One of the most obvious indicators of cultural difference between the Icelanders and Brits is the attitude to nose clearing.
In Iceland it's considered disgusting to blow your nose in front of other people. You are expected to do this in the lavatory.
Even more disgusting is the use of the handkerchief, apparently because the user not only often inspects the outcome of the nose-blow, but then puts the handkerchief back in their pocket.
Brits that visit me here are disgusted by the Icelandic way of clearing their noses; it's done by simply sucking hard up the nose, then swallowing the product.
It's normal to do that in company here, whilst sitting at one's desk or even at the dinner table. It's not considered spectacularly rude.
Most Icelanders that I know will, upon departure of a handkerchief-using Brit, animatedly explain to their friends how disgusting they found it to watch the Brit use the handkerchief at the dinner table.
Most British and American expats that I know find the suck-up-the-nose habit a bit gross.
The strength of the tradition for handkerchief use amongst Brits is illustrated by a story from an ex-colleague: he went to a fairly generic grammar school in Wales and explained that they had a strict rule that every boy must carry a clean hankerchief at all times. The headmaster would periodically check this by asking everyone to stand during morning assembly, then thrust his hand into his pocket, retrieve his hanky and raise his hand. Anyone failing to hold a hanky, or even committing the crime of holding a soiled hanky, was punished.
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