im being harassed cus im american...

[plastic_smile]

Well, i live in england as most of you know. im sure you'd probaly think tht my friends would be jealous that im from america but there not. i get teased almost evry day because im american everyones always making fun of george bush and if im arguing with someone they useally say something like "wat you gunna do bomb me or something i guess thats all you know coming from america". and lots of times when i say things people reply with stuff like "go back to america and eat somemore hamburgers" there idea of america is tht we bomb people for fun and never stop eating. Im proud to be american and i wish people here knew how great america is!!
is there anyone else goin through this...?

[Pseudonym]

Being a Canadian who lives in America, I can't say that I have really gone through this, even though we may do things a bit different (they're probably envious of us fabulous Canadians). I would suggest asking God to both help you through this, and to help your friends realize that they are hurting you.

[Stubborn]

I get ridiculed because I'm an American all the time. The thing to do is just ignore the comments and continue to be proud of your heritage.

And yeah, as Pseu said, tell them that their comments bug you. Hopefully after a while they'll realize that you aren't going to react like they want and stop bothering you.

Or you can just stick your nose up in the air and walk away. Just kidding...

[boneablaze]

there idea of america is tht we bomb people for fun and never stop eating.

Sadly, America hasn't got the best reputation. Perhaps you don't exactly see where these people are coming from, so allow me to try to show you their perspective coming from someone who has lived outside of the states for a number of years (and, yes, I'm American).

As far as bombing people for fun, I know many Americans who think the war is a complete waste (I tend to lean in that direction myself, but not to the extent that many do). So to someone from another country who is watching this war, perhaps they think the same things, just with stronger feelings behind it.

As far as "never stop eating". I can totally see their point. No other country in the world has the portion sizes that the states serves. I remember my first trip to Canada with my dad when I was 8 or 9 years old. Can you imagine my shock when I found out that except for the VERY RARE occasion I was not going to get a refill on my pop when we ate out? Living in the states it was just an automatic thing to have free refills in most places. In trips as I got older I started to notice the difference in portion sizes of food when we ate out, but when I was a kid I didn't notice because I had such a small appetite, it made no difference to me how much food was on my plate.

And their comments to "go eat some more hamburgers". Americans eat out far more often than other countries. Some more-so than others. My roommate and I rent a room in a house owned by a family. I am estimating here, but a close guess is that 95% of the family's meals comes from fast food places. I mean I have no issues with fast food, and do eat it myself from time to time, but to eat that much fast food *gags* I usually find it amusing here that the two college students who stereotypically should be eating nothing but fast food and pizza delivery actually do grocery shopping and cook their food while a family who would be expected to cook meals eats out every chance they get. But I digress. If you think about it, other countries view our eating out habits much like my roommate and I do the family we rent from--to be way past the "bit too much" point, and many just have the human nature to make fun of -- or shun -- anything that is even slightly different than they're use to.

[EK]

Maybe it's because we have an ugly flag.

No?


Well it is ugly.

[V-lady]

Maybe it's because we have an ugly flag.

No?


Well it is ugly.

It's not ugly.

...it's just...well, boring.

But aren't most flags?

[The Artful Dodger]

I don't think it's ugly. I love our flag

[Alisha Richardson Wolfe]

Our flag is ... unique. And to respond to the eating too much/eating out thing. I live in a college dorm. The current program for dorm students is that they have a cafe minimum, which means that if we don't eat in the cafe enough or buy enough food we'll get charged the amount of the minimum anyway. This year it's 522 dollars per quarter. I have two weeks left in the current quarter and I've just barely reached 400 dollars (and that's with some help from my friends). If I don't reach 522 dollars I'll get charged whatever the difference is between the minimum and what I actually ate. I'm being forced to "eat out" in a sense. I hate it. My family and I when I'm home eat out maybe once every two weeks. Sometimes not even that. I prefer to make my own food. It's healthier and I know what's going into it.

Americas problem is most don't want to take the time to cook their own food. They are too busy doing something "more important". And the proportions that are served in restuartants and fast food joints are huge. I used to work at a McDonalds. I would watch someone order two extra value meals just for themselves while I, if I were to eat there now (which is never going to happen), would order a salad. And the salads are even big! It's crazy!

Don't be ashamed to be American. If they tease you anymore, you can tell them "Hey we didn't wimp out in the Revolutionary war. You did" JK. Don't say that.

[Farrah]

Hello heather,
I love america and lots of hot places like Manchester, bolton, london, harrow, california, Cyprus, haifa and anysorts of places and I never stop eating and I would like to eat cheeseburgers and hamburgers every day and it is really healthy that's a hustle.
Love from farrah xxxxxxxxxxxxx ooooooooooooooo

[plastic_smile]

Hello heather,
I love america and lots of hot places like Manchester, bolton, london, harrow, california, Cyprus, haifa and anysorts of places and I never stop eating and I would like to eat cheeseburgers and hamburgers every day and it is really healthy that's a hustle.
Love from farrah xxxxxxxxxxxxx ooooooooooooooo

lol

[The Top Crusader]

Hello heather,
I love america and lots of hot places like Manchester, bolton, london, harrow, california, Cyprus, haifa and anysorts of places and I never stop eating and I would like to eat cheeseburgers and hamburgers every day and it is really healthy that's a hustle.
Love from farrah xxxxxxxxxxxxx ooooooooooooooo

Yeah I was coming in to post and that pretty much sums up what I was going to say so I'll leave it at that.

[Waluigi Freak 99]

If they tease you anymore, you can tell them "Hey we didn't wimp out in the Revolutionary war. You did".

[Jessicado]

I got that alot when I was in Ireland last summer. I was a waitress at a lounge and some of the customers got angry at me because I was American. I had co-workers tell me to tell customers I was from Canada or when we would go out. Then instead of people quizzing me, they bought me shots. A lot of people did think it was cool I was from America too though....so I guess it evened out.

[The Top Crusader]

If they make fun of you just threaten to shoot them and steal the oil out of their car!

[Pseudonym]

Hello heather,
I love america and lots of hot places like Manchester, bolton, london, harrow, california, Cyprus, haifa and anysorts of places and I never stop eating and I would like to eat cheeseburgers and hamburgers every day and it is really healthy that's a hustle.
Love from farrah xxxxxxxxxxxxx ooooooooooooooo

Yeah I was coming in to post and that pretty much sums up what I was going to say so I'll leave it at that.

*ahem*

Okay, I'm done.

[Jessicado]

If they make fun of you just threaten to shoot them and steal the oil out of their car!

A faint beacon of admiration and respect has just been ignited deep within the chasm of my hatred and utter loathing for Top....



grrrrrrr

[The Top Crusader]

Oh yeah and I'd force them to privatize their health care and not get it through the government!

[Chandler]

Well, i live in england as most of you know. im sure you'd probaly think tht my friends would be jealous that im from america but there not. i get teased almost evry day because im american everyones always making fun of george bush and if im arguing with someone they useally say something like "what you gunna do bomb me or something i guess thats all you know coming from america". and lots of times when i say things people reply with stuff like "go back to america and eat somemore hamburgers" there idea of america is tht we bomb people for fun and never stop eating. Im proud to be american and i wish people here knew how great america is!!
is there anyone else goin through this...?

There's two things that come to mind when I read this. First, do your best to be a good representative, first of Christ, then of your country. Sometimes people just need to see that stereotypes aren't always accurate.
Second, what I learned in school is that some kids will tease and harass simply because they want to. There's issues behind that, of course, like insecurity or bad home life. But my point is that if they want to do it, they'll find something to pick on. The fact that you're American may be an easy one to choose. But if it isn't that, they might pick on your freckles, height, or last name. It really doesn't matter what is it as long as they can find something to make themselves feel better.

I hope things improve between you and your friends!