[HPFGU-OTChatter] People abroad /Ebony's survival in London

Neil Ward neilward at dircon.co.uk
Sat Mar 3 02:11:46 UTC 2001


Ebony said:

<<<:::snorts:::  Isn't the idea of "dumb American" a useless  stereotype?
When I was in high school, we had exchange students from  Britain, Finland,
and Argentina... in inner-city Detroit.  They were  just as clueless as I'm
sure I'll be this summer. >>>

I can imagine <g>.  Although people from particular countries can exhibit
similar traits, it doesn't make sense to throw a huge blanket over an entire
nation; some things just *don't* work at the population level.  Just for the
record, "being dumb" is certainly not the first thing that springs to my
mind as a defining characteristic of Americans.

<<<I'll be happy to experience England, and I'll be properly respectful of
local custom as I learn it, but I don't see the need to apologize for being
American.  Or being an exchange student.  There are much worse sins.  :)...
I'm more worried about practical things:  what shall I eat?  Where  can I
get my hair done?  (Only women with hair like mine can  appreciate that...
for us, the salon's not a luxury, it is a bitter necessity.)  How much will
it cost to call home?  What's the
 nightlife like?  Are there church services?  Most importantly, how much
will it cost to subsist from day to day as
 a student?>>>

Hmmm. It sounds like you'll need a survival pack for your visit, Ebony!  I'd
be happy to check out anything for you ahead of time if you send me a list
of questions.  Apart from the fact that it's really expensive, London is
very cosmopolitan (for example, I doubt you'll have trouble finding
somewhere to get your hair done, or a suitably active church), but it helps
to get an insider's view.

I'm going to be doing a lot of travelling in the US this year and the things
I've picked up from this list will help me enormously.  For example, I'll be
able order biscuits and not look surprised when they bring me some sort of
mutant scone smothered in sausage gravy (does it have chunks of sausage in
it... okay... leave it).  I may try dropping a twinkie out of a hotel
window.  I'll remember to turn on the Universal Translator when talking
about vests, pants, suspenders and jumpers.  I won't roll over any
bonnets...

You can expect me to be posting the daftest questions about US life in
future months.

Neil

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