Should I Tell Them I'm A Yank?

[gburns57au]

BTW.....Yank bashing has been an Aussie pasttime since the Battle of Brisbane....and since then has evolved into a similar love hate relationship that we have the Poms.....the difference is, is that the Poms slag us back

We generally save our "slagging" for countries that have a higher GNP than the State of California.

Typical Yank response....."we are bigger and better or richer"....what arrogance!!....this is an example of what most other nations really do dislike about certain Yanks....thanks for proving the point

[gburns57au]

Then there's the fact that many music, fashion, and technology trends are started in the States, which contributes to a love/hate relationship between us and the rest of the world.

None of that stops people from coming from all over the world, including those that consider themselves culturally superior, and living in the United States.... hey, the country that gave the world Britney Spears can't be all bad, can it?

Music......well America have a lot of good groups but none have been as influential as the Beatles (British)...

Fashion...Paris in France has long been regarded as the home of Fashion...and the rest of Europe isnt far behind....but wait!!!......there is a Paris in Texas isnt there????

Technology....Germany for engineering, Japan for electronics, etc etc....

Britney Spears.....if that is the epitome of American womanhood....America is in more trouble than I thought...

[Ulysses G.]

BTW.....Yank bashing has been an Aussie pasttime since the Battle of Brisbane....and since then has evolved into a similar love hate relationship that we have the Poms.....the difference is, is that the Poms slag us back

We generally save our "slagging" for countries that have a higher GNP than the State of California.

Typical Yank response....."we are bigger and better or richer"....what arrogance!!....this is an example of what most other nations really do dislike about certain Yanks....

Envy is a terrible thing.

Then there's the fact that many music, fashion, and technology trends are started in the States, which contributes to a love/hate relationship between us and the rest of the world.

None of that stops people from coming from all over the world, including those that consider themselves culturally superior, and living in the United States.... hey, the country that gave the world Britney Spears can't be all bad, can it?

Music......well America have a lot of good groups but none have been as influential as the Beatles (British)...

No argument from me on this one, The Beatles are the best.

[tavarich]

BTW.....Yank bashing has been an Aussie pasttime since the Battle of Brisbane....and since then has evolved into a similar love hate relationship that we have the Poms.....the difference is, is that the Poms slag us back

We generally save our "slagging" for countries that have a higher GNP than the State of California.

Typical Yank response....."we are bigger and better or richer"....what arrogance!!....this is an example of what most other nations really do dislike about certain Yanks....thanks for proving the point

Wow I sit hear and read all these playful little slaps and then some numb nut gets his panties in a bunch because he cant take it. Here is a couple of $$ go buy yourself something pretty.

[chuchok]

BTW.....Yank bashing has been an Aussie pasttime since the Battle of Brisbane....and since then has evolved into a similar love hate relationship that we have the Poms.....the difference is, is that the Poms slag us back

We generally save our "slagging" for countries that have a higher GNP than the State of California.

Typical Yank response....."we are bigger and better or richer"....what arrogance!!....this is an example of what most other nations really do dislike about certain Yanks....thanks for proving the point

Wow I sit hear and read all these playful little slaps and then some numb nut gets his panties in a bunch because he cant take it. Here is a couple of $$ go buy yourself something pretty.

[blabbel]

Wow I sit hear and read all these playful little slaps and then some numb nut gets his panties in a bunch because he cant take it. Here is a couple of $$ go buy yourself something pretty.

That's something else yanks have a reputation for, being oversensitive (you must be envious if you don't like me), condescending (you must be some low-life if you criticise us) and throwing about money (thinking their spare change will buy favours)....

Have a nice day!

[Ulysses G.]

Wow I sit hear and read all these playful little slaps and then some numb nut gets his panties in a bunch because he cant take it. Here is a couple of $$ go buy yourself something pretty.

That's something else yanks have a reputation for, being oversensitive (you must be envious if you don't like me), condescending (you must be some low-life if you criticise us) and throwing about money (thinking their spare change will buy favours)....

In other words: Waaahhhh.... The US turned down my visa application.

Edited January 9, 2006 by Ulysses G.

[Ice Maiden]

Never hide your nationality Thaibebop!

If people wish to judge you by your nationality then they really can't be great friends at all can they?

[Ulysses G.]

Never hide your nationality Thaibebop!

If people wish to judge you by your nationality then they really can't be great friends at all can they?

They probably aren't all that bright either.

[Lilyflower]

a slightly different tack here...

(i'm going to talk in sweeping generalities here - so please excuse that - it's a general point i'm making)

i think some nationalities are more able to 'take a slagging' than others. for example, it seems to me that the aussies and the irish are used to taking a slagging because to a large extent that sort of thing is part of the culture of those countries - and certainly part of the national sense of what is humorous (and can make for an extremely entertaining night out!).

the brits aren't quite as good at taking a 'personal' slagging - but they're great at slagging off their government (even if they voted for them), the royal family (whether or not they think it's a good thing), their mates/colleagues, etc etc.

i think what is sometimes different with americans is that they aren't used to that slagging thing. i was in a group a while ago that included an american who was getting really naffed off that others were slagging george bush/america's foreign policy etc. they really weren't being serious about it, but he took it really badly. he didn't realise that they do the same for their own country's politicians, etc and it was nothing personal towards anyone - certainly not him...

i don't think anyone should have to hide their nationality when they travel - mixing it up is part of the joy of it... i'd just suggest that you be prepared to understand there are differences in cultures (including how different peoples interact) - then you'll have a great time!

have a good trip...

[Jai Dee]

Most yanks I've met have turned out to be pretty nice people...

Pride in one's nationality is not (in my opinion) necessarily a bad thing.

OTT nationality bashing (be they yanks or aussies or arabs or whatever) is....

Give everyone a chance I say... until proven otherwise.

Be yourself... and be proud.

[tavarich]

Most yanks I've met have turned out to be pretty nice people...

Pride in one's nationality is not (in my opinion) necessarily a bad thing.

OTT nationality bashing (be they yanks or aussies or arabs or whatever) is....

Give everyone a chance I say... until proven otherwise.

Be yourself... and be proud.

This a gentleman and a scholar. I would buy him a beer anytime, and I'm not sure where he's from and don't care. Because we are all Thai's now

[Ulysses G.]

Lilyflower Posted Today, 2006-01-09 21:19:46

i think some nationalities are more able to 'take a slagging' than others.

I agree with much of what Lilyflower has written, but frequency of the slagging certainly has to be taken into consideration. A few jabs, now and then, are friendly and amusing.

A little joking is funny, but constant slagging is just pointless and nasty. Can't really blame one for firing back.

[Curt]

Do you really want to fit in with those that would have a problem with the fact that you are from the States?

[Tywais]

Most yanks I've met have turned out to be pretty nice people...

Pride in one's nationality is not (in my opinion) necessarily a bad thing.

OTT nationality bashing (be they yanks or aussies or arabs or whatever) is....

Give everyone a chance I say... until proven otherwise.

Be yourself... and be proud.

Thanks Jai Dee for being a voice of reason in a thread that was becoming one of sweeping generalities. It was clear from the topic title it would start degrading sooner or later.

[penzman]

Say you're Canadian!

Nowadays, in their book, traveling under an other identity makes them a terrorist

Feel free to do so!

All that freedom talk and after alllll these years, people still use my native country as a cover when traveling...

Makes me wanna go take a cr@p right at the border.

[daleyboy]

I have noticed some poking fun at us yanks on this forum and I know a lot of it is just joking. However I got to thinking about it and wondered if there are some people in Thailand who would rather not be friendly with a Yank. I am not posting this to start any @%^$, just wondering. I have joked with one of my friends that when I move to Thailand if I want Thai friends I will need to speak Thai and if I want any other friends I should speak with a British accent. So, really I am curious if I really will encounter such a person?

Dont worry about it mate.

I will take the piss no matter what nation you hale from. If people cant take a joke thats upto them. When i make fun of Yanky doodles or Aussies or those sheep worrying New zealanders, it is meant in jest and with no offence intended.

The world would be a mighty boring place if we all spoke with British accents, i mean <deleted> who would i take the piss out of?

If someone doesnt like your accent then that is THEIR problem and not yours, just tell them to "talk to the hand cause the face aint listening" in your broadest Southern accent and watch them run for the hills.

[Boon Mee]

BTW.....Yank bashing has been an Aussie pasttime since the Battle of Brisbane....and since then has evolved into a similar love hate relationship that we have the Poms.....the difference is, is that the Poms slag us back

We generally save our "slagging" for countries that have a higher GNP than the State of California.

Typical Yank response....."we are bigger and better or richer"....what arrogance!!....this is an example of what most other nations really do dislike about certain Yanks....

Envy is a terrible thing.

Then there's the fact that many music, fashion, and technology trends are started in the States, which contributes to a love/hate relationship between us and the rest of the world.

None of that stops people from coming from all over the world, including those that consider themselves culturally superior, and living in the United States.... hey, the country that gave the world Britney Spears can't be all bad, can it?

Music......well America have a lot of good groups but none have been as influential as the Beatles (British)...

No argument from me on this one, The Beatles are the best.

Almost...you forgot the King, Ulysses G...

Elvis?

[Mr Red]

Just remember you are a Yankee Doodle Dandy and you can't change....and if ever you think you can sink a few beers and stay up to speed with an Aussie beer drinker, I'd love to shout you a couple of ales, slap you on the back and enjoy your company.....until you collapse in a drunken heap leaving us Aussies to carry on drinking alone.

(Why is it Yanks always seem to collapse when it's their shout?)

Boy, I love challenges! Next time I am in LOS, I would love to take this one! MM, I'll let you know when I am back in town.

[baht&sold]

I believe this debate was well covered on all sides in "The Waldorf Salad" episode of Fawlty Towers...

[thaibebop]

I believe this debate was well covered on all sides in "The Waldorf Salad" episode of Fawlty Towers...

That was a great episode!

[Insight]

I believe this debate was well covered on all sides in "The Waldorf Salad" episode of Fawlty Towers...

And very brilliantly too

[thaibebop]

It's a waste of time hiding the fact that you are a Yank.

You will be easily identified as an American each morning when you line up outside the hotel's manager's office with all the other whinging Yanks, complaining about your air conditioning not being cold enough or your three minute eggs only being cooked for two and a half minutes.

You will be easily identified as an American because you will have the loudest mouth in your group and you will be bragging the most about how you single handedly won the war, or how you took on seven karate fighters at the same time and thrashed them into submission with just three punches and two kicks.

You will be easily identified as an American because you will be wearing stars and stripes underwear with matching sox.

You will be easily identified as an American at the breakfast table because you will be filling your face with pancakes dripping in maple syrup, scoffing down hot cakes, hot dogs and multi-cups of hot Karfee, not to mention your undercooked three minute eggs. (Ooops, i've already mentioned them.)

Just remember you are a Yankee Doodle Dandy and you can't change....and if ever you think you can sink a few beers and stay up to speed with an Aussie beer drinker, I'd love to shout you a couple of ales, slap you on the back and enjoy your company.....until you collapse in a drunken heap leaving us Aussies to carry on drinking alone.

(Why is it Yanks always seem to collapse when it's their shout?)

I am a mutt of Irish, Scottish, British, German stock. I think I can handle a few drinks. And just to keep you comfortable, 1st round is on me!

YOU ARE A YANKKK!!!!!

I don´t care...you are thaibebop...my dear thaibebop...

I have nothing against yankis but rather to any comment that i don´t like...i don´t care if is commig from a yank, canadian, french,spanish...

Yes dear, I am a Yank. All the way back to the Mayflower.

Then there's the fact that many music, fashion, and technology trends are started in the States, which contributes to a love/hate relationship between us and the rest of the world.

None of that stops people from coming from all over the world, including those that consider themselves culturally superior, and living in the United States.... hey, the country that gave the world Britney Spears can't be all bad, can it?

Music......well America have a lot of good groups but none have been as influential as the Beatles (British)...

Fashion...Paris in France has long been regarded as the home of Fashion...and the rest of Europe isnt far behind....but wait!!!......there is a Paris in Texas isnt there????

Technology....Germany for engineering, Japan for electronics, etc etc....

Britney Spears.....if that is the epitome of American womanhood....America is in more trouble than I thought...

I have been worrying for years.

[thaibebop]

Thanks everyone, your posts have been fun to read. Some had me in stiches! I was only joking about hiding my nationality. Though to comfort everyone I will not walk through the streets of Bangkok with an American flag anywhere on or near my person. In the great words of my guru George Carlin "I'll leave the symbols to the symbol minded."

However, I have also perfered the English of my cousins so forgive me if I let slip words like mate, or G'day and what not. Although, I don't think I'll ever refer to the rain as piss.

Thanks again to everyone for posting, I enjoyed it.

[Boon Mee]

I don't think I'll ever refer to the rain as piss.

Well, one often hears the expression 'It's pissing down rain' but I've never heard rain called 'piss'.

That term is reserved exclusively for beer.

[Insight]

I don't think I'll ever refer to the rain as piss.

Well, one often hears the expression 'It's pissing down rain' but I've never heard rain called 'piss'.

That term is reserved exclusively for beer.

Or "off".

/edit - Or "take the..."

Edited January 10, 2006 by Insight

[lovejoy]

"I am a mutt of Irish, Scottish, British, German stock. I think I can handle a few drinks. And just to keep you comfortable, 1st round is on me! "

so would that leave you being a stingy,smelly alcoholic with no sense of humour???????

[chuchok]

I don't think I'll ever refer to the rain as piss.

Well, one often hears the expression 'It's pissing down rain' but I've never heard rain called 'piss'.

That term is reserved exclusively for beer.

Or "off".

or "urine"

[kerryk]

I have noticed some poking fun at us yanks on this forum and I know a lot of it is just joking. However I got to thinking about it and wondered if there are some people in Thailand who would rather not be friendly with a Yank. I am not posting this to start any @%^$, just wondering. I have joked with one of my friends that when I move to Thailand if I want Thai friends I will need to speak Thai and if I want any other friends I should speak with a British accent. So, really I am curious if I really will encounter such a person?

Had an Aussie over for dinner last night. He was totally shocked I knew anything about aborigines (Cultural Anthropology course in college) and I was totally shocked he knew anything about the Alamo and the American civil war. We got on quite well together. We even talked about politics although I am quite easy to get along with in that area since I haven’t much liked an American president since Teddy Roosevelt.

My first experience with Australians was as a boy in Newport Rhode Island. They were challenging the America’s cup. We would go out at night, both teams and have a few drinks before the next days racing. When we saw the sailors the next day on the water they were never the ones we had been drinking with the night before. The Aussies had brought two teams, one to drink and one to race. I always thought that was quite inventive.

When I first got here I was a little insecure about telling people I was an American because I met a Danish guy who had been beat up by a bunch of Arabs in BKK because they thought he was an American soldier. I learned how to write my name in Thai on the blackboards of the pool halls.

I was out with a bunch of Thai special forces guys drinking on a Sunday afternoon. I was hesitant to admit I was in Vietnam because of the many negative stereotypes of soldiers from that era but after a few beers they cajoled the information out of me and dragged out this ancient Thai Tiger commando who had been medivaced by a chopper bearing the same insignia as the one I had drawn on a piece of paper responding to a question about my rank and unit.

For the rest of the night I could not pay for anything and they took me to a base and turned out a company of troops for me to review. We then went to the BOQ and they cooked me dinner and got me quite loaded. A nice bunch of guys. The LTC of the group even offered me 200 head of cattle and a used BMW to marry one of my daughters.

As more Americans reach retirement age especially Viet vets who have many pleasant memories of Thailand I would think the Americans will begin to arrive in hoards.

Probably pretty much like me who had been secretly missing Thailand for 30 years.

[udon]

Nice post Kerry, there are few Aus vets on this forum but we didn't serve in Vn.

I was serving on a yacht in NZ....... booze. LOL

If we can meet up in LOS sometime, some of us Ozmates will make you very welcome.

Are you in bkk?