Best regards for Business Relations’ readers (English)
Roghainn soraidh a Business Relations’ leughadair (Gaelic)
Awrra best tae Business Relations’ readers (Scots)
I kindly invite you to a lecture of an interview with Linda Kerr, a real Scot form Glasgow. Enjoy it!
Maya M. Kowalczyk: What are your, I mean Scottish, national features?
Linda Kerr: Generally, Scottish peple are very friendly. We always shake hands and greet each other warmly. Generally, we make a lot eye contact, gestures and use a lot of body language when we speak to one another.
Do you accept women in business?
Yeah, we have several very successful businesswomen in Scotland. They set up thier own companies and now they are millioners. I think, it is not a problem in Scotland to be a busineswoman, and a successful businesswoman. Depending on a situation. If it is formal a suit, when not a shirt and jeans.
Do you invite foreign guests home or restaurants or rather exchange gifts?
Generally, businesspeople go to a restaurant rather than to your own home. Exchanging gifts is not common, but it could happen depending where someone is from. So, if someone comes from very far and his culture is very different, e.g. from Asia than would be more common then.
Is it true that the Scottish like saving money?
Yeah, I think that is true. Even in Scotland we joke with people from other cities that they save more money then we do.
For what kind of weather we should be prepared in Scotland?
Generally, a lot of rain and floods. In the West there is more rain then in the East. Some places in the West have 4, 5 m of rain er year, and some places in the east are drier than Sahara desert.
What is Scottish cusine like?
Varied. We have a lot o influences from other countries, e.g. Italy, Japan, India, France, Greece, Mexico, Spain, Portugal. Traditional Scottish food maybe be strange for some people. We do not have many restaurants where you can go and have Scottish food. In Scotland men traditionally eat haggis during supper on Burn’s Night. Nowadays women are also invited.
Are the tastes different?
I think, very similiar but some of the things that we eat, for example haggis you may find strange. Haggis is made from all the organs of the sheep mashed up with spices and cookes in sheep’s stomach. It can sound a little strange, but it tastes good.
Do you use a lot of spices?
Yes, Indian cusine is the most popular in Scotland.
What is the most popular drink?
Whisky and Irn Brew. The second one is a soft drink.
What about breakfast?
The tadtitional Scottish breakfast is a hot, cooked meal. We have sausage, bacon, potatoes.
Dinner?
Dinner we have in the eveing. It is a larger meal. It could be pasta, meat, anything.
And lunch?
Usually not hot. Sandwiches, just something smaller.
What are yur traditonal sweets?
We have shortbread
Do you prefer tea or coffeee?
I think, tea.
Some strange customs?
Kilts for men.
I have heard that a „true Scotsman” should wear nothing under his kilt. Do they wear panties?
Depends on a weather (sic!).
What is your “national” enemy?
Wel, I think England.
Please, tell us just a few sentences about eductation system in Scotland.
It is free and very populars. You can have your bachelor’s degree in three years. Bachelor with Honours is four years, and then you need another year to have a master’s degree.
Would ypou please describe Scottish national flag?
We have two flags in Scotland. We have a national flag which is the blue with the white cross, and we have a royal flag which is yellow with a red line. The most commonly we use the national flag. The reason why it is blue and white comes from the past. One of our king was going to battle with an English army. We were outnumbered. They were many more English soldiers than Scottish soldiers so we prayed to God that we would win. The next we had the battle and the Scottish won. After the battle was finished he looked into sky. There was a blue sky with white clouds and that is why use those colours.
How do you find Polish people? Are we different?
There are many cultural differences, but we are very similar.
Thank you for an interview.
Thank you.
Awrra best tae Business Relations’ readers (Scots)
I kindly invite you to a lecture of an exclusive interview with Linda Kerr, a real Scot from Glasgow. Enjoy it!