I have been doing some thinking and it has come to my attention that ...
I have seemingly become prejudiced ... It is not something to be proud of, nor a good thing, yet ...
I have been doing some thinking and since coming to Australia I have developed a dislike for people from Germany. Now, I never had the feeling before coming to Australia - and I bear no grudge against my friends who are German decent (ie. L whose family has been Canadian for generations) but the people who are from Germany that I have met ... are leaving a bad taste in my mouth. Now, I know that not all Germans are like that: But the ones that are here (there are so many of them) are not doing their country justice. The ones I have come across have been obnoxiously loud, rude, manipulative, selfish, and really angry. I am not saying it is a good thing - but that's the people I have come across (and since I have never been around Germans before I really had no care or opinion concerning the people of that country). They say that racism and prejudice only happen when you are growing up - but my experience says otherwise. It's not a good thing - but after living with roomie T last semester and being around a lot of his German buddies, running into many Germans along my travels here, my next door neighbour this semester, being manipulated by German M, L's crazy roommie ("the crockroach" - because he is so creepy), the crazy German lecturer for this semester, and just coming across people of that nationality along my travels ... I am not inclined to being overly-friendly anymore. And the thing is ... I am not the only one who feels this way. Roomie A (who is Australian), L, Boy E, Australian L, and AA all feel this way. Where are all the good Germans? Are there any?
And, yet, this really serves as a good reminder to behave as best as you can when travelling in another country: you represent your nationality and that is what people's perceptions of your country are.
I have been doing some thinking and since coming to Australia I have developed a dislike for people from Germany. Now, I never had the feeling before coming to Australia - and I bear no grudge against my friends who are German decent (ie. L whose family has been Canadian for generations) but the people who are from Germany that I have met ... are leaving a bad taste in my mouth. Now, I know that not all Germans are like that: But the ones that are here (there are so many of them) are not doing their country justice. The ones I have come across have been obnoxiously loud, rude, manipulative, selfish, and really angry. I am not saying it is a good thing - but that's the people I have come across (and since I have never been around Germans before I really had no care or opinion concerning the people of that country). They say that racism and prejudice only happen when you are growing up - but my experience says otherwise. It's not a good thing - but after living with roomie T last semester and being around a lot of his German buddies, running into many Germans along my travels here, my next door neighbour this semester, being manipulated by German M, L's crazy roommie ("the crockroach" - because he is so creepy), the crazy German lecturer for this semester, and just coming across people of that nationality along my travels ... I am not inclined to being overly-friendly anymore. And the thing is ... I am not the only one who feels this way. Roomie A (who is Australian), L, Boy E, Australian L, and AA all feel this way. Where are all the good Germans? Are there any?
And, yet, this really serves as a good reminder to behave as best as you can when travelling in another country: you represent your nationality and that is what people's perceptions of your country are.