tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post4607674150212698346..comments2023-09-21T05:54:16.094-07:00Comments on 3 Bedroom Bungalow to Let in Crazytown: The RantUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-2668302346166994792009-09-25T08:23:48.895-07:002009-09-25T08:23:48.895-07:00I totally get you! We were stationed in Italy for ...I totally get you! We were stationed in Italy for six years. Living overseas can be challenging, but people this is an opportunity!!! Don't spend your weekends at the BX complaining that there's nothing to do when Venice is a $10, 45-minute trainride away! I just could never understand that mindset.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03970868552275401677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-84442442932297179622009-08-28T20:22:41.893-07:002009-08-28T20:22:41.893-07:00Dear Kat, I don't know whether you will allow ...Dear Kat, I don't know whether you will allow this comment, since you and I have not got on well in the past.<br /><br />But I have been thinking for some time about your post, which I think is a magnificent one, and I have been reflectiing on what goes on when someone finds herself/himself in a foreign country.<br /><br />I think that there is a circularity which occurs whenever travellers to foreign countries (it doesn't matter whether they are American or British, long-term expats or tourists) interact with the longer-term -- often native --residents. It goes like this:<br /><br />1. The in-comer feels insecure. They don't know all the local rules, 'mores', conventions, customs and practices, which makes them feel reduced again to the level of a child. They feel defensive.<br />2. Defensiveness leads to oversentiveness which leads to an aggressive stance.<br />3. They act agressively (in the case of Americans abroad, such behaviour might exhibit itself in talking loudly and making disparaging comparisons; with Brits they might use quiet but withering sarcasm).<br />4. The natives, on the receiving end of this, go on the defensive.<br />5. Which leads them to be sullenly offensive.<br />6. ... And so it goes round, increasing in the intensity of mutual dislike while it does.<br /><br />Throw into this loop homesickness, the uncertainty and stress which always comes with vacations, prejudices and stereotypes which the traveller might hold about her/his host country, plus myths they have inherited about their own country, and you have the recipe for a lot of misunderstanding.<br /><br />I believe that a good and happy expat/tourist is one who immerses herself/himself enthusiatically into the thick of foreign travel/residence. They're privileged in a way that few of this globe's inhabitants can be: they can have all of their senses challenged by new things, gain experience, think large. And I trust that to be a good thing!Howardhttp://www.ukusforum.com/index.phpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-33461682551944757282009-08-15T02:52:57.026-07:002009-08-15T02:52:57.026-07:00I LOVE this rant, f'n hilarious. We're a s...I LOVE this rant, f'n hilarious. We're a set of Norwegian-American expats that have been living in France for 10yrs now...10 in Paris (oh for the sweet love of escaping that place when the American tourists descend!)...and now almost a year in our country house adventure...the times I have ranted about the same comments, but with a French twist :) My American hubby even refers to himself as Norwegian now (the Frenchies don't know one funny french accent from another)...so we have one small escape route! Love you & the Cpt. Bisous from across the channel. La LailaL.R. M-Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07159846227539202044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-566859819399486712009-08-13T16:13:25.001-07:002009-08-13T16:13:25.001-07:00Oh, it's OK Kat...you might quit referring to ...Oh, it's OK Kat...you might quit referring to them as stupid Americans, but the rest of the world won't :))))♥ Brajahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07693196044262677095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-57168403532816113632009-08-13T09:40:40.694-07:002009-08-13T09:40:40.694-07:00Nuff said.
You tell em Kat! :)Nuff said.<br /><br />You tell em Kat! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-14746811343351754002009-08-13T07:10:17.774-07:002009-08-13T07:10:17.774-07:00And you wonder why we get a bad rap worldwide...
...And you wonder why we get a bad rap worldwide...<br /> and good for you for having more British friends.Moonspunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05677007691816836928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-63039216204553411622009-08-13T06:30:18.928-07:002009-08-13T06:30:18.928-07:00Well put. This is true for any one traveling in a ...Well put. This is true for any one traveling in a "host" country. I remember when I was in France, everyone warned me that the French were rude to Americans. I found the opposite to be true. Every Frenchman I met was warm, cordial, and accommadating to my ill spoken French. But of course I wasn't rude either - just grateful and happy to be there. Maybe that is the difference!The Good Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01249986191289837440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-6117970445878200592009-08-13T03:30:08.790-07:002009-08-13T03:30:08.790-07:00Very true. But, in my experience, it's not ju...Very true. But, in my experience, it's not just the Americans who complain "that's typically British". And the reverse is true as well.<br /><br />On the other hand, my husband likes to point out differences when he says, "that's typically British" in a proud way.American in Britainhttp://www.americaninbritain.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-38046569203364234872009-08-13T02:53:54.362-07:002009-08-13T02:53:54.362-07:00Take it this was what you were not sure about whet...Take it this was what you were not sure about whether to write or not. I'm glad you did. I have one of those shall I shan't I posts myself. <br /><br />Oh, and the Brits abroad, just as bad. An embarrassment.Dorset Dispatcheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10457466586411004146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-31975066337642462912009-08-13T01:47:08.275-07:002009-08-13T01:47:08.275-07:00My goodness - I do believe you're well on the ...My goodness - I do believe you're well on the road to becoming British.<br /><br />All you now need to learn is to open any conversation with an observation about the weather.Chairman Billhttp://ttocb.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-84008919327305771432009-08-12T23:06:06.882-07:002009-08-12T23:06:06.882-07:00Kat, well put! Ugly Americans make it harder for ...Kat, well put! Ugly Americans make it harder for us non-ugly Americans (pretty Americans?) who actually live here and try to fit in.MikeHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01530099708429116393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-22603267910519469492009-08-12T22:28:30.511-07:002009-08-12T22:28:30.511-07:00I happen to come over from a comment you left on a...I happen to come over from a comment you left on a guest post on my blog from Badass Geek and my first thought was "wow! I hope I never piss her off." As I continued to read the post though it made me remember when we lived in Germany and how I would feel that bit of shame when I saw other Americans act stupid or say stupid things. <br /><br />This was a great post - I'll be checking out your blog more often. I'm off to read some of your older posts now. Take careTonyhttp://www.lifewithtony.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-40187368536298390812009-08-12T16:58:08.462-07:002009-08-12T16:58:08.462-07:00Oh I miss you and your common sense! :) I'm gl...Oh I miss you and your common sense! :) I'm glad that you're taking full advantage of where you live....so that I may live vicariously through you!! LOLKatie Robinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-69641909425667731532009-08-12T16:20:20.848-07:002009-08-12T16:20:20.848-07:00Well said! I hate the fact that most Americans ar...Well said! I hate the fact that most Americans are so culturally stupid. It amazes me!Ms. Saltihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15789358108866680673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-53239725027000427202009-08-12T14:15:46.684-07:002009-08-12T14:15:46.684-07:00Well put. And Americans wonder why we have a bad r...Well put. And Americans wonder why we have a bad rep around the world.Maureen@IslandRoarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17183530593417498063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-51253108383451532682009-08-12T14:06:35.323-07:002009-08-12T14:06:35.323-07:00Kudos, Kat (and I've never been anywhere much ...Kudos, Kat (and I've never been anywhere much further away than Missouri!)!for a different kind of girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04431273646365489225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-54591864380264771512009-08-12T12:49:58.988-07:002009-08-12T12:49:58.988-07:00Yeah, saying "that's so British" whe...Yeah, saying "that's so British" when something doesn't work right is like saying "that's so American" whenever something is big and tacky. Not always the case.<br /><br />Like Pollyanna said, we want visitors to our country to speak English and respect our culture, then we should do the same in return. This is something that the military should be pounding home to its service members overseas, but frankly I don't remember hearing a lot of that when I was there. That may have changed now considering the blow we've taken to our image over the last eight years. Whether they are listening or not though is a different story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-68050468525815302462009-08-12T12:21:42.907-07:002009-08-12T12:21:42.907-07:00you tell 'em, Kat!you tell 'em, Kat!Joaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08943128638748507880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-4325943549475796172009-08-12T11:58:34.750-07:002009-08-12T11:58:34.750-07:00Nicely written, Kat, nicely written!Nicely written, Kat, nicely written!Kittenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02387217950712644169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-48671065610241058682009-08-12T11:41:07.296-07:002009-08-12T11:41:07.296-07:00I spent a summer in Germany way back when I was in...I spent a summer in Germany way back when I was in high school, um 20 something years ago. it sounds like it hasn't changed. We were quite embarrassed on a number of occasions by the action of Americans that thought they owed us. So sad. Someday, maybe we can learn to respect others in THEIR homeland as we expect them to respect us in ours.<br /><br />Well said.OhCaptainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09399011365659793142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-15829522006445155332009-08-12T11:06:46.951-07:002009-08-12T11:06:46.951-07:00Amen, thank you, I agree! Why Americans think tha...Amen, thank you, I agree! Why Americans think that if something is different it's "stupid" is a mystery to me, & yet that is the attitude 90% of them have.Sherilyn -Dominee Huisvrouwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14699722638129047711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-31410856278523552112009-08-12T10:41:54.838-07:002009-08-12T10:41:54.838-07:00I concur and I must say that if you put a good wor...I concur and I must say that if you put a good word in for the HUBBY I would LOVE to be stationed in Engand! I loved it there and couldn't imagine how amazing it is for you to live there!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05198684925485906954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-13686209144270837282009-08-12T10:19:39.199-07:002009-08-12T10:19:39.199-07:00Go get 'em! I can't stand rude people - t...Go get 'em! I can't stand rude people - that's what those people are rude & obnoxious. <br /><br />How often do we Americans bitch about foreigners not learning our language or observing "our way of doing things"? <br /><br />We just need to remember that when <i>we're</i> the foreigner. To not do so is presumptuous, rude & obnoxious.Pollyannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06489328345319644933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-83993238064950338832009-08-12T09:49:51.249-07:002009-08-12T09:49:51.249-07:00You finally wrote it. Good on you, Kat, Good on y...You finally wrote it. Good on you, Kat, Good on you!<br /><br />I'll go live there for them. I'll be nice and appreciative to live in a beautiful foreign country.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13045862656545224838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1657583850704081049.post-30605764514745974212009-08-12T08:49:16.293-07:002009-08-12T08:49:16.293-07:00It only takes one rotten apple to ruin the whole b...It only takes one rotten apple to ruin the whole bunch.Kingsmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11729898056999362906noreply@blogger.com