Where can I get my brains washed

[JenT 0]

it's a tossup between the uk forum and the russia forum right now

They shut us down in Russia... until next time....

[Ban Hammer 12,879]

it's a tossup between the uk forum and the russia forum right now

Charles, how DARE you step foot into the UK Forum. Get out!!

2 locked threads in russia, mena is dull, looks like this is the place

[Captain Oates 910]

Wow - Trolls.

Haven't seen these in a while

C'mon suckers it's rope a dope time ! (or flex a tex)

Where's she gone ? has someone shot my fox ? unsporting bounders ! alan

[Tim and Bethanie 1]

Whew thank God my husband isn't so negative, cuz I would of told him to keep his ####### in England.

Funny enough he has more negative things to say about British politics and culture, but then he can do that because he is British.

[Rubycon 0]

I am aware that they were brought up in classrooms with flags flying and hand on heart and George Washington could not tell a lie - but is it too late for me to be socially adjusted to think like them ?

I have no wish to continue the explosive fight in this thread but I will say this:

As a British person who has had the privilege of visiting an American high school, yes, it did seem strange at first to witness the pledge of allegiance and the stars and stripes in the classrooms.

But consider this - how do you promote unity among a student body where a third are hispanic, a third white, and a third black (roughly speaking)? You demonstrate to them what they all have in common - their nationality - right from the newly naturalised hispanic student who speaks broken English to the white kid who can trace his ancestry back to the baby-eating bishop of Bath and Wells who stepped off the Mayflower...

I'm not saying that promoting national pride in students is the only way to foster a collective identity, but I'm sure it goes a long way. Perhaps any Americans who went to a culturally mixed high school would like to comment?

Do we have the same type of unity in British schools? In the one where I teach (which is predominantly white) there is no problem with student unity. But what about an ethnically diverse school in the middle of Birmingham, for example? I visited a school there a couple of months back and sat in on a class specifically designed to help recent (mainly African muslim) immigrants to integrate into their schools and new lives. I'm sure that the teachers there were doing their best to help these new students - not least with language difficulties - but I couldn't help but feel that a little bit more celebratory British flag flying would not go amiss.

So why is it that the British press recently got all wound up about the fact that we're supposedly losing our national identity because of immigration (witness the sudden panic that we now need to teach "Britishness" in classes - whatever that is)?

Maybe we shouldn't be too quick to dismiss American flag-flying as some kind of device to deny independent thought - after all, America's vast amounts of immigrants (us) seem to be doing little to erode its national identity.

Tea and cream scone, anyone?

[homesick_american 1]

I am aware that they were brought up in classrooms with flags flying and hand on heart and George Washington could not tell a lie - but is it too late for me to be socially adjusted to think like them ?

I have no wish to continue the explosive fight in this thread but I will say this:

As a British person who has had the privilege of visiting an American high school, yes, it did seem strange at first to witness the pledge of allegiance and the stars and stripes in the classrooms.

But consider this - how do you promote unity among a student body where a third are hispanic, a third white, and a third black (roughly speaking)? You demonstrate to them what they all have in common - their nationality - right from the newly naturalised hispanic student who speaks broken English to the white kid who can trace his ancestry back to the baby-eating bishop of Bath and Wells who stepped off the Mayflower...

I'm not saying that promoting national pride in students is the only way to foster a collective identity, but I'm sure it goes a long way. Perhaps any Americans who went to a culturally mixed high school would like to comment?

Do we have the same type of unity in British schools? In the one where I teach (which is predominantly white) there is no problem with student unity. But what about an ethnically diverse school in the middle of Birmingham, for example? I visited a school there a couple of months back and sat in on a class specifically designed to help recent (mainly African muslim) immigrants to integrate into their schools and new lives. I'm sure that the teachers there were doing their best to help these new students - not least with language difficulties - but I couldn't help but feel that a little bit more celebratory British flag flying would not go amiss.

So why is it that the British press recently got all wound up about the fact that we're supposedly losing our national identity because of immigration (witness the sudden panic that we now need to teach "Britishness" in classes - whatever that is)?

Maybe we shouldn't be too quick to dismiss American flag-flying as some kind of device to deny independent thought - after all, America's vast amounts of immigrants (us) seem to be doing little to erode its national identity.

Tea and cream scone, anyone?

That's a good point. Our nationality is one of the only things that really unifies all Americans since we all come from different walks of life.

Another thing I love about America is that you can be born anything and still become an American. I've never felt that sort of acceptance in the UK...even if you naturalize, you're still a foreigner. In America, you can naturalize and you're an American...funny accent and all.

[Captain Oates 910]

That's a good point. Our nationality is one of the only things that really unifies all Americans since we all come from different walks of life.

Another thing I love about America is that you can be born anything and still become an American. I've never felt that sort of acceptance in the UK...even if you naturalize, you're still a foreigner. In America, you can naturalize and you're an American...funny accent and all.

Can't become president though Mr Schwarzenneger - funny accent and all- there are Americans and then there are Americans

Edited May 23, 2007 by saywhat

[Rubycon 0]

I've never felt that sort of acceptance in the UK...even if you naturalize, you're still a foreigner.

I think that depends what type of area you're in. In some mainly rural parts, yeah, you'd have to have been inbreeding for several hundered years before you were accepted as "local".

...perhaps this particular can of worms needs to be resealed quickly!

[Fandango 1,439]

I've never felt that sort of acceptance in the UK...even if you naturalize, you're still a foreigner.

I think that depends what type of area you're in. In some mainly rural parts, yeah, you'd have to have been inbreeding for several hundered years before you were accepted as "local".

...perhaps this particular can of worms needs to be resealed quickly!

I made my home in a very small village in the NE UK and I gotta say my experience was the complete opposite from HA's. I found a warmth and acceptance unlike I've ever known. I seriously regard many as 'my family' because they are such wonderful and good hearted people & we really built a closenes. I can call my local now and they will literally pass the phone around the whole place to say hello....and the first question I always get is 'when you comin back damnit?'

My gfs there have already planned a hen do and we don't even kno at this point whether or not I'll be able to go back before we get married.

Honestly, if it weren't for my family, I would have moved there in a heartbeat.

[Ban Hammer 12,879]

I've never felt that sort of acceptance in the UK...even if you naturalize, you're still a foreigner.

I think that depends what type of area you're in. In some mainly rural parts, yeah, you'd have to have been inbreeding for several hundered years before you were accepted as "local".

...perhaps this particular can of worms needs to be resealed quickly!

I made my home in a very small village in the NE UK and I gotta say my experience was the complete opposite from HA's. I found a warmth and acceptance unlike I've ever known. I seriously regard many as 'my family' because they are such wonderful and good hearted people & we really built a closenes. I can call my local now and they will literally pass the phone around the whole place to say hello....and the first question I always get is 'when you comin back damnit?'

My gfs there have already planned a hen do and we don't even kno at this point whether or not I'll be able to go back before we get married.

Honestly, if it weren't for my family, I would have moved there in a heartbeat.

um what's a hen do? and if you say peck at the ground i'll you

[Fandango 1,439]

I've never felt that sort of acceptance in the UK...even if you naturalize, you're still a foreigner.

I think that depends what type of area you're in. In some mainly rural parts, yeah, you'd have to have been inbreeding for several hundered years before you were accepted as "local".

...perhaps this particular can of worms needs to be resealed quickly!

I made my home in a very small village in the NE UK and I gotta say my experience was the complete opposite from HA's. I found a warmth and acceptance unlike I've ever known. I seriously regard many as 'my family' because they are such wonderful and good hearted people & we really built a closenes. I can call my local now and they will literally pass the phone around the whole place to say hello....and the first question I always get is 'when you comin back damnit?'

My gfs there have already planned a hen do and we don't even kno at this point whether or not I'll be able to go back before we get married.

Honestly, if it weren't for my family, I would have moved there in a heartbeat.

um what's a hen do? and if you say peck at the ground i'll you

all weekend bachelorette party

oh, and LOL at the 'what's a hen do' btw...you know me too well

[Captain Oates 910]

um what's a hen do? and if you say peck at the ground i'll you

She will tell you but if you ever went on a Geordie hen do you would never forget it.... never been on one myself but I have seen em

I know your going to say what's a Geordie ? hard to describe - but reading a description won't do

A bit like reading about the finest afghan curry - it gets you 1% of the way to understanding it...

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I made my home in a very small village in the NE UK and I gotta say my experience was the complete opposite from HA's. I found a warmth and acceptance unlike I've ever known. I seriously regard many as 'my family' because they are such wonderful and good hearted people & we really built a closenes.

This was my experience too - in all the places in Britain I've lived, which has mostly been cities (Scotland, Nottingham, Brum and even London). Yes, there have been a$$holes but some of my strongest friendships are over there, if it weren't for my job I'd be back over there too.

[homesick_american 1]

I made my home in a very small village in the NE UK and I gotta say my experience was the complete opposite from HA's. I found a warmth and acceptance unlike I've ever known. I seriously regard many as 'my family' because they are such wonderful and good hearted people & we really built a closenes. I can call my local now and they will literally pass the phone around the whole place to say hello....and the first question I always get is 'when you comin back damnit?'

My gfs there have already planned a hen do and we don't even kno at this point whether or not I'll be able to go back before we get married.

Honestly, if it weren't for my family, I would have moved there in a heartbeat.

It is weird how we lived relatively close to each other but had such different experiences.

There ARE people in York who are nice to me; the people I worked with were, for the most part, very nice...but for me the negatives outweigh the positives and though people here can be superficially friendly, I've found it almost impossible to make friends here. Most of my friends in the UK have been fellow foreigners, and for the last couple of years I haven't even put forth the effort to try to make friends with people. I've given up; I'm whipped.

[Leney 0]

I've never felt that sort of acceptance in the UK...even if you naturalize, you're still a foreigner.

I think that depends what type of area you're in. In some mainly rural parts, yeah, you'd have to have been inbreeding for several hundered years before you were accepted as "local".

...perhaps this particular can of worms needs to be resealed quickly!

I made my home in a very small village in the NE UK and I gotta say my experience was the complete opposite from HA's. I found a warmth and acceptance unlike I've ever known. I seriously regard many as 'my family' because they are such wonderful and good hearted people & we really built a closenes. I can call my local now and they will literally pass the phone around the whole place to say hello....and the first question I always get is 'when you comin back damnit?'

My gfs there have already planned a hen do and we don't even kno at this point whether or not I'll be able to go back before we get married.

Honestly, if it weren't for my family, I would have moved there in a heartbeat.

I've been all over the UK due to my job. I've oragnised events in Notts and in Southend-on-Sea. I think the farther north you go, the more warm and accepting they generally seem. I lived in Clifton Grove, outside of Notts - I personally hated the place (flat and boring - I spent all my time at Elviston Castle because it was nearby, and there were "woody bits" - missed the mountains and hills from home!) and there did seem to be an unusually high number of angry short men who wanted to debate politics in the midlands I kept my mouth shut, smiled, and they were kind to me. It helped to have a sense of humour about fellow, more abrasive Americans.

When I moved to Paisley, even though I was in culture shock (I'd never lived right outside a major city where there was crime/violence - Welcome to Glasgow!), people were so sweet and friendly. I've honestly never had so many people hold doors open for me, help me with my pram, walk up and talk to my children and me, call me hen, or want to know all about where I was from, what's it like, how's the weather etc. I love Scotland, I love Scottish people (except neds...), the countryside, and the way of life, it was so much like Central Pennsylvania from looks to attitude, I never felt more at home anyplace that wasn't really home.

I know it's wrong to say, but also having a non-accent helps. Working in radio, I have a fairly professional speaking manner, devoid of any sort of accent or poor mannerisms (no ain't, no ya'll, no y'uns), and I think that helps people to not pre-judge you when the first meet you. I know it's wrong for them to do so, but it doesn't stop them.

Anyway, my penny's worth!