"Americans in the UK" vs British on this site

I can see your point here, though. Still, it's one thing to complain about some negative experiences or people giving you a hard time or whatever is causing a difficult adjustment and it's a completely different thing to insult an entire country full of different people with different personalities, ideas, attitudes and beliefs.  That is bound to offend people and it's hard to just ignore comments that are that upsetting.

Definitely.  That's why I think even things that go OTT in that particular forum should be reported to a moderator to deal with (or not).  There are people here though who do feel sensitive about any mention of cultural issues and probably shouldn't read that board if it upsets them.  I am not saying that is the case here or that it's not, just there are ways of dealing with it appropriately.

As an aside, there are a series of fascinating studies on the way different nationalities make friends (can't find the articles right now, but will post later if someone is interested).  One of them, briefly, highlighted the differences in "greetings". Americans tended to say hello when walking by someone to even "marginal" friends (people they didn't really know that well), while those from one of the other cultures studied (I think an African country, maybe also an Asian one?), only greeted those they felt close to. This, obviously, caused a LOT of confusion as the Americans didn't use the greeting to indicate deepening of friendship, but the international students did.
We do a lot of work with pastoral care of international students in my department, and it's interesting for me to see the parallels to what *I* go through, and it helps me keep perspective sometimes.

CB, I see your point, and I agree that something like that shouldn't stand without being challenged, but there are ways of dealing with it constructively.  People post on that board without agreeing with the negative or re-enforcing stereotypes, and if something is outright inappropriate, it should be reported to a moderator.

I also agree with Jewlz that you leaving the boards would be a loss, and I hope it doesn't come to that.  I also have never seen a response of yours that I would deem offensive or insensitive. Maybe I missed something offensive, but I am being totally honest with you and not kissing your butt to get you to stay.

There are people who come to these forums who seem to be on a hair trigger and don't handle things as well as you do, and they should probably avoid that particular forum.  Heck, I don't even read that particular forum (or others) if I am feeling homesick or angry.  But I think it would be a shame if they went away or changed in any way. [ETA: I remember feeling a bit too intimidated to post any negative experiences I had when I first moved here just because there was a tendency to jump on negativity even if the poster wasn't trying to generalise about British (or English, or Scottish, or whatever) in general.  I don't know if it would have helped if I did post those first few months, but thankfully the tendency has dissipated a bit.  ]

What?!  Cheesebiscuit you're not going to leave the forum just because of the OPs comments are  you?  People like the OP with extreme comments like that almost always end up leaving the forum or not posting much after their initial outpouring.  If the OP apologizes and / or has an attitude shift that would be different (I do hope things get better for her...)  But when they are stubborn and set in their negative beliefs they usually don't stick around for the long haul.  So please don't leave---you are one of my favorite gals here! 

What?!  Cheesebiscuit you're not going to leave the forum just because of the OPs comments are  you?  People like the OP with extreme comments like that almost always end up leaving the forum or not posting much after their initial outpouring.  If the OP apologizes and / or has an attitude shift that would be different (I do hope things get better for her...)  But when they are stubborn and set in their negative beliefs they usually don't stick around for the long haul.  So please don't leave---you are one of my favorite gals here! 

Ditto. 

What?!  Cheesebiscuit you're not going to leave the forum just because of the OPs comments are  you?  People like the OP with extreme comments like that almost always end up leaving the forum or not posting much after their initial outpouring.  If the OP apologizes and / or has an attitude shift that would be different (I do hope things get better for her...)  But when they are stubborn and set in their negative beliefs they usually don't stick around for the long haul.  So please don't leave---you are one of my favorite gals here! 

I fully agree. I think it's great having English girls on here to interact with! You give great perspectives on so many things, and I don't think LegsAkimbo was talking about you when she said some British people are too sensitive to people's comments... I've never thought that about you at all. (Anyway, I think one of the people she might have been referring to has left the forum now... there was one English gal on here who jumped to some very serious conclusions, you might know who I mean!) As far as who the OP is talking about who say they are British, I have no idea, but I don't think it's you.

Basically, rebduffy, yes, this is essentially a forum for Americans in the UK, but we do have some British friends here, too, and they are always welcome. Still, just because it's essentially a forum for Americans in the UK doesn't mean all of us Americans or otherwise non-British natives will share the same views you do or have had the same kind of unfortunate experiences you have had and we may express our own views accordingly. Also, many people here are dual citizens and have also become British because this is now their home and they truly love both countries. So, if you wouldn't mind showing a bit more sensitivity in the future, that would be nice of you.

I don't think it's just British people who are sensitive about it.  I don't even think the only people who would be upset by some of the things posted there are "too" sensitive.  I just think we have to deal with that board's content differently because of its purpose.  I just think those that have problems handling very benign conversations on here without being defensive and eventually offensive, should probably avoid it.  I definitely don't mean CB and looking at the posting history of the OP, I don't think she even responded to her on that particular forum.

Mod hat on:  What happens in Homesickness needs to stay in Homesickness folks.

 Rebduffy...The Homesickness board is really the only hands off board for people responding negatively to people being homesick. So if you want positive responses or at least constructive ones I'd limit posts to there.

Other than that people are free to disagree and agree with you at will, just like in every day life.  If you put out negative vibes you'll get them back.  

I'm locking this thread for now. 

Those sort comments do not help the stereotype that Americans think they're better than everyone else. DOES NOT HELP AT ALL.

Anyone who thinks that all Americans think they're better than everyone else based on what one or even many people post or say aren't behaving any better than someone making generalisations about the British.  

Please note that flagrant disregard for the forum rules and the spirit of their intent is not tolerated, will be dealt with warnings or temporary/permanent bans based on the past history of offending user.