Is it because they're so similar to us?
May 22nd 2006, 3:01 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Is it because they're so similar to us?
Hello everyone. Long time lurker and first time poster.
Having travelled round the world a bit, and with a few expat friends in different parts of the world, I've come to realize that Expats living in the US seem to be a little more intolerable of adopting to their way of life, customs, and habits as opposed to someone who moves to Japan or Spain.
For example, I think their is much more of a "When in Rome" attitude when visiting Asia. ExPats learn to adopt the bowing, the attitudes to women, the language barrier, the strange TV shows, etc with respect. In Spain, Expats are happy to deal with the siestas (and everything shutting down), people who can't speak good English, the food, etc.
I'm not too good at communicating this via internet, lol, but hopefully you guys can get the idea of what I'm trying to say. I feel that when visiting anywhere else in the world, Brits tend to have a "Well, this is their country and I'm going to have to adapt to their way of life while I'm here" mentality, while in America, Brits tend to roll their eyes, chuckle to themselves and think "Oh...these silly Yanks. If I have to stand for their national anthem at every sports game, or tell everyone to have a nice day then so be it..."
I think to some extent there is a degree of mild snobbery, as though we are visiting our simpleton cousins for Christmas Day or something. We are often guilty of sneering at their way of life, their American-English, their manners or their customs. I think we are less respectful in that sense - often viewing it as 'wrong' rather than 'different'.
My only theory is that it is because they are so similar to us in terms of lifestyle. When in Japan, or India...or even places like Greece or Spain, we can often feel that we are in another world. The churches, the language, the meals, the behaviors are all so radically different that it is easy to become an outsider, a stranger and to feel that we MUST be respectful because we are not in their world...we don't belong there.
On the other hand, with Americans being so similar to the English in that -
- life revolves around sports and popular culture
- everyone speaks English, is predominantly white and Christian
- eats three meals a day, works 8-5 and likes to relax after work with a drink, etc
...we feel more inclined to compare them to the folks back home. Similar to Australia...there is also a degree of snobbery when talking about our distant cousins.
Does anyone else find this? On this forum, or in your own interactions with Expats over here? Or in your own personal experience? Do you ever feel that we are less accepting of this way of life, than if we were living in China or Italy?
Having travelled round the world a bit, and with a few expat friends in different parts of the world, I've come to realize that Expats living in the US seem to be a little more intolerable of adopting to their way of life, customs, and habits as opposed to someone who moves to Japan or Spain.
For example, I think their is much more of a "When in Rome" attitude when visiting Asia. ExPats learn to adopt the bowing, the attitudes to women, the language barrier, the strange TV shows, etc with respect. In Spain, Expats are happy to deal with the siestas (and everything shutting down), people who can't speak good English, the food, etc.
I'm not too good at communicating this via internet, lol, but hopefully you guys can get the idea of what I'm trying to say. I feel that when visiting anywhere else in the world, Brits tend to have a "Well, this is their country and I'm going to have to adapt to their way of life while I'm here" mentality, while in America, Brits tend to roll their eyes, chuckle to themselves and think "Oh...these silly Yanks. If I have to stand for their national anthem at every sports game, or tell everyone to have a nice day then so be it..."
I think to some extent there is a degree of mild snobbery, as though we are visiting our simpleton cousins for Christmas Day or something. We are often guilty of sneering at their way of life, their American-English, their manners or their customs. I think we are less respectful in that sense - often viewing it as 'wrong' rather than 'different'.
My only theory is that it is because they are so similar to us in terms of lifestyle. When in Japan, or India...or even places like Greece or Spain, we can often feel that we are in another world. The churches, the language, the meals, the behaviors are all so radically different that it is easy to become an outsider, a stranger and to feel that we MUST be respectful because we are not in their world...we don't belong there.
On the other hand, with Americans being so similar to the English in that -
- life revolves around sports and popular culture
- everyone speaks English, is predominantly white and Christian
- eats three meals a day, works 8-5 and likes to relax after work with a drink, etc
...we feel more inclined to compare them to the folks back home. Similar to Australia...there is also a degree of snobbery when talking about our distant cousins.
Does anyone else find this? On this forum, or in your own interactions with Expats over here? Or in your own personal experience? Do you ever feel that we are less accepting of this way of life, than if we were living in China or Italy?
May 22nd 2006, 3:12 pm
#2
BE Co-Founder
Joined: Feb 2000
Location: Florida
Posts: 25,928
Re: Is it because they're so similar to us?
Can't comment on your post except to confirm that this site is intolerable of trolls.
