[QUOTE=MBB;38139935]So I was not born in the US like MOST OF YOU, I was born in India. At the age of 5 or so, my parents moved away from there (thank god) and we lived in Western Europe for 5 years. After that we moved to America, we lived in California for about 2 years or so and NY for about a year. Moved down to the deep south where I have lived for the past 7-8 years or so.
Having talked to family members living in other countries, family members in India, reading about peoples' experiences in different countries, meeting immigrants who have lived in different countries before, and all of that. I have learned a true lesson, America might be one of the VERY FEW countries in the world that allows an immigrant to work hard and truly make something of themselves. From what I have read and talked to others about, most other developed countries are not like this.
I mean when my parents and I moved to where we are, we were not very rich, we weren't poor either. Then shortly after that, my dad and the whole family worked hard and now we can afford to go out and eat every week, parents can afford to send me to college, and we can afford so many things. Not too long ago we became citizens of this country.
But it gets EVEN BETTER. Americans ACTUALLY try to get to know foreigners and get involved with them in the sense that they want to be your friend if you are foreign. Like I have met people down here who were curious about Indian food and I have had the privilege to make friends with White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, and mixed race people. Like so many people here are CURIOUS about foreign cultures instead of being hostile towards them, I heard in a lot of European countries this is not the case.
Now, I do have my complaints about some things here. I think Hollywood kisses up to the Europeans a lot (preferring actors from Europe even over American actors for major films), I feel that not a lot of younger Americans are patriotic as I am, and I feel that women here can be rougher to deal with than foreign women.
With all that being said, I really feel there is not any better country in the world faith could have brought me to.
Americans, love yourselves, you aren't as bad as the world paints you as and whatever you guys have been doing, keep doing it. I am grateful to be a part of this country, will stand up for it when I can, and will do my best to contribute to this country AND THIS COUNTRY ONLY.[/QUOTE]
From another naturalized citizen, I'm glad to say America is my favorite country in the world. Having lived in Scotland until I was about 18, don't get me wrong, beautiful, great country, but the UK is having way to many political problems. So I left. Joined the US Army, became naturalized, and was sent to Afghanistan. Recently, I've been trying to apply for joint citizenship to bothe the UK and Germany.
[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;38158941]How could anybody think poorly of me? I'm practically spooging with good cheer and childlike wonder. Australia would love me, I'm sure.[/QUOTE]
please do no spooge
As an immigrant I like to think of you as an American who hasn't had a chance to become so jaded by our country as to not appreciate the benefits of living here.
It's some consolation to know that people still come here and make our country a better place, despite how hard some Americans try to keep you all out. We didn't build this place by keeping new peoples and ideas out.
[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;38158941]How could anybody think poorly of me? I'm practically spooging with good cheer and childlike wonder. Australia would love me, I'm sure.[/QUOTE]
It's just life. Unfortunately even though (In my own opinion) we're a very progressive and moderate nation, with plenty of smart and worthwhile people, we do have plenty of morons who will judge you on that basis. Whether you actually care about this is another thing. Knowing how to defend yourself would be a good idea. I could totally see drunken yobs picking a fight over an accent. I guess it'd be comparable to being Islamic in the U.S?
As an Iraqi I'd have to agree
god bless 'murrica
Its great to see our country fufill it's duty. Like how we want freedom and equality, and to see it naturally and beautifully occurring is, well, beautiful. I'm glad you shared this, and I hope you continue to enjoy the experience here.
I hear stories like yours alot up here in the state of Massachusetts.
Coincidentally, one of my best friends was born in India too.
[QUOTE=Lamar;38157746]I have heard Australians are generally very unwelcoming to foreigners trying to live in their country.
[img]http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/files/2010/01/Foff.jpg[/img][/QUOTE]
No, but lots of people are unwelcoming to "Boat people"/"line skippers"/people who come here illegally from Indonesia or the middle east.
As a whole though, I'd say Australians like foreigners, or at least where I live. Heck, illegals generally do have a reason for coming anyway eg. seeking asylum.
[QUOTE=Keeshond v2;38159224]It's just life. Unfortunately even though (In my own opinion) we're a very progressive and moderate nation, with plenty of smart and worthwhile people, we do have plenty of morons who will judge you on that basis. Whether you actually care about this is another thing. Knowing how to defend yourself would be a good idea. I could totally see drunken yobs picking a fight over an accent. I guess it'd be comparable to being Islamic in the U.S?[/QUOTE]
No one (except absolute, rare fucktards) is going to dislike you just because you're American as long as you act like a decent human being. I've met plenty of Americans in my city (Melbourne) and the only couple I've disliked were rude and inconsiderate
[editline]24th October 2012[/editline]
That whole "Fuck off we're full" thing is in reference to illegal immigrants (granted I still think that's a fucking stupid viewpoint and it's really not a super-common way of thinking, especially if you live somewhere urban in the south-east)
This thread is nice to see though, if I stay with my boyfriend I'll have to move to the US. I already thought it was a good country (and the people in general seem super nice) so thank you for the reassurance OP!
do not go to the rural south in general it sux here
If you ever get the chance to come to Minnesota, do it. (Just dont drive, please. Its better for everyone)
[QUOTE=TH89;38156172]Okay this is silly though, lots of different immigrants to the U.S. have very different experiences, some have good ones, some bad, mostly mixed. Picking the people whose experiences mesh best with what you already think and saying that they "have perspective" is actually the opposite of having perspective.
Which isn't to say I'm not glad MBB has had a good experience thus far, but you know.[/QUOTE]
First generation immigrants are usually much more pro American than long time citizens. This is from anecdotal evidence, but it's been so consistent across hundreds, if not thousands, of people that I have to give it some credence.
-snip-
I too was an immigrant and was naturalized, but fuck I'd bang america any day of the week
This isn't the 1930s, immigrants can work hard and make it most, if not all developed countries.
I love my country.
I really just dont give a damn what people have to say about us. If I let that shit get to me, I'd be one very miserable person.
Theres a lot of really terrible things I could say for most of the world outside the US, but I'll keep this reply simple and not say anything else.
[QUOTE=sgman91;38160033]First generation immigrants are usually much more pro American than long time citizens. This is from anecdotal evidence, but it's been so consistent across hundreds, if not thousands, of people that I have to give it some credence.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, that stands to reason. But just because there are worse places to live doesn't mean America should be above reproach. Every country has room to grow.
I had a similar experience immigrating to Canada.
I think the moral of the story here folks is it's all about who you meet in your journeys. Ironically (I say ironically because I live in Arizona, filled with people who despise Mexicans yet have them mowing their lawns) the US has always been pretty pro-immigrant in regards to legal immigration. I wish there was a better way I could word this, someone help?
[QUOTE=ewitwins;38160996]I think the moral of the story here folks is it's all about who you meet in your journeys. Ironically (I say ironically because I live in Arizona, filled with people who despise Mexicans yet have them mowing their lawns) the US has always been pretty pro-immigrant in regards to legal immigration. I wish there was a better way I could word this, someone help?[/QUOTE]
Do it legally or we hate you? :v:
[QUOTE=ewitwins;38160996]I think the moral of the story here folks is it's all about who you meet in your journeys. Ironically (I say ironically because I live in Arizona, filled with people who despise Mexicans yet have them mowing their lawns) the US has always been pretty pro-immigrant in regards to legal immigration. I wish there was a better way I could word this, someone help?[/QUOTE]
You could say a country is shit or amazing depending on your personal experiences there, it can just be luck of the draw sometimes depending where you go.
When you've grown up somewhere, you don't notice all the amazing things that your country is doing for you every day, so you forget how good your country is. Whereas everybody notices the bad stuff and it sticks in your memory.
Also remember that nationalism is an ugly thing that people don't like being associated with. A lot of people do like the country of their birth, but don't want to say so for fear of being branded as a dumb patriotic idiot.
Every country has good points and bad points, but the bad points are usually highlighted more.
Even though I like the US a lot, and want to go study there for a semester one of the coming years, I think the OP is generalizing quite a bit.
He makes "Europe" sound like one unified republic, and not a whole bunch of different countries with many different languages, cultures, religions and lifestyles.
Even within the European union (Excluding countries like Switzerland, Norway, Croatia, Serbia and Belarus) countries like Sweden and Italy are nowhere near similar to each other and you can have wildly varying experiences living in one or the other.
Yeah fuck europe those lazy handsome bigots
I've just noticed this bit from the OP:
[QUOTE=MBB;38139935]I think Hollywood kisses up to the Europeans a lot (preferring actors from Europe even over American actors for major films)...[/QUOTE]
This is incredibly recent. Up until not very long ago, Hollywood's idea of a European was an American actor with a dodgy accent.
I wish I got to experience America the way you did when I moved here. I was a wee lad, and when we came here we settled in Detroit. Worst idea, I used to think America was awful cause of how shit Detroit was, that was until I moved to Florida.
[QUOTE=st0rmforce;38163644]I've just noticed this bit from the OP:
This is incredibly recent. Up until not very long ago, Hollywood's idea of a European was an American actor with a dodgy accent.[/QUOTE]
And our dodgy accents were FAR superior to your 'Old World' dodgy accents, let me tell you!
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