A Follow-up: The Americans Overseas Are NOT The Problem
In my last post I talked about some of the worst qualities Americans have not only in the USA, but also carry with them when they move to another country.
I want to say right here... there are a lot of great American attitudes and behavior. There are a lot of great American people. And other westerners too.
As is often the case, that last post was based on my having been born, raised and living for many decades in the USA.
It was also based on my experience of watching Expat Vloggers in Southeast Asia AND my personal firsthand experience living in Southeast Asia.
However, it's not ONLY Americans who behave this way and perhaps the same can be said for westerners in general.
I have encountered Canadians who represent what I consider to be the best examples of American attitudes & behavior and I have encountered others who represent what I consider to be the worst examples of American attitudes & behavior.
I also encountered an Irish guy who was very much like the kind of American attitudes and behavior that I am tired of. That doesn't mean that I believe ALL Irish are that way.
Honestly, I don't even know if the "bad ones" are actually that way. All I know is on that day at the time I encountered them, they came across that way.
What I wrote in that post is true that many "foreigners" do tend to avoid Americans overseas. However, it's not just the Americans. It's other foreigners in general.
I think a lot of Americans (and Canadians, British, Australians, Chinese, etc) who move to another country to live do not want to hang around with other people who are very much like the place they just came from.
And that's how it is for me.
At least for now, I just want to stay AWAY from the American thinking, attitudes and behavior.
And because British, Canadians, Australians and others are very similar in language and culture at least in some main ways... that's why I do not want to hang around with them over here either.
My thinking has always been I moved over here to live with the locals and to slowly integrate into the local culture over time including learning the language.
It's NOT a personal thing directed at any individual.
It's a cultural country level thing. It's about the attitudes, behaviors and really just the thinking itself.
Basically we just want a change! Maybe we just need a break is a good way to put it! 😅