Is your patriotism a factor ?
Jul 30th 2010, 3:27 pm
#46
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Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 253
Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
I am in big trouble here in the US.
Although there is much I like here, I can't leave my Englishness behind and it's now a big problem
I go back to see my grand kids and my daughter every 3 months and most times I am glad to get back to the sun and big cars and big roads etc in the US
However, I just get all out of sorts when the yanks rag on dear old Blighty and this BP thing is doing my head in.
In the US you have to cry and weep when things have gone wrong and everyone does it from the Fire chief to the Police Chief to the Politicians etc etc
We Brits of course don't do that. I have been a BP shareholder for 30 years and I regard them as a fine company. You can imagine what my US wife thinks.
There was an article in an Atlanta paper saying Tony Hayward's main mistake was not blubbering like a yank and he didn't show enough emotion. He thought (British style ) that getting the job done was all the mattered without all the reality show junk. Now an American is being put in his job and the company may well be renamed AMOCO
Anyway it's caused a big rift between us and I could be headed home to the UK. I could move to Florida and be alone in this foreign land - but are the two countries just too culturally different for this to work ?
Has this culture gap and/or national culture been a problem for anyone else ?
I think everyone in the world knows that the Americans are the most touchy people in the world about perceived 'criticism' - to the point of National paranoia
Although there is much I like here, I can't leave my Englishness behind and it's now a big problem
I go back to see my grand kids and my daughter every 3 months and most times I am glad to get back to the sun and big cars and big roads etc in the US
However, I just get all out of sorts when the yanks rag on dear old Blighty and this BP thing is doing my head in.
In the US you have to cry and weep when things have gone wrong and everyone does it from the Fire chief to the Police Chief to the Politicians etc etc
We Brits of course don't do that. I have been a BP shareholder for 30 years and I regard them as a fine company. You can imagine what my US wife thinks.
There was an article in an Atlanta paper saying Tony Hayward's main mistake was not blubbering like a yank and he didn't show enough emotion. He thought (British style ) that getting the job done was all the mattered without all the reality show junk. Now an American is being put in his job and the company may well be renamed AMOCO
Anyway it's caused a big rift between us and I could be headed home to the UK. I could move to Florida and be alone in this foreign land - but are the two countries just too culturally different for this to work ?
Has this culture gap and/or national culture been a problem for anyone else ?
I think everyone in the world knows that the Americans are the most touchy people in the world about perceived 'criticism' - to the point of National paranoia
I've been here seven years and would not change. I now have an Australian passport but to me that is just a legal document.
Living abroad is always an issue. Many people integrate and become Australian. I don't know how they do that. OK, so you can't help it when your accent changes a bit. My wife is Aussie and she is really pushing for us to go back to the UK the only thing keeping us here is that I have a good job and that.
Don't try to change otherwise you cease to become the person you are. A mixed nationality marriage and living overseas is always going to cause you issues. It does me so you are not alone.
Jul 30th 2010, 3:46 pm
#47
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
My English patriotism is a real factor here in Adelaide. My wife just bought me tickets to the Adelaide Ashes test match and we are so going to win that game this year!
I've been here seven years and would not change. I now have an Australian passport but to me that is just a legal document.
Living abroad is always an issue. Many people integrate and become Australian. I don't know how they do that. OK, so you can't help it when your accent changes a bit. My wife is Aussie and she is really pushing for us to go back to the UK the only thing keeping us here is that I have a good job and that.
Don't try to change otherwise you cease to become the person you are. A mixed nationality marriage and living overseas is always going to cause you issues. It does me so you are not alone.
I've been here seven years and would not change. I now have an Australian passport but to me that is just a legal document.
Living abroad is always an issue. Many people integrate and become Australian. I don't know how they do that. OK, so you can't help it when your accent changes a bit. My wife is Aussie and she is really pushing for us to go back to the UK the only thing keeping us here is that I have a good job and that.
Don't try to change otherwise you cease to become the person you are. A mixed nationality marriage and living overseas is always going to cause you issues. It does me so you are not alone.
I apply for my US Citizenship in one week's time and I think it's thrown me a wobbly. I saw someone else on this site who said "I take my US Citizenship very lightly and it's only to help me get around"
That was very brave as usually there is torrent of abuse from USC's if anyone says anything like that. I think they were all so shocked that nobody blasted her.
That, plus your confirmation is morale boosting coz I know I am not alone.
My wife and house and car and all my assets and my life are all here, so it's only sensible to make sure I can't be thrown out due to a say a serious traffic accident that was my fault.
The lifetime requirement to do US tax worried me but I have established that
no offence is committed if I don't file and there are no penalties. As UK tax is higher than US tax, no tax would ever be due to the US because of tax credits.
That has eased my mind as I imagined being 87, living in the UK and trying to do US tax returns
Anyway, if it got to that stage and I had been back in the UK for say 5 years with no intention of living in the US again, I could renounce citizenship with a 20 minute interview at the US Embassy in London. Then a river cruise to Greenwich, a Cornish pasty and a 2 hour 20 minute train ride to Leeds.
Easy
Yes, the US passport will be for my convenience and I shall retain my English personal identity and personal culture.
Actually, the Americans brag about their country, but they never brag about their personal culture as a person - we carry our Britishness or Englishness with us wherever we go - it's a certain fairness and tolerance and lack of show. Hard to define but I am another person when I meet a Brit - I am me.
I need to be me at all times and in all countries.
ok I have worked through it in my mind now.
The Americans shouldn't complain as I will do them no harm, and pay all taxes due on my wordwide income, and spend my money into their economy, and never commit an offense.
If I do that, I will be doing more for America than a huge number of their natural born citizens.
Jul 30th 2010, 4:49 pm
#48
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
Guess they leave it for the cleaning person, maybe the next day or next week?
Reg. Frank R.
Ps. My parents taught me to clean up after myself.
Jul 30th 2010, 4:53 pm
#49
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
Jed Clampitt used to go on his hands and knees to the brush closet with his pants round his ankles..
The outhouse was 100 yards from the house so this was no mean feat !
If the revolution had been delayed 100 years, all these skills could have been acquired and incorporated into the culture first.
Jul 30th 2010, 4:57 pm
#50
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
Jed Clampitt used to go on his hands and knees to the brush closet with his pants round his ankles..
The outhouse was 100 yards from the house so this was no mean feat !
If the revolution had been delayed 100 years, all these skills could have been acquired and incorporated into the culture first.
The outhouse was 100 yards from the house so this was no mean feat !
If the revolution had been delayed 100 years, all these skills could have been acquired and incorporated into the culture first.
You got that right. They could also have of learned the art of using a knife & fork. STABBERS, lets stab that steak, it might not be dead.
Reg. Frank R.
Jul 30th 2010, 5:06 pm
#52
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
Simply deplorable Jeeves !
My dear old mum would have said they needed to be brought up again
Hope non of them are listening, coz eating a raw bear in the woods is seen as a good thing - and leaving it's willy is just something prissy Brits would do
We went out last night and it was the best bush tucker I have ever eaten in the US
She says she will never go there again !
A coz I enjoyed it
B they were 3 minutes bringing the bill
jeez what's the rush ?
When I go for a meal in Tenerife with ma boy, we start at 8pm and stagger out at midnight and the bill takes 30 mins min. Then we go to the boozer til 2 ish
All this rushing is bad for the digestion - I was like a zeppelin all night and went to sleep in the spare room out of respect
Last edited by exvj; Jul 30th 2010 at 5:12 pm.
Jul 30th 2010, 5:26 pm
#53
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
Jul 30th 2010, 11:24 pm
#54
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
What the heck kind of mess are you making that the toilet brush needs to be used constantly? I'm thinking toilet training may be in order.
Flush (twice if your really bad) maybe wipe around with a disinfectant wipe if bit of wee went on the seat, other than that my 17 year old loos don't ever look dirty, still shiny like new. I use the Vim powder and brush a couple times a week and do the seat, under it and all around at the same time. Viola, no biggie.!
Jul 30th 2010, 11:47 pm
#55
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
What the heck kind of mess are you making that the toilet brush needs to be used constantly? I'm thinking toilet training may be in order.
Flush (twice if your really bad) maybe wipe around with a disinfectant wipe if bit of wee went on the seat, other than that my 17 year old loos don't ever look dirty, still shiny like new. I use the Vim powder and brush a couple times a week and do the seat, under it and all around at the same time. Viola, no biggie.!
FACT 1: Yanks do NOT generally have toilet brush inside the loo or Air spray.
FACT 2: Yanks, don't generally know how to use a knife & fork.
FACT 3: Yanks don't generally like or use the word toilet, it embarrasses them.
FACT 4:, why don't stores keep the toilet paper on the same shelves as kitchen paper towels. its all paper goods. Don't tell me you had not noticed.
FACT: 5 These are facts, lets move on
Reg. Frank R.
Last edited by frrussre; Jul 31st 2010 at 12:11 am. Reason: Wife was yelling my dinner was getting cold, did not check before save
Jul 31st 2010, 12:39 am
#56
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
The wipes are in the closet, the maid is off for the day. MAYBE, a guest has a light stool, the runs, guess they have to come to the living room, announce "Where's the toilet brush, where's the wipes, where is the Air spray?" "Oh dear go speak to my 17 yr old, he is an expert on clean bogs"
FACT 1: Yanks do NOT generally have toilet brush inside the loo or Air spray.
FACT 2: Yanks, don't generally know how to use a knife & fork.
FACT 3: Yanks don't generally like or use the word toilet, it embarrasses them.
FACT 4:, why don't stores keep the toilet paper on the same shelves as kitchen paper towels. its all paper goods. Don't tell me you had not noticed.
FACT: 5 These are facts, lets move on
Reg. Frank R.
FACT 1: Yanks do NOT generally have toilet brush inside the loo or Air spray.
FACT 2: Yanks, don't generally know how to use a knife & fork.
FACT 3: Yanks don't generally like or use the word toilet, it embarrasses them.
FACT 4:, why don't stores keep the toilet paper on the same shelves as kitchen paper towels. its all paper goods. Don't tell me you had not noticed.
FACT: 5 These are facts, lets move on
Reg. Frank R.
Probably lives in a trailer with 9 pequeños but she looks good on it
Her husband is a fireman and they have 2 sons.
He calls em hoseA and hoseB.
Jul 31st 2010, 12:29 pm
#57
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Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
.............
FACT 3: Yanks don't generally like or use the word toilet, it embarrasses them.
FACT 4:, why don't stores keep the toilet paper on the same shelves as kitchen paper towels. its all paper goods. Don't tell me you had not noticed.
FACT: 5 These are facts, lets move on
Reg. Frank R.
FACT 3: Yanks don't generally like or use the word toilet, it embarrasses them.
FACT 4:, why don't stores keep the toilet paper on the same shelves as kitchen paper towels. its all paper goods. Don't tell me you had not noticed.
FACT: 5 These are facts, lets move on
Reg. Frank R.
And as for keeping the toilet paper in a different aisle than the kitchen paper & the napkins, that is logical. The toilet paper (or bathroom tissue) is kept in the aisle with the bathroom supplies..
Aug 1st 2010, 12:01 am
#58
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
Look at the etymology of the word "toilet" .. it is just as much of a euphemism as WC, oo, bathroom, head, restroom, powder room, gabinetti, etc. etc. Originally, your "toilet" or "toilette" meant primping & powdering in front of the dressing-table mirror.
And as for keeping the toilet paper in a different aisle than the kitchen paper & the napkins, that is logical. The toilet paper (or bathroom tissue) is kept in the aisle with the bathroom supplies..
And as for keeping the toilet paper in a different aisle than the kitchen paper & the napkins, that is logical. The toilet paper (or bathroom tissue) is kept in the aisle with the bathroom supplies..
if it were logical, the toilet paper comes on the PAPER GOODS, with all the other paper goods on the supply truck, so logical I would keep them together, in the store.
We are living in 2010, not 300 yrs ago, not 200 years ago. All the half bathrooms (USA), have no tub no bath, no shower, all the out house's, just plain old toilet/WC = toilet paper. "Bath tissue", it would full apart in the tub. Americans are embarrassed to say they are going to the toilet, "Wheres the lavatory", they are generally to embarrassed to ask, so they Ask for the bathroom, whoops, we may think they are going to take a bath. Natural body functions, are very embarrassing to some. Most Americans are embarrassed by nudity, topless, by bloody bikini's. They are never going to tell a lavatory joke.
Aug 1st 2010, 12:07 am
#59
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
Yes, there was another thread where people were saying that 'toilet' was a crude word, but as you say it is a euphemism as well.
Aug 1st 2010, 12:40 am
#60
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Re: Is your patriotism a factor ?
Still wonder if we helped exvj's marriage. Hope I am not guilty of pushing the divorce.
Marriage is not easy, especially when you add different cultures in the mix, in-laws. The secret to a long and successful, marriage, you have to meet in the middle. Sometimes 60/40, 40/60, 45/55, 55/45, near the middle. If one person is always giving in, bending down, he or she will end up unhappy. Give & take, take & give.
Makes for a happy, marriage, happy life.
Reg. Frank R.