I am more than my nationality

I don't mind the questions and I don't mind the teasing from most people as well, but where I get annoyed is the one friend I have that for some reason seems to think all Americans are inept idiots! He finds every reason to put a dig in about it! EVERY chance he gets, he will send me video's of "dumb Americans that can't answer typical or simple history or cultural questions. 

The other day we went to the pub with a group of friends and this particular guy was there and it was mentioned how I just got my drivers license here and in front of everyone he had to point out that it was only for an Automatic and not a manual because "like most Americans, we are either to lazy or inept to learn how to drive a manual car" I was LIVID! Luckily for me, one of the other guys was an owner of a car dealership here and backed me up when I said most Americans (at least where I came from in Idaho) could drive a manual, but chose to do it for fun in their sports cars or their pick-ups, etc. BUT there were plenty OTHER reasons we drive automatics such as petrol consumption being lower, less grind and tear on the car, etc. But seriously, who gives a crap what kind of car I drive anyways! At least I CAN drive!! (I probably should have said that!) I try to keep cool and just intelligently burn him...It works most of the time!

I just hate that he has to point out faults, make comments of Americans being inept...But it's always followed up with a "Ohhh!! But I didn't mean YOU Amber!!"...

I get a bit bored with the 'stupid lazy American' stereotype too, especially when is followed by 'but not you, of course'. So, you just insulted my family, friends and entire nation, but it is okay because you (especially someone I've talked to for mere minutes) feel I am better than all of them. When asked, they have to admit they got their info from a film or television show, or are basing it off one person they saw or met on holiday.

I've been told I've been stupid for not knowing things that 'every British kid knows by the time they are 7 or 8'. I just point out that we didn't get in depth British history in American schools.

Or maybe they're just trying to find a way to relate to you? And they think talking about who you are and where you're from is being inclusive rather than being annoying.

How about waiting until you two are alone and just explaining to her that rather than you being flattered that she's interested in your heritage that you find it annoying and would really like to get to know her on a more personal level and after that just change the subject to other things you have in common when she's talking about your American-ness.

As an aside I'm pretty sure this is a universal truth I've never had as many stupid questions asked of me then when I'm in the US and these are by my inlaws that have known me for over six YEARS. "Have I met the queen? Do they have chinese food in England? Does the queen get tired from sitting on her throne? Are you allowed to drink the water in England (or is it like in Mexico)? blah blah blah" I answer the best I can and then just laugh mostly.

And yes taking the piss is a national past time, I've been with my husband for six years, and I still tell him that Americanisms are "wrong", I still tell him football is rugby for girls, I still tell him the only thing that should be inside a pie is beef, because that's engrained into my personality.
He in turn puts on a hoighty-toighty la-dee-dah voice at me, because all British people are posh gits or he puts on a real little britain style "chav" Vicky Pollard accent innit
 

Yes, but taking the piss with your husband...it's completely different from a complete stranger in the pub doing it. My husband does it all the time and we joke about it. I always just found it plain rude to insult my home, my family, and my friends when I've just met you. I just wouldn't do it...and I don't know anyone here in the States that would. Yes, we may ask some stupid questions...but I got those as well in the UK. Like...oh I have a friend that lives in Whatever Town...then tells me their name, like I may know him   But again, I would never insult someone who was visiting or just moving over.

Don't get me wrong, I love England but that's just my biggest pet peeve.

I don't mind the questions and I don't mind the teasing from most people as well, but where I get annoyed is the one friend I have that for some reason seems to think all Americans are inept idiots! He finds every reason to put a dig in about it! EVERY chance he gets, he will send me video's of "dumb Americans that can't answer typical or simple history or cultural questions. 

The other day we went to the pub with a group of friends and this particular guy was there and it was mentioned how I just got my drivers license here and in front of everyone he had to point out that it was only for an Automatic and not a manual because "like most Americans, we are either to lazy or inept to learn how to drive a manual car" I was LIVID! Luckily for me, one of the other guys was an owner of a car dealership here and backed me up when I said most Americans (at least where I came from in Idaho) could drive a manual, but chose to do it for fun in their sports cars or their pick-ups, etc. BUT there were plenty OTHER reasons we drive automatics such as petrol consumption being lower, less grind and tear on the car, etc. But seriously, who gives a crap what kind of car I drive anyways! At least I CAN drive!! (I probably should have said that!) I try to keep cool and just intelligently burn him...It works most of the time!

I just hate that he has to point out faults, make comments of Americans being inept...But it's always followed up with a "Ohhh!! But I didn't mean YOU Amber!!"...

Oh my word, Amberelle, he gets the Idiot of the Year Award!! Tell him you decided to get a license for driving an automatic because you were afraid you'd pick up the Brits' bad habit of grinding gears.
I never quite understood the antiAmericanism over here, especially since most of the Americans I knew really liked British people when they came over to the USA to visit.  Most of what my husband's relatives learned about America was from watching TV... so... there ya go....  And of course, Paris Hilton came over here. LOL!

I don't get the antiAmericanism either. It seems like a lot of people I talk to LOVE America, but can't stand Americans. Go figure. 

I just know this small group of people that for some reason think they even though they have never visited the U.S. that they are better experts in the "American Way" than I am because they watch American programs! I just laugh and tell them that maybe I should start taking their shows more seriously too than!

I don't mind having a crack about it with close friends or family or husband, but there is a massive difference in nice joking/teasing and blatant snubbing or making fun of or trying to "one-up" in a cruel way (i.e. the constant need to point out video's of where Americans are soo stupid"). I'm always very conscious of with who and how I joke when it comes to that, I just wish some had the same courtesy back!

And for the love of god, get to know someone before you lump them with the general group! I hate how we get generalized sometimes! (I.E. "You know how you Americans are!"...Umm...No I don't! because I'm not ALL Americans, I'm ONE individual person with my own thoughts, ideas and moral compass thank you!!) Funny enough, I think it annoys my British husband to hear people talk like that more than it annoys me! He's quick to defend me, which is nice!

I don't mind the questions and I don't mind the teasing from most people as well, but where I get annoyed is the one friend I have that for some reason seems to think all Americans are inept idiots! He finds every reason to put a dig in about it! EVERY chance he gets, he will send me video's of "dumb Americans that can't answer typical or simple history or cultural questions. 

The next time he does that, find the clip from Big Brother of the English girl who can't locate France on a map   You can also remind him that examples of his fellow countrymen can be seen on Jeremy Kyle.

Americans are the ones being blamed for being stupid, because we're a very large, prominent country, and our shows, which don't show us in the most flattering light, are all over television in the UK. Also, our inept idiots are, unfortunately, more loud and vocal than our intelligent population. Just look at the Republican primaries.

http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Nice_310504_282203.jpg

I don't get the antiAmericanism either. It seems like a lot of people I talk to LOVE America, but can't stand Americans. Go figure. 

It's simply out of ignorance. These people who speak badly of us see what they think is America on television, or even what they think is America on holiday, but they fail to realise that America is a MASSIVE, very diverse country of over 300 million people. They hear what our government is doing, and assume we all support it. I've been blamed for George W. Bush being elected, and although I was 17 in 2000, and voted against him in 2004, it's somehow my fault. It's a very, very small percentage of people I've met in the UK who think this way. The vast majority are very friendly and may make a small joke, but definitely aren't trying to insult us. Friends will make jokes, such as me not adding an "S" onto the end of the word "math", but I will have a comeback for them. That's part of British culture, though - taking the piss out of each other.

Many will see the stereotypical Texan on TV, and think we all wear cowboy boots and cowboy hats, or carry guns. The problem is, we don't have the same type of diversity in the UK. You obviously have big cultural variations from the UK's individual countries, but compared to what you have in the US, the cultural variation seen in the UK is much smaller. Every single Brit I've met has been to Florida, and we all know Orlando is definitely not a good representation of the entire US. In fact, I don't think there's a single place in the US that is a good representation of the entire country. However, many do base what they've experienced in Orlando on the entire US.

I watched an episode of Come Dine With Me, I believe they were in the Belfast area, and a woman came out and said "I don't like Americans". She decided she hated every single one of us. Of course, there happened to be a lovely American woman on the show. She was incredibly nice, a good cook, a good host, etc, yet this woman hated her simply because she was American. I was appalled by her, as I'm sure everyone was, regardless of nationality. I'm sure if she had been Irish, the woman wouldn't have hated her at all. You just come across the random bad seed once in a while, but, fortunately, they're not in the majority.

You also see the stereotyping from our side. Many Americans think that the English accent (the posh London accent, which they assume all Brits have) automatically makes everything sound intelligent, but when you live in the UK, you know that's not true.

I have experienced this, too. The one that is starting to really annoy me is when people point out that I'm reciting or saying something "wrong". It's not wrong, per se, I just learned it differently because I was born 6,000 miles apart from where they were. For instance, if I hear one more person try to correct me on how I sing "Ring Around the Rosie" with MY son, I'm going to scream.  Both ways make sense in context - "Ashes, ashes" because they had to burn things infected with plague, and "a tissue, a tissue, we all fall down" because one minute you're just sick with the cold and the next you're dead. Why can't they just be interested in and/or appreciate the different ways we learn things instead of automatically correcting and saying we're wrong, and it has to be their way because they invented the language or somesuch nonsense?

There are two specific people in my life that continually bring up the fact that I'm American and either make fun of that, or just want to spend the next few hours talking about everything American and how great it must be there. The problem with the latter for me, although it is nice that at least someone doesn't make fun of me for my nationality, is that talking about it makes me extremely homesick. One person is always pointing out how fat Americans are, how much gun crime we have, etc., and the other is always asking me when I'm going to go home next to visit my family and introduce my kids to them (which really hurts because I don't have the money to go from the Highlands to LAX every year, and it only reminds me of what I'm missing out on). I eventually had to start avoiding the latter person because personally I'd rather hang around the ignorant one who just likes to poke occasional fun at me, than the person who makes me feel like going home, calling my mother, and sobbing about how much I miss her.

Wow, I can't believe how popular this post got, lol.

I have experienced this, too. The one that is starting to really annoy me is when people point out that I'm reciting or saying something "wrong". It's not wrong, per se, I just learned it differently because I was born 6,000 miles apart from where they were. For instance, if I hear one more person try to correct me on how I sing "Ring Around the Rosie" with MY son, I'm going to scream.   Both ways make sense in context - "Ashes, ashes" because they had to burn things infected with plague, and "a tissue, a tissue, we all fall down" because one minute you're just sick with the cold and the next you're dead. Why can't they just be interested in and/or appreciate the different ways we learn things instead of automatically correcting and saying we're wrong, and it has to be their way because they invented the language or somesuch nonsense?

There are two specific people in my life that continually bring up the fact that I'm American and either make fun of that, or just want to spend the next few hours talking about everything American and how great it must be there. The problem with the latter for me, although it is nice that at least someone doesn't make fun of me for my nationality, is that talking about it makes me extremely homesick. One person is always pointing out how fat Americans are, how much gun crime we have, etc., and the other is always asking me when I'm going to go home next to visit my family and introduce my kids to them (which really hurts because I don't have the money to go from the Highlands to LAX every year, and it only reminds me of what I'm missing out on). I eventually had to start avoiding the latter person because personally I'd rather hang around the ignorant one who just likes to poke occasional fun at me, than the person who makes me feel like going home, calling my mother, and sobbing about how much I miss her.

Haha, I got the same with how I pronounce "tomato." Which comes out when I say it really fast as "to-made-doe." Then I get "LOL What did you say?? It's ta-mah-toe!" That's just MY accent. I would never say to someone I just met/barely knew, "What did you say? Uh, It's pronounced ALUMINUM." Seriously there are some really rude people out there. It's astounding to meet people who feel obligated to tell you that your accent, you know the accent you had no control in picking, is wrong.

However, I'm sure everyone that has visited England/has a UKC as a boyfriend/fiance/husband has had to endure the annoying (and sometime ignorant) American bashing at one point or another. It gets old really quick. The only person I can joke about my nationality with (and I joke about his right back) is my boyfriend and it's only because I know he doesn't look at me as "Amanda his American girlfriend." It's just "Amanda, who happens to be American, that's my girlfriend." Ya know? My boyfriends' dad once ripped a new one on how "Americans can't make cars." Uh, well.. I don't design them so..? How does this apply to me or what I do? lol.

I'm sorry you have to deal with someone so ignorant there. Correcting you when you're raising your child is plain crossing the line. I hope you stick up for yourself! But unfortunately prejudice and ignorance is everywhere you go. Just better to avoid them then them making you upset. I'm sure it must be hard living so far away from home and your family. ((sending hugs your way))

American bashing at one point or another. It gets old really quick. The only person I can joke about my nationality with (and I joke about his right back) is my boyfriend and it's only because I know he doesn't look at me as "Amanda his American girlfriend." It's just "Amanda, who happens to be American, that's my girlfriend." Ya know?

THIS!!  This is why I can joke about it with my husband. To be honest though, we really don't joke around about nationality very much because we usually are too busy teasing each other about how clumsey we both are or just generally joking...My husband is quite witty and it's refreshing he can do it without making it a nationality thing!

But seriously, if that can say "potato" then why can't they say "tomato"?? It's practically the same word! I just hate being corrected on a word when they obviously know what I'm saying! (i.e. mobile vs. cell phone).

CA Girl, yeah, I can understand the homesickness part as well!  I get really homesick when talking about home sometimes too! Even looking at Facebook posts and pics from friends at home make me homesick!

This isn't too much of an annoyance and easily sorted, but one of the ladies in my harp group came up with the interesting idea of each of us teaching a tune from a particular nationality / culture and then we'd have something to eat that day from the same culture.

One of the ladies is Scottish so she'll teach a Scottish tune and make something like shortbread for us to have.  One lady is fond of medieval music so she'll teach a French early music piece and make some kind of French medieval bread or soup or stew.

It was suggested I teach an American tune and make something, well, American.  Because I'm American.  I was a bit miffed as everyone in the group knows I play mostly Irish tunes!  Anyway, I decided to teach an Irish tune (surprise, surprise) and bake some Irish soda bread.

..... everyone in the group knows I play mostly Irish tunes!  Anyway, I decided to teach an Irish tune (surprise, surprise) and bake some Irish soda bread.

Excellent attitude! Has this already happened? Did they even remember that they didn't assign you Ireland?

It was suggested I teach an American tune and make something, well, American.  Because I'm American.  I was a bit miffed as everyone in the group knows I play mostly Irish tunes!  Anyway, I decided to teach an Irish tune (surprise, surprise) and bake some Irish soda bread.

Well done! 

(do you have a recipe for good soda bread?  I've been dying to make some myself)

It was suggested I teach an American tune and make something, well, American.  Because I'm American.  I was a bit miffed as everyone in the group knows I play mostly Irish tunes!  Anyway, I decided to teach an Irish tune (surprise, surprise) and bake some Irish soda bread.

Would that have been so bad? I mean, you are American! 

I fully understand the "I am more than my nationality" grievance raised in this thread but, in this instance, it was an exercise specifically about nationality. I'd have thought it would have been a perfect opportunity to introduce your friends to good American music and food!