Are you really an ex-pat?

I'm probably going to get banned for this---so be it.

A vent:

Americans are always the worse ex-pats. Always complaining. I remember when I was living in Taiwan and the CEOs, CFOs and diplomats would sit with me and complain that Americans were too spoiled. That they could not easily acclimate into new cultures.

I was embarrassed to be an American. Yet, as an American I stood tall. Telling these guys that an American can be a great ex-pat. Believe me, when I moved back to the states? It took me 3 years to find the insides of my teeth. If you want to move back home? You better think twice about it.

Know, I trully appreciate this site. When I wiggle my ass into the UK? I will throw a party.

Just a vent,
Karen
http://www.seagoddessentertainment.com

Not sure why you think you'd get banned for this. But I'm sure it will spark some debate....

I actually tend to agree with you, but I might be perhaps slightly less sweeping in the generalization. I think it's harder for many Americans to change cultures. Maybe because of the isolationist and slightly superior attitude of so much of the US? Though I think the French culture is somewhat similar in that respect.... I've always thought that a lot of Americans think the culture they're in should adapt to them rather than vice versa, but that's just my opinion/observation and by no means do I think it applies to all Americans abroad. In fact on this board I think the majority are quite good expats but there are loads of Americans in my town and when I was working on the high street I observed some pretty apalling behaviour....

I was sitting with a German friend sometime ago...and she easily made the complaint about the British when they are traveling to Spain or abroad...a french friend made a complaint about her own people being arrogant about their own country....were are all human things affect us one way or another. I think the great thing about forums is the fact that we can gripe , express things and sometimes suddenly realize that "hey that was just a mole hill after all"

Maybe because of the isolationist and slightly superior attitude of so much of the US? ....

Anne,

Please don't mind my generalization. It's not unfound.

You bet it's about the isolationism. The superior attitudes of Americans. Dang, when I first moved to Europe--I got a good dose of it. The French are always full of themselves too.

The USA is not the center of the planet--nor is France. You have to love the ego of these countries.

Look at how England and France hate each other. I had a French girl all over my ass at one point. And believe me, she and her German husband paid for it. My husband is a German int'l corporate banker.One insult on me=$1 Million lost. We're not f*cking around. We just want to have fun.

I still love France.

Karen



 


 

I think the great thing about forums is the fact that we can gripe , express things and sometimes suddenly realize that "hey that was just a mole hill after all"

Yup. Just another step on the road.

It's just learning to be tolerant and passing this lesson on to others....

I think people have a right to complain once in a while on here because this is the only place most of us really have to vent if we have a problem. It may blow things out of proportion as to how much we complain, but if you met us in real life I'm sure you'd find we actually complain very little. It also depends entirely on a person's circumstances whether or not they feel they have to complain at all. Somebody might not like the area or the house they live in, someone might be in a difficult situation, etc.

And when it comes to most Americans feeling superior, just take a look at the Brits and you'll see how much of a superiority complex THEY have, even amongst people in their own country (English v Scottish especially  .) And I definitely agree about the French thinking everything about themselves is the best... I've been to France and I've definitely witnessed it firsthand.

I think Americans and British are just as much to blame when it comes to complaining abroad. Just go on any British expat site and you'll see them complaining just as much, or more. And when it comes to going abroad as tourists, I'm sure you've heard that Brits have unfortunately made themselves notorious as well for being drunk and very badly behaved, especially when there's football involved. For example, recently a Scottish friend of mine told me her friend visited Spain and an English guy in a McDonald's asked if he could kiss her, and when she refused, his friends literally waited for her outside and punched her. Then again, Americans have a tendency to be too loud and come out with stupid comments. 

It's just learning to be tolerant and passing this lesson on to others....

Alicia,

You are a very cool female. I'm loving the mermaid cake. hee...let's lighten up. It's a new day
I would love to introduce you to my friends. *spat*

Tolerance is easy. Patience is the given. Acceptance is the 'mark'. Agenda is found.

Now can you all advise me on a nice suburb home 45 minutes outside of London? We already have a nice apt. in London.

burp,
Karen

I've got a thought : we all carry "you're being an ar*e" indicator and remote...when ever we see someone acting in a intorerable manner...we aim it at the said individual ...after 10 hits they loose  their passport a month...Global Lazer tag...

I don't think it has to do w/nationality, just more like some people are whingers and others aren't.

I grew up with a father who hated whinging.  I mean, it was his one real pet-peeve and the man was patient as Job.  But he'd grown up dirt-poor, the son of immigrants who felt very lucky to be where they were.  And his belief was that the vast majority of those who complain are those who have nothing to complain about.  Also, that a person should DO something about it rather than whinge - if you don't like it, get started trying to change it, change it, move on, or STFU.

As I grow older, I see the wisdom in this belief.  The energy one spends complaining could be used to do something more positive.

Oh but whinging is so much fun!

Pure wisdom

Oh but whinging is so much fun!

I'd rather drink wine than spew it.  Besides, planning a good wind up is far more fun than whinging.  

Oh but whinging is so much fun!

hee hee

Personally, I think that I am a better expat than I ever was an American resident.  Even when I go back, I become some henous version of myself that :
A) Hates American accents (even though I have one)
B) Yells at every news programme going because it is just so insular, thoughtless, racist, pointless and the news readers all look like they have plastic surgeons on retainer
C) Laughs at how bad people's dress sense is
D) complains about every American way of doing anything (like people pouncing on you in a store to ask if you need help, or the over familiarity with anyone who has ever even visited Britain)

(Please note I am normally a nice person who loves to travel, meet new people and am tolerant of different ways of doing things, as long as it isn't in the US)

I just think it was a good thing that I left young and don't plan on going back