[Newfy]

I remember when I first moved to the UK, it was hard enough just getting used to a new country, but the one thing that really pissed me off was when somebody would ask " Are you American ?" I would obviously say no. To top it off though they would then say whats the difference? I would nearly blow my top.

Anybody else experience similar incounters?

[bossdog]

Not as a Canadian living in the US. I do have to correct a lot of Americans when they say that Canada is the same as the US.

[EyeBrock]

Newfy wrote:

I remember when I first moved to the UK, it was hard enough just getting used to a new country, but the one thing that really pissed me off was when somebody would ask " Are you American ?" I would obviously say no. To top it off though they would then say whats the difference? I would nearly blow my top.

Anybody else experience similar incounters?

As a Brit over here I get "Are you Australian?" soooo often! I'm from Manchester and my accent is about as Ozzy as a Kentucky mountain twang.

It's the cross we Limey's have to bear, now immigrants from the UK are a rare species in Canada we get mistaken for anything but a Brit hourly.

Sob....

[Zoraja]

I get that all the time, usually from guys at clubs, I usually just walk away.

[Newfy]

Zoraja, just be glad you don't live near a military camp. you wouldn't be able to go to a club without being chatted up about a hundred times.

[Zoraja]

You think that doesnt already happen? Derby guys are borny bastards. And there are old guys in the clubs that actually think you might be interested in them. Ive felt more penises touch my back that I did not know the owner than I ever ever ever wanted.

[xerxes]

Here's a simple comeback: Ask them if they're Irish.

[ziggy]

Quote:

Ive felt more penises touch my back that I did not know the owner than I ever ever ever wanted.

So just how many did you want?

Sound's like Pen or Chopper was in the bar.

[Newfy]

you'll be glad to be leaving then.

[Motorcycleboy]

I think many Canadians enjoy making a big production over this type of thing as a way to assert their identity. It's kind of immature.

The fact is, very few Americans would care one way or the other if a European or Brit confused them with Canadians. But Canadians seem to relish in taking offence when it's the other way around. A perfect example of little brother syndrome if you ask me.

We speak the same language, have very similar accents and grow up watching the same media, movies, etc. It's hardly a sign of ignorance when someone in another country has difficulty making a distinction that very few Canadians or Americans could make themselves.

[natooke]

Newfy wrote:

I remember when I first moved to the UK, it was hard enough just getting used to a new country, but the one thing that really pissed me off was when somebody would ask " Are you American ?" I would obviously say no. To top it off though they would then say whats the difference? I would nearly blow my top.

Anybody else experience similar incounters?

All the time when I meet a new person & add the "whats the difference" question ... then I say what is the difference with Sweden & Norway, I see no difference.
The area I live in hunting is a big deal, most of counrty shuts down during The Moose hunt in the fall & wifes feel like thier a widows! So when we do get out & party, I get cornerd by a drunk who wants to tell me about his dream vacation to Canada to hunt Moose

[kaetz]

true enough
but when one says "Canada is the same as America"...
omiting all the emotions - it's just not the same!

[Zoraja]

Motorcycleboy wrote:

I think many Canadians enjoy making a big production over this type of thing as a way to assert their identity. It's kind of immature.

The fact is, very few Americans would care one way or the other if a European or Brit confused them with Canadians. But Canadians seem to relish in taking offence when it's the other way around. A perfect example of little brother syndrome if you ask me.

We speak the same language, have very similar accents and grow up watching the same media, movies, etc. It's hardly a sign of ignorance when someone in another country has difficulty making a distinction that very few Canadians or Americans could make themselves.

I dunno I tend to think it is a sign of ignorance. When I meet new people here I dont ask if they are from Germany if they speak German, I just ask where they are from, they could be from Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, or jsut speak German and be British. Why assume? All you will do is offend some people, if people do recognize I am Canadian its not like I like them more.

[EyeBrock]

kaetz wrote:

true enough
but when one says "Canada is the same as America"...
omiting all the emotions - it's just not the same!

To the visitor, Canada and the US (besides Quebec) are much the same, as MCB said, Yanks and Canadians watch the same shows, buy the same cars, clothes etc.

If you take the UK and France, who are 23 miles apart, there are vast cultural differences besides the obvious language change.

I've been mistaken for an OZZY for the past 12 years, it doesn't bother me, it just let's me know the person asking me if I am an Ozzy has no clue about Australia or the UK and probably has never left the hemisphere they were born in.

[Zoraja]

The difference between Canadians and americans is extremism, americans are much more extreme in many ways than canadians, and although there are numerous other differences (we are not war mungorers either) I would mch rather be confused with an Aussie than an american.