What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
#151
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
The conditions:
http://beforeitsnews.com/contributor...-NeilProvo.jpg
http://beforeitsnews.com/contributor...-NeilProvo.jpg
I got the '411' on flag law from my grandparents-in-law when we visited... Keep the flag illuminated at night, the US flag *must* be above all others on a pole, flag must be taken down and brought in when it rains and you must never fly it if its been damaged. I was asked what the protocol on handling a Union Jack...
#152
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
Some people think the flag code is a law.
Others just buy old glory napkins to wipe the barbecue sauce off their faces on the 4th of July.
Others just buy old glory napkins to wipe the barbecue sauce off their faces on the 4th of July.
#153
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
You heathen, don't throw them in the bin, recycle them as rags.
#154
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
I wish, then I could have wowed him into silence by doing the Kessel Run in 11 parsecs.
I said something along the lines of 'it's machine washable if it gets dirty'. To say he was less than impressed was an understatement.
I agree with others though, I respect what the flag is - but think all the protocol around it is very OTT.
I agree with others though, I respect what the flag is - but think all the protocol around it is very OTT.
#155
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
We used to have an old one knocking about at work because nobody could be arsed doing anything to dispose of it. I never thought to tell the mechanics in the shop to grab it ...
At that same place, next to the US flag (and on the correct side, height etc as per the VFW website I found to verify it), we used to fly a Mexican flag because just about all the guys on our crews were Mexican, so it was a nice gesture to include them. I shit you not, people would come into the building to complain at our (Hispanic) receptionist that all they could see when approaching from the north on that road was the Mexican one. That's what prompted me to check the 'flag rules', so she had a verified answer and could tell them to do one.
People actually stopped on their journey to wherever it was they were going to come into a building they had no prior need to come into just to tell someone there was a Mexican flag in the grounds. No shit sherlock
#156
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
The protocol is ridiculous but blind sycophancy always did bother me a bit.
#157
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
The second guys response was laughing hard and then to take it up with the manufacturer and kindly GTFO.
#158
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
The funny thing with the US flag is they stole the colours from the English, or maybe it was the French flag. You would have thought they could have been more original
Last edited by mrken30; Dec 15th 2016 at 2:25 pm.
#159
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
On holiday in Mexico I saw an (American) literally lose his s*** at another (American) for 'sitting' on his flag, being the ultimate insult (the guy was wearing US flag swim shorts).
The second guys response was laughing hard and then to take it up with the manufacturer and kindly GTFO.
The second guys response was laughing hard and then to take it up with the manufacturer and kindly GTFO.
What a ridiculous thing to do, to come up to someone you don't know and yell at them for their choice of beach wear, though.
I can guarantee they all had Mexican landscaping crews doing their yard work. Someone who has the mindset that it is OK to come off the street and complain at a receptionist about a flag she has no control over is not the kind of person that is willing to cut their own grass.
#160
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
And that's how I got arrested and sent to the psych ward your honour
Probably something about misguided sense of civic duty?
Probably something about misguided sense of civic duty?
#161
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
Who knows? I do know that our receptionist did get pretty upset with it, but once we had the verification that everything was being displayed properly, we were able to shut it down pretty quickly and eventually people stopped coming in.
#163
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
I'll let Tina Fey handle this one on Star Wars and NYS weird.
http://i.imgur.com/dtBdVtC.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/dtBdVtC.jpg
#164
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
I'll let Tina Fey handle this one on Star Wars and NYS weird.
http://i.imgur.com/dtBdVtC.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/dtBdVtC.jpg
I wonder if that would work for me
#165
Bloody Yank
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: USA! USA!
Posts: 4,186
Re: What was the biggest culture shock when you moved to the USA?
When I see a large US flag, I usually presume that there is a government building or car dealership underneath it.