Could you live in a non-English speaking country?

[Jezer]

Could I live in a non English speaking country?

I did.

Texas.

Never got over the time some ex pat Brits ordered water and got given vodka.




I'd have no issues living in a French speaking country.

[varduren]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

speaking the language well is not a guarantee of integration. it means you will be tolerated. its the painful lesson usually not learned until 5 years in the country. it means that at some point they tell you oh you speak the language very well, its you we dont like.

hear hear! have seen this more than a few times!

[varduren]

Originally Posted by Kalinka

To be honest, no, and I think most people who think they can are probably kidding themselves. I've been an expat for years now and the longer you are one, the more annoying it seems to get. Even more annoying because you find you're no longer completely comfortable in your home country, nor are you completely comfortable in your host country. And the fact that, long-term it isn't fun to be an outcast. I have never met a country who would "accept", for instance, a child who was born there, had one native parent and one foreign parent. Nearly always, they will still refer to them by their foreign parents nationality or think it without saying it. The US (Canada and Australia fall into this category too) is a much easier place to be an expat though, because, even though there are plenty of "old American" families, it still is a country based on immigrants or people who are not from there and many people are already somewhat familiar with it beforehand, even though, of course there are bound to be cultural differences. It is a good long-term place to immigrate, whereas many other places are not quite a welcoming for a long-term immigration. I do not mean that as people will not be friendly or essentially racist, but as in: you will never fit in. And it takes a real "gem", one I haven't found yet, that can honestly live with that and smile without it bothering him. Many people say it does not bother them, but you can read it clearly through their actions or speech that it does, at least after a certain amount of time.

indeed! you raise a good point..i've seen an example of what you're saying here in the UK recently with their cricket team. while the going was good they were a british cricket team, when things started going bad suddenly their captain was referred to as 'the south african born...' despite having been in the UK for more than several years. i agree with you wholeheartedly in your points tho, alot of people seem to think you should walk with blinkers in your host country and not notice the prejudices. somehow our paying taxes and being legal immigrants does not entitle us the freedom to critique