around today. I thought it was the most normal response, since I was stating the obvious and I felt like the shop owner had this answer coming. But still, she was shocked. Weird," said another expat in Countryside, Ireland.

"I kept referring to my kids trousers as "pants" which would be normal in Canadian culture. My friend took me aside and told me I had to stop because "pants" here means underwear!!! Oh and once my son was asked to wear his boots to his gaelic football practice - I sent him in rubber boots not realizing they meant cleats! Fortunately my kids are very forgiving :)," wrote a member who made the move to South County Dublin, Ireland.

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Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.
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