NationStates Jolt Archive


Opinion of USAmerican Expats

Xislakilinia
17-06-2006, 15:17
What is your opinion of USAmerican expatriates working in your country? Personal experiences? What about their wives and children?

And no this will not be a poll.
Fass
17-06-2006, 15:20
What is your opinion of USAmerican expatriates working in your country? Personal experiences? What about their wives and children?

I wish they'd speak better Swedish, and catch on quicker on how to lower the volume of their voices. Otherwise, they're not so special for me to have further opinions of them.

Well, except for Francis Strand (http://francisstrand.blogspot.com/), who rules viciously.
Boonytopia
17-06-2006, 15:26
Most of the one's I've met have been through work/business. They start out thinking that what works in the USA will work here, but after a while they understand that Australia has a different culture, work practice, expectations, etc. Mostly they're pretty good.
Xislakilinia
17-06-2006, 15:28
I have issues with the American School kids here. Such ignorant, arrogant farts.
The Ogiek People
17-06-2006, 15:29
I live in the United States and I can tell you our biggest problem is that we have too damn many Americans living here.

;)
Moorington
17-06-2006, 15:32
I have issues with the American School kids here. Such ignorant, arrogant farts.

LOL, I heard someone calling a European kid the same thing! I would venture to guess there are ignorant and arrogant farts anywhere you go.

Three cheers for misconcepted idealism (that only Americans have all the ignorant-arrogant farts)!
Fass
17-06-2006, 15:33
I have issues with the American School kids here. Such ignorant, arrogant farts.

That's just how they're raised. Give them time - many who are abroad manage to snap out of it.
Xislakilinia
17-06-2006, 15:36
LOL, I heard someone calling a European kid the same thing! I would venture to guess there are ignorant and arrogant farts anywhere you go.

Three cheers for misconcepted idealism (that only Americans have all the ignorant-arrogant farts)!

Or that only USAmericans can call themselves Americans.
Markreich
18-06-2006, 15:26
Or that only USAmericans can call themselves Americans.

Oy vey. Here we go again:

Unless you want to call Germans "Bundesrepubliks", you must call citizens of the USA "Americans". We are the "United States of America" -- ANY state can join if they so choose.

If (say) Belize wanted to join, they would become Americans. Until then, they are Central Americans. Ditto Paraguay: they're SOUTH AMERICANS.

Calling a South American an American is as misleading as calling a Netherlander an Asiapean because Europe and Asia are the same landmass.

No, Asiapean doesn't exist as a term. Nor do Usian, USAmerican, etc. :)
Andaluciae
18-06-2006, 15:27
I wish people would separate out the US from the American at least. Really looks strange. If you must be insistent and take small jabs at the US constantly, at at least write it US American and don't be a lazy ass.
Megaloria
18-06-2006, 15:29
No, Asiapean doesn't exist as a term.

It does NOW!

Finally, a term for both Eurotrash AND Asiatrash!
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 15:30
Well, except for Francis Strand (http://francisstrand.blogspot.com/), who rules viciously. Ha, awesome. And I never knew that Swedish was so decipherable for a German (well, at least those single "words for the day" are). And you stole "schlager" from us! No wonder you love the Eurovision Song Contest so much. :p

ETA: Um, sorry, topic... I don't really personally know any US expatriats, but I'm sure they're pretty decent people. They tend to get a lot more politically left abroad, so that's always a plus.
Teh_pantless_hero
18-06-2006, 15:30
Oy vey. Here we go again:

Unless you want to call Germans "Bundesrepubliks", you must call citizens of the USA "Americans". We are the "United States of America" -- ANY state can join if they so choose.

If (say) Belize wanted to join, they would become Americans. Until then, they are Central Americans. Ditto Paraguay: they're SOUTH AMERICANS.

Calling a South American an American is as misleading as calling a Netherlander an Asiapean because Europe and Asia are the same landmass.

No, Asiapean doesn't exist as a term. Nor do Usian, USAmerican, etc. :)
Whatever you say North American.
Soviestan
18-06-2006, 15:32
I wish people would separate out the US from the American at least. Really looks strange. If you must be insistent and take small jabs at the US constantly, at at least write it US American and don't be a lazy ass.
USian is easier and it looks better.
Laerod
18-06-2006, 15:32
What is your opinion of USAmerican expatriates working in your country? Personal experiences? What about their wives and children?

And no this will not be a poll.Gayle Tuft is a bit annoying, but for the most part, they do well over here. It's the embassy staff and military kids that usually get away with not learning German.
Laerod
18-06-2006, 15:34
Calling a South American an American is as misleading as calling a Netherlander an Asiapean because Europe and Asia are the same landmass.

No, Asiapean doesn't exist as a term. Nor do Usian, USAmerican, etc. :)You mean "Eurasian"?
Kanabia
18-06-2006, 15:34
From those i've met, they seem to blend in pretty well over here. It's only tourists that are annoying, but that's not necessarily exclusive to americans anyway. :p
Markreich
18-06-2006, 15:37
Whatever you say North American.

That's fine. At least it's a continentally accurate if somewhat nationalistically vague term. ;)
Markreich
18-06-2006, 15:38
USian is easier and it looks better.

If easier means fewer characters to type, sure.

Looks better? Hell no.
Potarius
18-06-2006, 15:39
Looks better? Hell no.

Especially since it's thinly-veiled assfuckery.
Markreich
18-06-2006, 15:39
You mean "Eurasian"?

Nope. That one actually exists. :) (And more specifically refers to people living in the Trans-Caucasus. Just like Central American refers to folks living north of the Panama Canal but south of Mexico).
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 15:39
Gayle Tuft is a bit annoying, Heh, yeah, she is, isn't she? I kind of love her, yet she is just so....loud. I don't know, after three sentences I usually want to yell at her to calm down and shut up already.
Markreich
18-06-2006, 15:40
I think I've just hijacked this thread. Sorry, I'll stop now.
Soviestan
18-06-2006, 15:41
If easier means fewer characters to type, sure.

Looks better? Hell no.
Sure it does. I would think you would like it. It really features the US part.
Machtfrei
18-06-2006, 15:58
{American student studying in Dresden, Germany furiously takes notes}

Sorry about talking loudly on the phone. I'm used to having to talk over other people, or my old car back home on crappy freebie Verizon phones, not the nice Motorola I brought here on the quiet trams. I'll pipe down next time.
Fass
18-06-2006, 16:06
Especially since it's thinly-veiled assfuckery.

You wish, b-boy.
Laerod
18-06-2006, 16:13
Heh, yeah, she is, isn't she? I kind of love her, yet she is just so....loud. I don't know, after three sentences I usually want to yell at her to calm down and shut up already.She agreed to do our senior class speech and then cancelled when it was too late to find a replacement... :mad:
Fass
18-06-2006, 16:17
Ha, awesome. And I never knew that Swedish was so decipherable for a German (well, at least those single "words for the day" are). And you stole "schlager" from us! No wonder you love the Eurovision Song Contest so much. :p

We didn't steal it from you, you stole it from us. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 16:18
She agreed to do our senior class speech and then cancelled when it was too late to find a replacement... :mad:
You had a senior class speech? o.O
Oh, did you attend the JFK school?
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 16:18
We didn't steal it from you, you stole it from us. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Hah, sure, sure. *pats*
Laerod
18-06-2006, 16:19
You had a senior class speech? o.O
Oh, did you attend the JFK school?Yes to both. Our American Highschool Principal had to take over...
Fass
18-06-2006, 16:24
Hah, sure, sure. *pats*

Hey, who does it reflect worse on, those who adopted it, or those who gave birth to it, huh?
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 16:31
Hey, who does it reflect worse on, those who adopted it, or those who gave birth to it, huh?
We only gave birth to it because we needed a word to describe the terrible Swedish songs that kept winning Eurovision. Yeah, that's the ticket. :p

In other news, I think I just broke my small toe. See what your arguing does to me? *cries*
Laerod
18-06-2006, 16:33
In other news, I think I just broke my small toe. See what your arguing does to me? *cries*Aw...:(
Hope it isn't really broken, and if it is, here's a :fluffle: to get better soon.
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 16:35
Aw...:(
Hope it isn't really broken, and if it is, here's a :fluffle: to get better soon.
I almost think it is. Damn. Thanks for the fluffle, though. *sniff*
Although I'd like to point out that my post above only made it sound like I had been typing it with my feet. I was not. Honest.
Cannot think of a name
18-06-2006, 16:37
I almost think it is. Damn. Thanks for the fluffle, though. *sniff*
Although I'd like to point out that my post above only made it sound like I had been typing it with my feet. I was not. Honest.
I have to admit that it didn't occour to me that you'd be typing with your feet until this, but now that you mention it I'm dissapointed that's not the case...
Deep Kimchi
18-06-2006, 16:38
That's just how they're raised. Give them time - many who are abroad manage to snap out of it.
I guess the French must be raising ignorant, arrogant assholes as well.

Our elementary school here has quite a few French foreign exchange students, and they are all, to the very last one, some of the most arrogant little kids I've ever laid eyes on.
The british royalists
18-06-2006, 16:40
im english and theres one in year 11 in our school
they seem okay
wots the big deal?
Fass
18-06-2006, 16:41
I guess the French must be raising ignorant, arrogant assholes as well.

Our elementary school here has quite a few French foreign exchange students, and they are all, to the very last one, some of the most arrogant little kids I've ever laid eyes on.

French people are entitled to it, seeing as France does indeed rule.
Fass
18-06-2006, 16:43
We only gave birth to it because we needed a word to describe the terrible Swedish songs that kept winning Eurovision. Yeah, that's the ticket. :p

Wie eine Blume am Winterbeginn, so wie ein Feuer in eisigen Wind... don't make me start - gib mir nur ein bisschen Frieden! :D

In other news, I think I just broke my small toe. See what your arguing does to me? *cries*

It does that to everyone, so, have some solidarity.
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 16:45
Wie eine Blume am Winterbeginn, so wie ein Feuer in eisigen Wind... don't make me start - gib mir nur ein bisschen Frieden! :DOh my God, please tell me you had to look that up. Please.
Deep Kimchi
18-06-2006, 16:46
French people are entitled to it, seeing as France does indeed rule.
I guess that's why they're all behind in math...
Fass
18-06-2006, 16:48
Oh my God, please tell me you had to look that up. Please.

What do you think they fed us during German class? When it was time to listen to "German music," that was basically it.
Markreich
18-06-2006, 16:49
French people are entitled to it, seeing as France does indeed rule.

Rules what? An area about twice the size of Colorado? Martinique? Juan de Nova Island? :D
Markreich
18-06-2006, 16:49
What do you think they fed us during German class? When it was time to listen to "German music," that was basically it.

Wow. At least we got Peter Schilling and Falco. ;)
Fass
18-06-2006, 16:50
I guess that's why they're all behind in math...

They can't all be Fermats or Fouriers or Poincarés etcetera...
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 16:51
Wow. At least we got Peter Schilling and Falco. ;)
Peter Schilling! The crush of li'l 12-year-old Whereyouthinkyougoing! *flashback*
Laerod
18-06-2006, 16:53
Wow. At least we got Peter Schilling and Falco. ;)Which is interesting, because Falko isn't exactly all that German... :p
Markreich
18-06-2006, 16:56
Which is interesting, because Falko isn't exactly all that German... :p

Austrian, yeah. But it's singing in German, and (let's face it) I can't think of too many German speaking musicians that got US airplay in the early 80s besides perhaps Nena, Falco, and Peter Schilling (all Scorpions was in English).
Fass
18-06-2006, 16:56
Wow. At least we got Peter Schilling and Falco. ;)

I remember Alphaville (*shudder*), Nina Hagen (not bad at all), Udo Jürgens (ja, warum immer ich? Warum frag' ich dich? Du liebst einen Anderen... *throws up a little in his mouth* Or maybe that was some other "Jürgen"?), Kraftwerk (so, so), Herbert Grönemeyer (damn you SoWiBi, damn you to Thüringen!), Blümchen (makes me eerily happy)...
New Lofeta
18-06-2006, 16:57
I guess the French must be raising ignorant, arrogant assholes as well.

Our elementary school here has quite a few French foreign exchange students, and they are all, to the very last one, some of the most arrogant little kids I've ever laid eyes on.

Some French kids I know act arrogant in front of USians to annoy them.
I think thats genius.
Markreich
18-06-2006, 16:59
Peter Schilling! The crush of li'l 12-year-old Whereyouthinkyougoing! *flashback*

I still find it funny/odd that he sang the English version of "Major Tom" ("Völlig Losgelöst") so well without knowing a word. For all he knew, he could have been singing a translation of the Bulgarian national anthem. :)
Markreich
18-06-2006, 17:01
I remember Alphaville (*shudder*), Nina Hagen (not bad at all), Udo Jürgens (ja, warum immer ich? Warum frag' ich dich? Du liebst einen Anderen... *throws up a little in his mouth*), Kraftwerk (so, so), Herbert Grönemeyer (damn you SoWiBi, damn you to Thüringen!), Blümchen (makes me eerily happy)...

I'm not sure how much radio airplay they got in the US. Alphaville and Kraftwerk are vaguely familiar, but I think I jettisoned those memories in exchange for multi-variable calculus.
...Or Spring Weekend at the University of Connecticut in 1993. Whichever.
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 17:01
I still find it funny/odd that he sang the English version of "Major Tom" ("Völlig Losgelöst") so well without knowing a word. For all he knew, he could have been singing a translation of the Bulgarian national anthem. :)
Huh?

ETA: "Huh?" meaning that I have no idea what you mean. He didn't know what the song was about in English? But...but... huh?
Magew
18-06-2006, 17:06
USian and USAmerican, and even the venerable US American all fall before the might of Columbian, largely because so few Columbians would recognize the term.
</rehijack>
Markreich
18-06-2006, 17:08
Huh?

I read in Rolling Stone many, many moons ago that when Schilling sang "Major Tom" he didn't speak English. He just sang the lyrics over and over again until they sounded good.

...I suspect this is how Roxette did "Ballades en Espanol". (Marie Fredriksson doesn't speak Spanish)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000000VTL/104-8690932-4785532?v=glance&n=5174
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 17:12
I read in Rolling Stone many, many moons ago that when Schilling sang "Major Tom" he didn't speak English. He just sang the lyrics over and over again until they sounded good.
Oh boy, sorry, totally my bad. I just now saw that you had said "the English version". Duh.
I don't think I even knew there was an English version of his, I think I only know "Völlig losgelöst".
Markreich
18-06-2006, 17:22
Oh boy, sorry, totally my bad. I just now saw that you had said "the English version". Duh.
I don't think I even knew there was an English version of his, I think I only know "Völlig losgelöst".

No prob.
It was kind of funny over here: back in 83' MTV was somewhat starved for content and they'd often play "Major Tom" AND "Völlig losgelöst" within an hour of each other. Sure, the videos were different, but still...

Major Tom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmrQEmVrC4s
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 17:33
No prob.
It was kind of funny over here: back in 83' MTV was somewhat starved for content and they'd often play "Major Tom" AND "Völlig losgelöst" within an hour of each other. Sure, the videos were different, but still...

Major Tom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmrQEmVrC4s
Awww, thanks for the link. Hmm, if that was 1983, that means I was crushing on him when I was all of 9 or 10 years old. o.O I didn't know people had crushes that early. But I have to say, my 9-year-old self had pretty good taste, considering it were the 80's. :p
But for having to learn it by heart, his English is pretty good! But can someone tell me what the chorus is: "Earth below us, drifting *word that doesn't make sense*"? Thanks.
Laerod
18-06-2006, 17:35
"..., falling,..."
Markreich
18-06-2006, 17:37
Awww, thanks for the link. Hmm, if that was 1983, that means I was crushing on him when I was all of 9 or 10 years old. o.O I didn't know people had crushes that early. But I have to say, my 9-year-old self had pretty good taste, considering it were the 80's. :p
But for having to learn it by heart, his English is pretty good! But can someone tell me what the chorus is: "Earth below us, drifting *word that doesn't make sense*"? Thanks.

You're welcome.

Earth below us
drifting falling
floating weightless
calling calling home...

http://www.reallyrics.com/lyrics/P009700010001.asp
Whereyouthinkyougoing
18-06-2006, 17:48
You're welcome.

Earth below us
drifting falling
floating weightless
calling calling home...

http://www.reallyrics.com/lyrics/P009700010001.asp
Oh boy. Falling. Thanks. And it didn't even occur to me to google it. I'm starting to think I broke my brain, not my toe. :rolleyes:
ShuHan
18-06-2006, 18:02
I have issues with the American School kids here. Such ignorant, arrogant farts.
and always so very fat and spoilt

tbh i dont have a problem with americans over here they normally act like the usual englishman. except when they get all snotty and angry at me because i dont take american express credit cards
Francis Street
18-06-2006, 18:02
What is your opinion of USAmerican expatriates working in your country? Personal experiences? What about their wives and children?

Generally better than that Americans who never left their country.

Oy vey. Here we go again:

Unless you want to call Germans "Bundesrepubliks", you must call citizens of the USA "Americans". We are the "United States of America" -- ANY state can join if they so choose.
United Statesian is totally logical. A citizen of the United States. I don't know why the term arouses such bitter hatred. Do you not think it sounds as nice as American?

I guess the French must be raising ignorant, arrogant assholes as well.

Our elementary school here has quite a few French foreign exchange students, and they are all, to the very last one, some of the most arrogant little kids I've ever laid eyes on.
That's because French people are like American people. They're raised to be proud and nationalistic.
Markreich
18-06-2006, 18:16
United Statesian is totally logical. A citizen of the United States. I don't know why the term arouses such bitter hatred. Do you not think it sounds as nice as American?


United Stateian = Bundesrepublik'er (Deutschland) = Fuerstentumian (Liechtenstein) = Republicans (Chile)

It's using a statement of governance to name a people. American is the common term, and the logical one.

If I said Fuerstentumian, would you assume I was speaking of somebody from
Vaduz?

Are all Republicans from Chile? I think not.

North America is a contient. South America is a continent. America is short for the United States of America. QED.
Francis Street
18-06-2006, 18:59
United Stateian = Bundesrepublik'er (Deutschland) = Fuerstentumian (Liechtenstein) = Republicans (Chile)

It's using a statement of governance to name a people. American is the common term, and the logical one.
In English, only one country is commonly known as the United States, whereas the Americas cover many countries.