coming from America!!!

Welcome and Introductions
21
I admit I am guilty of doing that in response to a criticism during a discussion. I still believe it's bada$$, but I will try to tone down for the sake of my other fellow Americans. Sorry guys!

22
Right ON! Why would you tone it down? If it doesn't bother you, but bothers those you are annoyed with anyway, why stop? I am sure you're not that bad. Be yourself.

23

10 buck says your not your not bada$$ cause your American. Probably, just because you are.

Wait we are in CH, I should say 10 francs.....which buys you like a pack of gum here.

24
Because my rants are VERY inflammatory.

If you've seen them, you'd advise that I tone it down. There are a few of my rants on this forum.

25
First I have to think over what bada$$ means.

26
I will search them later. It will be my only source of entertainment this month. I will let you know if I change my mind.

eliz

27
Er, what was last Thursday night? Care to enlighten us or do you always generalise and then complain about those who generalise?

Maybe it's the drink...

28
haha, yes well, as for my posts, I just try and keep things interesting,

29

Just American humor I think sort of like that British humor that some of don't get but different. .

30
It's great to be separated by one language and several senses-of-humo(u)r. You lot can't spell for toffee though.

If the beating down of a fellow expat did happen, I'd be interested to see who's at fault.

I hear life expectancy in Forch is far greater than downtown Motor City....

31
No reason to learn to spell, I work in a great Swiss company that sent out a notice not too long ago saying that American English is the official language of the company. Another victory in the long fought battle.

32
I was tempted to groan you but that would be petty

And you know your audit group has British English as its official language? Made me laugh, after I'd figured centre had to be spelled as center and then centre again

33
Welcome! Give yourself some time to adjust and don't be put off by one (or more) negative experiences. You'll get used to it, you'll learn bits of German and things will get better

Good luck

34
I've just read through this thread, i lived all over the US, including Ann Arbor, great small town. The Hashbash just passed and the naked mile if my memory serves me correcly.

You will hear much anti-american rhetoric, as well you will hear way too often direct comparisons of anything bad to America. You can do what i initially tried and argue the truth, we're not all violent, ignorant, fat, greedy, and trying to take over the world, or you can try to understand where they're coming from. They grow up being entertained by everything American, music, movies, etc. They believe the world can solve its own problems and that there is never a reason to become involved anywhere. There is a supressed nationalism here that only appears when they're playing soccer and many times its quite violent. Imagine if the NJ Devils played the Canucks and there were riots afterward. Don't loose time here arguing, take the high road and listen to their complaints knowing in your heart the truth. You will find that some complaints may have legitimacy to them, others are simply very misinformed. Engage those who can calmly discuss American and European differences, avoid those who simply hate everything American, you're not going to convince them to think differently. The same narrow mindedness they love to criticize Americans on affects many Europeans it seems. It is difficult for them to understand that 300 million people from all over consider themselves American proudly, whereas someone born here and raised here is not swiss in their eyes.

Good luck. We're going to be watching some hockey on the slingbox, if you're interested PM me.

all the best.

35
I personally haven't encountered that much anti-American rhetoric -- not from the Swiss anyway. I've seen more of it on this forum, actually. But I do know people (Americans and foreigners who worked in the US) in management positions in companies here who've had disagreements or differences with Swiss co-workers/subordinates about their job performance or some other work matter and, invariably, the discussion culminates with the Swiss person telling the US manager "Go back to America." Guess that's the only thing they can think of saying when they've run out of arguments.