Moving from Europe to Atlanta

[globalnomad]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

You've touched a sore point here. It's widely reputed that your fellow citizens conceal their national identity by pretending to be Canadians. See e.g. Urban Dictionary: canadian flag. Canadians, by the way, don't appreciate this. Real Canadian travelers are frequently taken for Americans pretending to be Canadian, because the phenomenon is familiar to Europeans. It makes we Canadians feel that Americans are annoyingly uber-patriotic except when it's more convenient to shamelessly appropriate our national identity.

When we lived in Egypt for three years, on the street and in taxis we were always "Canadian". It helped us avoid unwelcome political discussions with complete strangers about President George W. Bush. After saying we were Canadian, the Egyptian shopkeeper of taxi driver would pause for a moment and then say with a big smile, "Canada Dry!", referring to the popular soft drink.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by globalnomad

When we lived in Egypt for three years, on the street and in taxis we were always "Canadian". It helped us avoid unwelcome political discussions with complete strangers about President George W. Bush. After saying we were Canadian, the Egyptian shopkeeper of taxi driver would pause for a moment and then say with a big smile, "Canada Dry!", referring to the popular soft drink.

I can sympathize with this if you didn't vote for Bush and don't approve of his policies. Otherwise, absolutely not.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by ZeGerman

I am a bit scared that i wont be able to hug and kiss my kids in public anymore - pls NO offense but what europeans are made to beleive what can happen to you when you are in the us is ridiculous.

Er... Why wouldn't you be able to hug and kiss your kids in public?

Remember that the US is roughly as large as continental Europe and that even though it's one country there are a fair number of different American subcultures. Attitudes and experiences will vary depending on where in the country you are and on which specific area of a given city you're in. There may be some areas which are dangerous, but that's also true of Europe.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

Er... Why wouldn't you be able to hug and kiss your kids in public?

I doubt it's hazardous to hug and kiss your kids in public in most (not all) places around metro Atlanta. However, to be fair, European customs are a bit different.

A family from the UK moved to my street a few years ago. They had some stereotypical British working-class attributes, most notably the speech of the 11 year-old boy, which was unbelievably (by local standards) laced with profanities. However, the dad - who was tattooed and very much a traditional manly man - would hug and kiss this kid in public. I don't think it would be easy to find an American dad who'd kiss a son of that age in public.

There was a period of time when pretty much all the neighborhood kids were barred from playing with the British boy, because of his language. Eventually, the language toned down and the prohibitions of other parents were relaxed.

I doubt anyone on the street was bothered by the hugging and kissing, which I think was easily appreciated as a cultural difference. It certainly did stick out though, especially when combined with the swaggering macho demeanor and blue language.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

I doubt it's hazardous to hug and kiss your kids in public in most (not all) places around metro Atlanta. However, to be fair, European customs are a bit different.

A family from the UK moved to my street a few years ago. They had some stereotypical British working-class attributes, most notably the speech of the 11 year-old boy, which was unbelievably (by local standards) laced with profanities. However, the dad - who was tattooed and very much a traditional manly man - would hug and kiss this kid in public. I don't think it would be easy to find an American dad who'd kiss a son of that age in public.
.

This goes to my earlier comments about us here in America and how butt-stickish we can be about some things, as well as someone else's observation that the U.S. is so large, we really do have different "cultures" within our own country.

Case in point: I grew up in Appalachia (West Virgina). People are friendly and in some places, rural and "country folk", but they also in the area I grew up in, very closed to close physical contact with their kids. I mean it's like, the MOMS would hug the kid (never Dad), until the kid was old enough to start school, and then that's it - poof - no more touching. Kinda like Vulcans, only with sweet iced tea and dirt biking. LOL

Well, when I moved to Atlanta, one of my first friends was a guy who's family was Italian, and he had been raised in San Jose, CA. He had two teen sons. He would wrestle with them, hug them, kiss them, etc. The first time I saw him do this I was like, "Whoahhhhhhh- freak!" It was THAT odd for me to see. Later as I met more people here from other regions of the U.S., I heard stories about fathers who had showered with their 4 year old kid, saw parents kiss their teens in public, etc. It was literally like being on a completely different plant for me, and made me feel VERY awkward when I was around it. I got over it eventually, but it's a prime example of just how completely different people are in different regions of the U.S.

Side-tracked there, but the point is that the original poster has some legit fears but they're based on inflated stereotypes about Americans as a whole. If he comes HERE (with Atlanta's mix of people) and hugs and kisses his kids, no one is going to give it a second glance. If he goes to Bumducky, Alabama - or parts of Appalachia - people might brand him as "a weirdo".

Still, it's nothing to worry about. Worry about the carjackers more than kissing your kid. LOL

[ZeGerman]

Thank you ladies and gentlemen,

I am so sorry to have stirred up that discussion... please excuse me

Nothing wrong with the US as there is nothing wrong with the people that live there! Different countries have different cultures and my family and myself are more than happy to accept that!

And of course we want to and we will adopt - not forgetting our roots - mine being german roots and my wifes being south african roots - and trust me - living in SA is much more of an adventure and task. US will be heaven compared to living in SA.

We do not want to live like Europeans in the US - we want to live your style - though i will also keep on kissin and huggin my children (and I do not have a reason why I should ever stop that unless my kids tell me not to) So - sooner or later you will have another person kissing and hugging his daughter and son in public!!!!! Not to forget about my wife!!! BTW our dog is NOT included in that scenario


Thanks again for your replies and comments!

And pls feel free to contact me if your are in need of any info on germany, germans.... german food... :-))

Danke Euch Allen!

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Case in point: I grew up in Appalachia (West Virgina). People are friendly and in some places, rural and "country folk", but they also in the area I grew up in, very closed to close physical contact with their kids. I mean it's like, the MOMS would hug the kid (never Dad), until the kid was old enough to start school, and then that's it - poof - no more touching.

My parents also grew up in Appalachia - western North Carolina. My mom's family hugs, kisses, kisses, hugs parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. My dad's family - a handshake to greet, and a VERY brief hug on parting. The two families lived maybe 3 miles apart.
Maybe it's not such a regional thing, after all.
I've raised my children with lots of physical affection. They're both 25 now, and they have no problem hugging and kissing their mom OR dad in public!