I saw an interesting Galliano bag at an outlet last week, and nearly bought it (it had a nice pattern, as if someone had been handwriting the word Galliano in different styles). I'm mighty glad I didn't!
When foreigners come over the the US to live and make a life for themselves here and then all they do is complain about everything American. How we can't do anything right. How the quality of our clothing or anything that is made here is inferior...How we do our pancakes the wrong way, or how the Chinese food here isn't as good ask British Chinese food, or blah blah blah blah blah. I get told how arrogant we are, but then they turn around and are arrogant themselves claiming that their country is so much more superior than mine. Seriously, if it's that bad, why did you move here? I don't think I'm better than anyone else, especially anyone from another country. Our way of life and the way we do things is just different. That's what's great about diversity. If I were to move to another country I honestly don't think I would sit there and rip apart my country of residence for doing things differently. Okay, rant over.
When foreigners come over the the US to live and make a life for themselves here and then all they do is complain about everything American. How we can't do anything right. How the quality of our clothing or anything that is made here is inferior...How we do our pancakes the wrong way, or how the Chinese food here isn't as good ask British Chinese food, or blah blah blah blah blah. I get told how arrogant we are, but then they turn around and are arrogant themselves claiming that their country is so much more superior than mine. Seriously, if it's that bad, why did you move here? I don't think I'm better than anyone else, especially anyone from another country. Our way of life and the way we do things is just different. That's what's great about diversity. If I were to move to another country I honestly don't think I would sit there and rip apart my country of residence for doing things differently. Okay, rant over.
Gotta agree, Don't move somewhere and then spend your whole time pissing and moaning about it, If it's that bad then feck off back to wherever or move on. Whether you like it or not you are a guest in the place you have moved to, please respect their customs, foods, languages, policies or whatever cultural/political differences they have. If you don't you are just being plain fucking RUDE!!
The thing I don't like at the moment is the pictures on the news from Japan, they are hard to look at. I hope that the damage (to human life especially) is absolutely minimal.
Meridith, as far as I know, when people move to another country, there's first a honeymoon for a year or two. Then one gets used to the country and all sorts of things get on their nerves, especially the natives. After some time people tend to settle down again, but there's no more patriotic person than an expat!
I was away from Finland for a year, and it was just long enough time to get slightly irritated about some aspects of Germans and see Helsinki with new eyes when I came back (and love it). These feelings didn't last long, now I like Germans and Helsinki is boring again…
I hate the massiveness of secrecy and rumours going on right now at work.
Each person asks everyone else to tell them if they get to know anything about the new autorities. All in a low voice. And you see people gossiping in the hallways or inside offices, and they immediately shut up as soon as you walk by/in.
It's like each little piece of information is so precious and nobody really wants to share it. I think everyone's trying to save their butts trying to get in touch with the people who in their belief are going to be "important" in the new administration, and don't give a damn about anybody else but themselves. It all seems so selfish to me.
I'm not important. I'm like the least important person here. I'm not a "gossip" person. I feel totally left out from everything that's going on.
And I feel the bondings I've made with my coworkers in over two years are cracking. It's all about political loyalties and connections. I feel a bit lonely, frankly.
I don't know. Maybe this is all normal and I'm just a weirdo. But I feel very uncomfortable in this environment.
New boss is coming on Monday. We'll see how it goes.
When foreigners come over the the US to live and make a life for themselves here and then all they do is complain about everything American. How we can't do anything right. How the quality of our clothing or anything that is made here is inferior...How we do our pancakes the wrong way, or how the Chinese food here isn't as good ask British Chinese food, or blah blah blah blah blah. I get told how arrogant we are, but then they turn around and are arrogant themselves claiming that their country is so much more superior than mine. Seriously, if it's that bad, why did you move here? I don't think I'm better than anyone else, especially anyone from another country. Our way of life and the way we do things is just different. That's what's great about diversity. If I were to move to another country I honestly don't think I would sit there and rip apart my country of residence for doing things differently. Okay, rant over.
Gotta agree, Don't move somewhere and then spend your whole time pissing and moaning about it, If it's that bad then feck off back to wherever or move on. Whether you like it or not you are a guest in the place you have moved to, please respect their customs, foods, languages, policies or whatever cultural/political differences they have. If you don't you are just being plain fucking RUDE!!
The thing I don't like at the moment is the pictures on the news from Japan, they are hard to look at. I hope that the damage (to human life especially) is absolutely minimal.
Dubz
I know everyone is entitled to their own opinions and all, and I totally respect that. I'm also sure that it's difficult to move away from your home, your culture and you customs. There are bound to be things that bother you about a new culture and things you miss when you are away from your own. I just hate when one displays superior attitude that their country or culture is so much better and they won't let it go. I agree Dubz, it's just rude.
I agree about seeing the pictures of the devastation in Japan. They're hard to look at and it breaks my heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to all affected.
Mili- I can see truth in there's no more patriotic person than an expat. My sister-in-law definitely fits in this category. (Although she isn't the only one I'm referencing today.) She couldn't wait to leave her country and come to America to go to school and find a husband. Now all she does is complain about Americans. If asked if she would ever want to be a US citizen, she gets extremely insulted. However, the ironic thing is that if you ask her if she'd ever want to move back to France, she says no. She has been here for 20 years now and you'd think by now she'd been settled down by now, but no. She wonders why she doesn't have very many friends here. It's sad.
Normally I let all of this roll off my back because I understand it's got to be difficult. I give people the benefit of the doubt. It's just irritating to see critical post after post on facebook.
So is British Chinese food really that much better than American Chinese food? Anyone?
I'm sorry about your work situation, Juli. That really sucks. Hopefully people are just overreacting about everything. Unfortunately change in a workplace can cause all kinds of paranoia. It's sad to find out who your true friends/coworkers are in this way. I'm sorry. :( Hang in there!
So is British Chinese food really that much better than American Chinese food? Anyone?
I'm guessing that they are just different to each other, For example I'm fairly willing to bet that the Chinese don't have Chips (French Fries) with their Chicken Curry (as the do in the UK) but I also know that Chop Suey was invented to feed pissed up American Servicemen once inns/pubs closed. There are huge Chinese influences in both countries but I would probably guess that USA is probably closer in authenticity. To be perfectly honest I have never had an authentic Chinese in the UK, it's a blend of western and oriental tastes.
There are a few Chinese Restaurants in Dublin where the menu etc. is in Chinese, these are usually full of Oriental types and serve excellent food, or you can go to The Kung Fu Buffet spend a €10 on an "eat all you like" and stuff yourself with msg's.
Dubz
eta: I bitch and moan about Ireland but I try my best not to compare it to Scotland when I do. I would obtain an Irish passport if it didn't cost €1800 to get "nationalised"
Not being able to listen to my music through a "clear" system. Sigur Ros were on earlier and I wanted to bang on Aegitis Byrjun but can't because I don't have the CD or the system to play it on.
Well I havent had American chinese food, ive had a good amount of canadian chinese, and I reckon it is about the same. And Ive had chinese here once, so while I cant offer a full analysis, both were pretty tasty, but I imagine not even the slightest big authentic. UK seems to have these prawn (shrimp) toasts that I have never seen at home that were yummy! But other than that, very similar. Probably hard to compare on a while given that mass amounts of variety there would like be between thousands of restaurants.
Between this and my mom emailing to say that they were having chinese for her birthday tomorrow...I really want chinese! But instead I shall go to sleep.
The fresh snow that came down yesterday. It's pretty enough today in the sun, but it's nearly the end of march, for heaven's sake! Also, it stopped us from seeing the super moon, except through a cloud
Some suicidal idiots were still skiing and kite boarding on the ice, I wouldn't dare to go there anymore. It's getting close to the traditional event of the spring: tens, if not hundreds of Russian fishermen stuck on a floating piece of ice… happens every year!
I was away from Finland for a year, and it was just long enough time to get slightly irritated about some aspects of Germans and see Helsinki with new eyes when I came back (and love it). These feelings didn't last long, now I like Germans and Helsinki is boring again…
What do you mean, irritated? There's nothing irritating about Germany! I have to know it - I live here! ;P ;P
Seriously, Mili, I think you should come back and live in Großhesselohe again ;D
I was away from Finland for a year, and it was just long enough time to get slightly irritated about some aspects of Germans and see Helsinki with new eyes when I came back (and love it). These feelings didn't last long, now I like Germans and Helsinki is boring again…
What do you mean, irritated? There's nothing irritating about Germany! I have to know it - I live here! ;P ;P
Seriously, Mili, I think you should come back and live in Großhesselohe again ;D
Ooh, I'd love to live in Großhesselohe again, but the house we lived in (in the attic of the worst kept house in the area) has changed hands and been renovated, so now there's nothing we could afford there anymore!
Had to think a bit to remember what bugged me when we were there, and here are some points. Please DON'T take it personally, it's more to do with the stereotypes.
- a small incident in public transport, like someone (prob. a foreigner) committing a suicide by jumping down from Hackerbrücke to the front of the train, will result to a total chaos in the whole transport system for a long time. Not much flexibility there.
- nicknames ending in -i (Klinsi, Franzi!) and kind of smugness, the knowledge that one is superior to other nationalities/people. Schumi is an embodiment of this.
- sport news stop showing results of even big competitions if the Germans are out. If a German doesn't win, you won't find out who did. It took me weeks to find out that Finland won their first world Championship in ice hockey, as the whole subject was not seen in media after Germany was out.
- the need to find the one who made a mistake, Like the Kaiser during half time analysis in footy, drawing red circles around the player who lost the ball.
- Germans are difficult to make friends with and unfortunately unpopular as tourists. I always get treated badly abroad when I'm taken as a German (quite often), service improves immediately once they realise I'm not.
If it's any consolation, I asked the resident expat to list his grievances about Finland and Finns, and got some fine points:
- lack of manners and awareness of people around you, that is, people are always standing in doorways, gathering in corridors, top of escalators, letting the door close to your face, not thanking if you keep a door open for them or let them pass…
- spitting
- bad service, bureaucracy
- drunks
- not indicating when turning (when driving)
- winters
- mosquitos
and so on
