Before I start, let me be clear that in this discussion, when I refer to Americans I mean those Americans from the United States of America. I also freely accept that there are exceptions.
Americans have no idea how difficult it is to be a foreigner in America. Actually, the problem is that they really do think that America is the world, they don't realize that different cultures and habits exist outside their world. Anyone over a certain age, who comes to to this country has to forever deal with the fact that they will frequently be seen by Americans as somewhat stupid because they do not speak the same way or have the same local knowledge as Americans have.
Over the 25+ years that I have lived here, I mostly tolerate being teased for my accent or the words that Americans fondly assume I am misusing just because they are different; and laughed at for not knowing local or even statewide general knowledge or even considered weird because I never heard of some fondly remember TV series from years ago. But just sometimes it really irritates the hell out of me. It goes along with the 'world series' which consists of American baseball teams playing an American game, in America. The world champion race horse that was the champion in the US and had never raced outside the US; and all the other 'world' events that were what Americans consider to be the world.
It didn't take me long to establish that the majority of Americans never left their own State, let alone their country. After all, to be fair, it is a huge country - but the world out there is bigger, and there are so many diverse cultures, way older, than the US - it is sometimes hard to be treated like I am the half wit and they know everything. Yet I have traveled to so many different places, eaten their food, been enthralled by their architecture and culture; sometimes, just sometimes I feel that is was a big mistake to think I could come to this country and find a place where I would be accepted and comfortable. As I get older, returning to where I am most accepted becomes more appealing.
Read this very old blog entry to see some of what I mean about language differences.
Americans have no idea how difficult it is to be a foreigner in America. Actually, the problem is that they really do think that America is the world, they don't realize that different cultures and habits exist outside their world. Anyone over a certain age, who comes to to this country has to forever deal with the fact that they will frequently be seen by Americans as somewhat stupid because they do not speak the same way or have the same local knowledge as Americans have.
Over the 25+ years that I have lived here, I mostly tolerate being teased for my accent or the words that Americans fondly assume I am misusing just because they are different; and laughed at for not knowing local or even statewide general knowledge or even considered weird because I never heard of some fondly remember TV series from years ago. But just sometimes it really irritates the hell out of me. It goes along with the 'world series' which consists of American baseball teams playing an American game, in America. The world champion race horse that was the champion in the US and had never raced outside the US; and all the other 'world' events that were what Americans consider to be the world.
It didn't take me long to establish that the majority of Americans never left their own State, let alone their country. After all, to be fair, it is a huge country - but the world out there is bigger, and there are so many diverse cultures, way older, than the US - it is sometimes hard to be treated like I am the half wit and they know everything. Yet I have traveled to so many different places, eaten their food, been enthralled by their architecture and culture; sometimes, just sometimes I feel that is was a big mistake to think I could come to this country and find a place where I would be accepted and comfortable. As I get older, returning to where I am most accepted becomes more appealing.
Read this very old blog entry to see some of what I mean about language differences.
I am ashamed of those in this country who have made you feel this way. I, too, don't understand the bravado and hubris of a country that is barely out of diapers. Maybe that is why Americans behave this way...the terrible twos. Apologies for the pain you have suffered from the arrogance of America.
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