Personal experience: bad good Americans
'15.09.2019'
Source: Jana Anders
Some of my Russian friends who have never been to America sometimes ask me: “What kind of Americans are they? Friendly or not? Open or closed? Generous or greedy? ”
It is impossible to unequivocally answer these questions. I can only give examples of the behavior of Americans in various circumstances, and judge what they are for you, writes Yana Anders in her blog on livejournal.com.
1) "Hunger Is Not Aunt"
When I changed clothes at the fitness club, an unfamiliar young woman in a sports uniform entered the locker room. Her red sweaty face seemed alarmed, with tears in her eyes.
“I’m very uncomfortable asking you,” she said loudly, addressing the three women in the dressing room, including me. - But I'm terribly hungry! I didn't have time for breakfast today. I just finished playing sports and now I am so hungry that my hands are shaking. I need to eat something urgently! Do you have anything with you?
- Yes of course! - exclaimed my neighbor on the right. - I have a chocolate bar, here it is!
- And I have an apple! Here, take it, please! - answered my neighbor on the left.
“I don’t have anything edible with me, but I have juice, take it,” I said, and pulled a bottle of orange juice out of my bag.
- Thank you all so much! She said, accepting our gifts.
- Do you have diabetes? - I guessed.
- No, I don't have diabetes. But when I'm hungry, my blood sugar goes down a lot, and it becomes so bad that I get cold sweat and everything starts spinning in front of my eyes, '' she replied, unrolling the chocolate wrapper and wiping away tears.
- Next time, be sure to have breakfast before going to the fitness club! - I advised her.
On the subject: Point of view: the myth of fake smiles and dumb Americans
2) “You're late all the time!”
I'm always late everywhere. From time to time, I am late for group dance classes (Zumba) at the fitness club.
When in 10 minutes after the start of the lesson I enter the gym, there is usually a lot of people there, and the only empty seats are in the front row of the group, right in front of the coach. Where I get up, joining the whole class, because I have nowhere else to get up.
- You're late all the time! - Once a plump lady, dancing in the second row, shouted at me.
- Sorry, - just in case, I answered, although I did not understand why she was interested in my punctuality or her
lack of.
- Yes Yes! You are always late and stand right in front of me, in the front row! She frowned.
- But I have nowhere else to stand!
- You are disturbing me!
“I can switch places with you,” I suggested.
- We must come earlier! She snorted.
3) Motorist Torment
After loading the food in the trunk, I got into the car and turned on the ignition. And instead of the usual noise of the motor, I heard a miserable: "tyr-tyr-tyr ...". The car did not start. I turned the ignition key again and again heard the same hated sound.
“I think I accidentally left the lights on again in the cabin,” I thought. I tried to start it several more times - to no avail.
- Do you need help? - an unfamiliar guy looked into my window.
- Yes! How did you guess? - I was surprised.
- I heard that your car won't start. I've got lighting wires in my trunk. Do you want me to try to start it from my car!
- Sure! Many thanks!
Fifteen minutes later, using the “cigarette lighter”, my car started up safely.
4) “Good neighbor”
- Oh, hello! - my American neighbor sang affectionately, greeting other neighbors passing by. I watched their dialogue, standing on the porch. - How are you? Why don't you come in at all? How are you doing? How is your daughter? Does she like university? Say hello to her! We ought to get together somehow! Shall we have a barbecue?
The neighbors smiled, nodded to her and promised to come in.
“Horrible people,” she told me when they left. - And their daughter is a spoiled insolent girl!
On the subject: 10 things that annoy me in American homes
5) Gifts of the Magi
When my youngest son was born, I had almost no friends in America.
A few days after I arrived home with my newborn son from the hospital, I received phone calls from unfamiliar mothers of my elder son's classmates to congratulate me on the birth of the baby (obviously, the eldest at school said that he had a brother!).
One of the mothers even came to my house and brought gifts for the child. After that, neighbors came in turn (whose name I didn’t even know!), Everyone heartily congratulated me and brought very useful gifts (baby clothes, toys, diapers).
I did not expect such warm attention to myself and my baby from almost strangers to me. This was a huge surprise for me! I was very pleased!
Share your observations and impressions of the Americans!
