on the subject of denmark...
Things have been ok, but not really good thus far. It seems a lot of people are more interested in the things i don't know rather than the things i do know. I'm getting drilled on european cities, capitals and countries left and right. Keep in mind these are first time conversations. It's not very fun for two reasons especially; one, I say stupid shit while under pressure; two, they concentrate far more on my mistake than the past 5, 10, 15 minutes of conversation with them. So as to be expected, they can firmly ground their "all american's are dumbasses" opinion while i just stand there, a "confirmed moron" no doubt. I'm either too embarrassed to go around those people again or I'm irritated that i can't just have small talk the first time i talk to someone.
Example; i said Yugoslavia when someone asked me to name countries in order to guess where a girl was from.
Yes, i was well aware even when i said it that Yugoslavia is no longer a country. With two of my better friends in middle school both being from THERE, i know it was split after war (hence former yugoslavia). So why did i say it? I don't even know. I just felt like I should since i have a friend who still considers herself to be from yugoslavia (because she was born before the war and moved on account of it). So i thought of her and said it. What's next but laughter and incredulous looks? Sorry i fail at your pronounced history/geography quiz, please celebrate your confirmed beliefs of my idiocy since that was your ultimate goal in the first place.
Nevertheless, operation "not give a shit" is failing and i haven't even had my first class. One positive is that i havent met a danish person that i haven't liked. I got REALLY lost in the town and after about 3 hours of walking and sundown, you can imagine my panic. I ran into a family that was walking their dog and the man drove me home. every one of them speak english, i'm convinced. And i've made some friends from south korea, virginia and poland (but she is leaving, unfortunately)
Really, what do you say to someone who says "sorry" when you tell them you're from the US? i don't really know how to handle it. At this point i've just laughed or said "yeah, it's unfortunate" in a way that anyone attuned to my sarcasm would pick up on. Sorry that i'm once again being negative and not positive but i feel like negative is the attitude and opinion surrounding me and those other "poor, unfortunate" americans. there is a point where knocking america is funny and i do enjoy fair amount of brittish "humour," but there is also a point when it's just offensive and hurtful and that happens when the first thing said to you is meant to be an insult rather than just a joke.
Do i take things too seriously? Maybe...but i don't think so. If i had know these people for a month, or shit, a week even, it wouldn't have bothered me hardly at all. In fact, i 'd join the mockery of america myself (cause it is pretty damn funny). But sorry, if your first impression of me lies simply on where i fell out of a hole, then screw off.
Example; i said Yugoslavia when someone asked me to name countries in order to guess where a girl was from.
Yes, i was well aware even when i said it that Yugoslavia is no longer a country. With two of my better friends in middle school both being from THERE, i know it was split after war (hence former yugoslavia). So why did i say it? I don't even know. I just felt like I should since i have a friend who still considers herself to be from yugoslavia (because she was born before the war and moved on account of it). So i thought of her and said it. What's next but laughter and incredulous looks? Sorry i fail at your pronounced history/geography quiz, please celebrate your confirmed beliefs of my idiocy since that was your ultimate goal in the first place.
Nevertheless, operation "not give a shit" is failing and i haven't even had my first class. One positive is that i havent met a danish person that i haven't liked. I got REALLY lost in the town and after about 3 hours of walking and sundown, you can imagine my panic. I ran into a family that was walking their dog and the man drove me home. every one of them speak english, i'm convinced. And i've made some friends from south korea, virginia and poland (but she is leaving, unfortunately)
Really, what do you say to someone who says "sorry" when you tell them you're from the US? i don't really know how to handle it. At this point i've just laughed or said "yeah, it's unfortunate" in a way that anyone attuned to my sarcasm would pick up on. Sorry that i'm once again being negative and not positive but i feel like negative is the attitude and opinion surrounding me and those other "poor, unfortunate" americans. there is a point where knocking america is funny and i do enjoy fair amount of brittish "humour," but there is also a point when it's just offensive and hurtful and that happens when the first thing said to you is meant to be an insult rather than just a joke.
Do i take things too seriously? Maybe...but i don't think so. If i had know these people for a month, or shit, a week even, it wouldn't have bothered me hardly at all. In fact, i 'd join the mockery of america myself (cause it is pretty damn funny). But sorry, if your first impression of me lies simply on where i fell out of a hole, then screw off.