Pardon?
I've been living in the UK for the majority of my life, and everyone I properly meet and know assume I was born here - though I hold a Chinese passport.
However, mostly experienced from working in a Wetherspoon's pub here in Cardiff, it is shocking how many people have not only been genuinely surprised, but also feel compelled, to "compliment" me after I serve them a drink by saying, "oh, you speak good English".

I must've looked like a tourist stood behind that bar, or something.
(The-Banana, Wed 7 Apr 2010, 14:16, 9 replies)

Yeah, but it's Cardiff.
And a Wetherspoons.
You're serving drinks to scum who think that Paul Calf is a fashion guru. Who spend almost all their dole on fake steroids and think jewelry from Argos is classy.
Let's face it, you could have arrived in Britain last week and still speak better English than them.
( stuj (^(^;;^)^) GO TEAM SPIDERS!(^(^;;^)^), Wed 7 Apr 2010, 14:23, closed)

that is a very succinct and accurate description

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 7 Apr 2010, 14:28, closed)

I'm from the Valleys.
These are my peers.
( stuj (^(^;;^)^) GO TEAM SPIDERS!(^(^;;^)^), Wed 7 Apr 2010, 14:30, closed)

Fair play, stuj
But the fine patrons of Wetherspoon establishments tend towards the stereotype you outline across the nation, not just in Cairdiff.

And there, it's even worse, because they've actively chosen not to drink Brains, so there must be something seriously wrong with them to begin with.
( shinyshinyscalp less a man, more a way of life, Wed 7 Apr 2010, 14:43, closed)

The Valleys
I lived in the Valleys for a year - I'm an Essex boy. I just love the Gavin and Stacey jokes. Even though I point out my other half is from Newport and not Barry Island.
(Audax Victor, Wed 7 Apr 2010, 15:44, closed)

I like Weatherspoons
There's no loud music so you can have a conversation and they have a range of decent guest beers which are cheap. I didn't want to say real-ales because those real-ale fanatics are twats. I just like the variety
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Wed 7 Apr 2010, 15:02, closed)

Yeah me too.
Hooray for alcohol-based pragmatism!
( jim_bob can herd cats., Wed 7 Apr 2010, 17:15, closed)

I never trust the tubes...
So I don't get the real ale -- but they do some great Polish lagers.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Wed 7 Apr 2010, 18:45, closed)

that was well written
well done, good job.
(knackerz is skinning up, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 3:41, closed)